My Immortal (Private)

Damian grunted.

"Yeah. Friends." he said sofly, taking out his necklace and gently tracing his humb over he ring Raine had given him.

Van raised an eyebrow.

"You were hoping for more." it was a statement.

Damian shook his head.

"No... we're from hostile covens... we shouldn't even be friends... and we'll never be more than that."

Vander wondered if the young vampire really believed what he was saying or if he was trying to throw them off the scent.

"G-get... the... h-head h-he-healer." Marcus wheezed through clenched teeth.

Caius sighed.

"I'm sure you're all tired after the fighting." he said softly. "I'll have someone show you, Kole and Ivory to some spare rooms for you to rest in."

Damian smiled slightly at Annika, although she was doing a good job of hiding her true feelings. He wanted to lighten the atmosphere, especially since he sensed that something unsaid lay between the two Lycans.

"Gee, Anni, don't look so sad." he teased her lightly. "I'm not dying... yet."

Vandos chuckled lightly.

"If you can crack jokes, as feeble as they may be, I guess it means you're going to be okay...?"

Damian nodded.

"We got things out into the open... even if it doesn't change a damned thing." he said.

As Markus saw the jar of Nightshade, a cold fire flared in his eyes. He should have guessed as much. The pains he had been getting... they were not symptoms he knew or understood. Then there was the fact that the last Head healer 'retired' and had not been heard of or seen since... his apprentice, the current head healer must have done away with him... Markus' hands shook lightly as he held the jar. The healers had done their work well and had calculated it perfectly. Markus' time was almost up... unless he was saved by some miracle. Markus raised his left hand and looked once more at the cut of the bloodrite before squeezing his fist, unknowingly causing some of his pain to travel to Caius, causing him to cry out and stumble at the sudden pain and causing his own body to respond and send some of Caius' strength to the ailing Markus.

"Impossible..." Markus mumbled as h felt a surge of strength he hadn't felt in about 300 years.

He then looked back at his hand before turning to Raine.

"I'm afraid it's too late for me, Raine." he said softly, finally admitting defeat. "I've been taking this poison unknowingly for too long... no medicine can save me now... and the one person who has the ability in his blood to save me... I cannot ask for help... not after what I did to him and his family.... nor will he help me anyway."

He sighed.

"I was hoping to be able to help you on your transition to Coven head... to be by your side a little longer... I guess it wasn't to be." the old vampire's eyes misted with teas. "After all... after all the lives I have destroyed... the last thing I deserve...is your love."

Caius smiled at his guests and summoned a young vampire girl to show them to their rooms when he almost collapsed from the sudden searing pain he felt, causing him to cry out. He stared at his left hand in disbelief as the cut along his palm burned and he felt a sudden surge of strength leave him.

Vandros chuckled lightly while Damian laughed outright.

"Yeah, well... it's still early." he agreed. "And I wouldn't put it past that old man to do us in yet..."

Vandros shook his head.

"Markus may be and do many things... but he will never go back on his word. It may burn his ass that he promised not to harm us... but he will not touch us... or rather, you... and risk alienating his granddaughter."

He then smiled.

"It's good to hear you laugh again, Damian."

Markus' eyebrows tipped downwards as he frowned but he gently squeezed his granddaughter's hand. When she said she loved the young Grimmaldi heir he sighed, then watched his granddaughter carefully. Yes, even he hadn't failed to realize why the young male had tried so hard to 'rescue' Raine... and he suspected that the feeling was mutual.

"It seems fate is something we cannot truly avoid... no matter how hard we try." he muttered, then looked at Raine. "Does it truly have to be that male...? You will not consider any of your own coven or another? There are many males as fine as he with better pedigrees."

Even as he spoke, it was obvious Markus had no real conviction and seemed resigned to the fact that Raine had made up her mind. As she drew out the vial of purple liquid, Markus frowned.

"What is that...?"

Caius took Eli's hand and got back to his feet.

"Thank you." he said softly, waving away the vampires of his coven who came to help, making sure to let them know he was fine. Eli... do you know what a bloodrite is and what it does...?

Caius' expression and words were calm. He was sure that Eli wasn't much older than his own son would have been. And even among immortals such as them, bloodrites were rare and even frowned upon since most of these rites ended in the death of one or both of the participants.

Caius nodded

"Yes, you're right." he said aloud, raising his left hand as he did, showing Eli, Kole and Ivory the scar which marred his palm. "I did the bloodrite when I was a boy, no older than Damian is now. My best friend was 150 years younger than me... and my brother in all but blood..."

He looked at his hand, then slowly lowered it again.

"Over the years we have grown apart... done unimaginable things to each other. Things I'm not proud of." Caius said softly as he looked his three guests in the eye. "Our bond grew weaker until we barely felt anything anymore... and it disappeared, never letting us feel anything... until just a moment ago. You see, my blood brother... is now my greatest rival... and fiercest enemy."

Markus raised his eyebrows as Raine said he and Caius had the chance to be friends again.

"Caius and I were never..." he began, then stopped himself, opening his left hand to look at the scar which marred his palm. "No... we were more than friends... we were brothers... but fate seemed determined for our friendship to end. It started long before our bloodrite. Our fathers were rivals and didn't approve of us being friends, but we remained best friends and became blood brothers despite their disapproval."

Markus' eyes grew distant, as if thinking back to the way things had been... before the two covens, who had always been rivals, degraded into an all out war for dominance, territory... and revenge. He smiled at Raine, a strangely awkward thing for him, since he couldn't remember when last he had had cause to actually smile... not as a way to taunt someone, but as a show of affection.

"I was afraid you would say that..." he said as he took the vial. "I don't like it... but I won't force the issue... I lost the person the most important to me, the last time I did. I won't make the same mistake again..."

He ten took the ember blossom, grimacing as the liquid caused him to feel as if he were burning up from the inside as it worked on correcting the damage done by eh nightshade.

Damian smiled at what Vandros said, then slowly frowned.

"Yeah... you may be right." he sad softly. "But he'll also make sure Raine and I never get to see each other again..."

Caius sighed then nodded sadly.

"More than I care to admit..." he said softly. "I just wish... there was a way to end this vicious cycle we seem to be stuck in."

Markus looked at his granddaughter as Raine said that the bloodrite may have been meant for what was happening now.

"Perhaps so..." he agreed softly, then frowned as she pointed out they had a traitor who had tried to kill not only her but him as well.

And there was the fact that she had been turned, supposedly by his orders. Whoever had done this had played a dangerous hand... very well. Markus locked eyes with Raine as he slowly sat up.

"No." he said softly, the old fire flaring in his icy blue eyes. "I didn't."

Vandros nodded at Annika.

"I sense it too." he said. "You shouldn't give up on love yet, Damian. There may yet be a chance for you and Raine to be together."

Damian nodded his thanks at his friends, then locked gazes with Vandros.

You shouldn't give up, either Van. he said, making sure that only Van could hear and smiling at the arrested look on the older hybrid's face.

I'm sure I don't know what you mean...

Seriously!? he raised an eyebrow. You two are dancing around each other so elaborately we could coin a new dance step. She isn't Rissa, Van... let her go... before you lose Anni as well.

As Pierce knocked on the door, Tallulah opened it and stood before the male, a small smile on her face as she beamed up at him, happy with the first new dress she'd ever had, all hers being rags and hand me downs.

"What do you think?" the young pup asked.