My Immortal (Private)

Vandros smiled and nodded.

"I just hope Markus doesn't react too harshly to Raine's attempts to show him love." he said. "He won't be used to it anymore... and it might awaken old wounds and memories, resuling in a harsh reaction..."

Raymond nodded his agreement, then stared at Pierce.

"Wait, how can you know, Maria... you're too young, aren't you?"

"Never mind that." Roman snapped. "Maria's name is a forbidden taboo here."

He glared at the werewolf.

"If you want to live long, you'll keep that in mind... especially around Markus."

Damian swallowed hard when he realized how close they were too. He lost his voice for a second while his brain was trying to process that Raine had just spoken to him.

"U-um... I-I just wanted to say... s-sorry, I guess..." he stuttered, extremely nervous all of a sudden. "Sorry... for reacting the way I did when you chose to remain here... it's your choice and your right... I had no reason to act like a spoilt child."

He sighed.

"I just... don't deal with loss very well..." he continued. "And... well..."

He tried to get this thoughts and feelings into words, but he couldn't. He sighed and looked back at Raine, his green eyes dark. He really wanted to kiss her, but he knew he couldn't. He gave her a small smile.

"S-sorry... for babbling like an imbecile."

Caius sighed and nodded.

"Unfortunately, I have." he said softly. "And I fear that, as things stand now, nothing will come of it... unless we can get Markus to agree somehow and that he'll never do. He hates me too much... and thus, hates Damian by extension."

Vandros chuckled lightly.

"Yes, I think the only way to handle Markus is for Raine to keep him on his toes." he agreed, smiling gently, his mind still trying to process the fact that his stomach was doing somersaults as he looked at Annika.

Roman opened his mouth to retaliate but Raymond shot him down as they reached Raine's chambers and opened a nondescript door to one side which lead to the slaves' quarters where Pierce and Tallulah would now be staying.

"You're right boy." he said. "But we're not the ones to tell her. Markus must."

"He won't..." Tallulah said sadly and silently the two guards agreed with her, but said nothing as they opened the door to the slaves' quarters.

Damian shook his head.

"No, I didn't." he said. "I'm over 300 years old... I should know better."

He then sighed, unconsciously tracing Raine's cheek.

"And I am an imbecile..." he said. "Or a coward... I guess I should have told the truth of how I feel from the start."

His green eyes never left Raine's eyes, seeming to drown in their depths. He moved his head forward slightly, seeming to lose his last restraint.

"Feel free to slap me." he whispered before capturing Raine's lips with his own.

Caius sighed.

"I hope so." he said softly. "However, I fear it won't be an easy task to achieve. Markus is... tenacious... in his stubbornness... if nothing else."

Vandros nodded with a smile.

"Yes." he agreed. "I'm sure, once upon a very long time ago, Caius and Markus may even have joked about it together... not that that would ever happen with the way things stand right now...."

Tallulah nodded.

"Alright, Pierce." she said, going into their new quarters.

Raymond nodded at the two slaves.

"We'll let you two get on with it then." he said. "Roman and I need to get back to our posts."

As Raine began asking why she would slap him and Damian's kiss stole her words, the young male vampire couldn't help but feel his heart soar. It clenched slightly as he felt Raine kiss him back, unknowingly letting her feelings out through the kiss and Damian smiled slightly as he drew her closer.

Caius' eyes widened a fraction at what Eli told him, regret and fear evident in them for a fleeting moment before his eyebrows drew together in a fierce frown. He had heard nothing of this, but then, given the way the covens reacted to each other, it was little to no surprise. Clenching his left hand into a fist, Caius raised a well-groomed eyebrow.

You're sure of this? he asked Eli.

Meanwhile, in his chambers, Markus sat by his hearth as he stared at the flames before raising his own left hand, the pain wracking his body making sleep impossible at present. Running across his palm was a diagonal scar- faint, almost indistinct in the low light of the fire- cut into his palm with a dagger dipped in vervain to ensure the scar remained and which had almost cost both him and his best friend their lives. A bloodrite, binding two vampires together as brothers. Markus clenched his fist and shifted irritably as he stared into the fire with a stony expression.

"Mmm..." Vandros echoed Annika and followed her to the door. "I don't hear yelling so I suppose that is a good thing..."

As Raine deepened the kiss, Damian knew that there was no way he could ever just let the female go now. It would kill him to see her with another male. But he really had no idea where to go from here... and he was sure neither of their grandfathers would be happy with this development.

As Eli nodded, Caius gripped his left hand into a fist so tightly his knuckles were white. But he gave no other outward sign of what he was feeling.

I see... For whatever reason, even if it was only to remain in power, Markus made sure he had an heir to take over... his time must be short indeed if he acted so hastily. Caius told Eli.

Caius couldn't help but wonder what Markus' true intentions were.

Vandros glanced down at Annika and felt his heart stutter when he realized how close they wer to each other. He gave a small smile as he saw her pink face, then took a step back.

"I apologize... I didn't mean to be in your space..." he said softly, his heart now beating loudly and fast.

He wanted to be close to the female again, but he didn't dare.

Damian closed his eyes and leaned into Raine's hand as she stroked his cheek. He opened his eyes when he saw the ring in his hand. Smiling, he removed a silver necklace (yes, he was immune to silver too, go figure) which contained a sunring from each of his parents and a locket containing a lock of Liza's hair. He slipped the ring Rain gave him on the necklace. He looked down at her, his green eyes dark.

"I'll never forget you... because that sunring isn't the only part of me you have." he lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. "My heart is yours... and only yours... forever."

Caius sighed. He would wait until nightfall and see if Damian would come back. If not he would go fetch him himself. But Markus was not going to take the last of his line from him.