"Change can be frightening, and the temptation is often to resist it. But change almost always provides opportunities - to learn new things, to rethink tired processes, and to improve the way we work."

Klaus Schwab

The outrage and gasps of scandal erupted and ripped through the crowd like a tidal wave, while the couple mentioned stood stunned as if by a hammer blow.

Amun's eyes blazed with a fury as he clenched his teeth. "My lady..."

Lady Laima turned towards Amun. The Vampire Queen raised a delicate eyebrow while behind her, her husband seemed both resigned and amused.

Carlisle himself stood shocked into silence as Esme blinked, trying to make sense of things. Emmett's own jaw had dropped, and Rosalie looked completely taken aback. Even Alice was befuddled, her brow furrowing. She had only recently removed the magic inhibitor that cut her off from her Sight and had not yet received any sort of vision about the future. Jasper also blinked rapidly in bemusement, wondering at this strange and sudden turn of events.

Bella looked completely taken aback. Everyone in the hall had started whispering excitedly.

"I assume you have objections." The Lady said flatly, causing Amun to inhale deep breaths in order to calm himself, as she turned back around to rejoin her husband.

"My lady," he began again, slowly. Lady Laima turned to face him fully. "This... this family has been responsible... if they were not complicit then certainly through negligence, they are guilty of not reining their infernal son in." He ground his teeth. Collectively, every single Cullen stiffened. "That boy has caused more trouble than the Romanians did since 500 A.D. And look what has happened! We are now either at the brink of war or a terrible curse, all because of their 'son's' actions- or their inactions in stopping or preventing him- even if they didn't openly participate in the boy's hare-brained schemes."

Murmurs of agreement flooded the hall. Jasper struggled not to wince. Unfortunately, Amun had a point. They were all to blame for what Edward did or didn't do, in a way. At least certainly by not spotting things sooner or stopping him. Alice's head dropped. Jasper squeezed her hand gently.

"Yet it is my foresight which tells me that someday you will all be very glad that both Carlisle and Esme are on your council," the Lady Progenitor warned. "Do not discount their contributions so lightly. Which of you have not made mistakes in the past which has not costed you, if not greatly, then to some degree, even by outright ignoring what seemed to be minor or understandable problems due to the cause of supposed 'love'?" Touché, Jasper thought, while the audience shuffled uncomfortably. No doubt they all remembered that the Lady Progenitor was known to see the past as well as the present and future of whoever person there was, and wherever they were. That scared him, in all honesty. But it might prove helpful.

Lady Laima closed her dark blue eyes momentarily. "Of course, you may always change things," she shrugged. "This is your right and your choice, to change whosoever sits upon the council. But this is my warning: I did not ask all of these people to step up lightly. And someday, you will be glad of the individual persons I have chosen and pointed to you all."

Kachiri and Zafrina of the Amazon coven looked at one another, while Senna stood, absorbing this and pondering what this could possibly mean for their future. Tanya and Kate also looked at each other, then to Garrett, Carmen and Eleazar, the latter's brow furrowing. Maggie's eyes had widened, until they were large and round like softballs. Her head whipped towards Siobhan, curls flying momentarily as she stared wide-eyed and stunned at her coven-mate. Siobhan too, felt the weight of the Vampire Queen's pronouncement, even if Maggie had not confirmed it. Liam shuffled, uneasy. His brow furrowed.

Carlisle and Esme themselves stared at one another. They were thinking the exact same thing as everybody else in this hall, apart from the Lady Progenitor who would herself have known. What could this mean? What could possibly happen in the future that every single person selected by the Vampire Queen during this moment would someday be a cause for gladness or relief that they were in government? Were Carlisle and Esme, along with all these others, somehow save their species?

From what? Jasper was both bewildered and unnerved. Hadn't their family gone through enough already? Didn't they deserve a break? He eyed his parents with sympathy.

"In any case, I am hardly done," the Lady Progenitor remarked, gliding gracefully across the length of the crowd in front of them.

She stopped in front of the Denalis. "Tanya and Eleazar." She said quietly. "Will you accept?"

Tanya straightened, as did Eleazar. Her eyes brightened. "We accept." Eleazar said softly, but clearly and with firm conviction. The Vampire Queen smiled.

"You may add more if you wish," the Lady Progenitor spoke. "But for now... well, these are the ones most likely and best-suited for the job. They would have found themselves on the council sooner rather than later. Why wait?"

Jasper blinked. Clearly, the Vampire Queen was indicating that she had Seen Carlisle and Esme, along with Tanya and Eleazar on their species' new government, but how? Obviously, she was just moving things along faster, like she had always said. But what did or would Carlisle and Esme do that would make everyone somehow glad to have them in government? Before he could ponder this, the First Vampire spoke.

Markus sighed. "Well, that decides it." He extended his hands. "Shall we?"

He gestured to the table. The ebony board held a bowl of silver on top. A blade of obsidian lay beside it, like something the Aztecs used for their religious rituals, with a gold handle inlaid with jewel, emeralds and malachite gleaming. The third item was a gold chalice inlaid with rubies and jet.

But what really captured Jasper's attention was the large leather-bound book at the centre of the table. The cover was a strange thing. Jasper blinked, not used to being unable to decipher the colour or particular shade of anything as a vampire with preternatural vision, but he couldn't tell if the book itself was midnight-blue, black or, weirdly enough, dark red. Magic, he noted grimly. It had to be. There was no other explanation for it. Other than that, what really captured his attention in the first place was that the book was absolutely massive. It looked completely ancient and old-fashioned, and- he squinted- while he initially believed that the pages were made of parchment, it looked as if some consisted of papyrus. The volume was bound and sealed shut with silver clasps.

"The Book of Erebus," Markus nodded towards it. "After this ritual, you are not only permitted but encouraged to take and read copies of our most esoteric text. And of course, after this, you will have to record your own history, knowledge of your own biology and powers, society and its organisation along with that of your coven units, culture and practices, and they will be there for all, particularly future members of your species, to take knowledge and understanding from, as well as instruction if necessary.

"This book is our most ancient text written in our script and language, decipherable only to vampires. As you are not members of the Confederation, but vampires nonetheless, you may have a better sense and understanding than all the others, due to the fact that it is ingrained deep within your DNA. But the true meanings of these words will still remain a mystery... until now."

He took the obsidian blade in his hand.

"Rest assured you have my word that you will not be enslaved by this ritual," Markus said flatly. His eyes for a moment, his eyes flickered briefly towards the direction of the throne engraved with the capital V. "And I repeat, you will not be under anyone's direct authority except for your own." Amun and all the others straightened, as did Garrett, and, interestingly enough, Liam. They peered with interest towards what was happening. "The only higher authority is that of the overall High Council of the Vampire Confederation, and even then, you will be treated as equals same as all the rest.

"Please stand around the table." Hastily, vampires moved into position, eagerly and swiftly claiming the best spots from a few irritated individuals, in order to get the best view of what was truly happening. Markus handed his wife the blade.

That was when Jasper noted the lines etched within the ebony table, which was not as smooth as he initially believed it to have been. It looked somewhat like a pentagram, but he didn't have time to ponder this, as well as the fact that this might have been done and concealed by magic.

The Lady Progenitor sliced the palm of her dainty hand and the vampires all inhaled, hissing sharply at the scent of her blood. Suddenly, Jasper could very well understand why she had never been permitted to bite and transform anyone directly, or why she never even left the tower unless under heavy guard. He could very well believe how a sorceress could create a new breed or strain of vampires by using Lady Laima's stolen blood. And worse, just how dangerous could they have been? If Amelia's blood or even Istvan's had whispered and seemed to seep with of power and millennia-old secrets, Lady Laima's blood seemed over a million times more powerful. Jasper didn't even have to smell it to feel the energy radiating from the crimson liquid, the sheer power it seemed to barely even contain. It hit Jasper with the force of a thousand bricks, his brain instantly flashing to memories and thoughts of supernatural power, of the greatest feats of nocturnal supernatural abilities, their strength and speed enough to rival a hurricane, their senses sharper than a wolf's- or a bat in the night. But most of all the supernatural; the powers that lay in the dark, dormant and waiting, just ready to awaken with the stopping and thrumming of new life of a formerly human heart, to spring forth from the darkness of the grave and leaping into new life, flying through the night skies...

Whoa, Jasper thought. He felt suddenly, strangely weak, thinking to shake his head to clear it of such thoughts, but his actions were strangely feeble. He wasn't the only one. He could see Esme blinking rapidly, Carlisle swallow dryly, shaking his head slowly, and the others slowly doing the same. He could feel Alice shiver and tremble in anticipation of the sheer power that seemed to envelop them with the very presence of an ancient progenitor vampire's blood. Beyond ancient, in fact. Jasper remembered them being told that Lady Laima and Markus predated writing. But only now, when faced with the sheer primordial power of an ancient vampire's blood, did he start to comprehend the scope and magnitude of such power, the span of such ancient lives and what it truly meant to be immortal... and powerful.

Suddenly, for all his years, Jasper felt like he was a child.

Ignoring the crowd's reaction, Lady Laima held her hand over the markings etched onto the ebony table. As the blood flowed through the lines, they suddenly sprang to life, as if illuminated from within. The sudden and powerful glow was enough to make everyone step back, even slightly. She passed the blade onto her husband while she moved her hand over the bowl. The silver bowl quickly filled itself with her blood.

Jasper blinked and squinted. The cut didn't seem so large. But the blood was certainly plentiful. Do vampires bleed more than humans if they still possess blood? He didn't know. They might have to ask later.

Meanwhile, as Lady Laima dripped the blood into the bowl, Markus did the same. This time, the scent of the two powerful, ancient progenitors' essences was almost too much to handle. The blood that Markus dripped onto the engravings of the table made the light glare harshly, Jasper understood that it could blind anyone who wasn't a vampire.

Dimly, he heard the two progenitors chanting. The words were indecipherable, but it seemed to hit him in the deepest depths of himself, striking a chord that he never even knew existed, resonating and calling to something within his DNA. And somehow, Jasper understood; they weren't initiating or inducting him into an official organisation, but calling him to the depths of his very DNA, his essence, his soul even, as well as his mind, calling to welcome him back to something where he used to have been as if he left, as if he were the prodigal son who needed to return. Even though Jasper knew it was illogical, and that he had never come from anywhere they had been, nor left it, and that, unlike his poor, beloved wife, he had never lost trace of his origins, the sheer feelings, power and sensations that called to him, like strings pulling his DNA to go forwards, to go and join the rest of them...

Suddenly, the chanting grew in tempo. Lady Laima stretched out her hands. Suddenly, the volume in the middle of the table shuddered and flew open, clasps flinging themselves open. It flipped through speeds which would have been indecipherable and fast to a human, but for a vampire, it was enough for them to catch a few glimpses. Texts in an ancient, bone-like text etched into underground walls and sarcophagi, progressing from runic and basic proto-writing to complex lines of calligraphy and texts. Illustrations of history of the formation and beginning of the first species right down to the numerous wars and conflicts internal and external, diagrams to illuminate the understanding of a vampire's body and the progression of the virus and its evolution into numerous strains and branches.

Suddenly, the candles all suddenly went out, almost instantly, until the only light that remained within the creepy-looking hall was the magic from the lines filled with their ancient blood. Suddenly, many of them burst to life again, flames seeming to roar, scarcely contained on small wicks perched on tubes or cylinders of wax.

The silver bowl filled with blood shivered and rose, floating above the table as if by magnetic energy. Dimly, Jasper saw the couple stretch forward their bleeding hands towards the centre of the table where the chalice was held. Their blood dripped down into the golden goblet, until Jasper could see that they had stopped bleeding, the last of the blood flowing down to reveal pale, white skin in its place.

He trembled, involuntarily, not knowing what was happening, filled with fear and yet anticipation of some kind, why and what for, he didn't know. He could scarce make sense of things. He saw the Vampire Queen pick up a bundle of dried herbs and suddenly, they burst into flame as she flung it inside the goblet, still chanting in the ancient language that made every cell, every strand of his DNA thrum with such energy that he shivered uncontrollably.

The flames on the candle wicks still seemed to roar, somehow. Dimly, Jasper heard the echoes of Markus chanting something, the energy that was surging and ripping through the room so powerful he feared it would rip every atom of his, Alice and the rest of them to shreds. Markus too threw something into the goblet. Suddenly, the goblet's contents burst into flames, dancing and licking the rim of the chalice, while up ahead, the same thing happened to the bowl and its contents.

The flames on the candles were burning so strongly, with such magic that the wax below didn't melt but turned black, the colour of ash and coal. The energy ripped through them, blowing like wind from a hurricane. Jasper felt it whip his face, fly currents through his hair and made him blink, despite the fact that he knew currents of air, no matter what they carried, would not get anything into or even dry his eyes.

The table shook, sparks of lightning emanated from the centre in the chalice, though the book flipped open onto some blank pages and lay flat against the table, completely unmoving. The flames in the goblet turned blue, before seeming to curl inwards, disappearing. The table slowed its shaking before laying still.

The magical lines of light on the table's surface glowed less harshly, before vanishing. Suddenly, everything was silent. Everything was still.

Jasper let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He was shaking, from fear or excitement, he didn't know. He grasped Alice's hand, and she clutched his, both squeezing to reassure themselves and each other that they were there and that they were safe.

And then something caught his eye: the book's empty pages had lines, lines of ink running down its yellowish-white page, inscribing something, something which Jasper did not fully understand but something which called to him, nonetheless.

The voice of the first vampire broke his thoughts. "Well, the unpleasant part is assuredly done." His dry tone seemed to bring them back to earth and made them feel slightly less spooked.

The air shimmered and the silver bowl materialised itself onto the table. Jasper noted that the blood within it was swiftly draining itself dry, leaving not even a drop, a single sign that anything had been there. But at the same time, while it was swiftly draining away, like it was being sucked through a hole at the bottom, the ink lines traced themselves onto the parchment. That was when Jasper noticed, the blood in the bowl was slowly turning obsidian black...

And reappearing as ink upon the page. "Please step forwards those of you who were chosen and have accepted to become part of the council." Lady Laima spoke.

Slowly, hesitantly, they all stepped forwards. Tanya was trembling, though she tried very well to hide it. She swallowed. Carmen reluctantly let go of her mate's hand, and Liam watched worried and anxious as Siobhan and Maggie stepped forwards. Zafrina, Senna and Kachiri's brows all furrowed as they did so, and Charles and Mackenna looked at each other briefly. Esme took a deep breath, and she took her husband's hand, who squeezed hers in return as they came forwards. Benjamin squared his shoulders and nudged a suddenly reluctant and fearful-looking Amun forward.

"A strand of hair will do." The Lady Progenitor spoke, gesturing to a pair of scissors across the table atop a folded linen napkin. "Just one and place it on top of the napkin."

The napkin slid itself around the table, presenting itself to each of the vampires. Silently, they each took the scissors and snipped a strand of their hair, placing it on top the napkin.

Once they were all done, the napkin with the scissors and individual strands of hair slid sharply across the table to Lady Laima. She gathered the hair, picked up the scissors and snipped the strands in half, making two bunches. One she tossed into the bowl of midnight blood. A candle, its wax stained black by the magic ritual floated towards the direction of the Vampire Queen. Without blinking she held the second bunch of hair strands over its flame and when it was lit, she tossed it into the chalice.

The flame extinguished as it passed the rim and the hair also vanished, or rather what was left of it seemed to dissolve in the blood. Jasper eyed it warily. It hadn't changed colour, he thought. Not like the blood in the bowl. The chalice still held red blood, but the minute the hair touched the blood it seemed to shift and change colour.

"It is done." Markus nodded as he handed the goblet to his wife. Lady Laima took the chalice with both hands and presented it to the individuals who had been selected for the council.

"The spell will spread across the entirety of your species," she informed them "giving them the ability to communicate and record things using our language and script, be permitted entry into our sanctuaries, control your thirst and most feral instincts, as the crazed period of a newly emerged fledgling or newborn's life is the part which strips you off almost all semblance of your previous self and ensures it is very difficult to remain not only in control but to retain one's character."

Esme took a deep breath as she drunk a swallow of the blood. Jasper didn't know what it tasted like, but he could bet, judging from the looks on the faces of the individuals, initially pale with fear and anxiety or brows furrowed in worry, whose eyes all widened in shock, that there was a strong surge of energy that swept them from their heads to their toes. A moment later, it hit the rest of them.

Many vampires doubled over, more in shock than in pain, at the surge of powerful magical energy rushing inside and sweeping through them from who-knew-where, burying deep within the very recesses of their genetic code.

Jasper gasped, trying to inhale to get some air and bearings, and beside him, Alice was the same. He instinctively sought her hand, and she sought his. But it didn't last.

The shock and the forceful energy disappeared. Jasper stood. He blinked. Suddenly, everything seemed clearer. Brighter, even. Like he had been a human who needed the right prescription glasses in order to see. Something in him changed. He felt refreshed; stronger. Jasper straightened.

He heard Lady Laima whisper, "Keeper of the code, hear us."

"Answer us," Markus' voice joined hers. "Can they speak?"

Something about their voices have changed. Jasper thought. But what? It hit him before he could even complete the question in his thoughts: the language they were speaking was not English. Nor was it any other language they had heard.

The lines continued writing on the parchment of the book. Jasper's eyes widened as he saw two words that were decidedly not English, yet not in a word that he had ever learned, nor seen and heard.

The words stated: They speak.

"So much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot."

George Orwell

"It wasn't wise to come here," Gabrielle said, reluctantly, back in Sonja's bedroom. She pulled away from him as he initiated another kiss.

Radu's eyes narrowed. "Should I care? Should you?"

"You might wish to," she insisted. "Should Viktor or any of his followers ever find out."

Radu exhaled, a flicker of irritation ripping through his handsome features.

"Viktor is buried," his azure eyes flashed. It seemed even the mere mention of Viktor brought frustration; Gabrielle noted. Not that she could blame him.

Gabrielle regarded him in silence. "You know he will wake. Long enough for me to still be here should we commence our illicit relationship even just a step further." She said, finally.

Radu got the message. "You know I'm immortal," Gabrielle warned "or at least, I will be. You know what immortals are like. You know how we love."

Radu was silent. "Do you know why I asked you to meet me in this chamber?" He asked, finally.

Gabrielle shook her head, slowly.

"Viktor wanted us to get married," he said slowly, "Sonja and I. Once she matured to adulthood, same as I and my sister, Viktor sought ways to bind me, my parents' and grandfather's heir, to him. To ensure my standing, power and influence would be used by him and not independently nor by my parents- nor Amelia. He needed to make cetain that neither twin nor their parents would ever threaten his status and power. Yet not only did Sonja and I feel naught but fondness for each other, I long suspected that Sonja held feelings for another."

Gabrielle was very still.

"A Lycan." Radu stated.

Gabrielle inhaled sharply.

"Viktor doesn't know," Radu stated. He turned back towards the direction of the vanity, to the suit of armour mounted next to it. "Sonja led the Death Dealers in her prime, just as her mother Ilona had once done. I cannot be certain, but she never seemed to harbour as much loathing for them as the others had had. That may have been my mother's influence, but who knows? The werewolves that were created by my uncle and his ilk and could not revert to their human forms and minds were one thing. But the human slaves who had been bitten and transformed, or born and bred into captivity were another." He sighed, regarding his reflection and hers in the mirror, illuminated by the candles.

Gabrielle squeezed her eyes shut. "I know." She said softly. Against her better judgment, she had moved closer to him. Radu turned back around. His blue eyes were a more human shade. "I have never felt this way before." He said quietly.

For a moment, Gabrielle did not speak. "Because I am your first love? Radu, even amongst immortals-"

He interrupted her. "I know."

"So why do you do this?" Gabrielle asked, her voice cracking. "Why do you want me to do this? Why do you search for me, knowing full well that there can be no future for us? Sonja has disappeared. But if what you say is true, that Sonja fell in love with a Lycan, then surely you must know- as they did- that there was no future for them? Perhaps that was why they sought to flee. But to where? And who would help them? A renegade vampire and a runaway Lycan slave who were a couple would not have been welcomed or tolerated by even either of my kinds, much less the non-magical humans."

Radu did not answer. He simply held out a pendant on the flat of his slim palm, linked to a chain.

Gabrielle blinked. It was a like a medallion or a crest, except that it was very clearly a pendant. It was made of fine gold, proudly made for display, dominated with an even-sided cross engraved with Celtic-like patterns. At the centre sat a polished turquoise gemstone that gleamed green like a malachite in the dim light.

"Sonja's," Radu uttered quietly. "A gift from her father, Viktor. This pendant has a secret."

Gabrielle stared. "What secret? Radu, why are you showing me this?"

He took a deep breath, steeling himself.

"My mother wishes to meet you." He said, softly.

Gabrielle's eyes widened and she took an instinctive step back. "She doesn't know." Radu insisted.

"Then what-"

Radu sighed, closing his eyes momentarily, before opening them. "It's for something else."

"We are the things that others fear."

Anne Rice

"That's it?" Emmett muttered in a low voice.

He blinked momentarily in shock, as he realised he was not speaking English but their own language- vampire language. An awed grim swept across his face

Jasper blinked. "Hello?" The word sounded... different. He cleared his throat, blinking several more times as he tested this new ability? "Hello- hello- ah." The last hello was in English.

"Cool." Emmett breathed, his grin resembling the Cheshire Cat. Jasper agreed. "This is awesome."

Jasper and Emmett's instinct was to turn to Edward's direction and find out what he had to say about all this, but their cloud jolted back to earth at the reminder of where he was and how they all got here.

Carlisle sighed. "Well," he said, testing his words carefully to see if they were in English- which they were. "We will have to see Edward soon. I suppose, judging by the expressions on many of the others, including Amun and Kebi, we are hardly welcome to stay for long within the celebrations."

After the ritual had been done, the members of their species had been congratulated and officially welcomed. The Cullens and the others had been swept in a hall much better and more welcoming than the one they had just left.

The Cullens openly speculated about the changes to come to their entire species. The change in diet would be easier to adjust to, especially as they now had the means of obtaining blood that tasted better and curbed their thirst, and with incredible ease, no less, but the change of lifestyle was another matter. Their vampires had never been used to living amongst so many, even with their own kind. Due to the overwhelming nature of their thirst and the competitive drive for more blood, it was unusual for a coven as large as the Cullens or their cousins in Denali, or even the Volturi, to stay together, at least for long. As he craned his neck to see over some tall individuals, Carlisle looked over and saw Liam and Siobhan conversing with another vampire from a different species. Clearly, the blood and blood-based products they consumed could easily prevent such occurrences, but they still needed to get used to, much less learn how to work together to run an entire species and to ensure that the others'- particularly the ones unaware- respected the authority of their new government without being too brutal, like the Volturi or the Romanians. And they had to make certain to punish anyone who harmed anymore humans, not just magical ones.

Then there was the actual prospect of forming a new government, in theory supposedly one better than the previous ones they had with the Volturi and their rivals, the Romanian coven. It was daunting, to say the least. And the pressure was on to do things better. To last longer. To be fair and respected. As much as many people would hate to admit it, Amun's coven had been ideal in the past, with the exception of their overt pacifism and stagnation (although now they can safely say there were better alternatives to human blood, they could learn how to do better).

After the induction ritual and ceremony, members of their species had been invited to stay so they could observe and learn the workings of the other species, even travelling between them with assurances that they would be treated as guests and that all other species would interfere as little as possible and only until the previously-agreed-upon end date, as to how to set up a government with a capital seat of power and an armed forces of their own, make dealings and treat with the wizards in a diplomatic manner to avoid offending them and to reassure them that they meant no harm (which was important after the Della Rosas' murder) and settle peaceably enough with them, as well as devising or being assisted to creating new means and methods of staying hidden. This included the construction and designs of safe houses and settlements for vampires to live together to avoid humans as much as possible. And if they still wished to roam and be nomadic- well, Carlisle suspected that the High Council and the Confederation wished to discourage such practices and lifestyles, due to the difficulties they would have in remaining hidden, being fed easily without taking any risks and finding prey that would not be missed and searched for, nor accidentally found. And of course, they now had to make certain, as per the terms of the treaty and Confederation, that no one would harm or expose themselves to humans anymore. But no one would force them to stay in one place, although they did have to stay hidden and to avoid interacting with humans as much as possible. They all had to work together to figure out and devise new ways to ensure that whatever mundane human that saw them would not remember or speak about their existence. After that they were completely on their own, with few obligations apart from the general confederation laws, such as not harming wizards and witches, staying hidden from mundane humans and not feeding upon them, not transforming, much less harming underage children, not killing or harming another vampire, and attending the High Council whenever called upon.

A united front was going to be necessary with all the supernatural beings of this world, Carlisle had stated wistfully, as well as the rising advancements in technology, science and surveillance for the mundane humans.

As he said all this, Bella spoke, breaking the silence that she had since before they'd entered Viktor's Gathering Hall. "I think we should raise the age limit."

Everyone turned to stare at her. She nodded. "These vampires have restrictions on who they turn," she explained, eyeing the other species. A flock of vampire ladies giggled as they passed onto the way to the festivities. "They have to get permission, for example. And when they do choose someone to bite, they tend to choose people who could be of overall use to them, their society as a whole. And since we can't turn wizards and witches like Ale and Jane anymore, we have to find others who would be useful to us staying hidden or just, in general-" she waved a hand, gesturing to the surrounding area of the hallway. "Get us to this level. We need resources, but we need to stay hidden. Trading with the wizards help, but I think we should continue our business interactions with non-magical humans."

Carlisle agreed. "True."

"And we can't turn kids," Bella said quietly but clearly. "Not just toddlers, but adolescent kids. Like Alec and Jane. Or me and Edward."

Everyone stopped and turned. Bella took a deep breath. "I was young," she said quietly. "It doesn't excuse even a quarter of what I've done, but it's obvious I wasn't prepared for what I asked for and wanted. I understand why you did what you did, Carlisle. Why you saved Edward's life, along with Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, and why you welcomed me. But we were teenagers. We really didn't know how the world works in reality." She looked at Rosalie. "Did you when you were a human? You might've wished that you'd stayed human, but would you have been happy with- with him?"

Rosalie pursed her lips as Emmett snarled at the indirect mention of Royce. "No," she said softly. "I wouldn't have." She sighed. "Remember when Gabrielle told us about her sister?" She sighed.

"I realise that my story never got to you, Bella," she said, violet-blue eyes, a different shade to Gabrielle's, meeting Bella's. "And now I understand why: there was something missing. My dream was to get married to a rich, handsome man and live in a nice, big house, with dozens of fair-haired beautiful children running around. That's what most girls dream of in my day." She smiled ruefully.

"That's not what Gabrielle dreamed. Or her sister. Or you, I'm figuring." She glanced at Esme. "And it wasn't what you wanted either. You didn't just get stuck with that- that monster- and lose your baby who kept you going, even when you wanted to break down." Everybody winced. "You lost your dream. You wanted to become a teacher. You wanted to be someone, accomplish something without a man by your side. My life was perfect before I met Royce, and it looked to be even better when we first started dating." Rosalie sighed, shaking her head. "When I heard that story, I knew that was what went wrong. Maybe if I grew up not taking things for granted, maybe if I didn't grow up believing in fairytales and thinking beauty was going to get me places, if I ever thought to achieve something as you had Esme, or like Gabrielle and her sister Fleur..." she trailed off in regret.

"Rosalie," Esme said quietly. She looked between her and Bella. "You both were teenagers. Bella is right. This isn't a good stage in life, a good time and mindset to make any permanent, life-changing decision, including marriage or a permanent transition into immortality. Especially if you're frozen in time." She sighed, pursing her lips.

Bella now shook her head. "I'm starting to think that with all our beliefs about our individual maturity and our adulthood- including everything I'd grown up hearing my mother say about me being her 'middle-aged child'- might not be accurate."

Esme frowned, her brows furrowing. "It wasn't right for your mother to heap such responsibilities and expectations on you without even checking to be certain of how you were doing and coping with such... such stressful and unmanageable- or barely manageable- duties, responsibilities and expectations. All the while still being a growing child and a student. But I can see why you wished to protect Renesmee."

Bella nodded, silently. "It didn't work." She stated flatly.

"No," Esme agreed. "But it wouldn't have worked either way. There's still time."

"I know." She whispered.

"Let's go down and see Edward." Esme suggested.

She nodded and Carlisle started to usher them away from this place when, all of a sudden, vampires started flocking to the nearby windows which had surprisingly been thrown open to allow the fresh, midnight air in.

Carlisle frowned. "What-"

The Cullens looked at each other before coming over, waiting to see what these other vampires were seeing.

Everyone was looking up, apparently.

The moon shone a beam of silver light as several figures dressed in black and one in white glided slowly toward the edge of the cliff-face, near the highest tower of the mountain peak.

Bella's eyes zoomed in when she saw the Vampire Progenitors surrounded by a contingent of Death Dealers, dressed in black trench coats. Markus slowly made his way forward towards the cliff edge, the others falling in behind him, awaiting his commanding signal.

Before everyone's eyes, he underwent a frightening metamorphosis: his skin darkened to greyish-black, coppery locks receded into the smooth grey of his cranium, a noble aquiline profile shrunk into a vampire bat-like visage, while even from a distance, his teeth glinted like sharks', and finally, most nightmarish of all: a pair of batlike wings unfolded and extended themselves from his shoulder blades. The wings spread outwards, unfurling, spanning nearly ten feet from tip to tip. Arched bones and a twisted network of veins were visible throughout the fleshy membranes, lit by the dim light of the haunted moon. Ebony talons crowned the demonic wings, hooked claws sharp to tear flesh from bone, slash streams of blood and strong enough to rip tree roots from the earth.

The hallway seemed colder. They could practically feel everyone's jaws dropping. Although they didn't feel it, the Cullens were sure their faces were the same, while Markus, First of the Vampires, stretched out his wings and soared over the edge of the cliff.

Lady Laima, breathing and inhaling the fresh air of freedom with a benign smile on her face, released her own wings. The pale membranes contrasted sharply with her husband's darker ones, as her clothes appeared to cling to her form and metamorphosed into smooth pearl-like leather membranes as she spread her wings, midnight hair billowing like a shadow, flying after the Vampire Patriarch.

Standing guard, yet allowing the two most powerful vampires to take to the skies and lead, the Death Dealers all metamorphosed; some shrunk, shifting into small bats, others into flocks of bats, and two more stretched out their hands as they dissolved into ghostly fog and a smog of pure darkness floating through the night sky, sweeping ahead of the two great vampires, clouding and shielding them from view of the mortals on earth below. The world's most ancient vampires soared through the night skies, stars dimming as they passed, surrounded by dark smog and ghostly fog, a contingent of metamorphosed Death Dealers beating after them.

Only the moon above the clouds will see them.

The crowd of vampires flapped their powerful wings, sweeping through the night skies as they soared over the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania, surrounded by their Death Dealers. Their honour guard surrounding and flanking them, while the two ancient vampires soared, flapping bat-like wings and sending gusts of strong winds that would knock an airplane away. Only the vampires' preternatural strength prevented the Death Dealer honour guard from being blown away. The fog trailed below, the darkness shadowing in their wake, securing the skies for the Vampire King and Queen to soar to their hearts' content.

Until they passed into the Southern Carpathians. Gusts of wind blew past leathery membranes while their powerful bat-like wings gave thunderous flaps to rival hurricanes. The shadow of a craggy mountaintop loomed ahead. An ancient, forbidding fortress screamed of danger, shrieking silently to the new arrivals not to go closer.

The Death Dealers all hesitated, falling behind, but the progenitors would not sway from their ultimate destination. Determined, the shape-shifted Death Dealers beat forwards, flapping around and flanking the progenitors. Markus' feet touched the cliff edge as he shifted, striding slowly forwards, his coppery hair the last vibrant colour in the dark, darkness so impenetrable not even vampire eyes could pierce its shadow. His wife phased after him, landing gracefully behind, the Death Dealers surrounding and encircling her. Most of them halted, freezing in their tracks, eyes a fiery azure, hairs on end as they felt the presence of an ancient enemy, one more powerful and far more dangerous than all the rest.

Only Lady Laima dared to trail behind her husband as he marched with confident regality towards the frightening dark and its air suffocating with a powerful enemy presence.

Snuffling sounds could be heard in the dark, pants and growls echoing in its wake, the only sounds cutting through the dark so thick, so dank with danger that no immortal dared enter its lair. The growls turned to snarls, howls and roars as heavy chains rattled, binding its primordially ancient prisoner in the dark.

Markus raised a pale hand. Slowly, it sniffed. The growls subsided. Snarls disappeared. A deep rumble resounded, echoing within the dark caves.

Markus inhaled his scent. He felt the comforting presence of his wife just behind.

"Brother," he breathed in an ancient tongue forgotten by all others.

"We have found her. It is almost time to be set free."

A resounding groan, like a growl, echoed in the dark of the caves.