Archive of Our Own ^beta

“This is me praying that
This was the very first page
Not where the story line ends
My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again
These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon
I was enchanted to meet you”

(Enchanted – Taylor Swift)

~✾~

It was already late afternoon when two gentlemen, dressed in elegant togas, crossed the street to reach the entrance of a distinguished patrician house. The sun was just setting, bathing the city in picturesque shades of orange and red. Given that the two were immortals, this was a particularly fortunate circumstance. Sunlight was extremely unpleasant for beings like them.

The house seemed to be built like a small fortress. There were no windows on the outside, as was customary. Houses of this kind always revealed their beauty inwardly, to keep thieves and riffraff away and to shield the curious gazes of citizens.

Aro’s eyes were fixed on the large double wooden door, reinforced with bronze. The door handle featured a wolf's head, with a ring in its mouth. The vampire grabbed it and knocked against the door. The house belonged to Tiberius, the man they had overheard speaking in the vaults of the Colosseum, who was evidently connected to the creation of the vampire in the arena.

Caius only knew him in passing, but when he had learned a few days ago that Tiberius would be hosting a grand banquet in honor of the Emperor and his wife Plotina, he had promptly invited himself and Aro through a mutual acquaintance.

"Tiberius will be surprised to see us," Aro said, clasping his hands behind his back and rocking excitedly on his feet, almost playfully. "That is: to see you." He paused for a moment and turned over his shoulder to Caius. "I have never met him officially."

The white-haired man stepped beside him, a sly smile playing on his features, though he was skilled at concealing it. "Lucius kept emphasizing how much he looked forward to seeing you again. I don’t think our appearance will be an issue. He’s likely already announced us." Lucius was the acquaintance through whom they were gaining access—a long-standing family friend, one could say. He occasionally assisted Caius in legal matters and had even once visited him and his small family in their townhouse.

The door slowly opened, and they immediately found themselves looking into the eyes of the slave who always guarded the entrance. At his side sat a large dog, who clearly found the vampires untrustworthy, as it bared its teeth right away. Aro engaged in a stare-down with the dog, while Caius asked for entry, emphasizing that they were here at Lucius’s invitation.

They were promptly admitted. The slave bowed deeply, partly because the two men appeared very wealthy, but also out of reverence for their red, fearsome eyes and the aura that surrounded them. Aro brushed the slave's arm casually, reading his thoughts. It was such a fleeting gesture that the slave did not even perceive it as unusual; it seemed more like an accidental touch.

As the two men stepped into the corridor, they were immediately struck by the grand floral mosaic embedded in the floor. It shimmered in various colors, making clear to any visitor the wealth of the dominus, the master of the house.

They could already hear many voices inside. The banquet had not yet begun, but it was clear they were not the first guests. Slaves scurried back and forth as they entered the large room where the rectangular impluvium, the central water basin, was located. It was surrounded by marble columns, which shielded the view of the doors leading from this room deeper into the house.

Aro and Caius were gazing at the open ceiling, through which the evening sun shone in all its splendor, playing with the flowers scattered on the water’s surface, when they heard Tiberius’s voice. "Caius! What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting you!"

His gesture seemed inviting, though his eyes and the slightly panicked undertone in his voice betrayed him. Tiberius was an older man, his hair already white and thinning in places. He wore no beard—none of the men did. Beards had fallen out of fashion during the Emperor’s reign, and smooth, shaved faces were preferred.

"Tiberius, forgive me, I was under the impression Lucius had already sought your permission." What a lie! Caius grasped the host’s hand in greeting with both of his, and Tiberius hesitantly placed his free hand over Caius's. "My brother and I certainly have no intention of being uninvited guests!" The white-haired man held Tiberius’s gaze and could see the older man visibly recoiling from his red eyes.

"Oh, not at all! Of course not!" Tiberius shook his head hastily. The nervousness he radiated was almost delicious. "Lucius’s friends are always welcome! And you, of course! We haven’t seen each other in so long!"

Caius sighed. "Yes, indeed. A certain case has kept me rather occupied recently. But I thought I’d take this opportunity so we could get to know each other a bit better." A reasonable suggestion, setting aside the hidden agendas on both sides. It never hurt to secure supporters and sympathizers.

"What a great idea! I should have thought of it myself!" Tiberius smiled tensely, his eyes repeatedly darting towards Aro. "But tell me, who is your brother? Won’t you introduce him?"

"My name is Aro. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Aro promptly introduced himself. "I work at the library on the Trajan’s Forum." The dark-haired man extended his hand to the host, expecting it to be grasped as warmly as Caius’s had been earlier. But Tiberius did not take it. He merely stared at Aro's outstretched arm for several seconds, without shaking his hand. It was evident that he knew of Aro's gift and didn’t want him probing his mind.

Aro narrowed his eyes slightly. "How rude!"

"The pleasure is all mine! But come, follow me to the garden and meet the other guests," Tiberius tried to steer the conversation away from the awkward moment, turning to lead them further inside. "It seems Lucius is running a bit late, I’m afraid, but I’ll let you know as soon as he arrives." Aro withdrew his hand, and he and Caius exchanged a watchful glance before following the dominus.

As they crossed the atrium, they noticed the colorful wall paintings and large display cases of silverware. They even recognized a few Etruscan bowls. It was customary for wealthy homes to showcase their riches in this way. The house also boasted a spacious layout, with plenty of open areas. Some Romans would commit murder to afford such space, given the chronic housing shortage in the city.

As they passed the door to Tiberius’s study, the other voices and laughter grew louder. Their view opened up to the beautiful inner garden of the house, which lay beyond, and into which they now stepped.

The garden was truly a sight to behold! Decorative plants and medicinal herbs were arranged geometrically all around. Musicians provided a backdrop for the conversations, and stone sculptures were scattered throughout, some even spouting water—a rare privilege granted to only a few residents of Rome. Being connected to the central water supply was a true luxury!

A door revealed a view into the adjoining room, the triclinium, where couches for the feast were already neatly arranged, and several guests were engaged in conversation. The hairstyles of the ladies present were all elaborately braided and styled in various updos. Some even wore wigs, though only in natural colors.

All eyes immediately turned to the new arrivals. Fascination, curiosity, fear, desire, disdain—they thought they could perceive a wide range of reactions. Aro’s eyes sparkled at the thought of learning all their stories! While he was thinking this, one of the house slaves approached him and Caius, offering refreshments served in silver goblets.

"Ah! Flavius! I almost forgot you wanted to introduce me to your wonderful wife!" Tiberius hastily raised his hand to greet a man whose gaze he had caught as soon as they had entered the garden. "Excuse me, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to chat later," he said to the two immortals, before swiftly walking away.

"Of course. We’ll speak again," Aro smiled and lightly brushed Tiberius’s free arm, the side not covered by his toga. He had assumed it would go unnoticed. But Tiberius flinched ever so slightly and tried to conceal his reaction as he made his way over to Flavius. He didn’t look back, but Aro could hear his heartbeat quicken.

The brief moment had been enough for the dark-haired man to fleetingly sift through his thoughts. He could see the scene from the Colosseum, the conversation from Tiberius’s perspective. He also saw that Tiberius knew who they both were and that he feared them… yet another vampire was not visible in the man’s memories.

Caius looked at him expectantly. He had seen the touch. Aro met his gaze and shook his head. "It was too fleeting, I couldn't look long enough to see everything." He took a sip from his goblet. In truth, it was a half-lie. "We should probably mingle with the crowd a bit," Aro whispered, catching the gaze of a brown-haired beauty. "As Tiberius already said: the night is still young." Caius nodded, and shortly afterward they separated to join different conversations.

~✾~

"Who were those mysterious, handsome gentlemen?" asked one of the slave girls in a room nearby, who was helping the cook prepare the last of the evening meal. Since the arrival of the two immortals, they had been the talk of the servants. After all, it wasn’t often that surprise guests arrived. Let alone such peculiar ones!

"Well." Another slave, who had just brought in a tray, placed it on the sideboard and raised her eyebrows. "One of them is apparently a scholar, or at least that's how he introduced himself. The handsome one, with the long black hair."

"And the other one?" the kitchen helper asked eagerly. "The older one with the snow-white hair? Tell us, how did he introduce himself? He seems kind of creepy and so pale!"

"Unfortunately, we haven't found that out yet, but the master and he seem to know each other." She unloaded the empty bowls from her tray and took new appetizers from the cook, arranging them again on her tray.

"But did you see our master's face? He practically jumped out of his skin when he heard about their arrival!" Another slave entered the room, covering her mouth to hide a laugh.

Sulpicia listened to the conversation with interest. She had not yet had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the guests. Until recently, she had been busy caring for the children and putting them to bed. That was her main task, which exempted her from most of the usual duties of the house slaves. Still, she was one of them. Once the children were asleep, she had been instructed to make herself useful wherever needed. She was currently collecting the vegetable and fruit bowls scattered around the kitchen.

Banquets like this were extremely exciting in her opinion! So many unfamiliar faces! And given how much the mysterious newcomers were being talked about since their arrival, she was naturally very curious to catch a glimpse of them as well.

"And they seem to be unmarried! Otherwise, they would have surely brought their ladies along, wouldn’t you think?" The first slave, who had entered earlier, looked back and forth between the kitchen helper and her friend.

"Are you imagining your chances, Svea? I don’t think that’s an idea bound for success." The kitchen helper moved positions. She had finished cutting the vegetables and was now tossing them into a large pot.

"Oh no." Svea smiled mischievously. "But a girl can dream, right? And you never know!" She shrugged, and all three of them giggled at the thought.

"But now back to work, my dears! We mustn't keep the guests waiting! Especially not the strange ones!" The cook made a shooing motion towards the two servers.

"Of course not!" the two replied and hurried off, still giggling.

~✾~

The gathering had assembled in the dining room and praised the lavish meal Tiberius had served them. The starter, which they had already sampled earlier in small bites, was very light and appetite-whetting. It consisted of fresh legumes as well as pickled fruits and vegetables like olives, cucumbers, melons, caper sprouts, and cress. There were also some mushrooms and even mussels. The course was accompanied by wine enriched with honey.

After the starter, chicken in a hearty sauce was served, accompanied by various cooked vegetables. Everything was prepared in bite-sized portions, so it only had to be speared with a fork to be eaten.

Next to the brown-haired lady who had caught Aro’s attention at the beginning, another dark-haired woman had joined her on the couch — much to the obvious dismay of her husband, who did not look kindly upon Aro. At that moment, they were discussing the current political state of the empire, which, despite some shortcomings such as the housing shortage, was enjoying considerable prosperity. The attendees exchanged stories about various merchants from whom they procured their precious goods such as fabrics or furniture and complimented each other on their achievements.

Caius and Lucius had initially spent a long time discussing business, after which Aro joined in, and they eventually engaged in a bit of philosophical conversation about Roman culture and its development. However, when they entered the dining room, Aro was soon drawn into other conversations.

Caius chose the couch next to Lucius and inquired about the young lawyer’s family, which kept them occupied for a while. He wasn’t necessarily interested, but Lucius stood out in the immortal’s eyes. He wasn’t entirely incompetent, which was saying something.

The two now turned to Tiberius, having overheard him finishing a conversation. "I must really thank you for your hospitality." Caius leaned slightly in the direction of the dominus. "Your house is magnificent!" It was a great compliment, especially coming from someone like him, who also possessed great wealth.

"And your slaves are well-trained, every one of them!" Aro toasted the host from across the room. He had always kept an ear on their conversations while engaging with the ladies.

"I thank you both." Tiberius glanced back and forth between the immortals and took a large gulp from his cup.

"Caius, are there any developments in your case?" Lucius finally asked, as they hadn’t had the chance to finish their conversation earlier. How convenient that he asked just now! Caius looked at him with approval, as it had not been planned.

"What case?" The brown-haired beauty next to Aro tried to join the conversation as well, while she kept inching closer to him. The dark-haired woman beside them rolled her eyes in slight annoyance and turned back to her husband.

Aro, too, was pleased by the question and answered, a warm smile on his lips, her query. "My brother is a lawyer, and right now, he's dealing with the mysterious disappearance of many slaves." One of the slaves pouring wine nearly dropped his jug upon hearing the words.

"How exciting!" The brown-haired woman leaned even further forward, closer to the immortal. "What do you think, where have they gone?"

"I'm still working on a solution," Caius replied to her question. He was amused once again at how Aro managed to draw the attention of the people even when the issue at hand concerned him. "Tiberius, tell me: you haven’t lost any slaves, have you?" He cast a mock-worried glance at the host.

Tiberius’ face turned slightly red. "No, thank the gods, I haven’t!"

"It's a disgrace!" the brown-haired lady said indignantly, this time addressing Caius to express her interest. "Slaves should be kept under control! Perhaps they’ve simply run away?" Caius’ expression faltered when he heard her words. He turned away, glaring at her with a look of disbelief, which made her withdraw slightly in fear. What an incredibly stupid comment! He had to restrain himself from snapping back at her with a sharp retort. Sometimes, silence truly was golden, as he thought...

Meanwhile, Aro leaned over to Tiberius, who had been distracted by the small exchange and was observing it closely. "I hope your diligent helpers remain at your service, dear friend." As he spoke these words, he placed his hand on the host’s forearm, as if to underscore his well wishes. As expected, Tiberius flinched slightly at the touch, but in his reclined position, he had no way to escape Aro.

The moment lasted only a few seconds, but that was enough. Aro's hand had touched Tiberius’ skin, allowing him to learn everything about the man’s life. The black-haired man’s eyes became slightly glazed as he leaned back to process what he had just seen.

Caius was eager to know what Aro had discovered, but to give him a moment, he tried to draw the attention of the small group they were speaking with. He began telling them about a ridiculous past case in which two men had fallen into a bitter dispute. It had started with the theft of a chicken but eventually escalated into a grand affair, with one of the men even sending slaves into the other’s house to steal valuable jewelry and silverware.

Lucius chimed in here and there with amused comments, as he had been present when the two men had cursed each other to the bone. The brown-haired beauty and a few nearby ladies, who had been following the story, burst into laughter. Even Tiberius had been listening, though he was still casting a wary eye at Aro from time to time. But no one had noticed anything strange about Aro; he, too, appeared to be listening attentively.

As the conversations eventually shifted to other topics, Aro and Caius’ red eyes met. The white-haired man’s gaze bore into his counterpart’s eyes. Aro’s expression, however, remained cold. He clenched his teeth tightly and shook his head ever so slightly.

They barely noticed it, but Lucius had just complimented the lady next to Aro on her elaborately arranged hair. She had thanked him but admitted that it had taken countless attempts before her slave had learned to style it to her satisfaction and that she had spent far too many sesterces on damaged wig hair.

"How disappointing," Caius responded to her remark, though Aro felt as if his stomach turned. It was as if this was the answer to the fact that, once again, he had failed to learn anything.

He had failed his creator! Again! How was it possible, by all the gods of the old and new worlds, that his gift had failed again?! Was it growing weaker? Was he growing weaker?! What would happen if he lost his gift entirely?! He defined himself so much by this part of himself and took infinite pride in the talent that set him apart from all others of his kind! The thought was unbearably cruel. And even worse was the idea that Caius might now consider him utterly incompetent!

"Please excuse me for a moment," Aro said. His face betrayed none of his thoughts. His features were relaxed, his voice calm, and a faint smile graced his lips. No one saw through his facade; it was far too well-practiced.

The vampire stood up, not without feeling Tiberius’ concerned eyes on him, following his every move until he had left the room. Aro didn’t understand! "This man is clearly hiding something; it’s the only explanation! His entire body language screams that he fears Caius and me! He obviously knows about our immortality and my gift! And he has clearly tried to evade it! So why can’t I see anything?!" He was furious with Tiberius for subjecting him to this humiliation. He would have loved nothing more than to behead him here and now, but even then, the mystery would remain unsolved...

Aro crossed the inner garden with quick strides, his hands clenched into fists. He was so agitated that, as he turned the corner too hastily to enter the atrium, he suddenly jolted from his thoughts, and a loud clattering sound filled the air. He had collided head-on with a blonde slave girl, who had been rushing in the opposite direction to round the corner as well.

She was carrying a tray with empty goblets neatly arranged on it. Sulpicia and another slave had been instructed to clean the garden where the reception had taken place, now that all the guests were in the dining room, and the other servants were needed elsewhere. She had tried to load as much as possible onto her tray. Nevio and she had made a game of seeing who could carry more at once. She had thought she could add even more to her pile to win, which is why she had turned on her heel to gather more dishes at once.

She, too, had sharply inhaled when she saw the man rounding the corner far too late and, in her shock, let the entire tray fall at his feet. The goblets landed with a loud crash on the marble floor, and the remaining wine in them splashed in all directions.

"Oh no, please forgive me, I’m so sorry!" Embarrassed, she realized that the man she had run into was one of the handsome strangers! And the other slaves hadn’t exaggerated his beauty one bit! She blushed and hurriedly bent down to pick up the goblets, which, fortunately, hadn’t broken. She shook her head repeatedly, cursing her carelessness.

"You should be more careful where you're going!" Aro said, irritated by the collision, as he looked down at her.

"I don’t know where my mind was, please forgive me! Have I damaged your robe?" The slave girl glanced up for a second, and their eyes met. There was deep regret and a bit of fear in her voice, and combined with the green eyes and dark blonde hair that framed her delicate face, Aro felt his anger towards her soften a little. He could never stay mad at beautiful women for long.

What a clumsy thing!, he thought fleetingly. But he also knew it wasn’t entirely her fault. He was far too agitated in the moment and hadn’t been mindful of his own speed. Since the noise had been quite loud, and he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, he also crouched down to help her.

"No, no, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it, it was just as careless of me." Aro helped her collect the goblets, his face still showing an annoyed expression. Sulpicia paused for a moment when she heard his words and straightened slightly. She couldn’t help but stare at the strange man with the jet-black hair in astonishment. Why was someone like him apologizing to someone like her? She had expected him to rage, to scold her for her thoughtlessness, but he did nothing of the sort.

Aro noticed her surprise and met her gaze. In truth, he had lived long enough to make no hierarchical distinctions between humans of different cultures and ethnicities. Some rituals of the current civilization had crept in, of course, and they, too, kept slaves as servants, but in his eyes, all humans were equal. He was interested in their stories. And every person had a wealth of those to tell.

His gaze sent a cold shiver down her spine. But it was his red eyes that frightened her. She had never seen anything like them before! When she realized she was staring, she quickly lowered her gaze in embarrassment and shook her head again. "Oh no, please, my lord, I was so thoughtless! Please forgive me, you don’t need to help. Surely I’m just holding you up." Aro smirked as he noticed the blush on her cheeks. He was well aware of his effect on mortals and immortals alike, regardless of their gender. He enjoyed the attention. It had always been this way, even when he had still been human.

With a few quick movements, they stacked the silverware back onto the tray. Aro’s hand brushed hers a couple of times, and he couldn’t resist reading her thoughts. She had been born into slavery, just like her mother, so she knew no other life. What’s more, her mother had also been a slave in this house, but she had died when Sulpicia was still very young.

Sulpicia… what a beautiful name! For a slave, the young woman was truly stunning, despite her plain appearance! She had long, dark blonde hair that would surely have looked breathtaking with more care. Her face had something aristocratic about it—narrow and delicate, like her entire frame. What a shame she was condemned to the life of a slave!

But Aro saw something else. Tiberius seemed to be extraordinarily fond of Sulpicia. He noticed that her feelings towards him were quite favorable, that unlike other slaves, she never had to perform heavy or unpleasant tasks, and that she was allowed to sleep with the personal slaves of the mistress. A scene flashed before his mind, where the two of them were in Tiberius' study, with Tiberius gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and remarking how much she resembled her mother. His study! Not just any slave was allowed in there! Moreover, the loving gaze the master gave her surprised him.

Another moment drifted through his mind, where Sulpicia stood outside Tiberius' study, seemingly waiting for him to emerge. When the door finally opened, her master’s expression was warm and kind. "Secundus and the others are here. Shall I let them in? There’s no one else at the door right now." In Sulpicia’s thoughts, there wasn’t the slightest trace of fear regarding his reaction to her taking on such a task. "Of course, feel free to bring them to me."

How interesting! This slave seemed to have a truly exceptional relationship with her dominus! Aro hadn’t paid attention to this in Tiberius’ thoughts, as he was specifically searching for something else, but now he had to find out exactly what Tiberius' true feelings for Sulpicia were.

An idea began to form within him.

Perhaps this slave might be the key he needed to uncover the information Tiberius was hiding!

"My lord? Are you all right?" Aro was pulled back to reality by Sulpicia’s words and her concerned expression. Apparently, he had been absent for a few seconds. "Thank you so much for your help!" She was doing her best not to stare at him, but she couldn’t deny that his presence and the intense gaze with which he regarded her had completely captivated her.

"No need to thank me, my dear." Aro had regained his composure and once again touched her forearm, which revealed something else to him: She looked after the household’s children, and whenever they received lessons from their teacher, Sulpicia tried to absorb as much information as she could. He could see her hiding behind the large columns of the atrium, trying not to be discovered. Naturally, she had to do this in secret, for she would be reprimanded if it became known that she, as a slave, was attempting to acquire knowledge.

He could sense that his touch unsettled her. She had never spoken to a wealthy man for such an extended period of time and didn’t quite know how to interpret this brief exchange. He saw that she was surprised he was even talking to her at all, filled with awe at his status but also fascinated at the same time. A wonderful mixture of human emotions, in his opinion! And if his little idea could become reality, the joy would be truly delicious! He urgently needed to read Tiberius’ thoughts again!

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Sulpicia." With these words, Aro bid farewell to the beautiful slave, who gave a slight nod and hurriedly disappeared. Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest, and it was only after she had turned her back on the strange man that she realized he had called her by name! How could that be? She hadn’t told him her name!

“What is wrong at the end of the day?
What is really wrong no one dares to say
You know you're wrong when there's only one right
But what is wrong when right is out of sight?
Hey, we need to be somewhat
Foolish, feebleminded, wrong and senseless
Right rode off long ago”

(Agnes Obel - Avenue)

~✾~

As Aro returned, dessert was already being served. It consisted of grapes, raisins, figs, and dates, as well as quinces, various types of apples, and apricots, all beautifully arranged on different tiers throughout the room and in front of the couches.

The brown-haired lady's eyes widened with joy when she saw him enter, and Aro met the sparkle in her eyes with an equally warm smile. The scent of her blood was very enticing to him.

"I have missed your presence terribly; what has kept you so long?" The lady tilted her head invitingly to the side as Aro took his place beside her again.

"I just stretched my legs a bit. No need to worry, although it looks excellent on you." He picked up one of the dates and held it close to her mouth. She fixed her gaze on his eyes as she complied with the invitation and took the fruit from his hand.

His mood had improved significantly due to the idea that had come to him. Not only had he found a possible way to obtain the information that Tiberius was hiding, but he would also be doing it through a slave of his own household!

Sulpicia couldn’t help but return once more to secretly observe the mysterious man from a distance. From the inner courtyard of the garden, there was a good view into the triclinium, and it was just a tiny moment when no one would pay attention to her. She had tried to find a reason to go outside again and had felt very relieved when no one had asked questions. She couldn’t explain to herself where this sudden fascination had come from.

However, as she watched him lying next to the wealthy lady, laughing with her, and making sweet eyes at her again and again, she couldn’t help but smile inwardly and shake her head at her own foolishness. "How silly! I shouldn’t think about him anymore; he will never speak to me again anyway!" She turned away and returned to her actual work. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she could not forget his eyes…

The evening passed, and some guests were already saying their goodbyes while others changed their lounging positions to join in on different conversations. Aro had avoided speaking with Caius for the rest of the evening. He wanted to know if his plan would work before facing the shame of having to admit to his maker that he had again found no relevant information.

He observed as Tiberius eventually rose and went to the garden with some guests to continue their conversations. He got up as well, and when the lady next to him insisted on following him, he allowed her to link her arm with his. Her thoughts were a true delight and very enticing to him, but she would have to wait a bit longer. At the moment, he was on a mission. He would devote himself to her later.

When they reached Tiberius and the others, the topic of the group was already audible from a distance. They were discussing gambling—something that should only be talked about behind closed doors since it was illegal.

"If I tell you, at my last visit, I bet 120 sesterces and was actually able to triple it in the end!" they heard one of the guests say.

"You seem to be quite skilled, Paulus. But beware, I heard this morning about a surprise inspection in the district where your favorite tavern is located." Tiberius was popular among the wealthy, partly because he supported gambling and even occasionally encouraged it. It was an annoying habit from his youth that his wife had tried to train him out of many times—without success. But every man had his vice, didn’t he?

"I believe that has little to do with skill. I think you need sharp wits and a certain tendency towards delusions of grandeur," Aro chimed in with a smile. He also loved gambling from time to time. However, for him, the thrill lay more in not reading the thoughts of his fellow players and truly relying on his luck. A rather peculiar hobby…

"Sharp wits, is it? Well, I would say I possess those. Otherwise, my coffers wouldn’t have rung so often lately," Paulus replied to Aro's statement and laughed, prompting laughter from the others.

Aro ignored this comment and turned to the actual object of his desire. "Tiberius, you play as well? How strange that we haven’t met sooner! I love to play myself." As he said this, Aro touched the upper arm of the dominus with his flat hand, who— as expected— flinched again but couldn’t resist in this company as it would have seemed very odd.

The dark-haired man focused this time specifically on the memories concerning the blonde slave. Sulpicia… He nearly laughed out loud with joy, for what he found far surpassed his expectations!

He had been right in his assumption that Tiberius valued her highly. The reason, however, had not been clear to him until now. Sulpicia did indeed resemble her mother. And her mother, a slave in Tiberius' house, had been his secret mistress. Tiberius had never truly discovered it for sure, but he suspected that Sulpicia might be his daughter. This also explained the Roman name he had given her, which was unusual for a German-looking slave. It was the only possible sign of affection he could offer her at her birth. Sulpicia had been born here, and as she grew up, he was very careful about the tasks assigned to her so that she would never have to work too hard. Moreover, he trusted her, knowing she was well-disposed towards him.

And that played perfectly into Aro's hands. He simply couldn’t believe that his gift had failed; it had never done so before! He was certain Tiberius was hiding something from him. However that was possible, he would find out. But if he could see through Sulpicia's eyes and discover who came in and out of this house, it should be easy for him to locate the other vampire Tiberius had spoken of in the arena.

"What a pity, isn’t it?" Tiberius had stepped aside a bit frightened and laughed awkwardly.

"But that’s alright; I’m sure we’ll run into each other more often now that we’ve been introduced." Aro tilted his head with amusement in his response.

“We should arrange a meeting as well,” Paulus threw out, directed at Aro. “If you’re boasting so much, I want to see how good you really are.”

A challenging murmur passed through the small group.

“That can surely be arranged,” Aro replied, amused. Why not? He always welcomed new company.

The evening wore on and gradually approached its end. Caius and Lucius had retreated to a corner with several wine jugs hours ago, laughing and exchanging old stories. Caius had noticed that Aro did not want to talk and had therefore left it at that for the time being.

The brown-haired lady did not leave Aro’s side for the rest of the evening. He was pleased that he could take her home with him. Her blood smelled extremely tempting.

When they finally said their goodbyes, Aro kept sneaking glances for Sulpicia, hoping to speak with her once more. But to his disappointment, she did not come out again. He would have to find another opportunity to see her. He knew he needed a good offer to convince her of his intentions, but he already had an idea. He was sure she would not be able to resist the temptation.

~✾~

The sun was high in the sky when Sulpicia was assigned a trip to the Forum Holitorium, the fruit and vegetable market, with the two sons of the house a few days later. She would never have been allowed to go alone to the cattle market, not as a woman and certainly not as a slave. But Tiberius knew how much Sulpicia loved to go out. It didn’t happen very often, and he wanted to make her happy with it, much to the chagrin of his wife.

Aurelia was not pleased at all. She had never been able to stand Sulpicia, as she suspected the young woman could be her husband’s child. However, since she couldn’t deny how lovingly Sulpicia treated the children, in the end, there was nothing to complain about. Titus and Quintus were seven and six years old, respectively, and were hardly easy to handle. However, both boys liked the blonde slave very much and generally obeyed her. They were also very excited to leave the house and perhaps meet their friends, as the market was conveniently located along several major roads, and you could always meet someone there.

The market was already bustling with activity. People streamed past each other in opposite directions, pushing forward to grab the freshest goods possible. They were all in the mood to shop. Some of them had made purchases at the cattle market earlier and were now looking for the right spices, herbs, and exotic vegetables for a feast. Others met here to chat, exchange the latest gossip, and grab a treat or two.

The other market, the cattle market, the Forum Boarium, was located near Probus Bridge, the southernmost of the eight bridges of Rome. This was very convenient, as the path to the nearby horrea, the large warehouses of the city, was not far from there. Moreover, it was practically located so that traders did not have to travel too far. There would have been much more exciting things to see for the children there, but it was also more dangerous and chaotic, which is why they were rarely taken there.

Sulpicia had trouble keeping the two children with her, as they were fascinated by the many different people to be seen here. Markets in general were something exciting. They were currently eyeing a group of Sigambrians, people from Germanic lands, who wore their hair in strange side knots. Next to them, the two boys could see two young Ethiopians with intricately braided hair, quite unlike anything a Roman would wear.

“Oh, Titus, look over there!” The boy nudged his brother on the upper arm and hastily pointed with his finger at a large litter being carried in the distance, for which people had to make way. “Who’s in there? I can’t see anything!” Titus followed his brother’s gaze, and both stretched up on their toes to try to see. But when they still couldn’t see anything after straining, they ran forward, closer to the litter and into the crowd.

Sulpicia was just putting beets and artichokes into her bags when she turned around and was shocked to see the two boys disappearing. She immediately called after them and tried to catch up by making her way forward.

The two boys stopped at the small crowd that had formed to let the litter pass. Now they could see it better: A beautifully dressed woman was being carried inside, veiled in cloth, seemingly reading a book or at least pretending to do so. The slaves carrying the litter were sweating from the blazing midday sun. It was quite normal at that time to be transported this way to be seen. She was probably on her way to a friend.

"When Sulpicia reached the two boys, she also dabbed her forehead with the cloth that concealed her head. It was truly terribly hot that day! She scolded them, and the boys made a guilty face. Together, they watched as the litter was carried past. Sulpicia could not deny how incredibly exciting it was!

Eventually, the view cleared, and the people closed the gap behind the litter. Sulpicia was still facing the crowd when she suddenly noticed someone familiar. She recognized the strange man with the black hair—the one she had awkwardly bumped into at the banquet... She couldn't help but keep her eyes on him. How absurd it was to see him here again!

She couldn’t deny that she found him fascinating. And even now, his curiosity was undeniable! On his shoulder sat a colorful creature, which she knew to be called a parrot. It looked absolutely bizarre, making it impossible for her not to stare.

For a moment, she watched as the animal tucked its head under one of its wings to groom itself, only for her to realize too late that the man's red eyes were also fixed on her! When she finally noticed, she felt a rush of heat and cold simultaneously. Her features froze, and she embarrassedly lowered her gaze, hastily instructing the children to go with her to one of the nearby stalls where peaches and pears were sold, in order to quickly escape the situation.

With that, the awkward moment was over—for now.

However, Titus and Quintus soon grew bored and leaned against the wooden counter, waiting for Sulpicia to finish her shopping so they could move on. Their gazes drifted through the crowd again, and soon they eagerly tugged at the slave's tunic, begging her to let them go to their friends a few stalls away, whom they had just spotted. Sulpicia sighed, reluctant to let them go that far for fear of losing them. But she could see that the other children were also accompanied by an adult—clearly not their mother, but likely a slave of a similar status to hers. She thought for a moment.

"Alright, go ahead. I need just a moment here." She crouched down to look them earnestly in the eyes. "But please stay within sight! I want to be able to see you. Your mother would be very angry with me if anything happened to you."

"You should try the raspberries over there; they're delicious, I've been told." Sulpicia flinched when she heard the familiar voice and was immediately about to stand up. The children seized the opportunity, looked at each other, and hurried away. As the slave turned around, she found herself looking into amused red eyes.

"Please excuse me; I didn't mean to stare at you," she began, shaking her head, feeling the heat rise to her face as she tried to explain herself. "I was just so distracted by your..." She gestured with her fingers toward the bird on Aro's shoulder, which immediately let out an indignant sound.

"Parrot? Oh yes! Isn't it beautiful? I bid for it this morning!" the dark-haired man said excitedly. His eyes sparkled as he glanced sideways for a moment. The creature mirrored him, pulling its head slightly back in uncertainty about what to make of its new owner—especially since he had no heartbeat, but only the parrot noticed that detail. "I'm very glad to see you here again." Aro's gaze returned to Sulpicia. "I never forget a pretty face. This isn't the first time we've run into each other by chance, is it?"

His voice mirrored the amusement in his eyes, but the blonde slave was on the verge of apologizing again. "I'm afraid so," she said, her regret unmistakable. The incident had indeed been extremely embarrassing for her. "I hope, however, that the banquet was to your liking and that I didn’t ruin it for you." What had happened had happened. She couldn't change it. And in the end, he had reacted very kindly.

"Not at all. As I already said, I was equally at fault for the incident." The dark-haired man made a calming gesture with his hand, which she found quite surprising. "But I must admit, I've inquired a bit about you. You're very interested in learning, aren't you?" For a moment, all expression left Sulpicia's face, and she stared at him in disbelief. Why had he inquired? And who had told him about her? Had it been that obvious that she occasionally looked over the children's shoulders during lessons? What consequences would that have for her?

"Yes... that's correct. But I certainly know that I have no right to!" she corrected herself immediately.

"That's a matter of opinion, I would say. Personally, I think anyone interested should have the opportunity to learn, don’t you think?" He turned with a smile to the side to buy a few peaches from the stall they were still standing in front of. The parrot followed him with its gaze.

As Sulpicia watched him pay, a tired smile formed on her face. "Well," she murmured, "it's unfortunately not that easy for everyone." Even as she spoke, she realized that it was likely disrespectful to say so. It was already unusual for this wealthy man to be speaking with her, and now she was ruining it by being rude! Regardless of whether it was true or not. "Excuse me, I shouldn't have said that."

Aro regarded her with amusement. "No, no, you're absolutely right." He took the three peaches and placed two of them in a small bag. Sulpicia wondered silently about this. Who buys only three at a time? But he was probably just here for pleasure and usually had his slaves do the shopping.

She had no way of knowing that he had come here specifically for her.

"But what if it were that easy?" He handed her the third peach. She looked at him in surprise and accepted the gift a bit perplexed. No one ever gave her anything! She had no idea how to handle this.

"Thank you... that’s really very kind!" She sniffed the fruit for a moment. A part of her wondered why he would give something to someone like her, but the gesture was too beautiful for her to want to question it right now. She was simply fascinated by this strange man.

"I haven't had the chance to introduce myself to you. My name is Aro, and I’m a librarian. I deal with foreign cultures and history." The blonde slave looked at him with interest. While she didn’t understand why he was wasting time talking to her, much less why he was telling her this, she didn't question it either. "From time to time, I hold a more or less public evening class for any citizen of Rome who wants to improve their general knowledge and their math and writing skills." A pause ensued, during which she lost herself a little in his eyes. He enjoyed her gaze, having planned it that way. "Would you not be interested in that as well?" he finally inquired.

She blinked rapidly. What was this strange man saying?

"I'm not a citizen of Rome," was the first somewhat coherent thought that crossed her mind in her astonishment over his statement, and she voiced it immediately.

"That's true." She watched as the dark-haired man raised his eyebrows. "But wouldn't you like to be one day? The knowledge you acquire could one day be useful for you to buy your freedom and lead an independent life." His words sounded soothing.

It amused him a little that she stood before him with her mouth slightly agape, utterly bewildered by what he was offering her. The longer he had pondered his own idea, the more he liked it. It would be exciting, and this slave was quite beautiful to look at, which made it even more appealing for him. To be able to get back at Tiberius for the way he had humiliated him, and with his own daughter too, would make it even sweeter for him.

"I... I don't quite understand, my lord." Her voice was full of disbelief. Was she dreaming? If so, it was a very beautiful dream from which she didn't want to awaken anytime soon! But the longer she thought about it, the more doubts began to rise within her. This couldn't be serious! And if it was, then there had to be a catch! "Why are you making me such a generous offer? What do you want in return? What could I give you? I hardly possess any money, and my savings are not enough for that." His words were certainly more than enticing! But all of this sounded much more like a beautiful story than reality.

"Tiberius thinks very highly of you, as I learned yesterday. You enjoy his trust," she heard him say. His voice now sounded warm and benevolent, and it certainly did not fail to have an effect on her. Sulpicia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had they actually talked about her at the banquet? Why? In disbelief, she shook her head. And had to simultaneously suppress a slight laugh when she saw that the parrot did the same.

"I would like to ask you for a favor in return," Aro finally said.

Sulpicia quickly regained her composure. Those words shattered the illusion. There it was! She had almost suspected it! This could not mean anything good. Internally, she was torn, hanging on the words of this intriguing man, but could still sense that something was amiss. There was something about him, almost like an aura surrounding him, that boded nothing good. She became serious again. "What kind of favor?"

"My brother, the white-haired man from the banquet, is a lawyer. We have been trying to solve a case for months and know that your domus is somehow involved." The dark-haired man's voice lowered, and his words suddenly no longer sounded like a song. The shift in the tone of his words before and now again was almost astonishingly obvious and drastic.

“What kind of case?” she asked, adjusting her volume to match his. She marveled at her own courage for asking a second time when he hadn’t answered specifically the first time. But now she wanted to know what it was about and what he was offering her.

A brief silence ensued as Aro glanced to the left and right. Gently, he took her arm and pulled her a little aside, next to the stand in the shade, to make space for the people behind her and to speak a little more privately. The parrot did not like the sudden movement at all and almost flew off his new owner’s shoulders had it not clung on tightly.

The blonde slave was startled by the coldness of his touch! Why had she not noticed it before? Her gaze shot to his hand, then back to his eyes, and she could feel her pulse quickening.

“We don’t have enough information yet for me to tell you more about it.” His eyes bore into hers, and a cold shiver ran down her spine—despite the heat! “However, it would be very helpful if someone could keep an eye on which business partners come in and out of your house.”

Sulpicia's eyebrows narrowed, and she suddenly pulled away from his grip, stepping back a few paces and looking at him in disbelief. What a brazen suggestion?! Was he actually asking her to betray her master?!

Aro reacted immediately. He could read her thoughts even before she withdrew them. “I’m not asking you to eavesdrop; don’t get me wrong! I would never ask you to betray your master.” He stepped a bit closer to her. “But it would be very helpful if you could describe your guests to me. Most influential people are known to us, so that would be a good reference.”

He seemed so sure of himself! What if she were to betray him now? Had he even thought about that?

Aro had indeed considered this. On one hand, he had gotten an impression of her nature from their first contact and was quite sure how she would ultimately react. On the other hand, it was an attempt on his part, a brilliant idea in his opinion, and should it fail, it would be easy for him to clean up the mess.

He certainly didn’t let her feel that.

Instead, his eyes rested on hers. He could see the thoughts swirling chaotically in her mind. He knew she was interested. The desire to acquire knowledge was too great for her to dismiss his offer lightly. Still, she was obviously skeptical. After all, he was an unknown man to her!

“Think about it,” he said finally, stepping back himself to indicate that he was about to leave. “I would be happy to teach you writing and mathematics if you wish.”

A pause ensued. Sulpicia stepped forward, torn, as if she wanted to prevent him from leaving. She opened her mouth to say something but held back. It was only when he had turned away from her and she realized this might be her last chance that she called after him. “Thank you for this extremely generous offer, but I couldn’t possibly do it, even if I wanted to!”

He turned sharply on his heel and looked at her expectantly. She lowered her voice and began to express herself somewhat awkwardly. “I… I mean, I would have to sneak out! They would definitely notice my disappearance.”

She saw him come closer again and forced herself not to look away but to hold the gaze of those too captivating red eyes, ignoring her heart that was pounding wildly in her chest. This man was dangerous, that was unmistakable! And yet she could not help herself. She could feel that she wanted to accept the offer with every fiber of her being, no matter how reckless it would be… the temptation and fascination were greater than her doubts and caution.

The dark-haired man stopped just a few centimeters in front of her. “I’m sure you’ll find a way.” Aro had also read the thoughts of the slave who guarded the door when he had left Tiberius's house. He knew that this slave had a favorable view of Sulpicia. Surely, he would not betray her…

“By the way…” he added, “it could also be exciting, don’t you think?” A smile spread across his lips, one that the blonde slave could not resist; it was far too captivating. She saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a small piece of paper. He must have prepared it. For her? Or did he always carry it with him? How strange…

“Here.” He handed her the paper. “This is the address. There would be a class tonight if you want to come. You could see how you like it and then decide.” As he handed her the note, he brushed her hand lightly again. He was eager to see if his plan would work.

“And… you only want a visual description of our guests? Would that be enough for you? Really?” she asked skeptically once more, though she had already made her decision.

Aro smiled again. “You have my word on that.” His plan had clearly succeeded, and he was pleased. With those words, he indicated a farewell and finally moved away.

Sulpicia watched the strange man with his parrot for a while. The feeling that coursed through her was a mix of fascination, curiosity, and caution. Not exactly the recipe needed to dissuade her from his idea… Her heart raced wildly in her chest even after he had disappeared. Those strange eyes that she couldn’t escape… and then there was that offer! The chance for a better life and knowledge! But then she would have to put herself in great danger… and yet she could not deny that she was tempted to see him again…

Suddenly, another thought tore her from her inner debate, and she turned hastily around. “The children!”

She tucked the note away and returned to her duties. For now.

“Heartless challenge
Pick your path and I'll pray
Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise, loves to go down
Lousy lovers pick their prey
But they never cry out loud, cry out”

(Golddust Woman - Halestorm)

~✾~

It was already late evening the next day. The air in the tavern, where Caius and Marcus were currently situated, was stale and far too warm. Nevertheless, this was not their first time here. Strange. One would think that a place like this, where many people indulged in alcohol in close quarters, would not be the most pleasant spot for a vampire. And indeed, it was not. Yet this place offered more than just the occasional drink.

What took place in the back rooms and upper floors was an entirely different kind of hospitality. Every gentleman who frequented this tavern was aware of the brothel, which was run not secretly, but with a bit more exclusivity than in other streets of the city.

“He’s gotten himself a parrot; can you believe that?!” Caius said, addressing Marcus with indignation as he swirled the wine before him. He wouldn’t drink it; it merely served to mask his true nature. And he was also trying to conceal the real reason for his increasingly regular appearances at this place. He was actually here only for one woman: the owner of the brothel, Athenodora. He had been keeping her in his peripheral vision the entire time.

Marcus had to chuckle at the idea of Aro with a parrot. “That sounds just like him,” it crossed his mind. He could deduce that Aro’s motives for purchasing it were likely out of curiosity, but he was undoubtedly also amused by the idea of irritating Caius with it. “I think it suits him. Colorful, exotic, and artistic—just like Aro himself.”

“Indeed.” Caius also smiled at this explanation. “But it seems to amuse him a little too much to drive me mad!” The white-haired man thought of Aro’s boisterous laughter as the creature responded to each of Caius’s comments with “Know-it-all!” when he had been introduced to it that morning. Probably the only word Aro had taught the bird...

Both turned for a moment as a table full of men cheered loudly. When they turned back to each other, they exchanged knowing glances. They could be sure that no one here would eavesdrop on their conversation; the noise level simply wouldn’t allow it. In establishments like these, most people seemed to Marcus like a horde of wild monkeys... Aro would probably have found it extremely amusing again, but both Marcus and Caius usually preferred solitude.

“Don’t be so hard on him. You know his ego has been bruised since he couldn’t read Tiberius’s thoughts or those of the gladiator.” Marcus tilted his head in a conciliatory manner. He hadn’t seen Aro for two days, but he had encountered him shortly after their discovery at the Colosseum and had seen his rage. Given what Caius had reported about the banquet, he could piece together Aro’s current state.

“It doesn’t hurt if he gets a little reality check now and then,” Caius murmured, gazing into his wine glass, running his fingers along its rim, causing both men to chuckle softly. But then the eldest suddenly became serious again. “But do you think his gift is truly weakening? Have you ever noticed anything like that in yourself?” The white-haired man sounded genuinely concerned. Of course, he was; Aro was his son. And even though he would never admit it to him, he cared for him deeply.

Marcus pondered the question. Since Caius was still staring at his wine glass, he looked forward and behind the counter in front of them. His gaze landed on Dionysus, the extremely handsome innkeeper of the tavern. He was preparing another tray of drinks and met Marcus’s gaze. They both smiled mischievously at each other. Marcus concentrated and felt the extremely thin emotional bond they shared.

A secret affair had begun since he first accompanied his creator here. Back then, he had been merely an alibi, as Caius had wanted to see Athenodora. A detail that the white-haired man would never have spoken aloud, but which Marcus, with his ability to sense emotional connections, hadn’t missed...

Dionysus, with his copper-colored hair and bright eyes, had immediately caught Marcus’s attention. And it seemed that he had caught Dionysus’s attention as well. The two had already spent a few interesting nights together, which he kept secret from Didyme. Not that they were exclusive or that this affair was anything serious, but Marcus enjoyed having this secret from her. It was something very private that belonged only to him. Both had open relationships, as Didyme and he both knew that no one would ever reach the emotional depth that they shared with each other. And since both occasionally sought other nighttime companions, this type of arrangement worked.

“No. No, I can’t say that,” Marcus finally said innocently as he checked the bond between himself and the handsome innkeeper. He raised his eyebrows as he leaned back in his chair and turned back to Caius. He hoped the elder hadn’t noticed anything because Caius was far less open to this kind of affair than he and Didyme were, but at that moment he had no reason to worry. The white-haired man was far too preoccupied with other matters to notice.

“Mh…” Caius also leaned back thoughtfully. His gaze wandered off into the distance for a moment. Then he glanced furtively to the right, to the other end of the bar, where Athenodora was standing, polishing some glasses. She had also been looking at Caius for some time. When their eyes met, both felt caught and quickly looked away.

The two had encountered each other a few weeks ago at the slave market. Caius had been there to look for new house slaves, as a small—let’s say—bloody mishap had occurred with the previous ones due to their carelessness. He had therefore been following the auctions one after the other in search of potential slaves.

It was exceedingly cruel how people were treated, as Caius thought. Most were either prisoners of war or children of slaves who were to be resold. Occasionally, a Roman would accumulate so much debt that he could no longer pay it off and would end up in slavery himself. But that was more the exception than the rule.

The traders touted the slaves like fresh goods with the best attributes they could think of. Additionally, tags hung around the necks of the enslaved, listing these attributes. There, one could read things like "particularly strong" or "particularly obedient," allowing anyone to quickly find what they needed.

His gaze fell on a dark-haired woman who was being auctioned off to a handful of wealthy gentlemen, a silent tear running down her cheek. She looked noble. Surely, she had led a good life until her day of fate, and now everything had changed in an instant. The trader's hands ran over her chest to emphasize her value to the buyers, a truly vile and inhumane endeavor… Caius once again thought about how much he fundamentally despised this race.

The men shouted various bids to outdo one another. The woman was still very young, hence very desirable. Fear reflected in her eyes as she looked from one man to another. What fate awaited her? She probably didn't even want to imagine it... but suddenly, everyone jumped when a bright, bell-like female voice rang out, outbidding all the others by far.

Caius regarded her with admiration as he watched the spectacle from a distance. The lady had long, light blonde hair and a striking face, with features that could have belonged to a determined warrior. She was dressed in a dark blue robe that partially veiled her head. She looked elegant. Yet, it was clear she was not a noble and virtuous Roman woman.

The men immediately mocked her, questioning how she, as a woman, dared to speak against them all and why she was interested in the young slave. One of the men even raised his bid and hurled an indecent insult at her, which she did not respond to. The blonde lady merely called out a higher price with a relaxed expression, causing all the men to back out. They mocked that the girl was ultimately not so valuable and that no one wanted to go bankrupt over a slave. They said even worse things, but Caius did not want to let them resurface in his mind.

He had watched with fascination as the blonde woman took the weeping slave with her and disappeared into the crowd. His curiosity was too great; he had to follow her. "What does she need the girl for? Who is she?" And when he finally reached the tavern and the brothel inside, and she spoke of her courage at the market, he finally learned her name and why the slave was of interest to her.

“If you really want to know, I want to offer her the only perspective on a glimmer of freedom and self-determination that remains for her. This way, she can at least decide who she wants to share her bed with and will be compensated for her services,” she had said.

During one of his other visits, Caius also learned that it was not Dionysus, but Athenodora herself who was the owner of the brothel. She had built this business together with her friend. He managed the tavern business, and she handled the dealings that took place in the dark.

He had often sat at the bar, watching Athenodora as she firmly and energetically kept her guests in line. He was fascinated by how quick-witted she was, and he admired her courage to assert herself as a woman in this city as she did. Moreover, she was truly breathtakingly beautiful, which had not escaped his notice...

In an attempt to hide his interest in her from her and himself by all means, he had finally persuaded Marcus to accompany him here – to the tavern, of course. And although Marcus had initially been puzzled by this suggestion, he had soon seen through Caius' true interest in this place and simply played along.

But back to the actual events:

After being caught, Athenodora also lowered her gaze and let out a loud snort, instantly annoyed with herself. What was wrong with her?! She was usually not so cowardly! She could not deny that the white-haired man interested her, ever since they had first met and he had followed her here. And now he repeatedly visited her establishment! A small part of her wished he came for her sake, but she dispelled that thought as soon as it manifested. What nonsense! This man was obviously very wealthy and of high rank. What could he possibly want here if not distraction? Although she had never seen him leave with one of her ladies… Not that she had particularly been paying attention to that!

Athenodora furrowed her brows and shook her head.

She had built this brothel with her own hands, and it only functioned so well because she kept herself out of various love and pleasure affairs. But this man… with his striking face, white hair, and red eyes… she could not deny that she always kept an eye on him whenever he came in. And that was terrible, after all, she did not want to be interested in anyone!

Such interest only made everything much more complicated, and she could not afford difficulties by the gods. It had taken far too long to reach the point she was now at. And yet, she did not want to give in to him. He had seen that she had looked at him, and she did not want to give him the satisfaction that he had obviously caught her attention.

She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath in and out, and finally walked over to the white-haired man and his companion.

“Do you have any news about your case?” Marcus suddenly pulled Caius out of his thoughts. Caius raised his eyebrows and focused back on Marcus.

“Brother, believe me, if I start on this topic, I need something stronger than this.” He gestured to the wine glass in front of him. “I'm sure it has something to do with that strange immortal we can't find!”

“Who can't you find?” Both men looked up as they heard the bright voice and saw the beautiful blonde stepping forward to the bar. Caius' and Athenodora's eyes met again, and this time neither looked away. Caius also did not want to give her the satisfaction of having thrown a glance her way.

“It is unbecoming for a lady to eavesdrop on the conversations of strange men.” Caius' words sounded monotone, yet his gaze held a mischievous glint as he regarded her. His eyes sparkled challengingly.

Athenodora returned his gaze just as defiantly and shrugged playfully. “This is a public place. If you have secret matters to discuss, I suggest you do it elsewhere.” Briefly, her eye contact broke as a full tray was pushed over the counter toward her, and she immediately reached out to pull it toward her. Caius could not help but take a deep breath of her scent. For a human, she truly smelled remarkable. Wild and untamed, with a certain heavy note that surrounded her…

Shortly after, their eyes met again, sending a slight shiver through him. “And I am no lady,” she concluded her statement.

Marcus watched the staring contest between the two with amusement, especially because he could feel the attraction coming from both sides, even though neither had yet yielded to the other.

“Please, no!” suddenly screamed a young woman, and the three of them turned around immediately. Caius recognized the woman. It was the same young slave that Athenodora had purchased at the slave market. To speak of rescue would be inappropriate... there was no salvation in such a situation.

“Let me go! I can do better, I promise!” The girl was being forcibly dragged into the center of the room by a lightly clad man. They obviously came from the back room.

“I won’t put up with this! Who owns this shabby dump?!” The man was not unattractive, at least outwardly... which was probably why the young woman had decided to make a deal with him.

“Excuse me for a moment,” they heard Athenodora's voice, which now sounded very serious and no longer challenging. The white-haired vampire turned halfway toward her and watched as she circled the bar and finally stood in front of the man holding the whimpering woman by the arm.

“You will let her go, and you will do it now.” The way she stood before him without any fear, her arms crossed, holding his gaze with determination, was highly impressive.

“Who are you, woman, that you think you can order me around?” The man stood his ground and assessed her from top to bottom, finally spitting to the side when she didn’t back down an inch to demonstrate his superiority.

“I won’t repeat myself. This is a place of joy, not a place of violence. If you want to voice your complaint, please do so. But not like this.” She glared at him. Her words were cold and calm, which didn’t escape the attention of the others in the room, who were now following the loud spectacle as well. Caius was heavily impressed; he couldn’t deny it. He was burning to see if she would ultimately win the staring contest, as her iron demeanor was still impenetrable. She apparently didn’t even think about lowering her head, as the man in front of her clearly expected her to.

Several seconds passed as he glared at her in anger. But when it dawned on him that Athenodora would not back down, he snorted angrily and abruptly released the young woman, who immediately took several sobbing steps away.

The man moved threateningly closer to Athenodora. “The young thing is playing hard to get. I have already paid and want what is mine!” Athenodora's eyes flicked for a second to the young woman. The marks around her neck were unmistakable. “You should make up for what she has done,” he said, raising his hand to pull her head back in his direction. But Athenodora was quicker and grasped his wrist before locking her eyes with his again. She led his hand away from her face and finally released him.

Meanwhile, Caius gritted his teeth. An impulse urged him to intervene, but he held back. He wanted to see how she would handle this situation, and anyway, why should he care about a brothel owner?!

Still, he couldn’t deny the increasingly strong feeling that he wanted her for himself. The thought that this man could touch her filled him with disgust to the point that he nearly felt ill. What was wrong with him?!

But Athenodora seemed to be able to handle herself well. She remained calm and said in a determined tone, “I’m not talking about myself. Aurora would be a good choice and will surely exceed your expectations.” A woman who had just been serving one of the nearby tables approached them. She had, of course, followed the conversation like everyone else. The lady was tall, with broad shoulders and a dominant look in her eyes. She did not seem easily breakable.

She stood next to Athenodora and fixed the man with a challenging gaze. Athenodora barely tensed her jaw. She found it disgusting that men treated her gender this way, thinking they could dispose of them however they pleased. But unfortunately, that had been the case ever since… Aurora had been one of the first women with whom she had opened this brothel. They had built it up gradually and managed to choose their clientele more or less on their terms. Unfortunately, encounters of this nature still occurred from time to time...

The man looked Aurora up and down. “I hope so. You have some making up to do.” Aurora let out a short laugh, which somewhat reassured Athenodora. She knew her friend was trained to handle clients of this kind and could defend herself if necessary. It didn’t necessarily make things better, but what choice did they have as women?!

“Then I hope you have good stamina,” Aurora finally said challengingly, gesturing for the man to follow her back. He shot Athenodora a warning look one more time but seemed somewhat placated and finally accepted the deal. Together, the two disappeared into the darkness of the back rooms, and the other guests gradually turned back to their own affairs.

Only now did Athenodora feel how quickly her heart was beating in her chest. Of course, she wasn’t unaffected by such a confrontation, but she wanted to remain steadfast at all costs, especially when it came to the safety of one of her girls, and the entire matter had escalated to the point that everyone had witnessed it.

Her gaze went to Hestia, who had been anxiously following the events. “Go wash up and take a little rest; we don’t have to resolve this right now. I’ll come to you later.” The change in her voice was drastic and sounded almost motherly. The young woman nodded hastily and disappeared as well.

Only after the young woman had left was Athenodora able to somewhat regulate her pulse. When she was sure her expression no longer betrayed her, she looked away and returned behind the bar to continue the conversation with the two men.

Appearing weak was not an option for a woman in her position.

„I ain't got too much time to spare
But I'll make time for you to show how much I care
Wish that I would let you break my walls
But I'm still spinning out of control from the fall
Boy, you give good love, I won't lie
It's what keeps me coming back, even though I'm terrified“

(Adele – Oh My God)

~✾~

Both strange pairs of red eyes were fixed on her, and Athenodora could feel it as she took her previous seat again. She still had to compose herself, as she did not approve of what had just happened at all. However, all the guests had witnessed the altercation, so she had no choice but to react as diplomatically as possible.

"That was impressive. Really!" Caius was the first to speak. His voice conveyed admiration. Marcus looked at him with interest. It was not often that Caius expressed such feelings towards a human. This woman seemed to have genuinely captivated him, and he could understand why.

Athenodora met the red eyes of the white-haired man and sighed. "But it's still not enough..." She was pleased with this comment, yet she wished for a world where women could be completely free, where they wouldn’t have to submit to men, and where such a discussion wouldn’t even arise, as they should be equal to men.

But that was not the point here, as she now reminded herself. The two men in front of her probably didn’t want to hear such things either. They had come here to experience joy, not to witness such an incident. Therefore, she forced a smile and hastily shook her head, as if trying to dispel the thought. "But enough of the gloom!" Her eyes widened for a second. "How can we make you both happy?"

Caius’s eyes sparkled with amusement. On one hand, it was due to her emotional control, but on the other, it was also because of her last statement. Marcus and Dionysus exchanged a glance that clearly indicated they could imagine something other than good drinks and interesting conversations to experience joy.

The more Athenodora thought about her statement, the more she realized how unfortunate it was. She blushed. She couldn’t deny that she found Caius very attractive. She didn’t want to, but every time he looked at her, a chill ran down her spine. This man, with his white hair, red eyes, and numerous scars on his face and body, was equally intimidating and extremely attractive. But she struggled with herself because she had this establishment to run, and feelings usually complicated things. She didn’t want to let the tension overcome her. "It doesn’t always have to be about feelings," she heard an inner voice say to her.

It was that very voice that had been growing louder whenever she saw him lately. And she began to listen to it more and more.

"You know, brother, maybe I’ll leave," Marcus's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Didyme has been without me for far too long." Both Athenodora’s and Caius’s gazes shot to Marcus, panic evident on their faces. Unintentionally, Marcus had also become Athenodora’s alibi, justifying her repeated conversations with Caius. But if this alibi were to leave, neither would have an excuse anymore.

Marcus pushed back his chair and stood up. With a nod to Dionysus, who looked a bit sad about the situation, he turned to leave.

Caius immediately jumped up and followed him. "Marcus…!"

The addressed turned around one last time, interrupting Caius before he could continue by placing a hand on his shoulder. "Brother, I know you’re preoccupied with your case, but it will still be there tomorrow morning. Don’t you think you deserve a little break too?" The vampire’s eyes glanced over Caius’s shoulder towards the blonde beauty. The white-haired man also turned slightly to follow his gaze.

"Marcus…," Caius began to explain, but Marcus interrupted him again.

"You know that hiding your feelings from me doesn’t work." He smiled. It was almost amusing how hard Caius was fighting against his desire. He knew that Caius was against any form of attachment, seeing it as a weakness. That was why he denied himself any hint of lust and stifled any emotionality at its root. But Marcus had always hoped that Caius might one day develop a genuine interest in a human. Perhaps even enough to create a partner. For a long time, he had believed Caius to be simply immune to this type of human emotion, but it had turned out that this was not the truth.

Since Caius had no memory of a human life, as the vampire knew, he had never experienced romantic love. And as he vehemently fought against any budding desire by denying it and stifling it, the search became difficult.

Marcus understood his creator's emotional turmoil due to his gift, which was why Caius never had to explain himself to him. However, this was why Aro often felt that Caius valued him less—allowing emotions was simply something Caius found incredibly difficult. And since Aro only heard his thoughts and did not grasp the depths of his feelings, he was continually puzzled by Caius's closeness in one moment and his coldness in another.

"You two haven’t been able to take your eyes off each other for weeks. Just give in already, brother! I shouldn’t have to constantly serve as an alibi." Marcus’s words were filled with goodwill.

Caius stood silently before him, grinding his teeth together. What an absurd situation—he was usually the one with the greatest foresight in all matters! "We’ll see each other tomorrow morning, brother." With these words, Marcus finally turned away before Caius could respond and left the establishment.

"You two," the vampire’s words echoed in Caius’s thoughts as he returned to the bar. Apparently, he was not the only one with interest. But that wasn’t really his main problem… "It could be a one-time thing. She wouldn’t survive it anyway," he told himself. "I’ll never get over her if I keep wondering whether she has any interest in me… what an incredibly human feeling!"

He didn't like it at all. Nor did he like that it made him sad to have to kill her. He didn’t want her to die; she was such a strong woman! But he couldn’t help himself or fight against it. He had tried for weeks and had obviously failed.

Athenodora and Dionysos had also been watching the two as they went to the door. “Atheno…” The tavern keeper’s words sounded amused. “Just give in already! I can see that you want him.”

The blonde woman shot him a warning look. “I don’t want anyone. He’s just so… so… different.”

“You can call it whatever you like. I just think, after everything you’ve built here, you deserve a little fun too.” She looked at him through clenched teeth. Dionysos could already see Caius turning back to return to the bar. “I’d be happy to take over for you tonight. The object of my desire just disappeared through the door anyway.”

They watched as Caius approached them again. Athenodora suddenly found it hard to breathe, as his eyes rested on her the entire time, his gaze almost painfully intense.

“What a pity Marcus had to leave!” Dionysos said loudly as Caius sat down in front of them again.

“Excuse me?” The white-haired vampire looked completely confused, as if someone had just pulled him out of his thoughts. Athenodora had to stifle a laugh, which she only partially succeeded at. How could he not have noticed the attraction between Marcus and her friend?

“Well… I suppose I’ll have to find someone else for tonight.” Dionysos nimbly went around the counter, throwing the linen cloth he had just used to clean cups over his shoulder. Caius looked at him in complete shock. On one hand, because of the comment, and on the other hand, because he was now truly alone with the object of his desire.

Silence reigned for a few seconds. The two looked at each other with an almost shy expression—uncertain and somewhat expectant.

Athenodora cleared her throat. “So, a case then, yes?” she finally asked, circling back to the hook that had started the conversation. The intensity of his red eyes struck her like a shock again, but she tried to hide it skillfully. “That sounds interesting. Would you like to… share your thoughts with me? Maybe I can help?”

Caius regarded her with an expression akin to that of a predator on the hunt. He was weighing things internally, she could see that. However, she was not clear on the full extent of his thoughts.

“Maybe you can actually do that,” he said finally. He leaned forward, intertwining his fingers. It was obvious he had just made a decision. “However, there are too many ears around here for me to speak about it…”

Athenodora understood the hint and looked at him somewhat amused. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t already discussed the same topic with his companion in front of everyone’s ears, but well. He had laid out a perfect template for her if she interpreted it correctly. And she believed she did.

Her heart raced, and she inhaled and exhaled loudly. Should she go along with it?

For a brief moment, she raised her gaze and looked at Dionysos, who was just taking an order for a new table. The man pursed his lips into a mischievous smile, nodded at her, and made a dismissive hand gesture.

“Perhaps…?” Her gaze drifted back to Caius, and she raised an eyebrow as she leaned slightly forward. “Do you prefer more private accommodations?” Caius grinned, which in turn made her feel the need to explain herself a little more. “We have a few of those here. I’d be happy to show you around; I’m sure there’s something suitable for you to tell me about your case without interruption.” He took a deep breath and inhaled her scent. Smoky, bitter, and elevated—he couldn’t explain it to himself, but the combination felt intoxicating to him.

“That is truly very generous. I gladly accept the offer.” With those words, he stood up and extended a hand, as if to offer it to her. He watched as she also stood up, walked around the counter, and nodded for him to follow her, never taking her eyes off him.

They crossed the tavern until they stepped behind a large, heavy curtain that led into the back part and thus into the brothel of the establishment. Caius felt as if they had entered an entirely different world after the curtain fell again behind him… unfortunately, it was not one that particularly pleased him.

Through the thin dividing walls that separated several smaller rooms, very intimate sounds could be heard. However, that was not what bothered him, although he did feel a certain degree of disgust toward this human act. No, it was more the stale, musty air, the rapid breathing, and all the sweat that almost made him retch internally. He had never found humans particularly clean, but in a place like this, everything he already found repulsive about them seemed amplified.

“You could certainly have one of these rooms, but I’m afraid they’re all occupied at the moment,” he heard Athenodora say as she hurried him through the long corridor. Apparently, she was not very interested in staying here for long either. At least, that’s how it appeared to him.

“I think this isn’t quite the type of privacy I had in mind,” he replied dryly. When he thought of Athenodora, who was also human, all the aforementioned things seemed a bit less bad. He couldn’t quite explain to himself why. The interest in her outweighed it, it seemed.

He was more than pleased when she allowed him to pass through a door at the end of the hallway, which she closed behind her after stepping through as well. The unpleasant odors in his nose diminished slightly, and he was glad to be able to focus fully on her scent again.

Athenodora stepped a little closer to him. She had lowered her eyelids, and only when she stood directly in front of him did she lift them with a playfully innocent look in her eyes. “Of course, I can show you another room if you want.”

~✾~

A little later, they had both arrived in Athenodora's private room. They had initially engaged in some light conversation but had gradually come closer and closer to each other.

“Why don’t you start giving me a little more information?” Athenodora said with a slightly dazed voice as she felt Caius kissing her shoulder, eyes closed.

“About what?” he asked in a somewhat husky voice that sent a shiver through her limbs. He was only half-listening to her.

“Your case. That’s why we came here, I assumed.” Her voice sounded playfully ignorant as she said this. Caius paused for a moment, grasped her shoulder, and gently pulled her back a bit so he could look into her eyes from the side.

He raised an eyebrow. “Did you think that?” he replied sarcastically, just as she had pretended to be naive.

Athenodora tilted her head to the side and smiled at the fact that he was engaging in her game. She changed her position, turned around, and lightly pressed her hand against his chest, signaling him to move back. He allowed her to lead him and finally fell back onto the chaise behind him.

“Yes!” she said, both energetically and sweetly, as she moved closer to sit on his lap and began to undress him. “I want to know what drives our regular clientele!”

“Regular clientele!” Caius laughed as he watched her actions. “I wouldn’t say I belong to that group. At least not entirely. After all, I haven’t taken advantage of all your offerings yet.” He enjoyed how another smile stole across her lips at his words. “Not yet.”

The blonde woman paused as she could fully observe his bare torso. It was covered in scars, but not the kind one gets from an injury. They looked different—much finer and more controlled. A large scar ran from his collarbone down his entire torso, intersected below his chest by a long horizontal scar. Her mouth fell slightly open in shock as she cautiously traced the longer of the two scars with two fingers.

To distract her from her thoughts, Caius began to undress her as well, slowly sliding her garment off her shoulders so that the fabric slipped down and revealed her upper body. She was truly incredibly beautiful, but even more enchanting than her appearance was the scent emanating from her, which now seemed to envelop him entirely.

“Well, if you’re so interested, I’ll tell you about it,” he finally said, tracing the contours of her body in return, which made her shudder. She could feel how much he desired her too.

Thus, he began to recount the tale of his fall, albeit with some interruptions as she completely consumed him in other ways. Even though he was only half-aware of it, as she kept him otherwise occupied, he had to acknowledge that she asked extremely intelligent follow-up questions. On one hand, about the places they had already searched—he noticed that she clearly knew this area inside out—on the other hand, about the individuals he had already drawn into his circle of suspects.

However, eventually, as their true endeavor grew more intense and pressing, and they became too mentally occupied with each other's bodies, he stopped his storytelling, and she ceased her inquiries. In that moment, he truly wanted to focus on other things rather than his case!

For Caius, it was an immense act of self-control not to immediately bury his teeth in her neck as their bodies began to merge. Besides his physical, very human feelings, he wanted nothing more than to drink her blood, which pulsated so seductively close and warm just inches from his fangs… he wanted to restrain himself; he truly did. For deep down, he didn’t want to kill her.

But at the moment they both reached the peak of ecstasy, he simply couldn’t help but give in to his most primal instincts. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent as their movements reached a climax, absorbing her fragrance completely, and then he lunged forward and buried his teeth in her neck.

Athenodora's eyes widened in shock and ecstasy, and in that instant, she instinctively clawed her fingers into his back. At first, she had the impulse to push him away and free herself, but since she was enjoying what he was doing to her far too much, she couldn’t do it at that moment. Her body was too filled with the sensation he was causing within her.

She had opened her mouth in shock and could feel him drinking her blood. The sharp teeth that had dug into her neck had initially been painful, but then—much to her astonishment—the sensation became pleasant, comforting, and almost ecstatic…

She was startled by herself.

And when the moment passed and she somewhat regained her composure, realizing what had just happened, she sharply inhaled and tried to push away from him so that they could separate. She leaned back a little, her legs slightly bent, and pulled the fabric that had half-covered them closer to herself.

“Exquisite!” Caius thought as he could taste the afterglow of her blood. He was almost dizzy from it—and all the additional physical sensations in that moment. It was genuinely hard for him not to continue, but to exercise restraint. Why was he doing this? He didn’t understand himself… But he told himself he would kill her at a later time. That he could enjoy her presence for a while without it having to mean anything.

As she had just distanced herself, he watched her gaze at him with a look of fear. “What… what are you?” she asked, shock evident in her voice. Her cheeks were still flushed, and her chest rose and fell far too quickly, the blood continuing to pulse seductively through her veins.

He was still more than occupied with controlling himself and his sensations, especially his thirst. But as he gradually regained control of his senses and truly realized the extent of her reaction when he looked into her eyes, the realization hit him like a blow: what a mess he had just made.

He, Caius Volturi, had become weak.

“No human…” he replied coolly. He didn’t move an inch. He didn’t try to calm her or ease her fear.

It surprised him that she didn’t scream but merely stared at him, her hands trembling. “There’s no reason to be afraid; I won’t kill you,” he heard himself say, not understanding this statement either. It was as if another part of himself had spoken, one that he would never usually allow to take over.

Athenodora continued to stare at him in disbelief. “Why?” was all she finally managed to say as she loosened one hand and brought it to the wound on her neck.

Caius watched her as he finally crossed the small distance that had formed between them at inhuman speed, tore off a piece of fabric from her blanket, and began to bind the wound.

He didn’t really want to do this. But somehow, he couldn’t help himself.

“You have a sharp tongue, and you have the courage to stand up to men. I like that.” She flinched at his sudden movement, and her heartbeat quickened even more as he was suddenly as close to her as before. “The world needs women like you.”

Their eyes met again as he said this. She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as he was so close to her, and it was so bizarre! For no more than five minutes ago, he had been much closer to her, and she hadn’t felt like this… she had wanted him with every fiber of her being… and if she was honest with herself, that hadn’t changed.

As she looked at him, countless questions raced through her mind. “No human… but what then? And why did he bite me? Why does he need my blood? And why am I still alive? Why is he helping me treat the wound?” She continued to ponder and recalled the story and the case he had told her about: the missing slaves and his suspicion that everything could be traced back to a single person. Did he believe the person he was searching for was like him? Did that explain his concern? “Then the one you’re searching for is also…”

Caius furrowed his brow. He was surprised that this was the next question she asked. “Yes, probably,” he replied tersely again. He wrestled with himself and didn’t understand himself at that moment. What he was doing here was by no means rational! And that shocked him deeply. He didn’t want to tell her more, reveal more, and yet he didn’t want to hold back either.

“I understand…” Athenodora nodded slowly and stared off into space for a moment. She tried to regain her composure. She needed to survive and find a way out of this situation without worse happening to her. “Well… I already mentioned at the beginning that I might be able to help you, and perhaps I can actually do that.” Caius couldn’t help but laugh amusedly. He tilted his head, which seemed to make her anxious, and she cautiously continued, “I could—we could—keep an eye out for anyone coming in and out. Someone with red eyes, like yours, would stand out to us immediately.”

“Why would you want to help me?” His voice sounded threatening.

The lady glared at him, frightened and angry at the same time, though she immediately reconsidered and regretted this reaction. This man was extremely dangerous! “Perhaps because I don’t want to die?!” she burst out indignantly, immediately pressing her lips together.

“And you think the deal will keep me from that?” Caius asked, still amused. The rest of her indignation immediately vanished from Athenodora’s eyes, replaced by fear on her face. The white-haired man didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to see her afraid. Therefore, he began to explain further. “How do I know you won’t throw me to the public as a meal?”

“Well…” Athenodora desperately searched for a reason. He was right that she could betray him and what he had done to her, but he seemed to forget that, as a brothel owner, she would never be heard. He seemed wealthy, judging by his clothing. In a case of his word against hers, she could only lose. Besides, what would it benefit her? He would have even more reason to end her life. But she didn’t say that. Instead, she searched for nobler reasons. “You’re not a human, and yet you care about the well-being of the missing slaves. You don’t want them to end up like you…”

“No.” Caius sighed, which genuinely surprised her. “What I am is like… a plague that must not spread uncontrollably under any circumstances.” Now it was Athenodora's turn to tilt her head. He was a monster striving for control and civilization? How peculiar. Perhaps the man was simply insane; who could know for sure? “Humanity would be doomed,” he continued, unable to think of a better analogy to describe his kind. In later centuries, he might have referred to vampirism as a kind of virus.

“Why do you care?” she whispered as she tried to create some distance between herself and him again. It seemed strange to her that a being like him, whatever he was, should have any interest in humans at all.

Caius looked at her again, amused, as he noticed her attempt and was impressed by her clever question. “Of course, because I live in this world and value this life greatly. But to preserve the world as it is, control and certain guidelines are needed.”

“You sound like one of the gods judging us.” She paused briefly and thought about what she had just said. “Are you? A god?” She had never truly been religious, but she honored the gods as all other Romans did. And perhaps she was wrong; perhaps god-like beings really did exist.

“Flattering. But no, if you want to compare it that way, you should take the other direction.” Athenodora looked at him questioningly again until it dawned on her that he was referring to the underworld. “After all, I need the blood of humans to survive.”

A shiver ran through her body again, and she certainly didn’t miss the neutrality and indifference with which he said it, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She once again examined his scars, his pale skin, and the red eyes that somehow seemed strangely old for the youth of his body. “May I ask where you come from originally? How you became what you are?” she asked cautiously.

Caius’s red eyes scrutinized her for a moment in the darkness like a predator. He weighed things internally. But as before, he ultimately justified it to himself with the thought that he could kill her at a later time. He was not someone who often spoke about or could articulate what moved him internally, but somehow he felt a certain connection to her and an irrational sensation that he could trust her.

Which, of course, was entirely absurd, as he told himself, because there were no rational grounds to support the validity of this feeling.

“I come from an area southeast of here,” he began…

“In a faraway dream
You are waiting for me
With your arms open wide
And a smile in your eyes
Take my hand and lead me home
I don't want to be alone”

(In A Faraway Dream - Eurielle)

~✾~

The sun was already setting, bathing the city in a warm glow. The scene seemed idyllic, accentuated by the increasingly loud chirping of crickets, which usually signaled the end of the workday. A stifling heat had persisted throughout the day, making every faint breeze feel like a true relief.

Sulpicia could feel the beads of sweat on her forehead as she glanced furtively left and right before hastily crossing the last street that separated her from her destination. She tried to fan herself with her clothing, but it did little to ease the warmth. How uncomfortable!

She already had a queasy feeling in her stomach. Partly because she had snuck out without permission—something she had never done before—but also because arriving at the meeting place the handsome stranger had given her meant she would be agreeing to his proposal.

Should she really do this? She was still unsure, and a voice within her vehemently advised against it. Yet, on the other hand, she was far too curious and intrigued! And, to be honest with herself, she wanted to see that strange man again... The thought of him and what he had suggested sent a flutter through her stomach that she couldn’t quite define.

The only thing she knew for certain was that she couldn’t have stayed away, no matter the risk involved.

Cautiously, she glanced left and right again to ensure she wasn’t being watched as she crossed the large colonnade, almost entirely overgrown with ivy. She had never been to this part of the city before and took in the grand, imposing buildings with their many intricate decorations more keenly. A feeling of complete fascination welled up inside her, and she didn’t know where to look first.

People walked the streets alone or in pairs, disappearing into the buildings. Sulpicia was immensely grateful that no one paid her any attention, despite how much she stood out in her tattered clothing. “This won’t work,” she thought nervously. “They’ll immediately know I don’t belong here.”

She wiped her sweat-drenched forehead with her forearm before coming to a halt. She looked once more at the number etched into the stone beside the door to ensure she had the right place. She did. Unfortunately.

Taking a deep breath in and out, she steadied herself, for there was no turning back now. Almost as if to delay the inevitable, she smoothed down the fabric of her clothing and adjusted the braided hairstyle she had attempted to replicate from her mistress. It had turned out reasonably well, she thought. Of course, her hair texture was nothing like her mistress’s—hers was wild and frizzy, making it far harder to tame.

Her hand trembled as she formed it into a fist and raised it to knock on the door. Three quick knocks. Heat and cold washed over her simultaneously. She had done it!

What would he say when he saw her? Did he even remember inviting her? Or had it been a spur-of-the-moment decision? The blonde slave couldn’t stop these thoughts from swirling in her mind like storms. She was so nervous that it was difficult to stay grounded in reality and appropriately greet the servant who opened the door.

His expression spoke volumes. He was more than surprised to see someone like her standing there. Sulpicia felt herself flush instantly but forced herself to recite the words she had rehearsed over and over on her way here as calmly and composedly as possible.

The doorman seemed slightly flustered but, to her surprise, nodded and invited her inside. “My master has already informed me of your arrival,” he said, his tone faintly condescending as she entered, her attention immediately captured by the ornate ceiling decorations.

His words confused her, though, and she turned back to face him, ignoring his tone. “He did?” she asked, her astonishment evident. On the one hand, this meant he hadn’t forgotten her, and on the other, it confused her because the doorman had seemed so surprised by her appearance.

When she turned, she saw the man raise his eyebrows and look her over, seemingly scrutinizing her from above. It was an understandable reaction, she thought, as she clearly didn’t belong here. Still, it hurt to be regarded that way by someone of her own station.

“He left this for you,” the doorman said, his voice tinged with reluctance. “I was instructed to give it to you upon your arrival.” From a compartment beneath a small side table near the entrance, he retrieved a rose-colored fabric and handed it to her somewhat unwillingly.

Sulpicia was stunned, her mouth opening slightly as if to say something before she reflexively took the item. She didn’t need to unfold the fabric to know what it was. The strange man had left a tunic for her. He had left something for her! “He doesn’t want me to stand out as what I am,” she thought instantly, a warm feeling spreading through her. “How considerate!”

All the effort and attention he was giving her made her deeply suspicious—and confused. Why was he doing all this? Setting something aside just for her, either to make her feel less out of place or to help her blend in. Whatever the reason, both motives struck her as incredibly thoughtful, and she had to cover her mouth with her free hand simply because the situation felt so surreal.

“But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me”

(Ellie Goulding - The Writer)

~✾~

"Well, I..." She struggled to find the words. "Yes, it’s true, I’ve heard so many good things! It makes me all the happier to participate." She cast a cautious glance toward the dark-haired vampire, her gaze almost shy, questioning, as if unsure whether she was allowed to follow his lie. "And, of course, I’m equally pleased to meet all of you," she hastily added, not wanting to seem impolite. It felt wrong to address these refined people so directly, but in that moment, what choice did she have?

"The pleasure is all ours!" came a response from a woman on Sulpicia's right. Sulpicia turned to her, startled. "A friend of the brother, is it..." The woman, her black hair elaborately braided and her dark skin radiant, raised an eyebrow. She had seen Marcus a few times when he accompanied Aro here. "That family is so incredibly mysterious; it makes me wonder what secrets you might be hiding." She smiled. It was meant as a joke, but Sulpicia's lips briefly turned downward as a wave of heat and cold swept over her.

"I’m afraid I’m far less mysterious than you might hope," the slave replied with a faint smile, trying to sound lighthearted. She forced herself to smile casually, watching as the woman scrutinized her with an expectant gaze. The others, too, looked at her with interest, as though they awaited further explanation. "Marcus is... an old friend of my family. And like him, I have an interest in... stories! Both past and present. It would be... wonderful to one day write my own texts, understand the interplay of numbers, or even politics."

"Why didn’t your parents arrange for you to be educated?" came the follow-up question from another woman, this one with light brown hair and delicate freckles.

"Excuse me?" Sulpicia responded, panicking slightly as her eyebrows shot up. Her heartbeat quickened. "They... they thought it... inappropriate. For a woman, I mean."

She glanced around nervously, but to her relief, everyone seemed to believe her response. Particularly the women nodded in understanding. Evidently, her improvised answer resonated with their own experiences.

"And your husband?" one of the men asked, probing further.

Sulpicia flushed, unable to stop the redness rising to her cheeks. She parted her lips slightly, trying to form a response. After a moment, she managed to answer quietly, almost as if apologizing: "I am not married."

Her voice held a tinge of sadness. Deep down, the thought was more distressing than the question itself—she would never marry, never lead a life like these people.

"What a relief that such conventions don’t concern you, Aro," joked the woman with the black hair, playfully tapping her teacher’s arm with the back of her hand. Sulpicia watched the gesture, slightly shocked—first, at her casual use of his first name, and second, at the relaxed way this group interacted.

"What can I say, Felizitas? I enjoy challenging conventions." A smile spread across his face, and Sulpicia had to look away after meeting his gaze for just a moment too long. She found herself smiling as well, though for some reason, it made her uneasy.

Her stomach tightened whenever she looked at him for too long. A tingling sensation spread beneath her skin, and though she wanted to look away, part of her yearned to keep watching him, to learn more about him and his enigmatic way of life. But she couldn’t.

That nagging voice in her mind whispered, "This is too much. You shouldn’t be here. Why is this man offering you such a proposition? Something isn’t right..."

She was pulled from her thoughts when someone addressed her again. "Sulpicia, you mentioned wanting to write your own texts. Does that mean you’d like to write stories someday?"

It was one of the men, standing beside a fair-haired woman who had yet to speak. From their body language, Sulpicia guessed they were a couple.

"That would be fantastic, yes," the slave replied honestly, her shoulders rising in a slight shrug. The idea of writing had always been a fanciful dream rather than something she seriously believed could become reality.

"And?" The man pressed on with interest. "Do you already have an idea for a story?"

The others perked up, intrigued once more. Sulpicia smiled faintly and shook her head. How curious that he was even asking! The mere thought of standing here, speaking with these refined people, felt so surreal. Yet part of her was falling for the illusion that she and this strange man—Aro—had created together. These people saw her, spoke to her, wanted to know about her... it felt unreal!

"So far, it’s only... fragments—scenes, emotions, or ideas. Nothing clear yet." Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and Aro noticed. He recalled glimpsing something like this in her thoughts, though it hadn’t piqued his interest at the time.

"But I think one must have lived a little to tell truly great stories," she added, her tone thoughtful. Sulpicia had never before had to articulate these ideas. Why would she? No one in her household had ever asked... or even known she harbored such thoughts.

As a slave, she received orders and was briefed on the essential matters of the household. Beyond that, conversations with her were sparse.

The man smiled at her response, clearly enjoying the sentiment. "You could write about us," he suggested with a playful grin, and Sulpicia couldn’t help but smile back.

How absurd and comical that he’d suggest such a thing! She never would have thought of it... yet what he didn’t know was that this was by far the most exciting experience of her life, and therefore perfect material for a story. Perhaps she’d call it The Woman in Disguise.

"Yes, maybe I will," she answered with a grin, her tone still a bit hesitant. Yet it was clear she was engaging with his playful tone, her demeanor now more relaxed.

Aro watched the exchange with a faint smile. Sulpicia looked stunning when she smiled. Her reserved nature, her guilt, her innocence, and her hunger for knowledge—she was a captivating sight, though he didn’t quite realize just how much he enjoyed it.

Once again, he felt pleased with his idea.

"Well, there we have it! The true identity of this woman has been uncovered! She’s here to write about us!" The man threw up his hands in mock outrage, as if to crown the absurdity of the suggestion.

Sulpicia and the others laughed at the ridiculous notion. Soon after, the man turned to his companion, and the group splintered into smaller conversations. Sulpicia smiled gratefully at the man, though he no longer saw her. She was immensely relieved at how this uncomfortable situation had turned out, and for the first time, she felt at ease—as though she’d been accepted into this fascinating circle.

Her gaze shifted to the side, meeting Aro’s eyes. She smiled at him as if to say thank you, though she tried to temper her joy. After all, this was only his side of the agreement, and she would have to deliver something in return to make it worthwhile for him.

But Aro’s expression was filled with goodwill, even mischief. His look seemed to say, "See? I told you it would go well."

For a brief moment, he touched her forearm, making her flinch slightly. Then he met her eyes and turned away.

It was a strange gesture, one Sulpicia did not understand. She watched him leave the group, a questioning look in her eyes. What she didn’t know was that, as with every other touch before, he had just read her thoughts. He wanted to ensure she would be alright left alone, that she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Only after he found reassurance in her thoughts did he walk away.

“I hope you’ve brought some time with you,” came the voice of the dark-haired woman again, the one Sulpicia had spoken to earlier. She turned toward her with a curious look. “Because my story might take a little longer than just this one break.” Felizitas, as Aro had called her earlier, smiled, and Sulpicia mirrored it.

“Well… I suppose that means we have a few evenings ahead of us.” Sulpicia paused briefly, considering whether she could phrase her next words as she thought them. Finally, she decided to do so. “It would probably be best if you started at the beginning.”

~✾~

After the lengthy recounting of her life story, Felizitas invited Sulpicia to sit with her. Together, they listened to Aro’s further lessons that evening. “I would have been alone here anyway, and I enjoy the company,” Felizitas had said. Sulpicia gratefully accepted.

As Sulpicia learned, Felizitas was the wife of a wealthy man who preferred spending his evenings in taverns and brothels rather than with his wife. She had met Aro while complaining bitterly about this to a friend during a walk. Amused by her candor, Aro had struck up a conversation and offered her a more refined way to pass her evenings.

Privately, Felizitas confessed that she had developed a bit of an infatuation with her mysterious, worldly teacher. She made Sulpicia swear not to tell him. “I mean, let’s be honest: which woman in this room hasn’t fallen for him?” she joked, noticing how Sulpicia blushed.

At the end of that first evening, Felizitas even offered Sulpicia a ride in her carriage, so she wouldn’t have to walk through Rome alone at night. “How could you even think of going out alone?! The streets in this city aren’t safe after dark!” Sulpicia apologized and accepted the offer, though she ensured Felizitas only dropped her off near her house, not directly in front of it. She couldn’t risk being seen.

Sulpicia was overwhelmed by everything that had happened! She was so captivated by the idea of this deception and the opportunity to learn that she went to bed that night smiling, her thoughts on Aro and their peculiar arrangement. “What luck I have,” she thought. “To be given such a chance!”

In the following weeks, she managed again and again to slip away unnoticed. Her ally in this was the porter of her household, who repeatedly allowed her to pass and covered for her absences. She was grateful he never asked where she was going. An old man and a lifelong slave of the household, he seemed to harbor a quiet hope that her life might turn out differently than his. All he knew was that her escapades had something to do with the dark-haired man who had visited the house a few days earlier.

The more often she attended Aro’s lessons, the more natural the deception felt. She was surprised to find that Aro always had a tunic ready for her, which she exchanged for her ragged clothes. Felizitas was present at every session, and every time she beckoned Sulpicia to join her, a pleasant shiver ran down Sulpicia’s spine.

Over time, she began to engage more confidently with the other attendees, who were sometimes familiar faces, sometimes new ones. She noticed that if she asked enough questions and focused on the person in front of her, they rarely asked questions about her in return. People loved to talk about themselves, and this strategy worked wonders. Everyone who met Sulpicia thought highly of her. After all, she was merely there to gather material for her forthcoming writings—a playful pretense that one man from her first visit would frequently remind her of with a wink.

The ladies often admired Sulpicia’s intricately braided hair. One evening, she even dared to offer them a tutorial. They were amazed at her skills and delighted by her lesson. “I’ll teach my slaves to create such braids for me now that I know how it’s done!” one woman exclaimed, marveling at her reflection. “It’s incredible you learned this all on your own!” Sulpicia smiled and shrugged. “I simply observed closely… I had a lot of time as a child, you see. Being an only child, my attention was always on our servants.” She wove this falsehood seamlessly, astonished by her own ease in spinning these tales.

Aro, too, noticed her growing confidence. He observed her interactions, her impromptu lessons on hairstyles, and how she and Felizitas always seemed to support each other in their learning.

Every evening, when Sulpicia found herself alone with Aro—either during breaks, before the lessons began, or afterward—they sat on the veranda of the small estate. She tried to share whatever details she could about her master’s affairs and the comings and goings in the household, striving to hold up her end of the agreement. These moments, when his full attention was on her, sent chills through her. She longed for the electric feeling that coursed through her whenever he touched her arm—a peculiar habit of his that she noticed he extended to others as well.

To her dismay, however, the individuals she described from her household were of no interest to Aro. Despite her efforts, none of them proved relevant to his search. She feared he might send her away, deeming her useless, but he didn’t—at least, not yet. She clung to the hope that, one day, her observations would yield something valuable to him.

Unbeknownst to her, she didn’t need to try so hard. He could already read everything from her thoughts.

Each time her reports proved unhelpful, she felt a pang of disappointment and dread. Yet she refused to let it discourage her. Aro reassured her that she had nothing to feel guilty about, as she was fulfilling her side of the deal. Still, she couldn’t shake the fear of being dismissed. When would he finally realize how useless she truly was?

At times, she caught herself believing the lie—that she belonged among these refined yet unconventional people. But the illusion shattered each night when she changed back into her tattered clothing.

Even so, she resolved to stay as long as Aro allowed. Though she dreaded the day he might send her away, she cherished the knowledge, the conversations, and, above all, the moments alone with him—moments when his intense red eyes seemed to see straight into her soul, leaving her both exhilarated and uneasy.

Between her and Felizitas, there was now something akin to a friendship, one that she greatly enjoyed. They always sat together and helped each other whenever they could. Felizitas had been about at the same level of knowledge as Sulpicia when they first started, which made it easier for both of them to support each other. Felizitas tended to grasp things a bit faster than Sulpicia, but the slave didn’t mind. Instead, she loved the dream she was living in.

The two of them, two Roman women attending evening school together, learning and laughing together. It was a truly wonderful thought! And Sulpicia cherished every single one of those evenings.

And so it was that night as well. Aro had just given them all a task to work on quietly, and they were all fully absorbed in the notes in front of them. Sulpicia glanced to the right, thinking she had found a solution, and did an internal leap of joy when she saw that Felizitas had come to the same conclusion. She grinned triumphantly.

Her friend, however, was still deeply focused on her work, so the blonde slave let her gaze wander around the room. She watched in fascination as everyone else, just as deeply engrossed in their tasks, seemed to have lost sight of the rest of the room. Hardly anyone looked up. Had she really solved it that quickly?

She managed to spot Aro, who was standing a few rows behind her, bent over a table where two women sat, and he was trying to explain something to them. His black hair was left open that day, falling in long strands across his face, nearly covering it entirely. That marvelous black hair… Sulpicia watched him for a while before forcing herself to look away. She felt uncomfortable and caught, but the women at the table with Aro didn’t seem to share that feeling.

Her gaze drifted further and landed on a figure in the left corner of the room, whose face was completely obscured by fabric. She frowned… This figure had sat here often, and Sulpicia had only seen his face a few times briefly, without ever speaking to the man. It was very strange… on her first visit, she hadn’t noticed him at all, not even sure if he had been there, but if he had cloaked himself in shadows like all the other times, it was possible she had simply overlooked him.

She had never dared speak to him before, and he didn’t seem to mind, either.

“His name is Severin,” Felizitas’ voice suddenly brought her back from her thoughts. Sulpicia jumped and looked at her friend, who was now obviously done with her task as well.

“Who is he? … I’ve been wondering about that for a while now. I’ve never been able to speak to him, have you?”

Felizitas followed her gaze and shook her head. “I don’t know who he is. He hasn’t introduced himself to me either, but something about him is odd…” Sulpicia watched as her friend furrowed her beautiful brow.

“His eyes are the same red as Aro’s,” the slave remarked. That detail had stood out to her before, and she silently wondered if it might be a strange illness that both of them were suffering from. Had Aro brought this man here for that reason?

“Yes… they seem to know each other,” the dark-haired woman replied, then added, “Do you know what’s really strange?” Sulpicia shook her head. “He calls him Master.”

“What?” The slave furrowed her brow in confusion.

“I know! Really weird!” The words now came in a hiss, as she feared they might be overheard. “But maybe I misheard. I once heard them talking while I happened to walk past.”

“I guess you really misheard.” Sulpicia thought about it and shook her head. What an absurd thought! It made no sense at all. Why would he call him “Master”? Or maybe he was one of Aro’s slaves? Could that be it? Had Aro allowed him to join the class, just like her?

Both women’s gaze rested on the strange, veiled man as they pondered, but at that very moment, almost as if he sensed they were talking about him, the man lifted his gaze and looked at them with piercing, fire-red eyes.

The women startled, feeling immediately caught, and instinctively lowered their eyes, pretending they had been focused on their tasks all along and had merely glanced up to collect their thoughts.

~✾~

Later that evening, when the class had already ended, Sulpicia stood at the entrance, having waited for some time for Felizitas, who had asked her for a brief moment to say goodbye. But that brief moment seemed to be taking longer than expected.

Sulpicia had already taken her bundle of old rags and would quickly change into her clothes, as usual, before entering her house under the cover of night. Her ally in this ruse, the gatekeeper, would always let her pass unnoticed on her way to her appointment, and then he would store her borrowed tunic in a lower compartment that the master never accessed. Until she would need it again, at which point the slave guarding the entrance would exchange the old one for a new tunic. It was a nearly perfect game of hide and seek…

“Salve, Sulpicia.” The slave turned around when she heard an unfamiliar voice. “Unfortunately, we haven’t had the pleasure yet!” It was Severin, the strange man in the dark robe with piercing red eyes, who was now offering her his hand in greeting.

“Salve…” Sulpicia’s words sounded hesitant, but she took his hand naturally. “No, that’s true…” A strange feeling swept over her as she grasped his cold hand. “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to stare at you earlier, I just… I just absentmindedly looked around.” And now she anxiously glanced behind her, hoping to see Felizitas coming.

“It’s fine.” He smiled, but it seemed anything but warm. “My name is Severin. But you already know that, your friend must have introduced me.” As he said these words, his piercing red eyes widened knowingly, and Sulpicia thought he tightened his grip on her hand.

She began to stammer in embarrassment. “I… well, we… we didn’t mean to…” She struggled for words, and once again, she had the feeling her stomach was tightening.

“Of course not…” The way Severin was looking at her sent a cold shiver down her spine. He scrutinized her intently from top to bottom. How could he possibly know what Felizitas had said to her? He had been sitting so far away! “I’m still glad that I caught your attention. You’ve been on my mind for a few evenings now…” His words sounded hoarse, and Sulpicia couldn’t say why, but they terrified her. There was something about this man that made her feel very uneasy.

“Oh! … Well, I…” Sulpicia was embarrassed. She couldn’t place it, but something about this man seemed slippery… and eerily dangerous. And he had noticed her? Why did he say that? The way he was looking at her also made her feel uncomfortable. Not only was it unpleasant to be looked at like that, but this man radiated a strange aura. Somehow cold and emotionless... It felt almost like a wave of coldness she could sense when he spoke. His words weren’t emotionless, but they sounded like they were.

“You know, it’s rude to speak about someone behind their back. You and your friend should really know that…” Sulpicia’s gaze was fixed on the hand he still held, and she wanted to pull it away, but his grip was so firm that she had no chance, and it seemed to be tightening, or was she mistaken?

“Severin!” Aro’s voice suddenly rang out, and even though Sulpicia couldn’t see him, she could tell he was getting closer. She tried to glance over her shoulder to spot him. “I’ve been looking for you!” The scholar’s words carried a warning tone that the slave couldn’t place.

But suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Severin quickly loosened his grip and withdrew his hand. Sulpicia’s head snapped back, and she looked at him in surprise, but the man was already looking at Aro with waiting eyes. His posture was different now, as Sulpicia noticed. He seemed slightly hunched and a bit more slumped than before.

“My apologies, I was just having a conversation,” he answered Aro when he finally reached them and stood next to her. The slave gave him a smile, which he returned with a quick glance.

“I see.” Aro raised an eyebrow, and Severin immediately seemed to shrink even further, or was Sulpicia mistaken? What was going on with this strange man? “Sulpicia, you did very well today. I’m pleased to see the progress you’re making!” Aro now spoke directly to her.

She smiled again at the compliment. “I was surprised myself at how easy the calculations came to me. I finally feel like I understand the connections, it’s wonderful!” Aro was pleased for her, but more than that, he was concerned about his pupil Severin, whom he had secretly turned into an immortal some time ago without Caius knowing. Severin had now crossed a line and Aro had to step in.

“Aro, have you seen Felizitas by any chance? I’ve been waiting for her for quite some time,” she asked cautiously.

Felizitas… she was the mistake Aro had just been fixing. Severin’s anger over the women talking about him had overtaken him, and he had lost control… He was still very young in his new life.

"She has already left... she wasn't feeling well," he replied to Sulpicia. At these words, his gaze turned warningly toward Severin. He had just managed to prevent a greater disaster in time.

"Not feeling well...," Sulpicia thought aloud. "Strange, when I spoke to her earlier, everything was perfectly fine!" Her voice now sounded concerned. "Is she alright? What happened?" she asked, frowning, looking at Aro. She simply couldn’t figure out what could have happened in the last half hour that would make her friend not even say goodbye.

"Don’t worry, she’s fine." The response from the dark-haired man sounded a bit soothing, but she had no reason to doubt his sincerity. "I made sure she’s being safely escorted home."

"Oh..." was all Sulpicia could say. She lowered her gaze in thought at his explanation. It was a relief to hear that Felizitas was alright, but how would she get home now? Night after night, she’d been told how unsafe and dangerous nighttime Rome was and had been scolded for wanting to go alone at first.

Aro noticed the shift in her mood but couldn’t quite place it. His concern had been for the bleeding woman in the last few minutes, who had been Severin’s doing... He had wanted to ensure that Severin wouldn’t harm Sulpicia as well, which is why he had come out.

But now, her reaction confused him. To read her thoughts, he gently placed a finger under her chin and lifted it slightly so that she had to look at him again. It didn’t take long for him to understand. "If you don’t mind, I’ll accompany you part of the way home. After all, I can’t let anything happen to you."

A shiver ran through her entire body as she felt his hand touch hers, and she hesitantly met his gaze. The red of his eyes seemed far less intimidating than Severin’s, or was it just her? Aro was far more familiar to her now... though she didn’t want to fool herself into thinking she actually knew him.

"That would be... very thoughtful, thank you!" And she blushed, unable to stop it.

Aro once again looked at Severin, and the sudden change in his expression made the young man flinch. He knew he had gone too far. His master was disappointed in him, and his behavior would have consequences...

“You make me feel like I could walk on water
We were wave after wave when the tide was high
So tell me, why does it feel like I'm drowning?
Holding on to the weight of you and I

Feels like trouble, trouble, trouble is haunting me
You lift me up to let me down, can't you see?
I just wanna be someone to you
Someone you can run to on the nights you feel alone”

(Melissa Mantzoukis – Someone To You)

~✾~

The deepest night had descended upon the city that never slept. Rome's nightlife was in full swing, and on the otherwise bustling streets of the metropolis, only a few servants could be seen here and there, hastily making preparations for the next day.

For the most part, however, the streets were empty. This made the sight of the two figures weaving their way through the picturesque alleys all the more unusual. One was an obviously wealthy citizen of the ancient city, with long black hair and striking red eyes; the other, a slave—a woman with no rights—her head crowned with dark blonde curls and her eyes a vivid green.

"Is Felizitas really all right? I'm worried about her. The change came so suddenly," Sulpicia asked after they had already walked a short distance. Aro had told her that Felizitas had felt unwell and had briefly fainted due to the heat. That wasn’t unusual given the relentless heat of Rome. And in that way, it had been easier to keep the real reason from Sulpicia: Severin had lost control and attacked the young woman.

"I don’t think you have any reason to worry. Luca is with her and ensured she got home safely. Please excuse him; he wasn’t aware of your agreement." Luca was another of his students whom the slave had also encountered. Aro had had to clean up the mess, and since Severin was his experiment, he felt obliged to take responsibility, which also included safely escorting Sulpicia, who otherwise would have ridden with Felizitas.

He wasn’t upset about it in the least. It gave him the opportunity to be alone with her.

Sulpicia smiled. "It’s very kind of you to accompany me. You didn’t have to; I don’t want to take up your time." She felt a bit guilty but was simultaneously relieved not to have to navigate the unsafe, nocturnal streets of Rome alone. Another part of her was secretly elated that it was Aro, of all people, with whom she could spend more time. She didn’t want to admit it, knowing such feelings would lead nowhere... yet for weeks now, she could think of nothing else but this worldly man who fascinated her so deeply and who always treated her as if she were an ordinary Roman citizen and not a slave.

"I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to, my dear. Rest assured. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you." Sulpicia blushed despite herself, which, of course, did not escape his notice. He found it utterly endearing that just a few kind words could captivate her.

And although, at first, he had deliberately sought her favor, he couldn’t deny that he found the story they had both told the others to conceal their true identities rather amusing and that he enjoyed perpetuating the deception.

It was like a secret game he played with her and the others, parallel to his true identity. And he loved games.

"By the way, this gives me the chance to discuss something very important with you." Sulpicia raised her eyebrows inquisitively, as his tone sounded less serious and more playful. "I would like a role as well," Aro said with a wink, as they walked down a long, wide street.

"Excuse me?" Sulpicia responded, puzzled. Meanwhile, she noticed that she recognized the street they were on. Soon, they would reach Trajan’s Forum, and from there, it wouldn’t be far.

She was still dwelling on the eerie encounter with Severin earlier and what his strange behavior could mean, which made Aro's sudden shift in tone all the more confusing.

"In your story," Aro clarified. He was alluding to their first meeting with his other students, during which he had been quite impressed by her courage. The idea that she might one day write a book about all of them was one he found utterly delightful.

Sulpicia’s skeptical look dissolved into laughter. It was the same beautiful smile he had noticed before, and it pleased him greatly to see it again.

"Well, I’ll see what I can do. That should be possible, I think," she joked. Her broad smile turned into a mischievous grin as she wondered what role he might take. The hero or the villain? She wasn’t sure. "But to make sure I portray you correctly, I’ll need a bit more information, I’m afraid."

It was yet another bold question she really had no right to ask.

He smiled as well, looking at her knowingly. He understood her thoughts, just as he had noticed that she often wondered about his origins and what had led him to pursue such an unusual occupation. "What would you like to know?"

"Where did the idea for this evening school come from? I mean… it’s quite unconventional. You could have become a private tutor, but instead, you teach people who aren’t typically afforded education." Her question was cautious. Because of her status, she was still unsure how far she could push. But Aro had consistently encouraged her to speak up since they had met, which gave her the confidence to venture this far.

Aro considered her question for a moment. It was a good one!

Sulpicia couldn’t help but glance again at his long, jet-black hair, which had taken on a slight wave in the day's heat. Tonight, he wore it loose—a sign that he wasn’t teaching at the moment, as she had noticed he usually tied it back loosely while instructing.

"I suppose, on the one hand, I’ve always found it appealing to challenge established rules a bit." He grinned at her. His peculiar red eyes were clearly visible even in the night’s darkness, giving his features an air of mystery. "And on the other hand, I’m an enthusiastic collector of remarkable people."

Sulpicia looked at him, puzzled. That wasn’t the answer she had expected, though it did fit him. She wished he would elaborate, which he seemed to sense as he continued: "Every person there is carefully chosen, and each one fascinates me in their own way." He made a sweeping gesture in the direction from which they had come. His eyes gleamed, and it was clear he meant every word.

"Fascinating, indeed..." For a brief moment, Sulpicia caught herself wondering why he might find her remarkable... but then she remembered the reason she was even allowed to attend his lessons in the first place. It was solely because of the deal they had struck. Nothing more, nothing less... It was so incredibly easy to forget her status in his presence, which made her all the more painfully aware of it at times.

"I find it a shame when potential is wasted simply because society decides not everyone should have access to education," Aro explained. He hadn’t noticed the shift in her expression and continued musing aloud. But now, as he looked at her again, he realized how poorly chosen his words might have been. After all, her world wasn’t the same as that of his other students. Even he, at times, forgot the actual truth behind the illusion they both maintained.

"That’s a truly beautiful sentiment," Sulpicia said dreamily, for she couldn’t help but think about how people like her would never have access to education if she hadn’t been fortunate enough to meet him. And for that, she was deeply grateful.

Aro caught her gaze, and without needing to read her thoughts, he could guess what she was thinking. It was bizarre that, purely because of her status, she would never live a proper life... It was tragic, really, because he had come to know her and was aware of how deeply curious she was. What a waste! But perhaps, in the end, he could help her life improve, even if just a little. At first, she had been merely a means to an end—and in many ways, she still was. Yet he couldn’t deny that he had grown fond of her, that she had become important to him.

"When we first made our agreement, I told you that your fate could change, and I meant it. You learn quickly and have made truly remarkable progress over the past few weeks." He studied her for a moment. She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, one who suited his taste. If she hadn’t been a slave, he might have even pursued her... but her status had kept that thought from crossing his mind. It hardly mattered to him, though, for he considered all humans to be inferior beings. Still, he and his family had a certain reputation in the city to maintain.

"She really is stunning," he thought as he looked at her more closely. Her large green eyes were perfectly set in a heart-shaped face framed by dark blonde curls. Tonight, she had styled her hair into a crown braid, which accentuated her neck and collarbones. She was lucky that she meant so much to Tiberius; had she been another master’s slave, her beauty would have undoubtedly been exploited more often. Aro was grateful that wasn’t the case. There was something about her, an innocence he couldn’t quite name, that stirred in him an instinct to protect her.

Sulpicia shook her head. "Even with an education, I wouldn’t know how I could ever gain my freedom. My master will never let me go." It was an incredibly bold thought, and even bolder to say it aloud. Tiberius would punish her severely for such an idea! She couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness wash over her. Before meeting Aro, she had never even considered the possibility of a better life. She had simply accepted her fate. But now, things were different... He had shown her that another life was possible.

The dark-haired vampire reflected on her words. Unfortunately, she was right. While it did occasionally happen that masters freed their slaves, allowing them to become citizens of Rome, it was exceedingly rare. Added to this was the fact that he knew Tiberius’s thoughts and the truth of her lineage: Sulpicia was his daughter. It was highly unlikely he would ever part with her.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, this thought made him feel a little sad as well. It surprised him—why should he care about the fate of a human woman?

But he did like her, and he wished their arrangement could grant her a better life as a bonus. He hadn’t expected her to learn so quickly or to develop such a passion for history and literature. His initial impulse had been to adorn his lessons with another pretty face, but she was so much more than that. He had already caught himself several times enjoying her joy and enthusiasm. Her thoughts were so pure, so untainted, that he found it a genuine pleasure to read them.

He had looked into many souls, and most of them were corrupt, cunning, and greedy... and he didn’t exclude himself from that judgment. But Sulpicia didn’t harbor even a single negative thought or feeling toward Tiberius or his wife Aurelia, who treated her so poorly. It was fascinating how she always responded to their actions with understanding, even when she was wronged. Aro wished for her to experience happiness in life, to one day be truly happy and free.

"You never know. Life often takes strange turns," he said vaguely, for he didn’t know how else to improve the situation. For a brief moment, he considered buying her from Tiberius to set her free, but her master would never agree to that... He would need to do some convincing if he truly intended to go down that path. Still, the thought of having her with him wasn’t entirely unpleasant, as he realized the longer he dwelled on it.

Sulpicia gave a tired smile. She found it kind of him to try to offer her hope. Yet in his gaze, she saw that he, too, knew how unlikely it was that her life would ever change. Still, she wanted to acknowledge his effort. She appreciated that he was trying to lift her spirits.

"That’s true. Meeting you, I’d also count as one of those strange turns," she said, smiling as they walked on, passing a long colonnade. Sulpicia tilted her head slightly to take in the full expanse of the passage.

"So, you think I’m strange?" Aro raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone mockingly shocked as he spoke. Sulpicia met his gaze, her lips curving into another enchanting smile. He felt a warm sensation as he realized his words had cheered her up once more.

"Of course," she replied in a high-pitched voice. "But I’d say strange in a good way." Her words carried a playful undertone.

“And how should I interpret that?” Aro’s arm brushed hers ever so slightly, sending a shiver through her body. She found it delightful to share such lighthearted banter with him. It was a peculiar chain of events that had led to her being fortunate enough to have him accompany her home. It felt wonderful—especially because it was him she got to spend this time with.

She paused for a moment, pretending to consider her response, leaving him hanging. Resting her hand on her chin, she leaned playfully toward him before speaking. “You have a certain… presence. It feels as though you know more than you let on.”

A deep, throaty laugh escaped Aro at the layered meaning of her words. The sound sent another jolt of electricity through her body, one she couldn’t help but feel, no matter how hard she tried.

Blushing slightly, she lowered her gaze.

“That’s probably true,” Aro replied, the corner of his lips curling. “If only she knew how much…”

“And it’s strange,” she continued, searching for the right words, “how you seem to… see people differently.” Aro smirked again at the accuracy of her observation. It was true—he did see humans differently. Mostly as sustenance and fleeting entertainment.

“You treat me as though I’m one of you,” she said in a quieter tone, pulling him back into the thread of her thoughts. “That’s truly unusual. I’ve never met anyone who’s done that before.” He noticed the faint shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes.

Aro’s attention was momentarily drawn elsewhere as he glanced past Sulpicia into the shadows. Had something moved there? He wasn’t sure—it had only been a flicker in the corner of his vision. But he dismissed the thought and returned his focus to the woman before him.

“You and I have an agreement,” he said with a small smile, leaning in slightly. “That gives you, shall we say, a special status.”

Sulpicia wasn’t sure what she had wanted to hear, but somehow, his words stung. She couldn’t quite decipher him—or his motives, for that matter, such as why he had made this deal with her in the first place. “I only hope I can be of some use to you in finding this mysterious man.”

“You’ve already helped me eliminate many suspects, and that’s invaluable,” he reassured her, lightly touching her arm once more. Through the contact, he easily read her thoughts. “You don’t need to worry, Sulpicia. Our agreement was never contingent on you finding him. You simply tell me what you observe—that’s enough.”

“I truly am so grateful for the opportunity to learn.” She had said it many times before but felt compelled to repeat it. “Your world is so… different. I never would have had the chance to glimpse it without our arrangement.” And that was true. She wouldn’t even have dreamed of such a thing.

“I’m glad. And as you’ve likely noticed, everyone else appreciates you as well. They enjoy your company. No one harbors any suspicions,” he said, intending to bolster her confidence. She always doubted herself far too much, in his opinion.

Sulpicia pondered his words. “Everyone… that would include him.” Aro smiled knowingly, catching her thoughts. He turned more fully toward her, pausing for a moment before adding, “I enjoy your company too.”

Her body tingled at his words. She stopped in her tracks as well, mirroring his pause, and looked directly at him. “I feel the same,” she whispered. Hearing him say that he liked having her around made her stomach flutter.

They stood mere inches apart. For a moment that felt like an eternity to Sulpicia, neither of them moved. They simply gazed silently into each other’s eyes.

Aro could sense her attraction to him, and it pleased him greatly. He couldn’t deny feeling a pull toward her as well. If she weren’t a slave, she would be easy to charm, just as he did with so many others. But he reminded himself to restrain any further action—at least for now. Their agreement was far more important at the moment. Her blood smelled intoxicating, and he wasn’t sure how much restraint he could maintain if he let himself get any closer. He needed her and her connection to Tiberius. He couldn’t jeopardize that.

So he subtly widened the gap between them, despite his reluctance.

Sulpicia noticed the shift immediately, and her stomach knotted briefly, though she couldn’t fully understand why. She interpreted his reaction as a reminder of the societal chasm between them and chastised herself for letting her thoughts wander too far. She couldn’t afford to get lost in such notions—he had made it clear they had an arrangement. Nothing more, nothing less. To think otherwise was foolish.

She forced a cautious smile and turned her attention away, shielding her thoughts from him.

“Rome at night is truly beautiful,” she said, a little too obviously changing the subject to break the silence. “So peaceful—it almost feels unreal that it’s usually so bustling.”

Aro let her walk a few paces ahead, observing her silently for a moment. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted himself.

“I thought sooner or later
The lights up above
Will come down in circles
And guide me to love
But I don't know what's right for me
I cannot see straight
I've been here too long
And I don't want to wait for it
…
Fall on me with all your light”

(Andrea & Matteo Bocelli - Fall On Me)

~✾~

The two continued on their way. Sulpicia still felt a pang in her stomach at the thought that she would never be more than a slave… It had been wishful thinking to believe her deception might one day become reality. A beautiful fantasy, nothing more…

Aro could guess what weighed on her mind, and he felt a bit guilty for having caused her to change the subject. He wanted to distract her, so he picked up her earlier words and delved further into the topic.

"I agree with you. This city truly is fascinating. And yet, the true origin story of Rome is a mystery in itself." He caught up to her again so that they were once more walking side by side.

A dark shadow flitted behind them as they crossed a large square, but this time, Aro didn’t notice.

"What do you mean?" Sulpicia turned to face him, her green eyes glowing in the darkness. The vampire smiled, pleased by her interest.

"Did you know that two Etruscans originally ruled over Rome?" He was speaking of himself and Didyme, recalling how they had once posed as a ruling couple and were the reason the Etruscans, despite being outnumbered, managed to maintain control. In the history books of later years, they would be described as grotesquely joyful—precisely what Aro and Didyme had been. Two Etruscan children shining through their immortal gifts.

Aro continued, "One member of the original council ensured that the true story of Rome’s founding would never come to light." He was referring to Marcus, though Sulpicia couldn’t have known that. Back then, Marcus had bribed Pictor, one of the first chroniclers, to create a fabricated story about Rome’s founding—much to the frustration of Didyme and Aro. Caius had opposed the idea of their names or statues ever being known to future generations; he wanted to keep their kind hidden.

Didyme and Aro, on the other hand, had wanted to rule. Their vampiric nature, immortality, gifts, and invulnerability made them feel entitled to govern humanity as king and queen. But Caius had no interest in such ambitions, and Marcus, as Caius’s first creation, had yielded to his will.

Pictor was a visionary of his time and a close friend of Marcus and Aro. He had sought to merge the accounts of Roman literati with Greek historiographers. But Marcus had spent enough time persuading him until the chronicler finally agreed to present a different version of events.

Marcus had confided his secret to Pictor, promising to transform him—a promise that, of course, had been a lie.

"I always thought a she-wolf raised Romulus and Remus, who were abandoned as infants by the Tiber. At least, that’s what I’ve picked up," Sulpicia said, once again fascinated that Aro seemed to know more than anyone else she had ever met. He must have traveled far and wide to be so knowledgeable!

The vampire leaned closer to her, raising his eyebrows. "I’ll tell you in confidence: Romulus and Remus… it’s nothing more than a fairy tale." That was the fabricated story Marcus had invented and passed on to Pictor, who then recorded it. The world would never know that Aro, Caius, Marcus, and Didyme were at the core of Rome’s true foundation.

Suddenly, a sound echoed in the distance.

A scream.

Sulpicia’s head snapped around.

"Do you hear that?" she abruptly broke off their conversation. Aro had heard it even before she did but had chosen to ignore it, preferring to continue their discussion. In the distance, they could hear the cry of a child—a baby, to be precise.

"Where is that coming from?" She turned her head anxiously, looking in the direction of the sound. The cries were so heart-wrenching that she instantly felt a heavy weight on her heart. She stared into the darkness and was about to take a step toward the direction of the screams when she felt Aro's hand gently gripping her upper arm, holding her back.

Confused, she looked at him and noticed how ice-cold his grip was. "Sulpicia, you shouldn't go after it, trust me," he tried to keep her with him, his voice suddenly very serious.

"Why? What is it?" The young woman furrowed her brows in question. The cry rang out again, and she could feel her stomach knot, but this time not with joy—more with dread. Her gaze darted from Aro to the source of the sound and back again.

"Not far from here is the columna lactaria, where newborns are abandoned when they are not accepted by their domus," Aro explained calmly. He was referring to a well-known pillar near the forum holitorium, the vegetable market. Many Romans who did not accept their children left them at this place to be left to their fate.

Sulpicia's face was now filled with disbelief. "What? ... I don't understand. Why would someone…?" She was completely shocked by Aro's words. She had never heard of such a thing before! How could she have…

The vampire tried to explain. "For example, if it's uncertain whether the child is the father's. Or sometimes if it's decided there are already too many children in the household, or if the family desired a different gender for the newborn." He watched as the slave girl raised a hand to her mouth. It almost seemed grotesquely naive, but he couldn't blame her for her innocence. "Occasionally, it happens because of a deformity or even bad omens."

"That's cruel!" The blonde slave turned again in the direction of the cry. It was clear how much it affected her. And he could feel the slight pressure she was putting on him, silently urging him to release her.

Aro nodded, though he was simultaneously reflecting on how, in comparison to other cruelties of nature, it seemed far less severe to him than it likely did to her. He had simply seen far too much…

"But this child—it… it will die!" Sulpicia's voice grew louder.

"Sometimes, a newborn is taken in by another family. Perhaps by one that cannot have children of their own or one in need of a servant. Whoever takes the child in is free to decide its fate," he explained calmly. He withheld the far greater likelihood that the child would be killed by stray animals. Sulpicia still looked at him in horror.

How could anyone presume to so heartlessly determine the fate of a life? And how cruel was the world in which they lived! She couldn't believe what she was hearing!

In that moment, she became painfully aware of the vast societal difference between her and the man before her. It had been easy to forget, with her deception among the others at night school and with the way Aro treated her even now. But the calm indifference with which he spoke was shocking!

She couldn't argue against it. It wasn't his fault that he had been born into such privilege, unlike her. And yet, it pained her deeply.

This child was utterly defenseless against the cruelty of the night, the cruelty of this world!

"We have to do something!" She tried once more to pull away from him, this time with more force. But as she did, Aro grabbed her other arm as well, attempting to bring her to reason. She glared at him furiously and tried again to break free with all her strength. But his grip was too strong, no matter how hard she struggled. "Please, let me go!" She tensed her muscles, but she had no chance against him.

Aro tightened his hold on her arms. Despite her vehement resistance, he drew her a little closer, forcing her to look at him. He wouldn’t let her go there. He could already imagine how much more the sight of the newborn would hurt her than merely hearing its cries. And it annoyed him that she was trying so hard to fight against him.

"What do you think you can do? Hm?" he tried to reason with her. "You can't take it with you, and you can't help it. I'm sorry, but you can't change its fate."

Sulpicia’s eyes darted frantically left and right, as if searching her thoughts for some kind of solution. She avoided his gaze, unwilling to show her helplessness, and struggled against his grip once more. But Aro was right. There was no solution. And when she finally realized that, an overwhelming sadness took hold of her, bringing tears to her eyes.

"That is so endlessly cruel," she whispered, finally looking at him, as if the emotion overtaking her could somehow change the reality of it.

And then she stopped resisting. All at once, Aro felt the tension leave her muscles, her posture softening as she seemed to collapse slightly into herself. The shift—from anger directed at him to grief over the situation—struck him like a blow.

She couldn’t stop her eyes from filling with tears, no matter how hard she tried to suppress her sorrow. She couldn’t quite explain why the emotion seized her so mercilessly at that moment. Perhaps it was the helplessness of the child that tore at her heart, the thought of the tiny, frightened, unprotected baby utterly defenseless against the world and its terrors. Or perhaps it was the similarity to her own plight that deepened her pain. This situation mirrored her own helplessness, a poignant reminder of her dependence on the mercy of others for her entire life.

A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she couldn’t stop it. Embarrassed, she turned her head away, unwilling to let him see how deeply it affected her.

But Aro could hear her thoughts, and he felt the sadness that had overwhelmed her as though it were his own. It was as if the wave of sorrow swept over him, too, even though the feelings weren’t truly his. Seeing her suffer pained him. He didn’t want her to feel this way. And, acting on a sudden impulse that even surprised him, he let go of her arms and gently brushed her cheek, as if trying to soothe her.

This gesture, however, broke the fragile barrier she had managed to hold up. The tears she had been fighting back spilled freely. She raised the back of her hand to her mouth and tried to turn away, another attempt to hide her vulnerability from him. But she didn’t get far. Before she could retreat, she felt his strong arms envelop her, pulling her into a gentle embrace, his hand stroking her back reassuringly.

Sulpicia couldn’t resist the gesture. She didn’t want to. And as she felt the firm pressure of his arms around her, the safety they offered, the grief over the situation poured out of her completely.

She didn’t sob. The tears streamed silently down her cheeks. She didn’t want to make a scene, and she wished, more than anything, that she could hide her emotions entirely. But the warmth of his embrace softened the sharp edges of her despair, replacing it with a quiet comfort that started faint and then grew steadily stronger, spreading through her like a balm.

“You can’t do anything to help, unfortunately,” Aro said softly. He could feel the subtle tremors running through her body. At the same time, her scent was sharper than ever, now that she was so close. He inhaled deeply, her blood intoxicating him.

"If I had the means, I would change it!" he heard in her thoughts. It wasn’t an accusation against him, and he could sense that clearly. But for her to have such means, she would need to be like him… and that was something entirely different from what she was imagining.

Sulpicia closed her eyes briefly, the pain visible in her expression. Yet his touch brought an unexpected warmth, a tender feeling that spread through her body. It felt so caring, so gentle. It was comforting to be in his arms… and she couldn’t stop herself from wondering, just for a moment, what it would be like if he found her as fascinating as she found him. If he could see her the way she saw him…

“But I am not like him, and I never will be,” she reminded herself firmly. A moment later, she shook her head slightly, scolding herself to focus and face reality. She made a small movement, trying to pull away from the embrace.

“I’m sorry, I…” "…don’t want to burden you with my feelings", she thought but didn’t say aloud. Yet Aro still heard her thoughts.

„I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door I must have it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black”

(Ciara – Paint It Black)

~✾~

The black-haired vampire waited patiently until the two had bid each other farewell. Like a lynx stalking its prey, she concealed her figure behind the facade of a building as she crept closer to them. Her red eyes glowed brightly and clearly in the darkness as she fixed her gaze on the blonde slave.

“Until next time,” she heard Aro murmur as he gently kissed the back of Sulpicia’s hand, causing the latter to blush. Didyme felt a wave of nausea wash over her and immediately mimicked the human reaction of sickness, even though she knew no one would see it. To her, it was grotesquely sweet, so much so that she had to avert her gaze for a moment.

“I very much hope so…” she caught the blonde woman whispering, forcing herself to look back again. She watched as her brother finally took his leave, and the slave, after performing an obviously practiced knock, was allowed back into the house. It was clear she had not sneaked out at night for the first time.

Sulpicia cautiously looked left and right, as if to ensure no one was watching her. What she was doing was forbidden, after all. But as her blonde head finally disappeared entirely from Didyme’s sight and Aro was also out of sight and hearing range, the vampire dared to move closer.

Her hair rippled like silk with every step she took. Her movements were smooth and graceful, and she noiselessly closed the distance between her hiding spot and the entrance. She examined the large door handle intently, as if contemplating whether to mimic the knock and cause confusion.

But that would be too easy. Didyme loved a challenge.

She pondered. How else might she gain entry to the house? These buildings were like fortresses, nearly impenetrable from the sides due to the lack of outward-facing windows. But then her crimson eyes drifted upward, and an idea struck her. “The roof,” she thought. It was open at the top, allowing daylight to flood into the atrium during the day. That’s how she would get inside!

She pulled back, made a leap forward, and reached the rooftop with ease. Once she reached her target, she settled onto a corner high above the courtyard and out of Sulpicia’s line of sight. She crouched gracefully, her jet-black hair cascading after her like an echo of her movement. Leaning slightly forward, she gripped the edge of the roof with her delicate hands, sharpening her gaze just enough to locate the blonde beauty, who wandered dreamily into the house’s interior.

“Sulpicia… she’s probably dreaming of him. Of Aro,” Didyme thought spitefully, though a smile crept onto her lips. Part of her was happy for her brother, pleased that yet another of his games had succeeded. But another part of her felt jealous. She disliked it when any kind of relationship, romantic or otherwise, came between her and him. And an even greater part of her was furious that Aro was on the verge of disrupting her own game!

A few days earlier, Aro had enthusiastically shared his brilliant idea with her and Marcus: how he would use the knowledge of this slave to solve Caius's case and, in doing so, impress him. What he couldn’t possibly know was that Didyme herself was the true reason behind the lawyer’s predicament, secretly pulling the strings in the background.

~✾~

Caius and Didyme had never truly gotten along. Their relationship was more about mutual tolerance. Back then, Caius had initially only intended to turn Marcus into a vampire. However, when Aro joined through a cleverly orchestrated scheme of his own, and Caius was eventually forced to admit the value of Aro’s gift, both Aro and Marcus pleaded for Didyme to also be made immortal.

Marcus and Didyme had been a couple even in their human lives, and Marcus, as Caius saw it, was the only level-headed anchor the unbalanced woman could lean on. Caius had recognized her mental instability and penchant for delusions of grandeur when she was still human and had strongly resisted transforming her. Yet, for Marcus’s sake, he had relented.

As for Didyme, while she was grateful to Caius for her immortality, she believed he neither understood nor deserved the potential that their kind possessed. In her human life, she had rarely experienced love or affection, save from her brother and her lover. As such, it was no surprise that she harbored little goodwill toward humanity. She believed that, due to their invulnerability, immortality, and heightened senses, vampires were far superior to humans. And with that superiority, she thought it their right to rule over them.

Caius thought differently, and the two frequently clashed over these debates.

Eventually, Didyme realized she could never win a direct battle of wits against him. Instead, she limited herself to provoking him in other ways whenever the opportunity arose. Who knew? Perhaps one day, the chance would come to truly outmaneuver the old vampire.

That hope fueled her current game.

Naturally, she wasn’t playing alone. Caius would have seen through her far too quickly if it were just her. No, instead, she had enlisted the help of an old acquaintance. Pictor, the historian whom Marcus had once bribed with the promise of immortality to rewrite Rome’s origin story, had not been pleased when he discovered that Marcus never seriously intended to turn him. After Pictor had published the fabricated account Marcus requested, he disappeared, remaining a mortal.

Didyme had been furious at the time that Marcus had acted against her and Aro’s wishes to do what Caius wanted. Back then, she and Aro had ruled as Etruscan royalty. They could have—no, should have—expanded their reign further, for they were made to rule over humans! Aro and Didyme still believed this, but they had been forced to bow to Caius’s will, retreat into obscurity, and let others govern while they built this grand city.

Aro had been just as incensed as she was. The difference was that, unlike her brother, Didyme didn’t spend her life trying to impress Caius.

In her fury over the situation, Didyme had turned Pictor on her own, without Aro, Caius, or Marcus ever finding out. She considered it her personal experiment, nurturing him into his new existence and fueling his hatred for Caius. She convinced him that Marcus had merely been a tool, unable to oppose Caius’s command, and that Caius deserved, at the very least, to be put in his place if he could not be destroyed.

“You must be careful. My brother has found a way to uncover your identity if you’re not cautious!” Didyme had warned Pictor after hearing Aro’s plan to expose Caius’s case.

“How could that happen? I’ve always hidden myself in the memories of everyone I’ve interacted with,” Pictor replied. His gift, as Didyme saw it, was incredibly useful: he could erase himself from the memories of others without leaving noticeable gaps. This had worked perfectly in her favor, as Aro couldn’t see him in anyone’s recollections.

The problem, however, was that Pictor’s ability required conscious effort, and of course, he had never considered a slave like Sulpicia to be a threat. Thus, he hadn’t hidden himself in her memories.

“But not in those of the household slaves!” Didyme hissed the words, emphasizing her frustration with a sharp gesture in front of his face. Her voice carried unmistakable anger, partly at him but also at herself for not foreseeing this vulnerability. She couldn’t believe how foolish they had been. “My brother assigned a slave to observe who enters and leaves Tiberius’s house so he could read their thoughts! A slave!”

However, Pictor nodded approvingly. “What a clever idea!” He had secretly always admired Aro, even when he was human.

But Didyme found it less clever and more incredibly bothersome.

“Especially an idea that could ruin our plan, if it succeeds!” she said angrily, pacing back and forth in front of him. It was no surprise to her that Pictor was praising Aro for his cleverness—he had always been far too impressed by him, just like everyone else…

She would have to take matters into her own hands, as always, if she didn’t want her game to end. “I’ll handle it. That slave won’t reveal anything to him, I’ll make sure of it!”

She had fervently hoped that Pictor hadn’t yet shown himself to Sulpicia and that it wasn’t too late to correct this mistake on her part.

~✾~

Meanwhile, Sulpicia, unaware of the looming threat, thanked the porter who smuggled her in and out night after night. Her heart still raced as she lightly and swiftly crossed the small courtyard, elated by thoughts of her dark angel, Aro…

She lowered her gaze with a shy smile as she thought of their kiss. She still couldn’t believe it had actually happened! She had imagined it so many times, wondering what his lips would feel like, what it would be like to lie in his arms… and he had desired her as much as she had desired him!

Feeling his body close to hers had been even more intoxicating than she had anticipated. It had consumed every fiber of her being. She was completely captivated by him.

And a part of her mind couldn’t fathom it! She was a slave! A mere slave with no name or rank! Yet he had shown interest in her! How could that even be possible?! She must be blessed by the gods!

Didyme, still crouching on the roof, continued watching Sulpicia, who walked absentmindedly inside, pausing now and then to smile and hold her hand over her mouth, as if reliving the last few hours.

“Humans… they’re so easy to impress.” Didyme shook her head in disdain. She would end this game. Right here and now.

She silently sank down and glided into the atrium. Her red eyes stood out clearly in the night’s darkness as she observed the slave like a predator. Sulpicia’s back was to her. A few more steps, and it would be easy to grab her, pull her around, and drink her blood… to see the shock in her eyes. What a delicious thought!

She extended her arm, her long nails stretching out, as though about to grab the slave and violently pull her toward herself… just a tiny bit more, and she would reach her…

But no, she did nothing of the sort. As her head turned to the right, so did Sulpicia’s, for another voice cut through the silence of the night.

“Sulpicia, why are you still up so late?” The blonde woman jumped, startled, and her head whipped toward the source of the voice.

Didyme quickly crouched down, trying not to be seen. She had been so focused on the blonde woman that she hadn’t noticed the other person. She had originally planned to kill Sulpicia right then and there, ending Aro’s game, but in the split second, she changed her mind. A darker idea crept into her thoughts… a sinister smile curved onto her face.

If she killed Sulpicia now, Aro would surely find out and be furious with her. It would have been worth the fun, but what if she could make the slave pay for her foolish mistake of interfering? What if someone else could punish her? That would be a lesson for Aro, one she wasn’t about to deny him.

And her deception would be all the more perfect! If the master found out what Sulpicia was doing night after night, he would surely punish her for it. And that would be a far greater punishment for Aro than simply the slave’s death!

„I'm bigger than my body
I'm colder than this home
I'm meaner than my demons
I'm bigger than these bones
And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me"
I can't help this awful energy
God damn right, you should be scared of me
Who is in control?”

(Halsey – Control)

~✾~

“I couldn’t sleep because of the heat,” the blonde beauty answered almost mechanically. To underline her statement, she fanned herself, exhaled heavily, and squinted her eyes.

But the other slave, Svea was her name, seemed unimpressed. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest, studying Sulpicia intently.

“I’ve noticed it for several nights now, and now I have proof! Don’t try to talk your way out of this; I saw you entering the house just now—you were outside! By the gods, what were you doing?” At first, Svea had only noticed by chance, when she wanted to ask Sulpicia for help with her evening duties and couldn’t find her. But as it repeated night after night, her suspicions grew.

“I… I was…,” stammered the blonde woman. “Visiting a friend.” It was the best excuse she could think of, though she immediately realized how absurd and implausible it sounded. She regretted her words the moment they left her lips.

“A friend? You have friends?” Svea’s critical gaze deepened. “Who?”

“Well… he’s…,” Sulpicia faltered, having no idea how to escape the situation. She was never a good liar. And as if to confirm her dishonesty, her cheeks turned red.

“So it is a he!” Svea interrupted, her eyes widening as she stepped closer, as if beginning an interrogation.

“Please… don’t tell Tiberius about this!” Sulpicia raised her hands in a pleading gesture, feeling her stomach churn. “Please believe me when I say I can’t tell you more without putting him in danger.” She thought of his plea for discretion. She knew their arrangement would collapse the moment she betrayed him—whether deliberately or inadvertently. And she didn’t want to disappoint him.

“Why? Because what you’re doing isn’t lawful? My goodness, this is so mysterious!” Svea pressed. Sulpicia’s stomach knotted further. Deep down, she knew what she was doing was highly wrong. At first, she had her doubts, but those were quickly overshadowed by all he offered her. She lowered her gaze.

“Who is he?!” Svea demanded, her curious eyes piercing into Sulpicia’s own. “And why can’t you tell me more? I want to know everything! If you’re sneaking out and want me to keep it secret, at least tell me what’s going on!” Svea hadn’t even considered actually betraying Sulpicia. Why would she? A slave sneaking out at night to meet a mysterious man with secrets! How thrilling! It was so unusual for someone like her. Svea was far more interested in sharing the adventure.

Sulpicia was slightly reassured by Svea’s focus on the absurdity of the situation rather than the potential risks. Svea couldn’t know that Sulpicia’s actions jeopardized them all… and a part of her was relieved Svea didn’t think that far ahead.

Thus, Sulpicia began to talk about Aro, without ever mentioning his name. She spoke about the lessons he gave her but omitted the deal upon which their arrangement was based. She described the crying child on that cold Roman night, the kiss, and the promise he made—a promise that might offer her a chance at a better life, if it were sincere.

“The dark-haired man who dined with us?! You’re joking! How could anyone be so lucky?!” Svea exclaimed, her tone filled with admiration and disbelief. Then, after a few moments of silence, she added, “You have to take me with you! Please, promise me! If he’s really going to make this happen, you must take me with you!”

It wasn’t surprising that she reacted this way. For people like them, there was essentially no hope for an improved situation. What Sulpicia was experiencing was an extraordinary exception—and they both knew it.

“… should it ever truly come to that,” Sulpicia began, shaking her head. A part of her desperately hoped his words were genuine. But a much larger part of her doubted everything still. It was simply too good to be true.

Yet this half-hearted promise seemed enough for Svea, at least for now. She was far more fascinated by Aro himself and how they had met. For someone like her, a good story from outside their house was exceedingly rare. She never left the house and knew little of the world.

They talked for a while longer, and Sulpicia also spoke of the other people she had encountered. They all seemed so peculiar, so unique! Svea listened intently, captivated by her tales.

This unusual situation for someone of their status was incredibly compelling to Svea. A scenario like this simply didn’t happen for slaves—ever. Would this stranger really take Sulpicia with him? And how would Tiberius react to such a turn of events? Svea found it all terribly thrilling, even though it had little to do with her directly.

She pressed Sulpicia for more details about Aro, trying to coax even his name from her, remembering that she, too, had once seen this mysterious man. But no matter how much she pried, Sulpicia would not reveal the name. In fact, the more Svea tried to dig into specifics, the more guarded Sulpicia became. The whole situation was still far too delicate for her to say anything definitive, or so Svea surmised.

Incredibly! How had Sulpicia managed to captivate him?

Eventually, Svea managed to extract a promise from Sulpicia: that in exchange for her silence, she would share every possible detail about the mysterious stranger moving forward. Reluctantly, Sulpicia agreed, though unease churned within her at the thought. She had already resolved to share only what was absolutely necessary, keeping anything too personal or dangerous tightly guarded. Even she didn’t fully understand where she stood with Aro.

Finally, Sulpicia excused herself, saying she would try to get some sleep, and Svea allowed her to leave… for now.

Svea watched her friend as she disappeared from view, a lingering sense of injustice brewing within her. How unfair the world was! Sulpicia had such radiant blonde curls, such a flawless, beautiful face… no wonder she had caught this man’s attention. Svea couldn’t help but think that she herself could never inspire such feelings in a man. She lacked the same striking features, the same charm. The world was so cruel!

Yet, just as she thought this, Svea felt a gentle breeze at her back—a soft, almost imperceptible draft. She turned sharply, her eyes widening in shock as they met a pair of blood-red eyes framed by long, jet-black hair.

“Hello,” a velvety voice purred, feminine yet deep and resonant, carrying a strange, soothing warmth. The woman’s face was adorned with a smile—gentle, inviting, utterly mesmerizing. In fact, everything about her was unnaturally captivating. Svea felt as if a wave of calm had washed over her, obliterating any sense of fear or apprehension.

The dark-haired woman’s beauty was otherworldly, her features perfectly proportioned, her presence almost magnetic. A subtle but powerful aura enveloped her, alluring and impossible to resist. Svea’s initial panic evaporated in an instant, replaced by a profound sense of contentment.

“You’ve accepted her explanation quite readily, haven’t you?” the woman asked, her tone light and almost teasing.

“What… what do you mean?” Svea stammered, too dazed to question how the woman had entered unnoticed. But that thought never had the chance to fully form, as Didyme’s subtle influence took hold. Like the tendrils of an invisible force, the strands of bliss emanating from her enveloped Svea in a matter of seconds, pulling her into a euphoric haze.

Svea’s earlier apprehension about the woman’s crimson eyes flickered briefly but was swiftly extinguished. Instead, a sense of warmth blossomed within her, spreading through her entire body.

“The truth.” The red eyes that sent shivers down the slave's spine widened as Didyme spoke. She stepped closer as she noticed the fear in the young woman’s gaze, tightening her tendrils further to envelop the slave in utter bliss. “She won’t tell you because her nightly activities put all of you in danger. Or do you think it will remain unnoticed much longer, especially since you’ve already figured it out?” Her words carried a tone of perfect innocence to the human woman’s ears.

“It… it sounds harmless. It sounds like a great opportunity for her,” Svea stammered. She couldn’t help but feel completely captivated by Didyme’s aura. An inexplicable warmth, which had started as a small point, now spread throughout her entire body, making her feel safe and utterly content.

She knew she could trust this woman before her completely!

“An opportunity for her!” Didyme echoed the words, rolling her eyes before crossing her arms for a moment. “She’s trying to deceive you all, can’t you see? She’s struck a deal with a scholar.”

“She did say that…” Svea’s voice was dreamlike as she sank deeper into the overwhelming sensation, welcoming it fully. Why would she resist? Everyone yearns to be happy, and this wave of joy washing over her was too powerful to deny.

“Romantic…” Didyme stretched the word out mockingly, her tone tinged with derision. “He’s planning to buy her freedom, provided she betrays your master. How romantic is that?”

“She would betray our master? But why? I don’t understand. Why would she?” The slave was confused.

“Do you honestly believe a man like him would take interest in a slave unless she were of some use to him?” Svea had no answer to that. Didyme continued her slow circle around her.

The sad truth was that the vampire was right. Aro was indeed manipulating Sulpicia, pulling the strings he knew would work, playing on her hopes. It was cruel and heartbreaking. But Didyme didn’t care about the lives of humans. What mattered to her was that Aro had interfered with her plans with Caius, and for that, he would pay.

The vampire’s long fingers rested on the woman’s shoulder and trailed along her neck, sending a shiver through her body that first felt chilling, then immediately transformed into a comforting warmth. It was as though every negative sensation was instantly overridden by a positive one as soon as it appeared.

“You want to be dutiful, don’t you?” Didyme asked as she finished her circle, her tone soft and coaxing, her expression now one of empathetic understanding. “Your master would greatly value your honesty, I assure you. She needs to be put in her place and reminded of her station; otherwise, she risks all of your safety.”

Having completed her circuit, Didyme placed a single finger beneath the woman’s chin, gently tilting it upward to expose her neck further. The scent of her blood was intoxicating.

“Who… who are you?” Svea whispered, only now seemingly realizing that Didyme was an intruder, a stranger who had somehow entered their house in the dead of night and followed Sulpicia here.

“A friend.” Didyme’s lips curled into a saccharine smile as she pulled her hand back, unleashing the full force of her gift upon the girl one more time. “Believe me, I only want to ensure that you and everyone else remain safe. Sulpicia is endangering that safety.” Svea couldn’t help but believe her without question. She would have believed anything this stunning woman said. She didn’t stand a chance. She was utterly under Didyme’s spell.

Thoughts about how Didyme had come to be here, or why, didn’t even cross her mind anymore. They simply weren’t important.

"I had a way then, losing it all on my own
I had a heart then, but the queen has been overthrown
And I'm not sleeping now, the dark is too hard to beat
And I'm not keeping up the strength I need to push me"

(Lights - Ellie Goulding)

~✾~

“And?” Dionysus waggled his eyebrows impatiently as he leaned slightly closer to Athenodora. “Come on, tell me—how is he? I’d bet he’s damn good!” He smirked slyly, earning a warning glance from Athenodora. Of course, he was referring to Caius.

The barkeep had been observing the remarkably frequent comings and goings of the white-haired man over the past weeks and chuckled inwardly about it. He was genuinely happy for Athenodora.

It was early evening. The two of them were standing behind the counter, enjoying a rare moment of calm before the tavern and the adjoining brothel filled with patrons. At the moment, only a handful of guests occupied the benches before them, and even they were already served with beer or wine. Outside, the scorching heat of the day had given way to a comfortable, tolerable warmth.

“I can’t complain,” Athenodora replied with a slight grin. And it was true. She didn’t want to admit it, but every time she saw Caius, her stomach tightened with joyful anticipation.

But it was more than just good sex. She relished their conversations, the stories Caius would recount from the courthouse at the Basilica Iulia, and the fact that he occasionally sought her opinion on his cases.

As for the part where he drank her blood whenever they met, she tried her best to push it from her mind. She had no idea how she truly felt about it—or rather, she knew it frightened her more than she was willing to admit. But what choice did she have? She also didn’t want to think about what might happen when their arrangement came to an end. Would he still come to her? Would he kill her? Could she ever become like him?

A tiny part of her—a part she didn’t want to indulge—enjoyed the feeling when he drank from her. But she always tried to banish that thought as quickly as it arose.

She shook her head. She didn’t want to dwell on it.

“I’m sure you can’t,” Dionysus said, grinning. “I bet he looks just as good under that robe as I imagine.”

Athenodora thought about it for a moment, conjuring the memory of his form and the sensation of touching his chest. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, forcing herself not to let her grin widen further.

“…Yeah,” she said, leaving it at that. She didn’t want to share more.

The red-haired man nudged her playfully in the side. “Oh, come on! Don’t be so tight-lipped. At least you have someone who visits you on a regular basis.”

“Visits? That’s what you call it!” She laughed—a bittersweet laugh. Because if Caius didn’t pay for her services every time he came, she might also believe his visits had something to do with actual interest in her.

“His friend hasn’t been here for quite a while. The tall one with the dark brown hair.” Dionysus sounded a little forlorn about the fact.

“Marcus.” Athenodora knew, of course, that there had been something between the two of them for quite some time, and she was surprised Dionysus didn’t call him by name. Surely, he knew it!

“Yes, him! I’d really like to see him again. Maybe you could prod your admirer a bit next time and find out why Marcus hasn’t been accompanying him lately.” The phrases your admirer and prod him gave Athenodora an uneasy feeling.

Prodding him was probably not the best idea. And while she might wish otherwise, she doubted Caius was truly her admirer. They always had a good time together, she told herself. But nothing more would ever come from his side—she knew that.

~✾~

A Few Nights Earlier:

"I hope it doesn't break your heart if I don’t stay." Caius’ words sounded only half-serious. She didn’t believe he truly cared what might happen if he broke her heart. At the moment, she was watching him sit up in bed, pull on his clothes, and rise to put a little distance between them.

She couldn’t help but smile tiredly. Of course, she would have loved to keep him there with her. She liked him a lot and valued their conversations. But what man ever stayed the whole night? Few, as far as she knew—and certainly not with someone like her.

She watched as Caius walked to the door, leaving a pouch of coins on the table before he left. Although it was customary, it still stung. But she wouldn’t allow herself to dwell on that feeling.

"Believe me, if I got hurt every time a man left me, my heart would’ve been shattered long ago." Her voice was steady as she said it. And her words were no lie. Athenodora had learned early on never to cling to a man’s promises.

She saw him hesitate, as if considering whether to ask her more, but he decided against it. No doubt, she thought, he didn’t want to burden himself with her emotions. Yet his next words caught her by surprise.

"I sincerely hope I may come back." He stepped toward her again, knelt beside the bed, and gently cupped her chin.

Athenodora held his gaze. His piercing red eyes still made her knees weak, even though she was already lying down. She raised her eyebrows playfully.

"We’ll see." A smile played on her lips. The look in his eyes suggested he wasn’t sure how to interpret her reaction. "Good," she thought.

But her answer seemed to please him, as he smiled as well—just before leaning in to give her a goodbye kiss. His lips were cold, as she had come to expect, and his breath had a bitter, almost metallic taste. She knew where that came from… yet she still wanted to pull him back to her. To keep him all to herself. But she knew she couldn’t.

"Of course, we’ll keep an eye out in the meantime for someone else with eyes as red as yours," Athenodora said after they parted, as Caius stood up again.

"That would be truly helpful. I’ll gladly compensate you for your assistance—you shouldn’t do it for free." His tone was serious. The blonde tilted her head and furrowed her brow. He said it so casually, as if it meant nothing. But for her, her girls, and Dionysos, it would be a support they could hardly refuse.

Caius didn’t wait for her reply. He was already walking toward the door. Just before he opened it, he turned back to her.

"And Athena?" She looked up again, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of that nickname. No one else called her that.

A brief pause hung in the air as she looked at him expectantly. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but something held him back. Was it hesitation she saw in his gaze? No, she must be mistaken.

"It was nice. Truly." She saw him avert his eyes immediately, as though he feared her reaction. It was almost charming.

She had to smile. With a warm, somewhat teasing tone, she added, "Now go! Before I really do want to keep you here—we both know that’s a risk we can’t take!"

~✾~

"That encounter had been harmless," the brothel owner thought to herself. "Back then, you weren’t foolish enough to let him see far enough into your heart to actually hurt you. Unlike just a few nights later..."

Athenodora thought back to the night before last. Dionysos wasn’t the only one who had noticed how often Caius visited her—far more than was necessary to resolve his case. But she didn’t complain. She enjoyed her time with him immensely, even if she’d never admit it aloud.

The problem was that she had started to like him a little too much, to let him get a little too close. And she hated herself for having spoken words she could no longer take back…

~✾~

They had just been talking about their first encounter at the slave market because Athenodora had been curious why Caius had ultimately decided to speak to her. In the process, they touched on Hestia again, and Athenodora expressed how horrifying she found it that the woman had been so brutally torn from her old life and thrust into slavery through no fault of her own.

“It’s always shocking how wildly a human life can veer in different directions,” Caius remarked, taking a strand of her hair between his fingers. The blonde woman sighed, as if in agreement. For a moment, there was silence. Then Caius continued, and she had the distinct feeling that he was weighing whether or not to ask his next question. “Where do you come from originally, if I may ask?”

Athenodora couldn’t help but press her lips together and stare into the darkness. Silence fell. She didn’t want to answer. She felt uncomfortable with him dwelling on such thoughts about her—not because she didn’t want the attention, but because she feared the answers she couldn’t bring herself to give.

Everyone who worked in the brothel knew they could ask Athenodora nearly anything. She was always open and accommodating. But this topic? This was forbidden territory. And, for the most part, those around her respected that.

But he wasn’t human… and he wasn’t really part of her circle.

When she still hadn’t responded after what felt like a minute, Caius pressed further. “Your mannerisms and the way you carry yourself are too refined. I’d wager you weren’t born into the fate of a brothel owner. Or am I mistaken?” His question sounded playful. Why not, after all? To him, this was all just a game.

Still, she said nothing, only taking a deep breath in and out as if to signal him to drop the matter.

Her head and part of her torso rested against his chest as she listened to his words. Both of them were still unclothed, covered only by a light sheet.

She tried to listen for a heartbeat that wasn’t there as her fingers traced lightly over his scarred skin and she inhaled his scent. Even though she knew with absolute certainty that this man possessed no heartbeat, she still found herself searching for one…

“Tell me, who or what cursed you to such an existence?” He just wouldn’t let it go! Her stomach tightened, but she tried to suppress it. Still, she gave no answer, hoping he’d simply drop the topic. She felt his hand begin to stroke her arm gently, as if sensing her tension. “No matter how great the debt, escaping a situation like yours isn’t hopeless.”

At that, she furrowed her brow and propped herself up on his torso to sit upright. Her pale blonde hair fell loosely around her, a sight that Caius clearly seemed to enjoy, judging by his expression. But Athenodora didn’t care in that moment.

So that was what he thought! What gave him the right?

Angrily, she stared down at the white-haired man beneath her, wondering how he dared to make such assumptions.

And yet, in the end, she couldn’t entirely fault him. His words weren’t cruel but rather filled with concern. And she believed him—brutal though his honesty was—that there had been no malice in what he’d said.

She forced a smile to her lips, one that downplayed the weight of her emotions.

“Oh, stop it! Surely there are others you could judge instead of me!” she teased, half-serious, half-playful, giving him a light punch on the arm. Caius smiled in return, breaking eye contact briefly before wrapping his arms around her, shifting his weight, and rolling them over so she was now pressed down into the mattress beneath him.

“Apologies, I can be overly direct at times,” he said, though it didn’t sound apologetic in the slightest.

For a moment, he lifted a hand to brush softly along her hairline, sending a pleasant shiver through her body. It was maddening! This man was so unnervingly cold in so many ways, yet there was another side to him—a gentler one—that occasionally surfaced, as it did now.

She tried to pull herself together, shaking her head slightly. She had to remind herself that her anger was directed not at him, but at herself. “No, I appreciate directness. You’re just wrong. My situation has nothing to do with repaying debts.”

“Then what is it?” Caius pressed further.

Athenodora sighed. She had to gather herself for a moment; his assumptions had hit a sore spot. One they’d skirted around before but never fully illuminated.

She didn’t want to talk about it, and she felt it was nobody else’s business. And yes, she could dodge the question or lie. But why? What good would a lie, one meant to protect her image, do with this man, whose brutal honesty she found so enticing? He wouldn’t see her any differently than he already did. And if he did, what would it matter?

“It’s true, I wasn’t born into the life of a brothel owner. But I’m very proud of what Dionysos and I have built.”

“No doubt,” he replied simply. The vampire sensed there was something about her he hadn’t yet uncovered, and he burned to know what it was. He had wrestled with himself during their past encounters, trying to extract the information he wanted.

Athenodora grasped his arms and shifted her position again, a movement he allowed, finding himself pressed back down into the mattress with her above him now.

“Still, I don’t intend to continue living this way forever. I won’t always be as young and desirable as I am now.”

Caius wanted to argue with her, but time had taught him that her assessment was accurate.

Athenodora didn’t know why, but the fact that he didn’t contradict her stung.

“So you’re doing all this for a reason,” he concluded.

“Yes… at least, it began that way before it became my reality.”

For a moment, both were silent. Athenodora wrestled with whether or not to tell him more. Did he truly want to hear what she had to say? Was he genuinely interested? Or was he merely curious?

“I’d like to hear how it came to this,” he said.

She met his red eyes in the darkness again, searching for any trace of insincerity, manipulation, or morbid fascination. But she found none. Caius, lying beneath her like this, seemed oddly vulnerable to her. Almost as if admitting his interest in her was such a risk that it left him completely defenseless.

“Let’s just say I learned early on to put more trust in a man’s actions than in his pretty words.”

"That’s rather vague again. You might need to explain it to me in a bit more detail."

Athenodora pulled away from him, sitting upright so she could look at him directly. He mirrored her, adjusting himself against the back of the bed.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before beginning to speak.

"My parents were very wealthy. I come from a highly regarded family. Naturally, they only wanted the best for me, which meant I was to be married off to a good match as quickly as possible."

"And that didn’t sit well with you," he deduced.

She sighed. "Yes… I was naive enough back then to believe that one should only marry for love." She shook her head, both at her own foolishness and to hold back the tears threatening to surface. It was a topic she usually avoided.

She had never truly spoken about it before, and now it felt like everything was catching up to her. "Oh, I was so stupid!" She let out a teary laugh, blinking quickly to clear her vision as memories of that time flooded back.

But, of course, Caius noticed. "Hoping for love and affection isn’t stupid, as far as I can tell. You’re being very hard on yourself." She couldn’t know that Caius reflected those very words back on himself as he spoke, silently scrutinizing his own choices. After all, it was far easier to give advice to someone else than to follow it oneself—especially when he was someone who had always denied himself love.

Yet Athenodora found comfort in his words, and after a brief pause, they encouraged her to continue.

"There was an artist back then, Antonius was his name. I truly loved him—or at least I believed I did. And by his words, he loved me too… Of course, I foolishly believed him!" She shook her head, angered by her younger self. "He wanted to run away with me, to be free together and explore the world. If only I would renounce my parents and my old life, I could belong entirely to him, as he so often promised." Her tone was bitter as she spoke, her lips curving into a sad and regretful smile.

"Oh, and believe me, I wanted nothing more than that! To be pressed into a life decided by others, to smile prettily and look presentable just to be 'good enough' for some man—that was utterly revolting to me!… It took me too long to realize that my parents encouraged all those things in me for a single reason: They wanted to secure a good life for me."

Caius listened attentively. Of course, to him, this was all rather trivial. But it clearly weighed heavily on her. "What became of Antonius?"

The blonde woman let out a bitter laugh. "He took everything from me. On the very first night we spent together, he took all I carried with me, and I never saw him again. I had run away with him, made a grand scene in front of my family, declaring that I would leave and didn’t want this life anymore, and suddenly, I found myself completely destitute."

She shuddered involuntarily, the emotions of that time cutting deeply into her even now. For a brief moment, she felt as exposed and vulnerable as she had back then.

"But you could have returned to your parents." Caius's tone was expressionless, perhaps to avoid intensifying her feelings.

Athenodora’s eyes glistened, and she had to look away to keep her tears in check at the thought of her parents.

"I wanted to spare them—and myself—the disgrace. After everything that happened, it was better for my parents to believe I was dead than to face the disappointment. I couldn’t look them in the eye again. Our last words… were far from peaceful."

She tried hard, but her tears now escaped in small streams. She hastily wiped them away as soon as she noticed them. Then another thought crossed her mind, one she was truly ashamed of, and her voice grew even quieter. "And… I truly loved him. I believed his words! I couldn’t fathom that it had all been a lie." Though she had already averted her gaze, she now lowered it completely, closing her eyes briefly.

Caius watched her silently, making no move to embrace her or wipe her tears away. She regretted what had happened—it was written all over her face. She couldn’t tell if he thought her foolish and naive or if he was simply showing respect for her emotions by not reacting.

Athenodora took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Yes, she felt sorrow, but she didn’t want to display it so openly and transparently before Caius.

When she opened her eyes again and looked at him, her gaze and voice had regained their strength. "I believed in so many things when I was younger. Fate, true love, that wishes would come true if you just believed in them hard enough… but that’s not how life works. Not for everyone, at least. People disappoint you. And you, in turn, disappoint others… I disappointed my parents. I alienated very good friends, all because I thought it would make me free."

She pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head again. Why had she told him all of this? She didn’t want to look at him, so she impulsively swung herself out of bed, pulling the fabric on a nearby chair tightly around her body before sitting down at a small desk cluttered with unpaid bills.

"This must sound terribly foolish. Even as I speak about it, I realize how absurd it all is."

Though she had her back to him, she could feel his gaze on her. Her stomach twisted, and she caught herself desperately hoping that this story hadn’t lowered her in his esteem.

"If it comforts you, it’s very human." Caius's words were neutral. She tried to detect an emotion in them but couldn’t. "And I don’t think your parents wouldn’t have forgiven you."

She turned to glare at him. Those words struck a nerve. Though his tone was as detached as before, they felt like an attack.

After all, he hadn’t seen the hurt and anger in her parents’ eyes. He didn’t know them. He didn’t know how domineering her mother had been or how disappointed her father was in her decision. In her.

"They’re stubborn, just like me. I tried to explain my perspective to them many times, but they never wanted to listen or understand."

"Perhaps, in time, they would have." Athenodora felt a fresh surge of anger rise within her. Such a statement could only come from someone immortal! After all, he had all the time in the world. She, on the other hand, did not. "If they had seen that you regretted your decision."

"But that’s just it! I don’t regret it! I regret how foolish and naive I was! But I never wanted the life they led!" Her words sounded more defiant than she intended.

The white-haired man inhaled deeply, fixing her with his gaze. She could see what he was thinking but not saying aloud. "And this life is better?"

"Oh, that’s irrelevant now!" she snapped, turning away from him again to regain her composure. She would much rather drop the subject entirely. "We have to live with the choices we make. And my life could certainly be worse." "But it could also be far better," she thought, though she didn’t say it aloud.

She didn’t see him, but she heard him rise as well, walking around the bed to stand beside her. Her breathing was heavy, and her heart was racing far too fast. The entire topic upset her greatly.

She didn’t want to look at him, but when he still hadn’t spoken after several seconds, she glanced up to glare at him. When she did, she noticed he was still naked, unlike her, who had hastily covered herself. His long white hair was slightly disheveled, and she mentally patted herself on the back for her handiwork.

"Indeed, we must." What she didn’t know was that he was already contemplating helping her improve her situation once the case was resolved, perhaps by introducing her to influential contacts or something similar. He didn’t say it aloud, knowing she would likely be too proud to accept his help.

Another thought, one he had entertained several times before quickly dismissing, was turning her into an immortal. The idea of her aging and eventually dying pained him in a strange way, but he refused to dwell on it. He had already let himself get far too emotionally involved with her.

He had wanted to hear her story because he was interested in her. And he didn’t like that realization one bit. Even now, he stood before her because his curiosity had caused her sorrow. And he realized he didn’t want to see her sad at all. "What you’ve built here is quite impressive, I must admit." And it was true. He genuinely respected her for it.

Athenodora seized the opportunity to de-escalate the situation and change the subject, adopting a playful smile and raising her eyebrows challengingly. Her expression shifted in seconds, and he could only guess she had practiced it countless times in front of a mirror.

She rose so they were eye level again and crossed her arms over her chest. "As a woman, you mean?"

Caius let out a dark laugh, sending a fresh thrill down her spine. "You know, it’s always fascinating how the female role is so often portrayed as subordinate, yet history proves their equality—if not superiority—to the male. After all, entire wars have been waged over a single woman."

"Oh, I’d love to hear more about that!"

She watched as the corners of Caius’s mouth curled slightly upward and he extended a hand to pull her back into bed with him.

~✾~

Athenodora had greatly enjoyed the rest of the night, but her spontaneous outburst had unfortunately remained an uncomfortable memory. Even though Caius had not mentioned it again afterward, she still didn’t want him to think she was weak and, above all, too talkative for him to seek her out again. She knew he didn’t pay her for the words she spoke.

"Even though he obviously asked you about your past... maybe he is interested after all?" whispered a soft voice in her head, and she briefly lowered her gaze. She was still standing behind the counter with Dionysos, now looking at the surface in front of her.

"Speaking of nocturnal admirers," Dionysos said next to her, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Didn't you say I should keep an eye out for people with eyes as strangely red as your nocturnal admirer’s?"

"Nocturnal admirer... that phrase again!" she thought. "Yes, why?" She looked up at him questioningly.

"Well..." He gave a slight nod forward. His eyes seemed to rest on a guest. "I’m not going to point at him, but I’m pretty sure that man over there has never been here before."

Athenodora followed his gaze, and her eyes widened noticeably as she saw a brown-haired man who, from his clothing, posture, face shape, and haircut, seemed like a completely average Roman citizen. However, one thing stood out clearly.

His fiery red eyes.

„The lady in waiting
A Queen in the making
It's all for the taking
They can't keep her down
Oh lady in waiting
Don't give up the fight
It's your divine right
To wear the crown”

(Lady In Waiting – Eurielle)

~✾~

She could hear him before she saw him. His deep, piercing voice echoed through the high colonnades, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it. Athenodora was no exception. She turned her head to the left, gazing into another corridor that led to an adjacent room, where the angry bass was even more distinct.

The Basilica Julia, where she found herself, served as the courthouse of the ancient metropolis and was as impressive inside as it was outside. White marble adorned the facades, and long colonnades marked the various pathways deeper into the expansive halls.

She followed the direction of the voice. "Caius ... I need to speak to him urgently!" she thought hastily, ignoring the knot in her stomach at the thought of him. Dionysos and she had waited tensely through the night, hoping the mysterious red-eyed man might stay long enough for them to question him. Yet, the only one who could shed light on what had happened behind closed doors was Hestia—because she had shared his bed.

And what the girl had recounted was anything but reassuring...

The closer Athenodora came, the louder and more penetrating the lawyer's voice became. It didn’t sound like an argument; Caius was presenting the current legal case with such fervor that she shivered. She tried to dismiss how appealing she found the resolute certainty in his voice. It sent a tingling sensation through her body, reminding her, unbidden, of the feeling of his lips on her skin...

She hastily shook her head, forcing herself back to order. "Enough!"

She didn’t yet see him, but as she finally turned the next corner and entered the room where she assumed he was, her breath briefly caught, and she had to swallow hard. Unconsciously, she pulled the brightly colored scarf hastily thrown around her shoulders a little tighter.

Crowds of people stood around the trial. Countless onlookers were listening to the spectacle unfolding before them. Most were men, though she spotted a few women here and there. That was not unusual—she recalled Caius once telling her that trials often played out this way and that, although he usually avoided people, he greatly enjoyed having them listen to his arguments. "It excites him. He must feel how they hang on his every word," she thought distractedly.

She should have anticipated such a crowd, but in her rush, she had ignored the likelihood. Large groups didn’t bother her. It was the many refined garments that made her uneasy. Her colorful tunic, which so clearly advertised her profession, made her stand out like a parrot.

"Scholars and high-ranking citizens," she thought. "Oh, lord in hell!"

She was a confident woman, proud of what she called her calling, yet she feared too many familiar faces in this crowd might recognize her and inevitably wonder why she was here—because she obviously did not belong in a place like this!

Athenodora took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She aimed to position herself quietly in a corner, drawing as little attention as possible. Yet some men in the back rows turned surreptitiously toward her, having noticed her entrance, and she struggled to ignore their prolonged, blatant stares.

She crossed her arms over her chest, fixing her gaze stubbornly on Caius. She tried to focus on his words, though she couldn’t ignore the whispers some men began exchanging, nudging their neighbors and drawing even more attention to her.

It continued until Athenodora finally had enough. Clenching her teeth and tightening her jaw, she raised her eyebrows in a clear show of defiance, staring back at them pointedly.

The men immediately looked away, embarrassed.

Caius, who had been entirely absorbed in his argument, noticed the commotion once the plaintiff resumed speaking. The white-haired man barely listened to him; instead, his crimson eyes followed the murmurs until he finally spotted Athenodora, standing conspicuously in her colorful attire in the corner of the room.

For a moment, she felt hot and cold at once as their eyes met, but she didn’t look away from his piercing gaze. Instead, she held her ground firmly, attempting to signal to him across the room that she needed to speak with him and had a valid reason for being there.

The vampire understood her look or at least deduced that she hadn’t come merely to hear him speak… though he found that idea rather pleasing. Yet, no—he couldn’t be seen with her! It would ruin his reputation. The rumors sparked by the presence of the brothel owner were bad enough. If it became evident she was there because of him, it would only fuel further gossip—something Caius wished to avoid at all costs.

Not that he cared about the chatter, but it could damage his vocation and credibility.

Quickly regaining his composure, his expression became neutral, and he slowly turned his head back toward the plaintiff. His eyes lingered on Athenodora’s for another moment, silently signaling that he needed to finish here before they could talk.

Then, he resumed his argument in the same penetrating tone he had closed with earlier. Nothing in his demeanor suggested anything had changed. Only an observant watcher might notice his posture was now slightly more directed toward the audience, his speech even more emphatic, and that his eyes occasionally darted to her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

But, of course, she noticed every single time. Unlike him, she had no qualms about visibly focusing on him. Her gaze remained on him for the rest of the trial, observing him and his commanding presence. His white hair was tied back in a braid that day, though a few strands had likely come loose in the heat of the discussion, giving him a slightly disheveled look. It only added to his appeal...

She shook her head, dismissing such thoughts, and tried to follow his conclusions, recalling what he had taught her about the law when he discussed his cases at night. She realized she still had significant gaps in her understanding, though some of his arguments made sense. "Perhaps I was a little distracted during those nights; otherwise, I might have remembered more," she thought wryly.

She didn’t know how long she stood there listening to his speech. It was long enough that the crowd eventually lost interest in her, and she no longer felt as observed. Or perhaps she had begun to tune them out.

She was so captivated by him, by the sight of him, that she temporarily forgot the actual reason for her presence. It was a wonderful and powerful feeling to know that she knew this imposing man in an entirely different way… 

As the trial neared its conclusion and the verdict was delivered, she felt herself growing increasingly tense. "What will he say when he finds out we couldn't hold the stranger? That he's gone again... does that make my visit here insignificant? Should we have done something to keep him? But how?!"

She watched as the final conversations took place—this time not loudly and for all to hear, but just between the two parties. Caius had won the case and finally shook his client’s hand. The man was clearly more than grateful for Caius' support, even bowing slightly. Shortly after, Caius turned away and raised his gaze, locking eyes with Athenodora for a moment. Then, he descended the steps of the platform, leaving the spectacle behind to make his way toward her.

She felt herself growing restless and tried to shake off the feeling.

He disappeared from her sight for a moment as he wove through the crowd, but she quickly found him again. The room was still bustling, the attendees engrossed in private conversations, though many followed Caius with their eyes. Athenodora noticed, amused, how he brusquely brushed off those who tried to draw him into small talk. Clearly, he wasn’t interested—or perhaps he was simply focused on reaching her.

For a brief moment, she considered moving toward him instead but decided it was better to stay in her corner to avoid drawing more attention. Caius seemed to agree, for when he finally reached her, he subtly shielded her from the crowd’s gazes by placing his hand on her arm and angling her slightly toward the wall.

“Athenodora,” he said, his voice sending a shiver down her spine. It sounded cold, with a hint of nervousness. “What are you doing here?” His crimson eyes bore into hers, and she swallowed hard but immediately raised her chin, determined to stand her ground.

“It's lovely to see you too, thank you!” There was a spark of mischief in her eyes, and she noticed how Caius clenched his jaw. “What?” she teased. “Surely, I’m not embarrassing you?” She put on an innocent expression, though the jest stung inside. She already knew the truth. She was an embarrassment to him—at least her presence here was. What she represented and always would represent was.

She quickly shoved the thought aside and watched with amusement as this imposing man briefly faltered. The truth clearly made him uncomfortable.

“No,” he said curtly. It sounded insincere, and he knew it.

Caius sighed when he saw her tilt her head skeptically, then corrected himself. “That is to say: Not you, exactly. But what you represent in the minds of these men, that is embarrassing.” She had always appreciated his honesty and did so now, though his words were far from charming.

Folding her arms across her chest, she felt anger rise within her. “That’s not my problem,” she replied with feigned indifference. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the nobles and commoners alike still glancing her way, and so she added more loudly, “I am not responsible for what they think.”

Caius turned slightly, sensing the stares as well, and his piercing gaze sent the onlookers hastily turning away. When he looked back at Athenodora, his eyes glinted with amusement.

He studied her in silence for a moment. Was it possible he didn’t know how to respond? Or was he simply holding his tongue to avoid a public argument?

Finally, he smiled faintly, looking pleased—though she couldn’t tell why. He, too, tilted his chin forward slightly and leaned in closer. His voice, warmer this time, carried a touch of genuine curiosity. “Now, tell me why you’re here.”

Athenodora’s playful demeanor faded, replaced by seriousness. “I need to speak with you. It’s important. Do you remember the task you assigned me?” She leaned closer as well, her voice dropping to a whisper. “We were supposed to keep our eyes open. Well, we did. And we found him—your red-eyed stranger.”

Caius immediately pulled back slightly, his face losing its amusement.

“I’m all yours,” he said briskly, signaling her to follow him so they could speak privately. The words sent a tingle through her, even though she knew exactly how they were meant. She quickly followed.

He strode swiftly down the long colonnade, forcing Athenodora to quicken her pace to keep up. His head turned left and right as he moved, clearly searching for a quiet corner.

When she finally caught up to him, she inhaled sharply as he suddenly grabbed her arm and pressed her into a small recess between two towering columns. She raised an eyebrow at his abruptness but said nothing as Caius quickly released her arm, softening his grip as swiftly as he’d taken hold.

He leaned toward her, not blocking her path entirely but angling his body to keep an eye on the corridor behind them. When he was satisfied that they hadn’t been followed, he turned his attention back to her. “Tell me everything.”

So, Athenodora began. She recounted the nocturnal encounter, describing the red-eyed stranger in as much detail as her memory allowed, and concluded with the fact that she and Dionysos had planned to intercept him in the morning—but he had already vanished.

She watched as Caius furrowed his brow. “From your description, he could very well be human. You only saw his eyes briefly in the dim light. What makes you so certain he’s one of us?”

Caius noticed how she avoided his gaze, her breathing noticeably steadying. "Because I questioned Hestia about her guest afterward. Care to guess?" She raised her eyebrows, her look accusatory. "He drank her blood, and she willingly offered herself to him." She paused for a moment, trying to detect any emotion in the white-haired man’s expression but found none. He appeared to be waiting for her to continue.

"I... asked her if she had felt any pain or if he had harmed her, because he clearly had—judging by the bite marks on her neck and the blood all over her bed..." She hesitated again, her next words clearly uncomfortable for her. "She said no, all she felt was pleasure, and she desperately wanted to see him again. When I spoke to her, she seemed dazed, almost as if the blood didn’t even register to her. It was as though she was completely detached from reality."

The white-haired man smirked slightly as the woman in front of him flushed, then remarked dryly, "Our kind sometimes has that effect, yes."

Athenodora was far from pleased with his smug response, especially since she could feel herself experiencing something similar toward him. "So it’s not uncommon, I see," she retorted curtly. She hated that he mocked her. "That seems familiar to you. Fine! Then we were right, and he’s clearly the one we’re looking for!"

Caius felt an unexpected pang at her conclusion, though he found the defiance in her voice amusing. He didn’t want to provoke her, nor did he want her to think he wasn’t taking her seriously—because he was. If he was honest with himself, her presence made him uneasy every time they met. And he couldn’t deny, much as he wanted to, that his feelings for her had grown stronger than he cared to admit.

"It’s possible," he replied, his tone no longer amused. "But that description doesn’t sound familiar to me." He paused in thought. "However, I do know someone who might be able to help us with this. Are you free this evening? I’d like to introduce you to someone."

~✾~

Later that day, the blonde woman found herself seated at a table in her tavern, opposite a man with jet-black hair and a sly grin on his striking lips—Aro, as Caius had introduced him, another immortal. The aura surrounding this man was as dark and alluring as Caius's, sending shivers down her spine. However, Aro seemed far more playful than the white-haired one. Younger or perhaps less burdened. Or maybe her impression stemmed from the fact that every word out of this immortal’s mouth carried a tone of amusement, no matter what he said.

Caius had informed her about the black-haired devil's abilities. He was a mind-reader, a fact that deeply unsettled Athenodora. At that moment, he held her hand firmly across the table, his eyes closed in deep concentration.

Caius remained unseen to her but could be heard pacing restlessly beside the table. A tense silence hung in the air. Athenodora felt uneasy with Aro’s presence in her mind. He wasn’t limited to her current thoughts; he could see everything that had ever happened in her life! The idea of this man comprehending her entirely with just a touch was terrifying.

“And, brother? Do you see anything useful?” Caius finally asked impatiently, unable to bear the silence any longer. He could guess why Aro lingered in her mind so long, and it infuriated him. He regretted allowing Aro to explore Athenodora’s thoughts, though the situation had left him no choice. Initially, he had intended for Aro to read Dionysus’s thoughts, not hers, but Aro had insisted on a comprehensive approach. What nonsense... but there was no time to argue over such trivialities.

Now, Caius regretted it.

“It’s hard to say…” Aro replied with amusement, opening his eyes and grinning at Caius with blood-red irises. “It’s difficult to focus on the unknown immortal while trying so hard to avoid the memories of the familiar one. And oh—they are so delightfully many!”

“Spare us your jokes, Aro. This is hardly the time for them!” Caius hissed. Athenodora flushed, glancing back at Caius with embarrassment, but he avoided her gaze. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away from Aro’s grasp, but his grip tightened, drawing her hand closer to him.

“No, no, eyes on me, my lovely,” Aro said, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth as she looked at him, caught off guard. Her anger flared instantly. Who did this man think he was?

“Glad I could amuse you! Now, can we please get back to the matter at hand?!” Her eyes blazed with fury, her cheeks still warm. She hated that she had shown him this vulnerability.

“But of course!” Aro’s words carried his ever-present levity. The moment was awkward for both Athenodora and Caius.

Aro cleared his throat—a gesture, Athenodora assumed, rather than a genuine need for such a human reaction. “You are, of course, right.” He clasped Athenodora’s hand with both of his now, holding it entirely, and seemed to concentrate a bit harder. “Her thoughts about Caius will certainly come in handy later; I’ll save them for later use.” Though he kept this sentiment to himself.

Leaning slightly forward over her hands, his dark hair fell onto the table. A few seconds later, he lifted his gaze again, his red eyes momentarily glazed. Athenodora felt a deep discomfort at his expression. She couldn’t shake the impression that behind Aro’s playful exterior lay something profoundly dark, something she had no desire to delve into. And now, this unsettling man knew everything about her… She fervently hoped never to see him again after tonight!

But Aro’s focus shifted, staring into the space between her and Caius as though he had lost interest in her entirely. His tone turned flat as he said, “My old friend... Yes, of course, I recognize him!”

Caius leaned forward on the table, moving closer to his friend. His white hair briefly brushed against Athenodora, and she felt her skin tingle where it had touched. "Who is he?"

Aro quickly regained his composure and fixed his piercing red eyes on the white-haired man. "His name is Pictor. When I met him, he was still an apprentice scribe." He smiled. "But one with great ambitions! And he's come far!" There was genuine pride in his voice, and Athenodora saw Caius roll his eyes. Clearly, Caius now knew who Aro was talking about, and he did not like it one bit.

Ignoring Caius' reaction, Aro continued, likely more to explain the situation to Athenodora. "He was officially appointed as the historian. He had been tasked with documenting the founding history of this city when this wonderful patch of land was still in its development phase."

"This ode to you and your sister..." Caius's words were dismissive, and once again, Athenodora didn't understand why. She looked back and forth between them. In Caius's eyes, she saw anger, while Aro's eyes gleamed challengingly.

"I don't understand your resentment, brother!" Aro's voice sounded genuinely confused, but it was feigned. His words were so obviously innocent and playful that Athenodora wondered what was really behind them. "He would have, of course, stuck to the facts and told no lies!" It also seemed as if Aro was angry, though she couldn't figure out why.

Caius gritted his teeth and clenched his fists to suppress his anger. "You know I ordered you to destroy him!"

"Marcus made him spread the lies, just as you wanted. I suppose... he must have felt pity for him and let him go." Aro lied. That wasn't true. He, who knew both Marcus's and Didyme's thoughts, knew that Marcus couldn't bring himself to kill this talented man. He had considered it a waste, especially since Pictor had been his friend.

Pictor had agreed to cover up the true founding history of the city for one reason only: immortality had been promised to him if he did. Marcus had genuinely planned for it, but Caius had forbidden it.

And Caius's word was law. Caius had never wanted this man to be one of theirs, and Marcus would never have defied him. And when Didyme had seen how difficult it was for Marcus to kill his friend, to break his promise, she had offered to kill Pictor for him.

But she had never killed him...

"Psst, this stays our little secret. My first immortal that I can hide from Caius’s eyes!" she had whispered playfully to Aro. "Now don't look so shocked! You're just as angry with him as I am! You and I should have gone down in history as the rulers of this city! We’re the ones who really built Rome, and we should have ruled! Admit it, it bothers you too!"

And that had been true. Aro had been furious when Caius had explained that they would cover up the true founding history. He was still angry about it today. "This way, I can have my own private revenge on him. I beg you, brother, don't betray me." And Aro had never betrayed his sister. He wouldn't now. He only wondered if Didyme still had control over her vampire, and why he had never seen anything about him in Didyme's thoughts... but that would be something he would clear up with her. Without Caius.

"I'll confront Marcus." The anger had left Caius's words, and he now sounded more disappointed. Aro blinked briefly. He hadn't thought of that! Although he liked that Caius was clearly not excessively proud of Marcus and his deeds this time, since he usually held him in too high regard, if he confronted him, Caius would learn that Didyme was to blame for this.

And he had to prevent that, as long as he didn't know all the facts.

"Brother, before you do that, let me speak to him. I'm sure there's a simple explanation for all of this, and I don’t want him to worry unnecessarily. I should have seen the truth in his mind long ago!" Caius looked at him intently for several seconds, and for a moment, Aro feared that he had seen through him. But then Caius's gaze moved to Athenodora, who was now looking at him as well.

"The question is, what does he want..." the white-haired man mused aloud.

"He didn’t kill Hestia. We were worried that he would, but he didn’t..." the blonde beauty interjected.

"No, because he knew you'd hold him accountable for it. I think his visit here was of a more private nature," Caius explained to her. "If you hadn't gone to her, she wouldn’t have told you anything. He manipulated her so she felt comfortable in his presence. She wouldn’t have betrayed him."

"That’s probably one of the gifts of being like you," Athenodora’s words sounded biting, and Caius was surprised by this. It took him a moment to understand what was bothering her so much, and it made him uncomfortably embarrassed because it didn’t apply to her... but he certainly didn’t want to address that with Aro. Aro, on the other hand, had to smirk again. He knew very well that since their encounter, she had been questioning how real the feelings were that she had for his creator.

"No, darling. Sometimes we’re just downright stunning," the black-haired man responded to her question with a wink, which once again caused her to blush and gave Caius a look of frustration. "He has enlightened you. A mortal! In all of this. That should show you that he values you highly. But you don’t know him well enough to recognize that…" Aro thought, but he didn’t say it aloud.

"And to answer your question, brother, I guess he’s seeking attention. He admired me very much back then. And you, by the way," Aro stood up, walked around the table, and stood by Caius’s side. "He always wanted to belong, but you denied him that. That’s hard to endure." The white-haired man heard the quiet accusation in Aro’s voice and knew that his son sometimes felt he didn’t fully accept him. "Maybe he wants you to find him?"

"Maybe. But if that’s the case, the search for him shouldn’t be so difficult… And how could he become an Immortal? Who turned him?" Caius had been meticulously selective in who he turned, and it disturbed him if there was someone who could apparently escape his gaze.

"If he manipulated Hestia into still desiring him, he may return," Athenodora concluded sadly, staring into the emptiness in front of her. She didn’t like the idea of putting one of her girls back in the line of fire, as she should have intervened last night, but had failed to do so. However, there had been no other way…

"That’s certainly possible," Caius said.

"Then we should be ready when the time comes," Aro looked into Caius’s icy eyes. He knew what he was about to propose, and Athenodora knew it too.

"And I’m supposed to watch him hurt Hestia again? No way!" The lady had also risen, turned around, and crossed her arms over her chest. Her look was intense. "I told you we would help you find him, and we’ve done that." She directed an accusing look at Caius.

"I assure you, nothing will happen to Hestia," Aro replied in Caius’s place. "We’ll leave one of our slaves with you. If Pictor comes back here, send him back to us. We’ll handle it then." He placed a hand on her forearm, and she flinched slightly, for now, he could see that despite her steadfastness, she was afraid. Afraid of what would happen if she resisted.

"Don’t worry. We won’t hurt you." Aro grinned again, adding with a wink, "My brother loves you too much for that." He could feel how the white-haired man tensed beside him, and his gaze pierced through him. "And now I understand why." He raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down. His gaze went through her bones.

Athenodora dared not look directly at Caius now because she didn’t know if making eye contact with him would once again bring color to her face, so she focused on her anger toward Aro instead. "Fine," she finally said sharply. "If this helps find the missing slaves, we have no choice but to help you again."

„Who are we to be emotional?
Who are we to play with hearts
And throw away it all?
Who are we to turn each others heads?
Who are we to find ourselves in other people's beds?

I don't like the way I never listen to myself
I feel like I'm on fire, I'm too shy to cry for help
I don't think you know me much at all…“

(This Love Will Be Your Downfall – Ellie Goulding)

~✾~

„No, no, you’re doing it all wrong!“ Sulpicia chided playfully, laughing as she rose to her feet. She walked around the small table to explain the dice game to Titus once more. The two of them had been playing for some time, but he still struggled with the rules. She crouched beside him, and his childish face grew serious as he nodded, trying his best to follow her explanation. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight—he had pressed his lips together in concentration, avoiding her gaze as he focused solely on the game before him. He was diligent and determined to perform well, so it frustrated him greatly that, even after repeated explanations, he still didn’t understand the rules.

"Okay... I’ll try again," the boy mumbled, glancing up at her somewhat sheepishly. She gave him a warm smile and nodded encouragingly before returning to her seat.

It was a quiet afternoon, and the two of them sat somewhat hidden behind one of the courtyard garden’s columns. Sulpicia’s thoughts kept circling around Aro and their kiss. It had been less than two days, yet she already longed for their next meeting. She had barely slept, tossing and turning at night, struggling to control her thoughts—but it was useless. Her mind was filled with questions, and she was restless. That was why she was grateful for the distraction of the game with the boy. It allowed her to think of something else.

It seemed as though nothing could disturb the calm of the day. But that was an illusion…

In the background, hurried footsteps echoed. But Sulpicia only noticed them when the voice was directed at her.

„Sulpicia,“ she suddenly heard the voice of her master, Tiberius. She turned slightly, a sharpness and urgency in his tone making her involuntarily flinch.

„Yes, master?“ Her stomach clenched against her will.

He was striding toward her quickly, and just a few steps behind him walked Svea. Her face was as white as chalk, guilt written across her features. Sulpicia’s eyes met hers, and Svea opened her mouth slightly, as if to say something, but then closed it again. Her expression shifted—she pressed her lips together and finally came to a halt at a short distance, as if seeking protection.

But from what?

There was no time for Sulpicia to grasp the full extent of the situation, for Tiberius had already reached her. He leaned down slightly, placing a hand on her back before speaking close to her ear. „I would like a word with you.“

The coldness in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.

„Please follow me to my study.“

But the words were not a request. Before she could respond, he took hold of her arm and pulled her to her feet.

„O-of course…,“ she stammered, her voice laced with fear. The roughness of his movements unsettled her even more. She cast a quick glance at Svea, but this time, the other woman avoided her gaze, looking away.

„She told him…“ Sulpicia thought frantically.

„But we’re not even finished yet!“ the boy protested as his playmate was taken from him.

His father turned to him briefly, and the sharpness in his voice made both Sulpicia and Svea flinch.

„Svea, would you please continue Sulpicia’s game with Titus?“

Svea looked at him fearfully but nodded hastily and turned to the boy, relieved to be given a task.

Sulpicia dared to lift her gaze, looking at Tiberius with growing unease. She had seen him angry many times before—but never at her. He had always been kind to her. Yet now, there was no trace of kindness in his expression. She felt her stomach tighten further as the realization hit her:

„He knows! He must know… What in the name of the gods have I done?!“

But there was no time for regret. She could feel his hand pressing against her back, urging her forward with undeniable force. Though every instinct in her body resisted, she had no choice but to obey and follow him.

„Why?! Why now?! I cannot betray Aro! He would never forgive me…“

The moment they reached Tiberius’ study, he swiftly shut the door behind them and released her, only to fetch two chairs and place them across from each other.

She followed his movements with trembling eyes, her throat growing dry. Seeking comfort, she clasped her hands behind her back and took a cautious step backward.

But as soon as she did, he shot her a warning look, making her stop in her tracks.

„Sulpicia, sit down.“

She nodded slightly, against her better judgment, and obeyed his command immediately. What else could she have done?

„Do you have any idea why we are here?“ he asked coldly.

For a moment, silence hung between them.

Sulpicia lowered her gaze, folding her hands in her lap. She considered denying it, but what good would that do? She still hoped she was wrong, that he knew nothing of her nightly activities. But even if that were the case, she must have done something to anger him.

„I… I believe I have upset you,“ she admitted truthfully.

He exhaled deeply, his breath slow and deliberate. „Indeed.“

He walked around the second chair and finally sat down, mere inches from her. She hesitantly glanced up and saw him leaning in.

„I am glad you recognize that. And for your sake, I hope you will continue not to lie to me.“ His voice was cold and cutting.

She forced herself to look at him, waiting to see what he would say next.

„He is right… You are guilty! You are a traitor!“

It was a conflict of loyalty. As devoted as she was to Tiberius—and in her heart, she truly was—she could not betray Aro. Under no circumstances. And not just because of their agreement, but because she knew she did not want to disappoint him. She did not want him to think ill of her, to turn away from her, to leave her. She still wanted to belong to him.

And yet, she would never have put her master in a difficult position! Even though Aro wanted to know who came and went in the house, that had nothing to do with Tiberius! He had to understand that!

But no—no, he could not.

„He does not know about the agreement… and even if he did, he would see it as betrayal.“

A wave of heat and cold washed over her.

„I… I do not wish to lie to you,“ she whispered hesitantly.

It was so unbearably difficult to hold his gaze.

He leaned in closer, staring deep into her eyes.

„I will ask you this only once. So think carefully about your answer. Who is the stranger you meet in secret night after night, and what does he want from you?“

Silence fell once more. She was speechless.

„Svea betrayed me! How could she?! She promised she wouldn’t! How could I have been so foolish to trust her?!“

Her mouth opened and closed several times, struggling to hold back the truth.

„I…“

„How could I have been so foolish to think this would never come to light?!“

And then, suddenly, she remembered the kiss. She saw his beautiful face before her, his jet-black hair, and those dark red eyes that had always studied her so intently. She recalled how it felt to walk through Rome by his side, as if she were a free woman, how it felt to be in his arms…

How could something so wonderful be wrong?

But it was wrong, and she knew it.

She, a slave, had no right to such things. And even though Aro had let her feel otherwise, it was not her world.

„I… I am so sorry, I…“

Tiberius grasped her wrists, making her flinch in shock. His next words were clear and deliberate. "Sulpicia. I am asking you kindly; I hope you understand that." The calmness in his voice was eerie, for it could not possibly mean anything good. "What you have done is severely punished—you know that, don’t you?"

Her eyes filled with tears, but she tried to blink them away. "I never meant to harm my master! Please, gods, let him see that! Don’t let me betray Aro! He would never forgive me." She hated herself for no longer being able to show unquestioning loyalty to Tiberius. What had happened?! She hadn't even fully realized it until now...

The master of the house spoke again, his voice just as clear and cold. "You have seen many times how I have punished slaves for far lesser offenses. Your punishment will be worse than that. Do you want that?"

"No..." she whispered shakily, her face flushing as she realized she would not betray the man she had fallen in love with. She lowered her gaze, her pulse quickening. She rubbed the thumb of one hand against the palm of the other and saw that they, too, were trembling. Yes, it was true… she was in love with Aro, and against all reason, she hoped he would free her from a slave’s fate. She heard his words like a whisper in her ear… all the beautiful things he had said to her…

"I cannot tell you more than that."

"So you admit it’s true?"

At these words, Sulpicia’s eyes filled with tears once more, and she let out a loud sob. The wave of emotions hit her so suddenly that she couldn’t hold it back. She immediately pressed her lips together, biting her lower lip to restrain herself. Tears began to roll silently down her cheeks. She knew she was guilty. She did not deserve his mercy.

"Please believe me, I would never want to harm anyone in this household..." she whispered.

She had never wanted to be dishonest in her life. She was ashamed, horrified at herself. She had failed to control her thoughts and feelings, had allowed herself to drift, had grown careless simply because things had gone well for so long! And so, she had not noticed how deeply she had become emotionally attached to the idea of another life… a life with him. By his side.

"You wouldn’t, no, I believe you."

He lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek. She flinched slightly but dared not move. Now she had to look at him again, and his gaze sent shivers through her entire body.

"But your actions, my dear."

He regarded her for a few seconds longer, as if searching for something in her eyes, as if waiting for something… Perhaps for her to speak after all. But Sulpicia knew she couldn’t. "You are a traitor!" the words echoed in her mind.

Then, abruptly, he stood up, turned away from her, and walked toward the door. All she could see was his back as she watched in panic how he hesitated for a moment, as if struggling with himself and what was to come next...

For a brief moment, he still wavered. But then, he let out a loud sigh and turned back to her.

The sudden anger in his eyes made her shudder.

"I truly wish you had told me the truth of your own free will. What happens now is entirely your fault. I hope you understand that."

Sulpicia did not dare to move. Fear coursed through her body, and she still trembled.

Inside, she fought with herself. One voice screamed that this wasn’t worth it, that Aro wasn’t worth it, that she had to betray him—how could she have dared to deceive Tiberius? But then, there was another voice, arguing against it. It told her that she could not lose that dark-haired stranger, that she had to meet his conditions, that she wanted to—no matter how difficult it was… That otherwise, she would never be his.

"Please, I…" she began pleadingly, but Tiberius cut her off.

"Silence!" he shouted, making her flinch.

She was sure everyone in the house had heard him. She had never seen him this angry before, and as she felt the full force of his wrath, she realized she had gone too far. She had not just betrayed him—she had abused his trust, wounded and humiliated him. He had never been cruel to her, and that made it all the more bitter.

"I am so sorry, domus." Why had she wanted to be more than what she was?! Her life had been good! Why had she been so foolish as to risk it all?! Why had she not simply been honest?! Why was she so attached to a man who promised her the world?! "I deserve what is coming. I deserve your punishment!"

And so, she surrendered to her fate...

She watched as Tiberius opened the door and called for two other slaves.
On his command, they immediately grabbed Sulpicia by the arms and pulled her to her feet before she had a chance to resist.

"No, please!" she cried out reflexively, but the two were already dragging her away.

Tiberius turned his gaze away.

~✾~

Even before they reached the garden—Sulpicia could already see it—she was roughly forced onto her knees on the marble floor. Her frightened gaze lifted to the two slaves holding her, but they merely kept a firm grip on her wrists, raising them to either side. She felt her arms grow heavy from the loss of blood.

She only knew the two of them in passing. Neither was part of the household staff; they likely belonged to one of the fields Tiberius cultivated. She did not know their names, had only seen them a few times. And both were staring straight ahead, behind her. Sulpicia could guess whom they were looking at, for she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

But wait—there were multiple…

Fear coursed through the young woman, and she glanced around, seeking help. Svea and Titus had vanished. No one else was in sight either, which was highly unusual, especially at this time of day. "He ordered them to hide the children… They are not supposed to see this..."

Sulpicia shuddered, and suddenly, she felt a hand gripping her tunic at the collar. She let out a startled scream as it was yanked down with a rough pull. The fabric did not give easily, and it hurt terribly at her shoulders as she was violently jerked backward while her hands remained tightly restrained.

Moments later, she knelt exposed on the marble floor, the torn shreds of her garment before her. It had not been Tiberius’ hand—his fingers were not so delicate.

"I always knew you would bring disgrace upon this house," Aurelia, her mistress, hissed. "My husband has spoiled you far too much, and I have tolerated it all these years. He should have recognized your depravity much sooner..." Sulpicia shivered and lowered her head. Aurelia had never liked her, and to this day, she could not understand why.

"If it were up to me, you would not live to see tomorrow." She grabbed Sulpicia roughly by the hair and yanked her head back, making her cry out again. "But unfortunately, it is not up to me..." Just as suddenly as she had grabbed her, she let go and stepped away.

Sulpicia whimpered, sinking in on herself as much as her position allowed. "I never wanted any of this! I never wanted it to come to this!" she thought, and in an instant, she realized she would never again return to the security of her old life. "What have I done?!"

Shortly after, more footsteps approached. The same ones she had heard before, now halting once more.

"I wish I did not have to do this," Tiberius said behind her. She did not look at him, did not dare to turn around. He took a deep breath in and out before continuing, "Your punishment will be thirty lashes, and you will never leave this house again."

Sulpicia closed her eyes in pain and braced herself. "I deserve this, and I will endure it," she thought. "I cannot betray Aro… and therefore, it is only right that I am punished."

For a moment, an agonizing silence settled over her. But then, Sulpicia sucked in a sharp breath as she heard Tiberius lift his arm, and she screamed aloud as the searing pain of the first lash tore through her skin. For a moment, she feared the strike had completely shredded her back—it burned so intensely that she could feel every inch of the wound. She had never experienced anything like it before, and dizziness from the pain overcame her.

A second blow followed, slightly less forceful than the first, and she screamed again, trying to break free from the grip of the two slaves. But they only tightened their hold on her wrists, keeping her upright as she trembled and sagged forward.

A third strike landed, then a fourth. The pain was so unbearable that Sulpicia’s breath caught, and soon all she could do was gasp for air. Tears streamed down her beautiful face, and she felt the heat radiating from her back, pulsing with pain.

"Do you think I enjoy punishing you?!" he shouted, and for the fifth time, the whip struck her flesh.

"I suffer at least as much from your betrayal as you suffer from the pain!" Sulpicia convulsed as she saw blood splattering onto the floor—her own blood. She believed his words, and she wept with guilt. A voice, at first quiet in her mind, grew louder and more insistent, asking her over and over again:

"Is this truly worth it?"

"Tell me who he is!" Tiberius shouted again, his words demanding and filled with pain. She could not know that he, too, was trembling with every strike he delivered.

"No..." she whispered in response to both her thoughts and his words. A battle raged within her. Deep in her heart, she knew it wasn’t worth it and that she should never have betrayed her master… but another voice—the one she had listened to much more in recent weeks—thought of Aro, of everything she had been allowed to learn, and of the future that might lie ahead of her.

"Maybe... that’s the key word. You have no guarantee," the voice inside her spoke again, and as the next lash struck her burning back, intensifying the pain, another wave of tears ran down her cheeks. "I want to believe it... I can’t betray him... I want to be with him..."

Exhausted, she let her head sink and surrendered to the agony.

Tiberius hesitated between the next blows, again and again, and it was clear that he was struggling with himself. She was his daughter… as much as he tried to push that fact aside, he couldn’t deny it. He loved her and hated himself for what he had to do. And at the same time, he was furious with her! That she had pushed him this far! He didn’t want to hurt her, but she had deceived him, betrayed him, and he was more than enraged that she could be so disloyal to him! That she dared such a thing!

He paused, and Sulpicia took several trembling breaths in and out.

For a brief moment, silence reigned. Then he said, "You can end this. Tell me the truth, and I will lessen your punishment. I can stop now!"

It was so tempting to accept the offer! Hearing those words was like balm to her ears. "I can’t," she thought remorsefully. "If I tell him now, I lose both. My freedom is already gone... but I don’t want to lose Aro!"

So she remained silent. Even though a part of her no longer wanted to.

Another crack of the whip sliced through the air, and this time, the strike was harsher than the ones before.

"Why, Sulpicia?!" Tiberius thundered, even sharper and louder now.

Again, the whip whistled through the air, followed by another scream of agony.

"How could you do this to me?! How could you betray me?!"

Leather tore through skin.

"Who is he, that you would stand by him in such a way?! What has he promised you?!"

Sulpicia flinched with each strike and screamed. The pain was unbearable, and she thought she might lose consciousness at any moment. Her body fought, trying again and again to rise.

"Is he worth giving up your entire life for?!"

Strike.

"I have always trusted you. You have enjoyed so many freedoms in this house! And for what?! For some stranger?!"

Strike.

"WHO IS HE?! And what does he want?! Speak now!" Tiberius bellowed the words, and with them, the next blow landed on her back. He had said he wouldn’t repeat himself, yet now he did… again and again… Blood blurred her vision, and everything around her began to spin.

And of course, the young woman knew nothing of the dubious dealings Tiberius had conducted behind everyone’s back. The debts he had accrued and the compromises he had made… The truth was, he didn’t know which of his enemies Sulpicia had been involved with, but he had a suspicion—why else would this person have chosen her, of all people?!

"I can't..." the slave whispered again through her tears. She would lose everything if she spoke now. She had already lost so much due to her foolishness; now, she couldn't afford to lose what little remained...

She heard a dull thud as something fell to the ground, followed by footsteps. Suddenly, her chin was grasped roughly, forcing her head upward.

Tiberius looked directly at her. She blinked to clear her vision and, to her surprise and confusion, saw that his cheeks were also streaked with tears.

"His name is Aro, isn't it?" he pressed out angrily, his voice barely above a whisper. Sulpicia's eyes widened in pain. "No! How does he know?! I haven't said anything... I haven't betrayed anything!"

Tiberius' expression hardened when she still did not answer. He let her go roughly and returned to his starting position. Seeing her tear-streaked face and knowing he was responsible for it was more than he could bear. And now he was certain: it had to be the mind reader.

Pictor, the immortal with whom he had also conducted a highly delicate business, had told him about Aro and his talents... That was why he had been so nervous at the banquet where Caius and Aro had appeared…

And he had chosen her, his Sulpicia, to torment him… because, of course, he knew that Sulpicia was his flesh and blood. He was a mind reader. And Pictor, who could obscure his presence from human thoughts, had warned him that someone would come looking for him. That they would try to uncover his secrets.

Time and again, he had supplied the immortal with his best and strongest slaves, receiving substantial compensation in return. He needed the money… for he had gambled his family into financial ruin. He had no choice; he couldn’t refuse the deal.

But Pictor had threatened that if this arrangement ever became public, he would find and kill him… and the certainty that this had just happened—or was about to—filled him with dreadful fear. All because of her stupidity...

"You will tell me right now what he knows!" he said coldly, forcing himself to suppress any emotion toward her. No, she was not his daughter; he had never acknowledged her as such, and he could not afford to show weakness now! She was not part of him. She was nothing more than an ordinary slave.

Strike.

"He knows nothing... I told him nothing..." she sobbed, forcing the words out. And now, all her strength truly left her, for now, she had nothing left... Aro would never forgive her either.

"I don't believe you!"

Strike.

He saw her slump further. Her entire back was covered in bloody welts. He had to stop, or she wouldn't survive—he knew that. But he was so furious at himself and at her that he couldn't stop.

"What did he promise you?! Why do you stand by him instead of me?!"

Strike.

Tiberius hesitated briefly as a new thought crossed his mind. With utter contempt, he spat out the next words: "Are you in love with him? Is that it?!"

He paused again, as if genuinely expecting an answer.

"He will never desire you, Sulpicia! I hope you understand that! He's playing with you because he wants to get to me! You mean nothing to him! You're just part of a larger game, and you don’t even see it!"

Strike.

"You’ve deluded yourself into something that has no future at all—don’t you see that?! How could you be so foolish?! He’s just using you!" He raised his arm once more and struck her one last time. The whip cracked loudly as it came down, and blood splattered. She wanted to scream in pain again, but she couldn’t. Her voice failed her.

"I know..." she thought, sorrowful and drained. "And I will find death for my transgression."

She no longer felt her back. Everything burned, and she was aware that her body wanted to collapse. "What have I done? He's right..."

Because, little by little, the realization had seeped into her mind. That she was nothing more than a means to an end… Why was she defending him? Why was she allowing herself to endure such suffering for him? She had done nothing wrong… nothing but hope for a better life. A life he had used to lure her in...

"Where does your loyalty lie?! With him or with me?!" she heard Tiberius' voice again.

"I wish it weren’t him, but it is… I love him," she thought, yet she didn’t truly know what that feeling was or what it meant. That this wasn’t love was a thought she still vehemently pushed aside, even though she already knew the truth. Aro must have known this could happen, and yet he had used her… It had all been in her head, and she had trusted him too quickly. She had entered into this deal, so it was her fault...

Tiberius gave a signal to the two slaves, and suddenly, Sulpicia was released, collapsing helplessly to the ground. She was exhausted. She couldn't take any more. The pain was too much, consuming her entirely.

Her back and parts of her shoulders burned so agonizingly that she felt as though all her skin must have been stripped away. The pain was so unbearable that her body sought release...

Just before she completely lost consciousness, she heard her master's voice once more, drawing closer.

"And I ask you again: Was it all worth it?"

This time, his words did not sound angry—or was she mistaken? They sounded sorrowful. As though a loving father was speaking in disappointment over his daughter’s transgressions… but surely, that was just an illusion...

"Was it all worth it?" the question echoed in her mind before darkness claimed her.

The answer was a clear no, she now admitted to herself.

And suddenly, she understood with brutal clarity that she was utterly alone. That there was no one she could truly trust, no one to whom she truly mattered.

She was alone and always would be.

“It's a shame you don't know what you're running from
Would your bones have to break and your lights turn off?
Will it take the end of time to hear your heart's false start?

You know this is your biggest mistake
What a waste, what a waste, what a waste
And of all the things you never explained
You know this is your biggest mistake”

(Your Biggest Mistake – Ellie Goulding)

~✾~

Wine was swirled absentmindedly in a goblet until the man whose hand guided the glass lifted it to his lips and emptied it in one swift motion.

Tiberius had withdrawn to his study. He needed silence. He needed to think. Aurelia had wanted him to kill Sulpicia for her betrayal, but he had not been able to bring himself to do it. He could not have killed her. Not his own daughter.

Yet the pain he had inflicted upon her instead had been just as cruel, and it had torn him apart to see her like that. "She is just a slave; she deserves no better after what she has done!" he told himself over and over again. Several goblets of wine had already fallen victim to these thoughts. "But she is still your flesh and blood … whether you want to admit it or not."

Tiberius let out a furious cry, and with a violent motion, he swept the empty goblet from the table, sending it crashing to the floor. He slumped back into his chair and buried his face in his hands. "She is not my daughter! No, I refuse to acknowledge her as such!"

He heard footsteps and immediately straightened up. Not five seconds later, Aurelia stood in the doorway, looking at him expressionlessly. "She knows…," he thought. "She has always known." Her gaze swept across the room, took in the goblet lying on the floor, and finally settled on Tiberius, still devoid of any emotion.

"I'm glad you finally did what was necessary. That slave has always had too much freedom—I told you so." There was no reproach in her voice. She was calm. Satisfied, perhaps. For now, Tiberius would finally stop coddling that wretched girl who looked so terribly like him…

"Oh, if only she knew!" the thought shot through Tiberius' mind. "The real disaster is still ahead of us! Because if that mind reader knows about Pictor, then we are as good as dead!"

At that moment, he could not yet foresee that Pictor was not the immortal he should have feared…

~✾~

"Ahh!" Sulpicia's face contorted in pain, and she writhed as she felt the healing ointment on her wounds.

"Hold still!" Alba, one of the older house slaves, scolded as she tried to apply more of the ointment that the cook had provided for the wounds. "In my opinion, she should consider herself lucky to be held in such high regard … after what she did, she doesn't really deserve such treatment." Alba knew that many of the other house slaves thought the same, though they secretly admired Sulpicia for her courage and boldness.

"Thank you," the wounded woman whispered, biting her lower lip as the pain gradually subsided and the ointment left a cooling, soothing sensation on her skin. Her punishment had been only seven days ago, and the wounds were still agonizing, though she could feel that they were healing day by day. The first three days had been unbearable! She had been feverish, unable to sleep, and constantly tossing and turning. She had felt wretched. Not just because of the physical pain, but emotionally as well.

She sensed Alba pausing briefly and tried to turn slightly to look at the other slave. Alba studied her curiously before finally speaking. "So it really was that dark-haired, handsome man from the banquet you met with?" Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, even though she tried to hide it. "How did you even manage that?!"

Even though Tiberius had tried to keep it a secret, the two slaves who had restrained Sulpicia during her punishment had, of course, been interrogated by the other servants of the house about what had enraged their master so much that he had punished his favorite slave so severely… And when the name Aro was mentioned, they had remembered him, for he had remained in their minds as well.

Neither he nor Caius had been easily forgotten.

Officially, of course, they knew nothing.

Sulpicia clenched her jaw in pain and avoided Alba's questioning gaze. The pain she felt at the thought of him was not physical in nature, and her heart grew heavy. "Yes, he…" she began but then trailed off as she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She did not want to speak of him or of her foolishness in accepting his deal. "It doesn’t matter… It doesn’t matter anymore."

The other woman leaned back slightly. "No, I suppose it doesn't." Alba’s words sounded almost spiteful… or was Sulpicia imagining it? Alba gestured for her to turn back around so she could continue tending to her wounds. "It was foolish of you to trust him. Men like him only want one thing, and once they have it, they cast you aside."

Sulpicia stiffened. What exactly had Alba heard?! She tried to focus on the wall in front of her and ignore Alba's words, but it was impossible. They made her both angry and sad. She had never spoken about Aro, yet the rumor mill had done its work… "Especially with us slaves! It could never have been more than a whim."

"It’s far worse than that," Sulpicia thought bitterly. "He didn’t want me. He wanted to use me to get to my master. To harm him. And I, the fool, had hoped it could be something more." A voice in her head protested, telling her it wasn’t true—that his kind words to her had not been lies, that he had not been to blame for this—but that voice, once so loud, Sulpicia now fought to silence. "No, he doesn’t care… and I must accept that."

Her stomach twisted, for her heart and her feelings for him still told a very different story.

When Sulpicia did not reply, Alba shook her head. "That you endured such pain for him…" There was a faint hint of admiration in her words. The blonde slave took a deep breath.

"Everything has gone so terribly wrong… Aro will never forgive me. And neither will Tiberius. Why did I throw my life away like this?!" she thought desperately. "I will probably never see him again. This won’t matter to him—he must see me as a failure, as someone who broke our agreement… But if that’s the case, then I was never important to him at all if he was willing to take such a risk."

That realization hurt more than anything. More than all the physical agony she had endured before. Because physical pain would fade… but this would not.

Alba sighed loudly. "I do understand, you know." Her voice was now a bit softer. "We all want someone to save us from this life… but he won’t. The sad truth is, he won’t even notice this. Men like him only care for women or men of their own rank." Alba had witnessed much of what happened behind closed doors… as a slave, no one ever paid attention to her.

She applied more ointment, and Sulpicia drew in a sharp breath as the pain from her wounds flared up once more.

~✾~

The next morning, just as Sulpicia had sat up to reapply her linen bandages, there was a hesitant knock at the door. The blonde slave looked up anxiously. In the past few days, she had seen no one except Alba, and now—she knew—it wasn’t time for her salve.

She had been afraid, or perhaps secretly hoped, that it would be Tiberius, as she desperately wanted to apologize for her mistakes. But the moment she saw Svea hesitantly step inside, her expression darkened, and she quickly lowered her gaze again.

“May I come in?” the slave asked.

Sulpicia continued wrapping the bandage around her torso and shoulders, trying her best to breathe through the pain. “I can hardly stop you.”

“Sulpicia, I’m so sorry!” Svea whispered as she stepped closer, hesitant. “I never meant to betray you. I swear I didn’t!”

Sulpicia struggled to suppress her anger. She blinked up at her. Sulpicia wasn’t someone who got angry easily—almost never—but the fact that Svea had first lied to her and then betrayed her made it hard to see her in a good light.

“But you put us all in danger!” Svea went on, furrowing her brows in frustration, as if she couldn’t understand why Sulpicia was rejecting her. “You may think you can trust that man, but we all would have suffered if Tiberius’ wrath had fallen on us because you betrayed him! Because you betrayed us.”

She couldn’t know that these words were something she would deeply regret in the near future. For if she had known who—or rather, what—the man Sulpicia had met in secret truly was, she wouldn’t have wasted a single thought worrying about Tiberius’ anger… It was Aro’s wrath she should have feared instead. But she didn’t yet realize that.

“Thank you for reminding me once again,” Sulpicia said, making an effort to keep her expression and tone neutral, though it wasn’t easy. Of course, Svea was right. Sulpicia saw that now, too. She had been forced to learn it the hard way. But by all the gods, why did everyone keep rubbing salt into her already raw and gaping wound?! Everything about Aro hurt so much, and she didn’t want to think about what would happen to her once she recovered… She had lost Tiberius’ trust—that much was clear.

“But you have to see how wrong this all was!” The other slave didn’t seem to understand Sulpicia’s unspoken plea to drop the subject. She took a deep breath in and out, feeling the tightness in the skin on her back. She secured the bandage, which she still hadn’t finished wrapping, and looked at the woman before her with a serious expression.

“Svea, I’m telling you this kindly: Stay away from me.” Her eyes shimmered, she trembled, and in the blink of an eye, her anger turned into tears that spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t take it anymore, and yes—she had been wrong! But Svea’s betrayal hurt just as much! And she hated herself for being angry at her. She had no right to be, and yet—it was the truth.

Svea took a step back, and Sulpicia continued. “I understand why you did it… but at the same time, I don’t.” She shook her head quickly and tried to stop the tears. She had never been good at dealing with anger, least of all her own. Her next words came only as a whisper. “How could you do this to me?”

The slave seemed perplexed, as if she didn’t understand the question. “I had no choice…” She struggled for words. “At first, I didn’t want to…” A cold shiver ran down her spine, but the moment she focused on it, the chill turned into warmth, enveloping her, filling her with a good, comforting feeling. “That woman with the black hair—she convinced me…”

Sulpicia hadn’t wanted to hear any more excuses, but now her forehead furrowed in confusion. “Wait. What? Who are you talking about?”

Svea smiled dreamily, as if she were suddenly somewhere else, as if her vision had blurred. “The woman in the garden… that night when I caught you… She was so beautiful! That pitch-black hair, those red eyes… the pale skin… those full, red lips…”

Sulpicia stared at her in shock. Who was Svea talking about?!

“She warned me that your secret would bring misfortune upon us all and told me that it wasn’t wrong to do my duty.”

Sulpicia’s eyes shone with disbelief, and a wave of heat and cold washed over her at the strange, singsong tone in Svea’s voice. A woman with black hair? Who could that be? Had someone followed her? Had she been here? In her home? And… if so, who was she? And what was her interest in betraying Sulpicia? What had she done to Svea to make her seem so utterly entranced?

“Svea, who are you talking about?”

The woman addressed smiled again, and her eyes gleamed. "From a very, very good friend!"

Now Sulpicia understood nothing at all. But before she could ask another question, the expression of the slave before her changed, turning sad.

"But… I never wanted this to happen," she whispered, gesturing toward Sulpicia. "Still, you broke the rules and put us all in danger! I had no choice."

Sulpicia realized that this was probably true. But hearing it again and again was cruel. Especially because the mere thought of Aro still sent a tingling sensation through her body—something she couldn’t stop, no matter how hard she tried.

She clenched her jaw and glanced up at the ceiling for a moment, as if that could banish her thoughts and emotions. "One always has a choice," she thought bitterly, feeling the pain in her back and limbs once more. "And I made the wrong one. I should never have trusted Aro or his promises. I should never have betrayed my master. I was foolish to believe I could ever be more than this."

~✾~

But the question of who the black-haired woman with red eyes was and what she wanted remained and continued to occupy Sulpicia’s thoughts.

The following night, she had a very peculiar dream. She found herself at a banquet in her own house. But this time, she was no servant. She was a noble lady, dressed in the same pale pink garment she had always worn during lessons—one that did not belong to her.

Her gaze was fixed on the water of the small fountain in the courtyard, where her face was reflected. She admired her blonde hair, which was artfully pinned up, just as she always did for her mistress. Tiny flowers adorned her hair, and she turned her head from side to side, enchanted by her own reflection. "Oh, how beautiful it looks!" she thought.

Then, suddenly, the conversations and murmurs around her—ones she hadn’t even noticed before—fell silent. The abrupt stillness made her aware of it, and she turned in the same direction as everyone else.

Her stomach tightened, and a tingling sensation ran through her body as she saw Aro enter. He was perfect. His white skin seemed flawless, as did the silhouette of his body, which was clearly visible even through his tunic. His jet-black hair was loose, flowing long and silky down his back. His blood-red eyes swept across the room, studying each person as if he were searching for something—or someone.

Only when his gaze found her did he pause, fixing his eyes on her. Out of courtesy, she wanted to look away but found herself unable to escape his eyes. Her heartbeat quickened as he resumed his path and approached her. He stopped right in front of her, observing her for a moment.

"Hello, my beautiful one."

Sulpicia slightly parted her lips to say something, but before she could, he gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to his, and pressed his lips against hers. Her breath caught. She closed her eyes and let him lead her. The feeling of his lips on hers was wonderful.

The kiss was sweet, yet there was a heaviness to it that she could not explain. She placed a hand on his cheek and pulled him a little closer. He seemed to take it as an invitation, parting his lips slightly, and she followed his lead. His tongue traced along hers, and she let herself fall deeper into the kiss. Her hand wandered hesitantly to his hair, sliding to the nape of his neck, while her other hand rested against his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, sending a thrilling jolt through her body.

Sulpicia smiled into the kiss. She wished they could remain like this forever. She wanted to savor this moment, never be apart from him again.

But, eventually, he pulled away, seeking her gaze once more, and the red of his eyes seemed to pierce right through her. She wanted him back so desperately—denying it was pointless.

"Aro…" she whispered, feeling his hands trail down from her shoulders, along her arms, until he finally grasped her forearms. She followed his touch, relishing the sensation. They lingered like that for a moment, looking at each other.

Sulpicia hadn’t noticed that the people around them had disappeared. The garden was entirely empty, with only the trickling sound of the fountain remaining. It was as if they had become statues, motionless, suspended in an endless moment.

Then Aro broke eye contact. She watched as he leaned in slightly, his breath brushing against her ear. His voice was a whisper, hushed and intimate:

"We are not alone, my love."

Sulpicia was so caught up in the moment, so lost in the feeling of his lips near her ear, that it took her a second to process the words. Then she furrowed her brows, shook her head slightly, and smiled.

"What do you mean? I see no one here."

A faint breeze tousled his black hair, and suddenly, she felt his grip on her forearms tighten. At first, only slightly—but then his hands clenched around her harder and harder, until it became painful.

The lightness in her gaze faded. "Aro, you're hurting me."

When had it become so dark around them? … And when had it grown so cold? Sulpicia only now seemed to realize it. She looked around in confusion. The feeling that surrounded her had changed entirely—it was terrifying, sending a chill of fear through her.

And when Aro pulled away from her ear and she could see him again, she let out a panicked, shocked scream—because it was no longer Aro standing before her!

A lifeless-looking female figure, with hair just as long and black as the man she felt so much for, stood before her, gripping her arms tightly—and she was still squeezing harder. The woman had no face, at least not one Sulpicia could recognize. Glowing red eyes stared at her, full, red lips parted slightly, and snow-white skin gleamed under the dim light. A black mist coiled around the woman's features, shrouding her like a dark aura.

"No! Let me go!" Sulpicia screamed, trying to wrench herself free, but the creature would not relent. It seemed lifeless—yet not. A shiver ran down Sulpicia's spine. Where was Aro? What had happened?

The creature’s cream-colored robe billowed in the wind, and with a whispering voice, it said:

"You broke the rules and put them all in danger!"

Sulpicia recognized the words—Svea had spoken them before. And now, as she listened more closely, she realized that the creature had Svea’s voice!

"It is your fault!"

The grip tightened even more, and she felt nails digging into her skin.

"Your fault…"

The woman's face drew closer, and the black mist wrapped itself around Sulpicia’s own face.

"No, please!" she screamed again.

"YOUR FAULT!"

The mist engulfed her completely, and everything went black.

…

Sulpicia jolted awake from the dream, staring at the ceiling with ragged breaths. Her body was drenched in sweat, and she inhaled shakily.

"It was just a dream…" she told herself.

"Just a dream…"

But the ghostly black-haired woman would continue to haunt her.

~✾~

"That will be all for today. I thank you for your continued interest and participation," Aro concluded another lesson, folding his arms behind his back as he strode toward his desk at the head of the hall, where his documents lay.

He was angry.

Time and again throughout the evening, his gaze had lingered on Sulpicia’s empty seat. This was the third lesson she had missed. The first time, he had thought she simply hadn't managed to attend. Just before the second lesson, he had learned through his creator’s young friend that Pictor was the one they were searching for, and thus he had regretted her absence a little less… or at least, that’s what he had told himself.

But now, with her missing yet again, he found himself growing angry. He would not admit that he actually missed her presence and her remarks. Nor would he acknowledge how much he had come to expect her ever-curious, admiring gaze… It wasn’t as if he cared for her! But he had enjoyed their little game, the lies, and the fabricated existence they had woven for the others.

He had always taken pleasure in peering into her mind and finding so much fascination and emotion directed at him. He had to admit, he himself had started to find her more and more intriguing. And he liked her—her gentle nature. In a way, it was… soothing to him.

He wondered why she had not shown up. The fact that their last interaction had been the kiss, which he knew she had enjoyed as much as he had, only fueled his pondering over her absence.

And if he were truly honest with himself, he had longed to repeat their nighttime stroll…

"Have you heard anything from Sulpicia?" Aro was startled out of his thoughts by Felizitas’ voice. She was well again, and after his lapse in judgment, Aro had dismissed Severin from his lessons for the time being. He needed to properly train and tame the boy before releasing him upon mankind…

"No," Aro replied with feigned indifference, raising his brows slightly as he turned to face her. "Not recently. Have you?"

"Shame… No, I haven’t heard anything either." Felizitas pondered for a moment. Her teacher seemed to have nothing more to say on the matter. But hadn’t he been the one to invite Sulpicia here in the first place, or was she misremembering? Perhaps something had happened that Aro did not wish to discuss? Then again, she didn’t even know how well the two of them actually knew each other, and she had no desire to overstep. She was about to turn away when she gathered her courage and added, "Strange, isn’t it? Skipping a lesson doesn’t seem like her at all, don’t you think?"

Aro knew she was right, yet he merely replied, "I’m sure she has a good reason for her absence." He didn’t like that he found himself thinking the same thoughts—that he actually seemed to miss her.

"I just hope nothing has happened to her…" Felizitas remarked. The immortal found those words unexpectedly painful, though he could not prevent it—for he, too, had already considered that possibility.

Their agreement was meaningless now, given that they knew who the mysterious immortal was. Aro was additionally irritated that he had not uncovered the truth before Caius… This meant Sulpicia was no longer of use to him. And yet, he had reflected on it and realized that he did not want to let her go. He liked her, and he was proud of her progress. Besides, he had grown fond of her, even if she was merely a slave.

What if their arrangement had been exposed and that was why she had not returned? It certainly wasn’t because she had lost interest! Her thoughts had told an entirely different story…

"Even if she was just a means to an end, I do not wish for harm to come to her." He was surprised by this thought. Why did she matter to him so much? When had that happened? For the first time, it dawned on him that if their arrangement had truly been discovered, the consequences for the slave could be severe… "Why do I even care?!"

"I will inquire about her," he told Felizitas, shoving the thought aside with force. He wasn’t seriously worrying about a mortal, was he? A slave, no less!

And yet, he could not shake the feeling that he needed to see her—that he needed to make sure she was well… Because the longer he thought about it, the more it became clear that her absence had likely not been of her own choosing.

„In the porcelain, there's a crack
I've seen your dark side
Now there's no turning back
Tasted the poison on your tongue
It almost killed me“

(Out Of My Head – Digital Daggers)

~✾~

Before Aro could put his plan into action, he had to take care of another matter. Arriving at his home, which he shared with his brothers and sister, he found Marcus leaning over a book, holding a cup of blood in his hand, in the same room again. Aro couldn’t help but smile, as Marcus didn’t even look up, although he had to have noticed the presence of the other immortal.

"What do you want, Aro?"

"You know, I've always wondered why you drink the blood that way." He gestured toward the cup. "Cold, it's definitely much less appetizing!" A smile tugged at the corner of Aro's mouth. Marcus raised his eyes to look at him without lifting his head.

"And you came here to tell me that?"

"No." Aro pushed off from the doorframe where he had been leaning with his arms crossed and stepped closer to Marcus. "I wanted to speak with you before Caius does."

Now Marcus lifted his head and closed the book. "What’s this about?"

Aro had to stifle a laugh. Whenever it came to Caius, Marcus always listened. "Do you remember your friend Pictor?" Aro placed his hands on the table in front of Marcus and leaned slightly forward. "The one who was supposed to write the history of Rome?"

Marcus immediately winced in pain, leaned back a bit, and tried to avoid Aro’s gaze. He didn't like being reminded that he should have killed his friend and couldn’t due to emotional reasons. "Yes, of course, I remember him. Why?"

"Well, let’s say..." Aro paused dramatically. "My sister interpreted the task of killing him for you a bit differently than she was supposed to." Aro tilted his head slightly, so his silky black hair fell to the side and onto the table. His words sounded playful, as though what he was about to say wasn’t a big deal.

No wonder. For Aro, almost nothing was a bigger deal. Or at least, he wanted everyone to believe that...

Marcus furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

Aro straightened up from the table and crossed his arms. "He’s an immortal," he said smoothly. "She turned him. And he is most likely responsible for the missing slaves."

The casualness in Aro’s voice didn’t escape Marcus. He knew him well and knew that when Aro spoke in such a manner, the situation was serious.

"What?!" The second part of the statement seemed to go unnoticed by the brown-haired immortal for the moment, but the first part had made him stand up. "But how could she...?" Marcus was shocked. Not only by the fact itself, but also by his wife’s lie to him.

Aro waved it off. He had known Marcus would be concerned about that, but that wasn’t why he was here. "I don’t know why she did it. I wanted to speak with you first, or rather... you should probably speak with her! She learned early on to hide things from me that I’m not supposed to see."

Marcus thought for a moment. Then he lifted his cup to his lips and drained it in one go before taking a deep breath.

"Does Caius know?"

Marcus knew that his creator and his companion had never liked each other. They always managed to get along, but that didn’t mean there was peace between them. Caius would never tolerate such an affront against him! The rules were clear; they were not to create immortals without his approval. If he found out about this breach, he would punish them for it. And that punishment would not be mild...

Aro sighed and shook his head. "No, of course not. I haven’t betrayed her. He believes it’s your fault, and that you didn’t fulfill your task back then."

"Good..." Marcus replied thoughtfully. He knew that even if Caius would make him suffer for it, he would also forgive him. He didn’t want anything to happen to Didyme.

It pained Aro inside to see how far Marcus would go just to protect his companion. That Aro had not protected him seemed not to cross his mind. He really loved Didyme! So much that he put his own feelings aside at all times... It was painful because Aro knew Didyme didn’t do the same. But how could he ever have spoken against his sister?

Marcus’ features softened, and he seemed sad. "I see so little of her lately. I know, it’s partly my fault, but... she seems different. Not just that she’s troubled, I believe something is haunting her, occupying her mind and not letting her find peace."

Aro remained silent. He knew of her resentment towards Caius and the fact that he tried to keep them all down. Since he largely supported that mindset and thought similarly in many ways, he would say nothing about it.

He watched as Marcus sank a little further into himself. "It makes me sad to see her like this... and now this! I can’t believe she kept from me that she created an immortal without permission!" He sounded genuinely hurt. "She surely didn’t do it without a reason..." He thought about her motives and was disappointed in himself for not having thought of talking to her earlier, as it was obvious she had to be dealing with something significant. "You’re right, I need to talk to her. She can surely explain it to me."

Aro appreciated Marcus’ thoughts and his unconditional love for his sister, but he wanted to get at something else. "Will you protect her from Caius?" he asked. "If he finds out she’s the one who created the immortal, he will not impose a light punishment on her..."

Marcus furrowed his brow. "Of course, I will!" He thought about what motive Didyme could have had to betray him like this... she had been very upset by Caius’ decision and his support for the lie, but this...? He hadn’t known how deep her anger truly ran. He only knew one thing: whatever it was that troubled her, he would protect her! Always! "I’ll tell Caius I couldn’t bring myself to break the agreement with my old friend and couldn’t kill him because of it."

Aro nodded. "Thank you." It sounded sincere. Even though he was taking advantage of Marcus' love for Didyme, he really just wanted to protect his sister as much as Marcus wanted to protect his beloved. He knew that this love for her bound them together.

"Brother, something else is troubling you, isn’t it?" Marcus changed the subject, much to Aro’s surprise. It caught him off guard so much that Marcus could see the bewilderment in his eyes before Aro concealed it behind his carefully constructed mask. "Your heart is heavier than usual, even now."

Marcus furrowed his brows and studied his brother. He had seen it before and assumed that the heaviness in Aro’s mind had to do with Didyme. But even now, it hadn’t lifted... Marcus’ ability to see emotional bonds also allowed him to sense the emotional state of the person in front of him. It was nearly impossible to hide emotions from him when you were in his presence.

Unless, of course, you were extremely skilled at it...

"Yes..." Aro huffed and was annoyed that Marcus had caught him. Was it that obvious? "I have to take care of something, and then this feeling will go away." He still didn’t know whether he should be angry or worried about Sulpicia’s absence. And the fact that he was emotionally upset by it at all didn’t sit well with him!

~✾~

It was already late in the evening. Most of them were already asleep. Only Svea was still cleaning the table of the last remnants of dinner and setting it up for the usually hasty breakfast. She was lost in thought, so she didn’t even notice the light breeze when the dark creature slid over the open roof of the house and into the interior. She didn’t see its shadow as it looked for a hint of life, nor did she notice the blood-red eyes that fixed on her.

Only when she stepped back outside into the garden and felt the hairs on her neck stand up did she realize that something wasn’t right... “H...hello?” she asked cautiously into the darkness, quickly glancing around. She squeaked in surprise as cold hands grabbed her arms and yanked her around.

“Oh, I can't believe it!” she cried out euphorically. Her fear instantly vanished, replaced by fascination! The man standing in front of her was none other than the stranger around whom all the excitement of the last few days had revolved. She couldn’t contain herself.

“It’s really you!” Svea's eyes grew wide, and joy mixed with curiosity reflected in them. Aro was not surprised—many people reacted this way to him. But he was curious about how she knew him. He had only encountered her once before...

He furrowed his brow for a brief moment but then dismissed the thought. It didn’t matter to him. She didn’t matter. He was here for another reason. He studied her intently. "Where is Sulpicia? Can you take me to her?"

He could have come during the day, but he didn’t want to expose Sulpicia if her deal had not been uncovered yet. And, to be honest, the thoughts of her and her fate had been troubling him, along with the certainty that he might have exposed her to an unbearable punishment...

Aro paused for a moment.

It had taken him a while to attune himself to Svea’s thoughts.

But now, he did.

And his expression instantly hardened.

The second he touched Svea and read her thoughts, he saw it. He saw her. And what had been done to her. The pain she had suffered... His red eyes bore into Svea’s, and she swallowed hard, for they glowed with deadly intent. Suddenly, fear surged within the slave, and she tried to take a step back, but he wouldn’t let her. His iron grip held her in place.

Aro saw how the slave had betrayed Sulpicia, and he saw his sister Didyme, who had charmed and manipulated Svea into uncovering Sulpicia’s secret. It was all too much at once, more than he could emotionally process quickly.

"Of course I..." But Svea didn’t get any further, as she gasped sharply when she felt the man’s other hand against her throat. Cold fingers closed around it like stone. She widened her eyes in fright and tried to loosen his grip around her neck, which was growing tighter by the second.

Aro was beside himself! "Didyme caused Sulpicia’s suffering?! I can’t believe it! And this human woman is responsible...!" He couldn’t think clearly. Rage and the emotional control of it had always been a problem for him, but now he didn’t resist it.

His mask fell faster than he would have liked, but he was too enraged to care.

"You foolish human!" he hissed, and Svea saw in shock how the outline around his eyes darkened, how his features became more animalistic... His aura seemed to envelop her like dark threads, and she felt coldness rising within her.

It was too much. Aro felt that he could barely focus due to his rage and disappointment. He didn’t know which was heavier—Didyme’s betrayal or his shock at how deeply Sulpicia’s fate had affected him, and the guilt he felt for being responsible for it, in essence.

He pushed it aside. No, it wasn’t his fault. It was hers!

"Please..." the slave pleaded, but Aro tightened his hand around her throat even more. Rage built up inside him, and he felt his fangs protruding. He would have loved to tear her apart right then and there, but that would attract attention, and he needed to find Sulpicia.

He forced himself to calm the buzzing in his ears and the murderous intent within. He needed to see her. Now.

The slave gasped for air and struggled violently under his grip. A little more, and he would kill her... her vision blurred, but then, suddenly, she was dropped, the grip on her neck loosened, and she collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. She wanted to say something, but the air wouldn’t come. Trembling, she searched for support.

Aro wasted no time on her, leaving her lying there carelessly and trying to regain control as he hurriedly searched for the room he had seen in Svea’s thoughts. The buzzing in his ears still wouldn’t stop, and he could barely focus. "Didyme betrayed her! She must have followed us..."

He and his sister had often thwarted each other’s plans, but this time, it angered him more than ever. This time was different. He hadn’t even known she was playing along! And this time, his pawn was a slave, not a noblewoman. This woman couldn’t fight back.

~✾~

In the meantime, Sulpicia had propped herself up, a single candle burning in the small room where she still lingered, as long as the injury had not yet healed. In this regard, Tiberius had been kind to her, because usually, no one was ever alone in this house.

She was trying to read one of the books, the ones no one knew she had learned to understand. Reading was still difficult for her, but she noticed she was getting better the more she practiced.

A breeze – she only noticed it by the flickering of the candle – and the door opened.

Sulpicia instinctively snapped the book shut, hid it beside her, and looked up.

Her mouth dropped open as she recognized the figure standing before her, and her stomach clenched. “Aro…”

A cold shiver ran through her body as she saw his silhouette, the pitch-black hair, and the red eyes, illuminated by the candlelight. “Why are you here? I…” She began shaking her head vigorously, for while she spoke, she thought the only reason he could be there was that Tiberius had spoken with him. “I didn’t betray you, I swear it!”

She watched as he slowly approached. Seeing him again, after everything that had happened, hurt her so much! Because she still felt so much for him, even though she knew he would never feel the same way! And now it was even worse than that. He would punish her as well, because he must think she had betrayed him. Why else would he be here?

“Please, you have to believe me, I didn’t say anything!” she whispered, her eyes starting to fill with tears as he sat beside her and ran his fingers over her shoulder.

“I know,” she heard him say calmly, while his gaze rested first on her shoulders, then on her back, as he gently turned her so that he could examine the wound. “Please, let me see it.” His deep voice was calm. She followed his request and slightly turned her torso around.

She closed her eyes in pain when she felt his touch. She had undone the bandage, as she had every evening, because she had been told that the wound would heal best when exposed to the air. Yet his fingers on her healing skin burned like fire.

Aro’s gaze, however, grew increasingly dreamy.

Touching her, reading her thoughts, made him shudder.

Memories of the punishment for her transgression flooded him, and he struggled to concentrate. The pain he felt from what he saw was indescribable, overwhelming him like a wave he couldn’t fight against, a wave he hadn’t seen coming.

“What did he promise you?! Why do you stand by him, instead of me?!” The memory of Tiberius' words, followed by another blow, pierced his mind. “If I tell him now, I lose both. My freedom is already forfeited... but I don’t want to lose Aro!” he heard Sulpicia’s thoughts, and he immediately felt guilty. It surprised him. It shouldn’t matter so much to him… she shouldn’t matter so much to him!

“I’ve always trusted you. You’ve enjoyed so many freedoms in this house! And for what?! For some stranger?!” Again, Tiberius' words came, followed by another strike. He could feel her pain... the pain he had caused.

Aro pushed the thought aside as he carefully continued to run his fingers along her back. “What has he done to you…?” he whispered in disbelief. She tried to follow his movements with her eyes but couldn’t move. She was as if frozen.

“You’ve gotten yourself involved in something that has absolutely no future, can’t you see that?! How could you be so foolish?! He’s using you!” Tiberius’ words made him rage again! Especially because he was right… Aro had used her to get information. At least at the beginning… He pushed that thought away. He told himself that the only reason he was so angry now was that he had already considered her his property. He had told her that he would take her after all of this, and truly, he would never have caused such suffering to someone so pure!

Aro would never cause suffering to beautiful things.

At least, he always convinced himself of that.

He saw the blows she had had to endure, over and over again. His fingers brushed over the healing scars, and with every curve he followed, he saw in her memories the moment they had been branded onto her skin.

“It was the punishment for betraying him…” she replied hesitantly. Their gazes met, pulling Aro back into the present. Sulpicia shuddered.

He saw her pain and her struggle to decide whether she could trust him. He saw her feelings for him… And her plea for forgiveness for her transgressions.

Gently, he lifted a hand and brushed his knuckles across her cheek. She briefly closed her eyes and followed the touch.

Her words hurt him. What they had made her believe was wrong. She didn’t belong here. She belonged with him... Not as his companion, he wasn’t looking for such a thing! But she could belong to him! And he would treat her well...

“Do you think you deserve this?” he asked finally, looking at her intently.

“I…” She had no answer to that. She didn’t understand the meaning of the question.

On one hand, she wanted to agree, for she was a slave and had no rights. That she had been foolish enough to believe it was bad enough. That she had believed Aro and his words was foolish enough… “I went along with your deal,” she thought, but she would never say it out loud. She didn’t know that Aro could hear every one of her thoughts. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

Aro clenched his teeth as he heard her thoughts. But he didn’t blame himself, he blamed Tiberius. “You’re avoiding my question.” His red eyes pierced hers. “Do you think you deserve this?”

He had to hear it from her. He had to hear that she was angry at her master, to justify to himself what he was about to do next.

Deep inside, he knew he was responsible for all of this, that he had played with her and exposed her to this fate. But he would never admit that to himself. Instead, he projected all his anger onto the one who had inflicted the many painful physical blows.

Sulpicia cautiously shook her head and immediately had to look away, ashamed. Not just because she honestly believed she hadn’t done anything wrong, but also because she had enjoyed the last weeks so much. She had enjoyed feeling like a free citizen of Rome, learning, surrounding herself with other people who were as thirsty for knowledge as she was, and last but not least, being by Aro’s side… and all of that was wrong, just because she was a slave? Because it wasn’t her place? … No, she truly didn’t think she deserved this… but such thoughts were more than just reprehensible! Tiberius had every right to reprimand her because of his status.

“Yes… I see that too. He shouldn’t have done that,” Aro said darkly, and with a sudden movement, he stood up, pulling his hand away from her. The loss of his touch hurt. Her gaze shot upward, and she got up too, following him with her eyes. The tone in his voice had changed with his last words, and it sent a cold shiver through her limbs.

“Aro, please wait!” she said, trying to stop him, now realizing the meaning of his words. He stopped just before the door, his back to her, his black hair shimmering in the light of the only candle in the room. When he turned back to her, she gasped sharply. Dark shadows had formed under his eyes, and the anger that was etched into his features made her shudder.

“Don’t worry, my love, my anger isn’t directed at you,” he said gently, and it seemed so out of place with his expression. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, he turned and disappeared through the door. For a moment, she stood frozen, but then it dawned on her what he had just said, what he was about to do, and she ran after him. “He’s going to confront Tiberius!” She feared that this would only drive Tiberius further against her.

Oh, if only she had known that talking was the last thing Aro had in mind for him…

~✾~

Sulpicia tried to follow Aro, but he was too fast, and she was still too weak. She struggled to catch up with him in the atrium, wanting to call his name to stop him, but that would have woken everyone else. She saw him turn the corner, heading towards her master's study, took a deep breath, and forced herself to run faster, ignoring the pain.

Then, suddenly, a voice sounded.

"Sulpicia..." Her head snapped to the side as she reached the courtyard and heard Svea's whisper. She startled and covered her mouth as she saw the slave pressed against the wall, hands around her neck.

"Svea!" For a moment, she forgot about Aro, crouched down beside her, and stroked her arm. "What happened?"

Svea shakily released her hands, and Sulpicia saw red marks on her neck that were beginning to bruise.

"He..." Svea whispered, pointing shakily in the direction Aro had gone. "It was him..."

Sulpicia's eyes widened, and she spun around. He had hurt Svea? She couldn’t believe it! But the anger she had seen flare in his eyes earlier made her suspect it could be true… She had to stop Aro before he spoke to Tiberius! If he had already done this to Svea, what would he do to…

"Tiberius! How nice to see you again!" she heard Aro’s voice, muffled and sweet. He must have spoken very loudly because normally the sound would have been too distant. She felt both hot and cold at the same time.

"Svea, I’ll be right back," she said briefly to the slave and stood up. As quickly as she could, she moved towards the study. She couldn’t make out the next words; both men were speaking too quietly, but as she got closer, their voices became clearer.

"Aro, I don’t understand how you got in…" Tiberius sounded equally confused, furious, and… afraid. That made Sulpicia shiver as well.

"In the same way your immortal friend must have always done, I suppose. Or how else would it be that no one saw him? How else could it be that I didn’t see him?"

Sulpicia didn’t understand at all. What did he mean by 'immortal'? And who was Aro talking about?

"Please! I had to make this deal with him! It couldn’t be helped..." Tiberius tried to defend himself. Pictor had warned him, he would kill him if Aro or Caius found out and told him how much power they had, what talents they possessed… He had shown him what he was, and had made clear what they were capable of. It had been a delicate alliance, but Tiberius had needed the money, and Pictor had needed his slaves. Why, he hadn’t wanted to tell him…

"I understand, of course. A financial imbalance always leads one to form dangerous alliances." Aro’s voice was cutting, icy and taut like a deadly arrow. Tiberius laughed nervously and painfully. He wasn’t sure whether Aro meant his words seriously, and he was afraid to agree or contradict him. "You know what we are." Those words sounded serious and dangerous. "Then you also know what we’re capable of."

"I swear to you, I would never have agreed to this deal if I hadn’t…" Tiberius was interrupted. Sulpicia heard hands slam against the table.

"Tiberius, I no longer care about your deal! That’s not why I’m here. I’ve seen what you’ve done to her! How could you?!" Sulpicia held her breath and pressed her back against the wall. "She’s your daughter!" At these words, the slave’s eyes widened and she exhaled loudly. "What?! What is he saying?"

"Oh, so it’s about Sulpicia!" Tiberius sounded hysterical. "She’s a slave. My slave. And I can do with her as I please. Why should someone like her matter to you?" The master tried to justify himself, but it was enough. Sulpicia heard furniture being pushed aside, and Tiberius screamed.

Without thinking, she dropped her cover and rushed into the room, but as soon as she reached the doorway, she froze. Fear coursed through her. Her instincts screamed at her to get out of there.

Aro had grabbed Tiberius by the throat and effortlessly lifted him into the air. Shocked, she widened her eyes and pressed her hands to her mouth.

"Sulpicia..." Tiberius croaked as he saw her, widening his own eyes as he tried to wriggle free from the grip. Aro didn’t even turn around. He didn’t need to; he had known Sulpicia was behind the door. Her heartbeat had betrayed her.

"I suffer at least as much from your betrayal as you suffer from the pain!" Aro’s words, which he had spoken to Sulpicia during her punishment, rushed through his mind, and his expression darkened even further.

"I don’t think you’re suffering as much as she is, my dear. Not yet, anyway." Tiberius’ eyes widened as he saw Aro’s fangs when he spoke those words. "You will bleed for what you’ve done to her. And I mean that literally," Aro said grimly, and a deathly fear shot through Tiberius. He already knew from Pictor what monsters like Aro were capable of.

"Please, no..." the master pleaded, but the immortal had already sunk his teeth into his neck. His feet had found the floor again, but it was useless. He screamed and tried once more to escape the grip, but Aro was too strong.

Sulpicia screamed too, but neither of them really noticed. Aro didn’t, because the rage over the entire situation was making him almost senseless; Tiberius didn’t, because the pain was clouding his mind.

Aro eventually released him and threw his head back, so his hair ran down his back like liquid tar. His teeth gleamed. Blood dripped from them, just as it dripped from the wound and soaked Tiberius’ clothes. The immortal breathed deeply in and out, and his soulless eyes fixed again on the man in front of him, who was now staggering and trying to use his hands to stop the bleeding.

The black-haired one tilted his head, and a diabolical grin spread across his features. The intoxication from the fresh blood only fueled his anger even more. "You always have a choice. And I made the wrong one. I should never have trusted Aro and his promises. I should never have betrayed my master," Sulpicia’s thoughts flashed through his mind again. How could she think such a thing?! Tiberius had made her! He was to blame for her thinking this way about him! It had to be like that!

With a leap, Aro twisted the man’s arm around, wrenching it completely, and Tiberius screamed again. Aro circled him and forced him to his knees, which made the man arch his back. Tiberius tried to stop Aro with his free hand, reaching back, but his breath caught again as Aro reached into his neck wound with his free hand and, with his nails, made a clean cut across his throat. More blood poured out, and Tiberius’ shocked eyes found Sulpicia, who immediately backed away several steps, completely shocked.

The last beautiful sight he would see in this life… the sight of his unaccepted daughter…

"You humans are such vile and low creatures!" Aro’s gaze fixed on the blood pouring from the neck and he inhaled the scent, intoxicated by the satisfaction this death brought him. He kept the man upright, watching as more and more life drained from him, and finally dropped him carelessly to the ground when his limbs went limp.

For a few seconds, he looked at Tiberius and the pool of blood at his feet with contempt, then his blood-red eyes lifted and looked at her. He had known she was there, and yet somehow it had slipped his mind.

Sulpicia tensed immediately, her eyes glistening with fear as she met his gaze and turned to run away. But he was faster than she could blink, grabbed her wrist, pulled her into the room, and pressed her against a wall before pressing his hand to her mouth to silence her.

Her wound hurt terribly, but Aro only realized it too late.

Agitated footsteps from within the house were becoming louder, and now Sulpicia could hear them too...

"Hello?!" It was Aurelia, who had presumably woken from the noise. "What’s going on here?!"

Sulpicia couldn’t take her eyes off Aro. Silent tears streamed down her cheek, and Aro heard her thoughts at that moment, as he focused on her, much louder than he would have liked.

"Let me go! Please let me go! What have you done?! What kind of monster would do such a thing?!"

“Love, let's talk about love
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
Or do the feeling haunt you?
I know the feeling haunt you

Tell me what you gonna do to me
Confrontation ain't nothin' new to me
You can bring a bullet, bring a sword, bring a morgue
But you can't bring the truth to me“

(All The Stars – Sofia Karlberg)

~✾~

The woman's screeching grew louder as she approached, and Sulpicia's eyes widened in shock, fearing what would happen next. She felt the wall pressing against her back and could do nothing but stare into Aro's glowing red eyes, which were locked onto hers.

The vampire's hands had firmly grasped the woman's upper arms, pinning her against the wall, allowing her unfiltered thoughts to flood into him without resistance.

At first, he had been too consumed by his own frenzy of hatred and bloodlust to truly focus on them, but gradually, her internal screams reached him. Screams of despair, fear, and disbelief. Her mind was in chaos. The situation she was in had sent her into shock, and he realized that even she could barely make sense of her own thoughts.

He loosened his grip slightly, seeing that she was in pain, and stared at her. One single thought had manifested so clearly in her mind that he could not ignore it:
"What kind of monster are you, to be capable of such a thing?!"

Was she not grateful for his help?!

But the vampire had no time to control his anger over this or to calm Sulpicia, for he first had to deal with the lady of the house—who had unfortunately decided to leave her bed, thus making herself his next victim!

"That foolish woman!" Aro wanted to scream internally. "Now I have to dispose of her too!"

It dawned on him that he had not thought this through very well… After all, no witnesses could remain if he didn’t want Caius or the citizens of Rome to find out. But his rage had driven him, and with the intoxicating scent of blood still lingering around him, it was easy to push aside his doubts and fully commit to what he was about to do.

With a swift motion, he pulled away from Sulpicia, stepping a few paces back. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent. She nodded hastily. Out of fear. That was enough for now.

Sulpicia blinked, and suddenly Aro was gone from the room. For a moment, she exhaled shakily, but then she collapsed—there was now nothing between her and the corpse lying barely three steps away… still drenched in blood.

She felt nausea rising and suppressed the urge to vomit by pressing a hand over her mouth, just as Aro had done to her before.
"Aro… what… what has he done?! How can a human being be capable of such cruelty?!"

Her body revolted, and she had to turn away from the sight. But there was no time, for at that moment, Aurelia’s muffled voice sounded from outside the door.

"What are you doing here?" the woman demanded indignantly, and Sulpicia assumed she had just encountered Aro.
"And how did you get in? At this hour, no less?!"

"No need to worry," came the black-haired man’s smooth, charming voice, and a cold shiver ran down Sulpicia’s spine. Suddenly, his beautiful words sounded so different...

What she couldn’t see was that while speaking, Aro had placed a hand on Aurelia’s arm—almost as if to reassure her. But the lady of the house had furrowed her brows, staring at him in shock as she noticed the blood that covered him from head to toe.

"I always knew you would bring disgrace upon this house," Aurelia's words, directed at Sulpicia, echoed immediately in the immortal’s mind the moment he touched her. "If it were up to me, you wouldn’t live to see tomorrow," she had said, just before Sulpicia's torture.

Instantly, Aro’s expression changed. Where there had been feigned kindness moments before, now there was only cold determination. Oh yes, she would pay for what she had done to Sulpicia! How could anyone inflict such suffering on such a beautiful creature?

He refused to acknowledge that he alone was responsible for the turn Sulpicia’s life had taken—that he had, in fact, condemned her to this fate, manipulated her for his own purposes, and exploited her naivety, kindness, and inexperience to get what he wanted.

No! He was the one saving her now!

"You know," he began, tilting his head as he studied Aurelia. His fangs became visible, and the woman immediately recoiled in terror. "I think the one who won’t live to see tomorrow… is you."

He didn’t shout. His words were as velvety soft as willow catkins in spring, and that was precisely what made them so terrifying.

Sulpicia closed her eyes at the sound that followed. She didn’t want to see it, nor hear it. She couldn’t believe what was happening. A scream rang out, then a tearing sound, a crack, and finally, a thud—as if a wet sack of flour had hit the ground.

"Tiberius is dead… and Aurelia as well! Aro has killed them… and Tiberius, he was… he was…" She didn’t dare finish the sentence. Her thoughts raced as she tried to make sense of it all, to find some logic in the chaos, but she couldn’t. Suddenly, she jolted upright in horror—for another voice had echoed through the house.

A child's voice.

"No!" She didn’t know where the strength came from, but suddenly she was on her feet, rushing toward the door. A high-pitched ringing filled her ears, and she felt as if she was no longer in her body, as if it were moving on its own.

She came to an abrupt halt, staring first at Aurelia’s lifeless, blood-soaked body at her feet, then looking up—to Aro. But he wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was fixed on the two boys who had likely been woken by the commotion.

It was such a cruel sight—them standing there, frightened in the hallway, their hands tightly clasped together. Sulpicia's heart grew so heavy she nearly collapsed. But then, the wave of emotions she had been too paralyzed to feel moments ago crashed over her, and she screamed:
"Titus, Quintus! Run! Please, run away!"

The boys flinched, frozen in place.

Aro’s head snapped toward Sulpicia, and she instinctively recoiled at the disbelief, confusion, and fury in his gaze. But then, his expression shifted once more—his face suddenly composed, as if he were trying to regain control of himself.

A cold chill ran down her spine, but she forced herself to tear her eyes away from him and focus on the boys. She took a deep breath.

"Didn’t you hear me?! Run!" she shouted again, and this time, the boys obeyed.

The words Aro spoke to her next were as gentle as they were terrifying. Had she not been paralyzed with shock, she would have fled as well.

"See, I really don’t want to do this. But I have no choice, I’m sorry." He turned away from her, moving to pursue the boys.

Inside, Aro himself thought that this whole situation had escalated somewhat… Originally, he had only intended to kill Tiberius and then disappear. With her. But in his mind, this gesture had been more romantic than the reality it had become… And his rage had taken control.

Even now, what angered him most was that she apparently didn’t appreciate his gesture at all!

"No!" Sulpicia screamed. An unknown force took hold of her, and she ran after him, trying to stop him. "Aro, please!" she cried again, sure that by now, every servant in the house must have realized something was wrong. Even she was surprised at the strength in her voice, at this sudden burst of courage.

She was terrified and couldn’t comprehend what had happened—what was still happening…

But she couldn’t reach him. He vanished from her sight as swiftly as he had left Tiberius' study. And when she stepped into the atrium and saw the rest of the house, her breath caught—for of course, the other slaves had heard the screams as well. Yet upon seeing the scene before them, they had frozen in place.

Sulpicia saw them—the doorman, the cook, and even Svea, who had at least managed to retreat into a corner. She was still clutching her throat with both hands, struggling to breathe.

Sulpicia wanted to say something, but before she could, more screams rang out. Among them, the voices of the children. Their heads all turned in the direction of the sound.

The screams were so heart-wrenching, cutting Sulpicia to the core. She could do nothing but squeeze her eyes shut and press her hands over her ears, trying to block them out.

And just seconds later… everything was over.

Two cold hands closed around her arms, one on each side, gently but firmly pulling them away from her ears so she could hear again. A shiver ran down her spine once more, but she knew she had to look at him… otherwise, he would make her do it. And so she forced herself, hesitantly meeting his blood-red eyes.

A breath. A second. She was trembling—she could feel it clearly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out more figures lying on the ground, but she didn’t dare look at them directly. “Aro, why?” she whispered timidly. Looking at him—and especially seeing the blood on him, his now predator-like face, and his sharp fangs—terrified her beyond words. But even more, she feared how much horror she would feel if she dared to look around. What had happened? “Why did you do this?”

The answer came sooner than she had expected, and his voice was so guttural and dark that it sent another shudder through her. “For you, my love. This is the consequence for the suffering they inflicted upon you.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mouth fell open in disbelief, and tears welled up in her eyes as she hastily began shaking her head. “No…” she murmured in despair, more to herself than to him, sinking in on herself as her vision blurred. “No, no…” Tiberius, Aurelia, the children… and likely Svea and all the others—they were dead. Dead because of her.

Aro, who was still reading her thoughts, furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth. Of course, for a human, this must be shocking, but was she not grateful? Was she not thankful that he had freed her from these people? That he had repaid the injustice done to her a thousandfold, that he had avenged her?

He dismissed it as mere shock—surely, once she regained clarity, she would be grateful to him!

“I will get you out of here,” he said softly again, and before she could anticipate his next move, she gasped sharply as she felt him lift her into his arms.

Instinctively, she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, seeking stability, and burying her face in his shoulder as she felt a powerful gust of wind.

And then—it was all over.

~✾~

She was still in his arms when she suddenly felt him slow down. The inhuman speed with which he had moved had made her shudder, something she only realized when he set her down and she had to reach for him again to steady herself. Her legs refused to hold her.

“Sulpicia, please, calm yourself,” she heard him say gently. Aro had caught her mid-motion and was now watching her closely. But when she hesitantly met his gaze, all he saw in her eyes was fear.

She was clearly still in shock.

He tried to ignore her thoughts. Right now, she was far too confused. Naturally—after everything she had just witnessed, that was understandable.

Even he wasn’t entirely sure why he had taken such a risk to bring her here. To himself. He found her enchanting, there was no doubt about that. And he had been unable to accept that she had been subjected to such suffering. Such a pure soul as hers did not deserve that. But what would happen now?

"She will be a truly beautiful jewel in my collection," he thought. "Once she has calmed down…"

As charming as the vampire could be, he could be equally cold. Aro had never truly been in love, and—with the exception of his sister—he had never felt deep affection for anyone. He did not consider this tragic. After all, he saw how dependent and easily manipulated Marcus was due to his love for Didyme, how dependent all humans and immortals were on love. And he was grateful that he had never felt more than superficial attraction toward anyone.

It had never been difficult for him to captivate women or men, and he loved playing with the attraction his appearance had on nearly everyone.

In general, he loved games. Just as he had loved his game with Sulpicia before it had been so rudely interrupted. It was only fair, he thought, that Tiberius and his wife had lost their lives because of it! Tiberius had been a thorn in his side for some time, and it had greatly irritated him that his gift had seemingly failed to work on the man.

It irked him somewhat that Caius—whom he had so admired for his lack of emotion—now seemed to be developing feelings for a mortal woman. And the fact that this had happened almost simultaneously with his game with Sulpicia made him wonder if perhaps he could do the same with her.

If Caius were to bond with someone, wouldn’t it make him look weak if he didn’t do the same? And he had always found it quite pleasant to listen to Sulpicia’s thoughts—on one hand, so inexperienced and innocent, and on the other, so utterly adoring of him.

"Aro, where are we?" Her questioning voice pulled him from his thoughts. They had stopped in front of a grand house. It was unmistakably the home of wealthy people, though not the most opulent residence in the city.

He smiled. “In your new home.” The certainty with which he said it sent a chill down her spine. Partly from disbelief—was this not exactly what she had dreamed of? But also from fear. If he could simply decide this, who or what would she be to him?

She watched as he opened the door, gesturing for her to enter.

For a moment, she looked at him in silence, hesitant and uncertain whether she should comply. But she had little choice… With a few slow steps, she crossed the threshold, and in an instant, her eyes took in the breathtaking beauty before her.

It was clearly much larger than her old home, with white marble covering both the walls and floors, making the space seem incredibly bright, at least in daylight. Further inside, she could see a fountain and several statues, all elegantly arranged.

Momentarily captivated by the sight, she lightly traced her fingers along the cold stone.

"Master?" A sharp voice suddenly rang out, making Sulpicia flinch. She turned toward the source of the voice and found herself staring at a tall, strikingly beautiful slave with green eyes and long, curly black hair, who was studying her intently.

“My dear, how thoughtful of you to greet us!” Aro purred, and Sulpicia watched as he placed both hands on the woman’s upper arms and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She didn’t want to be jealous, but somehow… she was. “Would you take care of Sulpicia, please?” Both women turned to look at each other, and the blonde slave instantly tensed. “I will return soon. I have something to finish.”

"He’s leaving again? But where…?" Then it dawned on her, and she looked at him in panic. "He has to cover the tracks…"

He must have sensed her concern, for he stepped closer again, meeting her gaze with quiet intensity. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll be back soon, and then we can talk, I promise.”

Reflexively, she had inched away from him, a movement he did not miss. He studied her for a moment, seeming to weigh something—though she couldn’t tell what. Then, he turned away, and all she saw was the long, jet-black hair and his retreating figure.

What kind of creature was he? A strikingly handsome demon from the underworld, perhaps? Who else could be capable of such an act?! All that blood… and had those been fangs she had seen?

But what in the name of the gods had she done to be put through such a trial? The attraction she still undeniably felt had not faded—but now it was equal in measure to the fear that gripped her. And the guilt… for she was responsible for her master’s death. And the deaths of the others…

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Aro was already gone, leaving her alone with the unfamiliar slave, who still eyed her with disdain.

With arms crossed, the woman stepped closer and finally said, “Come. I will help you clean up. You’re covered in blood.” The black-haired woman wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Doesn’t it frighten her at all?!" Sulpicia thought as she followed the stranger. "Or… could she possibly be used to seeing such things?"

~✾~

"Ouch!" escaped Sulpicia reflexively as the slave cleaned the wound on her back with a sponge. But she immediately bit her lip because she hadn't actually meant to say it out loud. She regretted the outcry instantly. "Please forgive me, I didn’t mean to be rude. I thank you for your help!"

The dark-haired woman paused briefly but then continued her work right away. She remained silent and left it uncommented. Sulpicia did not dare to look at her until she was finished and wordlessly indicated that she should dress in the clothes she had laid out for her.

The blonde woman examined the fabric. It was obviously a slave garment as well, though a somewhat finer one. Did it belong to the other slave? And by wearing it, was she now taking a part of the other woman’s clothing away?

She tried to push the thought aside, slipped it on, finally looked the stranger in the eyes, and extended her hand. "I am Sulpicia, and you?" She had indeed calmed down somewhat and tried to push away her fear. The short bath and the cleansing had helped. And now she thought she had to break her silence and at least show gratitude for the help that had been offered to her.

But the woman opposite her merely wrinkled her nose and finally said disdainfully, "The master brought you here … you were lying in his arms." It was more a statement than a question. The words were full of anger. Or was it jealousy? And the woman had neither given her name nor taken the offered hand.

"How could she have seen that? Had she been waiting for him?" The thought crossed Sulpicia’s mind. The idea of the entire situation made her stomach clench. If someone had asked her, she wouldn’t have known how to describe her current state of mind. She did not know what she felt. Again and again, she tried to banish the image of dead Tiberius … her father! … from her mind. As well as the dead bodies of the others … it was all so terribly cruel that it took her breath away.

"Yes …" she answered briefly and withdrew her hand before averting her gaze. Even though she had calmed down somewhat, what had happened before still deeply unsettled her. Her thoughts raced. What was she supposed to do now?! How should she speak to Aro? What should she say?! And what would he expect?! How dangerous was he really, and what did he intend to do with her now?!

Everyone she had known and worked for was dead. Dead because of him. Because of the man – or … demon – with whom she had made a deal and to whom she had given her heart … and thus, in essence, dead because of her.

She wished she could still see in him only the sophisticated scholar … but what she had just witnessed made her rather assume that he must be a creature from the underworld.

"You should count yourself lucky …" The voice of the other slave pulled her back into reality. Something in her voice and tone made Sulpicia look up. She stared at the other woman in disbelief and recoiled from the obvious jealousy in her eyes.

It was so grotesque in light of what was going through her mind.

"I …" She did not know what to say. "He killed my master and mistress! And not only them!" Sulpicia’s focus was clearly on the aspect of killing, but the slave before her seemed to interpret it differently.

"Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying! He saved you!" The dark-haired woman rose indignantly. "You will be here with us now …" She hesitated for a moment and then added through clenched teeth, "With him …"

Her eyes burned with rage, and she turned away for a moment so that Sulpicia could only see her back.

Sulpicia frowned slightly and examined the dark-haired woman more closely.

Who was this beautiful woman? She did not look like a slave at all; her skin was far too pure for that. Her face and the way she carried herself had a grace like that of a wealthy citizen, and yet she was obviously not one.

And as she observed her further from behind, it dawned on Sulpicia that this woman might not be an ordinary slave, as she had assumed. She called Aro master … and clearly had feelings for him. But not only that. The way he had interacted with her suggested a familiarity that Sulpicia neither understood nor could grasp.

He had spoken to the dark-haired woman in the same velvety tone he always used with her. And she could not quite explain why, but that unsettled her.

"You like him very much, don’t you?" she asked hesitantly, whereupon the dark-haired woman immediately turned back to her. Anger flared in her gaze.

"Yes!" was the short reply. Cecilia – that was her name, though she did not want to share it with Sulpicia – did not think that the relationship between her and her master was any of this stranger’s business, and it pained her greatly that Aro apparently had as much interest in Sulpicia as he had in her.

Well … he loved beautiful things. That was no secret. And yet it hurt.

She quickly banished the thought again. No! It was certainly not the same! What she and her master shared went much further back and was much deeper!

"Then he saved you too?" the blonde woman concluded, watching as the dark-haired woman furrowed her brows in anger.

"Of course not!" For a moment, there was silence. Sulpicia waited until the woman before her would speak again on her own. Finally, she sighed and said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "I am here of my own free will."

Sulpicia had to control herself not to widen her eyes and open her mouth in astonishment. What had she just said?! Willingly? What sane person would voluntarily choose such a fate as hers?! Who would willingly want to be a slave?!

She couldn’t help herself. She had to ask further, even if it might be rude. "So … you serve him of your own free will?" This was a concept Sulpicia simply could not grasp. As long as she could remember, she had wanted nothing more than to be free. But to voluntarily submit to slavery and renounce a wealthy life? Never! "But why?"

Cecilia studied her for a moment and seemed to weigh something in her mind that Sulpicia did not understand. Then, however, she sat down again and looked at her intently.

"He promised that one day I could be like him. That I could be by his side." That had been four years ago. But Cecilia did not say that. If she were honest, it seemed even longer than she had initially expected. But she loved Aro with everything she was and had, and she would never – under any circumstances – doubt him!

Since that day, she had wished for nothing more than to be like him. And so she had always ignored the bloodshed, telling herself that this was simply the price of perfection, a price she was willing to pay if it meant bringing her closer to Aro.

"To be by his side …" Sulpicia shuddered at the thought that she wished for the same thing. Still. Despite everything that had happened. And she hated herself for it.

"That’s why I don’t understand why he has brought you here now," Cecilia’s words tore Sulpicia from her thoughts, and she flinched, as if it was almost an answer to her own thoughts.

"I’m not sure either …," the blonde slave admitted honestly. She truly did not know.

She needed to talk to him! But even more than that, she needed rest. Only now did she realize how terribly exhausted she was.

The dark-haired woman seemed to interpret that look correctly because she stood up again and her features softened slightly as she finally said, "Follow me, I will take you to another room so you can rest for a while … You look very tired … I’m sure he will come to see you when he returns."

This time, she was the one who extended her hand to help Sulpicia up. "By the way, my name is Cecilia."

„You are the night-time fear
You are the morning when it's clear
When it's over you're the start
You're my head, you're my heart

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away”

(No Light, No Light – Florence + the Machine)

~✾~

Sulpicia paced up and down the room she had been brought to. Her thoughts were racing. At one point, she had sat down on the small bed, but then got up again because the silence was driving her mad. She wondered what would happen when she faced him again, what she would say, what she could say… She had so many questions for him. There were so many things that made no sense at all. And she was still shocked and frightened because of what had happened at her home… what he had done!

She must have been here for hours, and still, he had not returned… it made her thoughts drift involuntarily in gruesome directions, but she reminded herself that she must not think about it. She felt deep guilt. All the blood that had been spilled had flowed because of her stupidity. She should never have gotten involved with him or agreed to that deal – everything had gone so horribly wrong!

Restlessly, she rubbed her hands together and continued her pacing.

Her gaze went to the door. Should she dare to go outside? In here, trapped and alone with her thoughts, she was going insane!

She had already stretched out her hand to grasp the doorknob but pulled it back. “He’ll be here soon, I should wait.”

She paused briefly in thought, but after pacing up and down again, her gaze once more went to the door. “I need answers…,” she thought. “He can’t keep me locked up here.”

She didn’t know what she hoped to find as she hesitantly opened the door and stepped outside. With one hand, she carefully traced the stone wall as she looked around anxiously, hoping no one would notice her. Cecilia seemed to be gone; at least she was nowhere to be seen. What had Aro told her about his family? Did he live here alone? She wasn’t sure… she remembered that he had told her something about his family… but did they all live in one house?

That seemed rather unlikely…

Her question was answered when she could hear voices from a distance. She flinched briefly, but curiosity drove her, and she cautiously moved down the corridor toward the voices. The voices seemed to be arguing. And one of them unmistakably belonged to Aro!

She stayed close to the wall, afraid of being seen, and pressed herself even closer to the stone when she reached a balustrade that gave her a view from the second floor down into the inner courtyard.

Sulpicia held her breath when she saw a woman with jet-black hair standing in front of Aro. The resemblance was unmistakable! She looked like him, as if she had been cut from the same mold, only with slightly softer features—but it was the same jet-black hair, the same piercing red eyes…

And worse… now that she saw this woman in front of her, she remembered the dream she had had… of that very dark figure into which Aro had transformed. Had it been her? That couldn’t be, she had never met this woman before!

“Why, Didyme?!” Aro’s voice was cutting. “Please, explain it to me, I don’t understand at all!” He had been on his way to Sulpicia when he had run into his sister. And then everything had come up. His anger at her for having lied and sabotaged his plans, and the fact that Sulpicia had to suffer because of her.

It was the slave's luck that the entire estate was full of people whose heartbeats the vampires had long since learned to block out due to irritation. And even the scent, which hovered omnipresently in the rooms, they had skillfully ignored, which is why they didn’t perceive Sulpicia at that very moment—since they weren’t consciously focusing on her.

But the slave was not as unobserved as she thought. For directly across from her, in the shadow of a pillar and on the other side of the railing, stood Marcus, who was also following the argument between his companion and his brother-in-law.

The immortal had pulled back a little when he noticed Sulpicia, observing her, because for some time now, he had noticed a change in Aro that he had not yet been able to define. And even now, it wasn’t as though there was a special bond between her and his brother-in-law, but the way this slave felt about Aro was—as he now realized—the missing puzzle piece in his observation.

He tilted his head. It was as if a thin, silken thread was stretched between the two, but at the moment it was still very weak and hardly visible…

“You hide from me that you created an immortal and make sure an innocent woman is punished unnecessarily—explain the sense behind that! What are you planning with this immortal that even I’m not allowed to know about?!” That was what Marcus was wondering, too, but he knew that Didyme would probably only be truly honest with her brother… unfortunately. Lately, he had increasingly felt that she was hiding something from him, and seeing that now confirmed hurt him deeply.

Sulpicia frowned at these words. An immortal? What was that supposed to mean?

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, dear brother! As if human lives meant so much to you…” Didyme crossed her arms and shook her head. Her words struck Sulpicia’s heart. She saw Aro staring intently at the woman before him, tilting his head. It was true, human lives didn’t mean much to him, but in this case, he had been too involved, and he generally disapproved of anyone meddling in his affairs.

When her brother didn’t respond, Didyme finally sighed and uncrossed her arms to approach Aro. She now spoke a bit more gently: “I mainly wanted to prevent you from feeling bad just because you couldn’t serve Caius with your gift! That you’d make such a big deal just to solve his riddle—I found that absurd!” She shrugged. “I just felt sorry for you. You always twist yourself into knots just to please your creator… I don’t like that. You’re an immortal, Aro! You’re too powerful to let him dominate you! Have you forgotten that?”

The blonde slave understood nothing anymore. What gift was this beautiful woman talking about?

“She’s dodging me…,” Aro thought, trying not to let himself be provoked.

“You could have talked to me.” Aro’s deep voice sounded reproachful, yet the warmth in it was unmistakable. They were the words of a loving brother to his little sister. “You shouldn’t have left Sulpicia at the mercy of her master. Do you realize what he did to her?”

The slave flinched when she heard her name. They were talking about her… Aro was talking about her… and he seemed so different next to his sister, in the way he spoke to her, than she had ever experienced him.

Meanwhile, Didyme came threateningly closer to her brother and glared at him.

“Oh, so it’s about this human woman! Don’t tell me she means something to you?” There was a brief silence, then Didyme gave a theatrical laugh and clapped her hands. “So that’s why you’re mad at me?! I don’t believe it! Aro! That’s ridiculous!” She paused dramatically and thought of the kiss she had witnessed. “What do you want with her anyway?! She’s just another one in the line of beautiful women whose hearts you’ve broken over the centuries—or worse—who were foolish enough to willingly enter your service!”

“Cecilia… she means Cecilia… and she’s talking about centuries… by the gods, what have I gotten myself into?” Sulpicia tensed at the thought, and Marcus frowned at her reaction. Usually, the bonds he could see between humans and immortals were very clear and distinct, but this time it seemed different… as if it hadn’t yet been decided how much they would mean to each other in the future.

“I’d be interested to know what that depends on,” Marcus thought, feeling sympathy for the slave, but he was distracted when Aro—clearly upset—turned to Didyme again.

“Watch your tongue, dearest sister! And don’t speak of things you don’t understand!” The immortal glared back at her just as threateningly. A warning to Didyme not to provoke him further.

But Didyme wasn’t intimidated. On the contrary. She was probably the only person on this planet who would dare to push Aro even further in such a situation. “No, you’re right – that she should suddenly mean something to you after you used her for your purposes—I really don’t get it!”

Aro stepped forward in a flash and wrapped his fingers warningly around her throat. “We had a deal. That’s something entirely different,” he hissed.

Sulpicia pressed both hands over her mouth and retreated even further. “I shouldn’t be here… I really shouldn’t be here!”

And Marcus, who had been watching the slave until then, now turned his attention back to his companion.

It pained him to see his beloved like this. For the past few weeks, he had been wondering what had been troubling her, and he definitely wanted to talk to her about it. He inhaled and exhaled deeply and silently, turned his gaze away from Sulpicia, and went downstairs. He would step in before the situation escalated further, and maybe he could finally get some honesty from Didyme.

“So you didn’t manipulate her into telling you what you wanted to hear?” Didyme pressed out while trying to free herself from her brother’s grip. Aro sighed and released her with a jolt. He owed her nothing! But his sister had always known how to hit him where it hurt most… Siblings always hit each other’s sore spots with cruel precision. Especially when they themselves were at odds with themselves. “Aro, don’t kid me, I know you! She’s young, blonde, and pretty and above all: completely captivated by your charm!”

The immortal clenched his hands into fists and made a great effort not to let himself be provoked. He knew she was trying to distract him from the real issue. “At least I know how to be charming—unlike you!” he teased, hoping it would take her down a peg.

“Oh, I can be very charming!” Didyme made a sweeping gesture. “And you know I enjoy playing, too!” She shrugged and put on an innocent face. “I just wanted to join in the fun—why won’t you let me?!”

Since Aro was standing on the side where Marcus had come down the stairs, he sensed his presence behind him first as the other immortal reached the lower floor. But he was still too fired up by his sister’s comment to deal with him now.

“That’s nonsense and you know it!” But then an idea occurred to him mid-sentence and he straightened up, stretching out his next words deliberately, making sure Marcus could hear them too. “Why won’t you tell me the real reason why you turned Pictor into an immortal?! How bad can it be that you’d rather have an innocent slave punished to cover up your lie? Or are you just so bored that you need to make life hard for everyone who means something to me?”

He said the last sentence more to provoke her than because he truly believed it—but Sulpicia, still watching the entire scene, felt her stomach twist at the words… she meant something to him? Could that be?

“She means something to you?!” Didyme replied maliciously. Now it was Aro who had hit a sore spot with his sister, but she immediately lashed out, which only worsened the situation. “Oh please, Aro, enlighten me! You’re such a hypocrite! You’ve always just liked it when someone stroked your ego! That’s true for her and for every other woman and man you’ve had! And still, you could never hold on to any of them for long—maybe you should ask yourself why!”

The black-haired woman practically spat out the words, with the sole aim of hurting him. With success, as she noted with satisfaction. That was Aro’s weak spot. He loved to be admired, and yet the thought of any kind of relationship becoming serious frightened him. He simply could not imagine himself with just one person…

Sulpicia, up on the balustrade, furrowed her brows at this comment. She felt caught, for of course she had tried to flatter him… until a few weeks ago… before all of this.

Didyme had skillfully tried to steer the topic away from herself with her words and was now pleased when she realized she had succeeded. Aro was upset. And rightly so!

“Oh yes! Right, because you understand so much about it!” He was hurt. And although he had protected her up to now, she had gone too far. And now he would strike back. “Maybe I should ask Marcus how things have been lately with your honesty?!”

That made Marcus perk up and reminded him of the reason for his presence.

“Leave him out of this!” hissed the black-haired immortal.

But now Marcus took heart and stepped out of his hiding spot, so she too noticed him now. “Leave me out of what?” he remarked with feigned innocence, as if he had only now really tuned in at the mention of his name.

Sulpicia froze when she saw the third immortal enter. So this was Marcus? The one she and Aro had used as an alibi when she had first introduced herself at night school… oh, if only she could go back to that time! Everything had been so much easier!

“Brother!” said Aro, innocently and hypocritically. “As always, you arrive just at the right moment!” He made a sweeping gesture, thus drawing him into the conversation. Normally, he would have noticed the human woman by now at the latest, but he was so blinded by his rage at Didyme that he perceived nothing of her and Marcus. “Please, Didyme, tell us about the man you were supposed to kill for Marcus in your generosity, but instead made one of us!”

The black-haired woman’s eyes widened and she looked caught. Honestly shocked, she looked back and forth between Aro and Marcus, and it seemed that in this moment, she truly did not know what to say. Finally, she fixed her gaze intensely on Aro. How could he! How could he expose her like this in front of Marcus?! How could he reveal her secret?!

Her gaze drifted to Marcus, and she looked at him apologetically. She didn’t know what to say. Marcus did not deserve such dishonesty from her, that much was clear… she had meant to tell him in confidence… someday…

“It’s alright, I already knew,” Marcus said gently. He didn’t want her to feel bad. “I’m sure you had your reasons.”

Didyme clenched her teeth. How could he always be so understanding?! It was unbelievable!

Aro also seemed to find it unbelievable, as he looked at Marcus in shock. “So you’re not angry that she lied to you?” His gaze darkened. After all, he did know Marcus’ true thoughts. “And think carefully about what you say next—you know I know your mind!”

Sulpicia watched as the gentle giant sighed in resignation. Between Aro and Didyme, he seemed like a pillar of calm, and she instantly felt that she liked him, even though she had never spoken to him.

“I am angry about it, yes.” Marcus looked at Didyme intently. “But I want to hear your explanation first before I judge you for your actions. You know Caius would never tolerate such a disregard for his rules—so why did you do it?”

Instead of being grateful for his understanding, Didyme threw her arms into the air and rolled her eyes.

“By all the gods, Caius! It’s always about Caius! It’s exhausting! You are exhausting! The way you constantly twist yourselves just to please him! Disgusting! Where is he, anyway?! He should hear this—it’s refreshing!” Her eyes sparkled wildly, and the rage in them flared more with every word.

Aro and Marcus both knew what she meant, and yet neither of them could—or wanted to—contradict her.

“He found Pictor and will kill him,” replied Marcus soberly, which only seemed to enrage Didyme even more. He saw her ball her hands into fists—just as Aro had earlier—but she tried not to say anything.

“Wonderful! Just wonderful! You two are truly insufferable!” she hissed, now that her plan seemed completely foiled. Caius, that bothersome immortal with all his rules and his morality! “How nice that once again you’ve played right into his hands!”

Aro and Marcus looked at each other. “We didn’t. He actually figured it out on his own.” In truth, it had been Athenodora through whom he had learned the truth—he was with her at that very moment, for Pictor had once again returned to the tavern, but the others would find out about that later. (Author’s note: to be continued—we’ll finish this part first ^^)

Didyme audibly exhaled, which prompted Marcus to raise his hands in a calming gesture. “Please calm down, you can explain it to us in peace, and then we’ll find an argument with which we can appease Caius’ anger once he learns about it.”

He was always so understanding that even Aro felt a pang in his chest…

“Do you really think I care?!” Didyme looked back and forth between them. “I don’t care whether Caius approves of my behavior or not! And neither should you! We are just as powerful beings as he is! We should stop groveling before him! This world should be ruled by us as its sovereigns—and you know it as well as I do! That we hide here and pretend to be humans is absurd!”

The slave understood hardly anything of what this angry woman was saying, but she was so captivated by the words and the argument that she didn’t notice another person entering the scene.

“Sulpicia, what are you doing here?!” came Cecilia’s shrill voice from the balustrade, and the one addressed flinched immediately and turned around. The other three also did the same—though Marcus was less surprised—and looked up, for now they, too, noticed her. The slave felt the eyes on her and looked around in panic and guilt between the three and Cecilia. “I told you to wait in the room!”

“Aro, maybe you should take care of her,” Marcus quietly suggested when he saw his shocked expression—but Didyme was faster and was gone in a flash. Aro followed immediately.

Sulpicia tried to move aside, but everything happened too quickly. Didyme was suddenly right in front of her and glared at her angrily. “It is extremely rude to eavesdrop on the conversations of others while being a guest in a house!”

The slave fearfully took a few steps back and immediately felt two strong hands wrap around her upper arms from behind, halting her in place. A shiver ran through her body as she heard Aro’s voice close to her ear. “Stay calm. Nothing will happen to you.”

Uncertain and a bit hesitant, she turned slightly to look at him. Aro held her gaze for a moment before turning to his sister. His facial expression hardened instantly.

“Not a word of this to Caius!” He spoke so intensely that there was no doubt how serious he was. “You owe me that! I alone am responsible for her!”

Didyme raised her hands at once and lifted her eyebrows before turning to Cecilia. “It seems you didn’t fulfill your task.” Her voice sounded threatening. “That is most unfortunate.” She tilted her head, and Cecilia automatically stepped back slightly in fear. “We must be able to rely on you!”

Threateningly, she approached her, and Sulpicia’s heart began to race at the sight. But when she felt Aro behind her tense up as well, it immediately drew her attention.

Aro was studying her. The scent of her blood was so omnipresent, so clear, that he wondered how he hadn’t smelled it before! He could see that she had heard everything! What should he tell her? What was he allowed to tell her? And more pressing still: what did he want to tell her?

“Come.” He released his grip and signaled for her to walk ahead. “I owe you an explanation.” With these words, he led her away and back into the room she had come from. One last time, she turned around and looked back at Didyme and Cecilia—whose expression revealed that she instantly regretted having been so careless.

But considering the confrontation Sulpicia herself now faced, she pushed aside every thought of the other slave.

~✾~

She felt his hand on her back as he led her back into the room. Her heart was beating far too fast, and she was far too agitated. If only she knew that Aro had already read all her thoughts, it would probably have only made the situation worse.

“What will happen to her?” she asked cautiously as she entered the room, trying to somehow find a way into the conversation.

Aro smirked without her seeing it. “Are you worried about her?”

“I just don’t want anything to happen to her because of me,” the slave corrected.

“Didyme will certainly reprimand her, but that shouldn’t be your concern.” He turned over his shoulder to her as he said it and at the same time closed the door behind the two of them. Her frightened look spoke volumes. She shuddered at the thought of what reprimand might mean to these people and didn’t dare to pursue the matter further.

“What should be my concern then?” she asked instead, cautiously.

Aro crossed the short distance between them and took her hands before looking at her intently. His gaze pierced her to the core. “I’m sorry you had to wait for me so long. I didn’t want to leave you alone with your thoughts for too long.” He heard what she was thinking and immediately frowned. That was not at all what he had expected, so he evaded. “You have questions, and that’s more than understandable…”

He let go of her and stepped away a few paces again as he thought.

In her head, everything was wildly swirling. What had happened that night, the murders and all that blood… his behavior toward her and the encounter with Cecilia… and then also the conversation she had just witnessed. She had so many questions that she didn’t know where to begin. And she was afraid to ask the ones that burned in her soul.

“What are you?” she whispered quietly. “Your sister called you… an immortal.” It took her a moment to be able to speak the word out loud. “And… I saw your fangs, when you…” She didn’t dare to finish the sentence.

Aro considered how much he was allowed to tell her. But essentially, it made no difference. According to Caius, there was the unofficial rule that they should keep their existence secret. But he had met Athenodora… and obviously, Caius no longer followed his own rules. So why should he?

Yet something inside him held him back from telling her the full truth. And just as he had already done a few times in earlier years, he revealed only half-truths. “At least, that’s what it seems like to us, yes. My family and I have been on this world for a very long time.”

Shocked, she stepped back a few paces. A very long time… what did that mean? “Is that the reason why your eyes are so…?” She didn’t finish this sentence either.

“Yes. But even that is pure speculation. We don’t know exactly.”

Sulpicia exhaled audibly. Her mind could hardly grasp all of this. “Tiberius, Aurelia, Svea and all the others… they’re all dead!” She had wanted to accuse him for it, wanted to hear how he justified their deaths, but now that she stood before him, she couldn’t bring herself to ask directly.

“I’m sorry that you had to witness the bloodbath,” Aro turned her statement in another direction. The distance between them seemed endless in that second.

The slave shook her head violently and wrapped her arms around her own body. “You… you killed them all… without any weapons, you…!” She couldn’t say it aloud. She was far too afraid of his reaction. “There was… so much blood everywhere…” she stammered on.

“There’s no reason to be afraid,” Aro replied calmly. “I did it for you. So that you could be free. Because what they did to you was cruel.” It pained him to see her like this. So frightened! She truly had no reason to be!

“What he did to them was far more cruel,” she thought vaguely, but she didn’t dare to speak it aloud. His statement shocked her. “For me?! No! That can’t possibly be!”

“But… I didn’t ask for it! I, I never would have wanted them to…” The slave struggled for words. “…to die…” Her eyes filled with tears.

Aro frowned and stepped closer again, but stopped when he saw her retreat. Her reaction puzzled him. “They lied to you and oppressed you your whole life, Sulpicia,” he tried to make her see reason.

“I was their slave… I broke their rules and betrayed their trust… they had every right to do so,” she replied in shock. She knew deep down that she possessed no rights at all. And for that reason, she couldn’t hold their punishment against them… she had never known anything else but to be ruled over… only through Aro and their agreement, and her deception, had she begun to see herself, at least for a while, as something else.

As a free woman. But that had been a big mistake. Or had it? … No! She certainly deserved the punishment! She never should have presumed so much!

The immortal interrupted her internal debate. “It’s sad that someone like you has learned to think so little of themselves.”

“Someone like me?” That comment made her angry in an inexplicable way. What did he mean by that?

“You may not know it, but that title—slave—was given to you by humans who were neither better nor worse than you. They decided for you that you possessed no rights from birth.” Sulpicia looked at him more than skeptically, for she didn’t believe he saw her as anything other than exactly what she was. How could he? Not even she saw herself as anything else. “What I mean is: what they did to you was not right. You may think you deserved to be punished, but that’s not true. They never should have done that to you.”

She had to bite her tongue to suppress her anger. “Do you see me as something else then?” she asked snippily and was surprised herself at her sudden courage.

The immortal was also surprised by her directness. That was new, and he couldn’t yet gauge where this change of heart came from. To find out, he’d have to touch her… “You could be, yes.” The words came out more neutral than he had intended.

“Could be…” Sulpicia repeated what had been said, shook her head, and immediately thought about what else had been revealed last night. Tiberius was more than just her master—he was her father! And he had rejected her as his daughter! If he hadn’t done that, her life would have turned out very differently… and that would mean she had only become a slave because of a lie!

Aro had revealed the secret. And had killed him before the two had even exchanged a single word about it. How could that be?! How could the man she had served her entire life be her father? And if it was true, why had he never said anything? Why had she been a slave her entire life?

“… you called Tiberius my father… if that’s true, then he lied to me my whole life… I’ve lived a lie…” Aro looked at her seriously and caught her gaze. He knew this subject would haunt her. “How did you know? What made you think that?” A moment of silence passed, in which Aro saw her eyes gleam. He considered what and how much he could and wanted to tell her, but seeing her so distressed made his heart heavier than he liked.

“I knew it because I knew his thoughts,” he said slowly and deliberately. He watched her carefully and gave her a moment to digest the words.

“You… knew his thoughts?” she repeated in disbelief.

“Yes.” For a moment, there was silence, in which Aro weighed his words. “I can hear the thoughts of every human…”

I suppose because I once was one myself, he added silently. “The thoughts someone is currently having, as well as the ones they already had.”

Sulpicia couldn’t believe what she was hearing! In general, all of this was so surreal that she felt dizzy… she was supposed to believe that he could read minds?! That he was immortal?! That was absurd!

But it would explain his immense knowledge and his very clear otherness compared to anyone she had ever met.

And another thought shocked her: If he truly could read minds, as he said, then he had known from the beginning how she felt about him… and that was why he had always found the right words… because he knew what she wanted to hear.

“How…?” She didn’t know what to say.

He saw the disbelief on her face as she shook her head again. Admittedly, much had happened that night, and all of it had shaken her deeply. He would have to give her time to understand and process it all—but time was something that he, unlike any other creature on this planet, had in abundance.

Unlike her…

And he was confused about himself: that he had taken all this upon himself just to bring her here, that he was now giving her time, explaining everything to her calmly, and also that he was willing to reveal so much about himself. He couldn’t explain it, he had simply followed his feeling.

And that’s why he also resisted the urge now to bridge the distance between them, to touch her and read her thoughts, as he would have done with anyone else. This restraint was painful, but he would endure it. He didn’t want to cross a boundary.

Instead, he continued to explain it to her.

“I know that you’re wondering what kind of monster I might be. One of your gods, or rather a demon from the underworld. And you’re asking yourself what you could have done to deserve such a punishment, such a trial by the gods.” He tilted his head slightly. “You judge me for what I’ve done, and you don’t understand how a part of you can secretly be glad about it. You’re wondering why you’re here and how all that you’ve seen fits together.” He observed how she tried to avoid his gaze. “And you’re afraid. That’s also the reason for your silence. But your thoughts are anything but silent.” He looked at her intensely. “They’re practically screaming at me.”

Sulpicia blushed. “I… I didn’t mean to be impolite, but…”

“No, no. It’s alright. Believe me, I’ve seen many thoughts—you don’t have to be embarrassed. Your thoughts have always been very pleasant.” He brushed it off as if it were nothing! Sulpicia couldn’t believe it! And it was exactly that which made her furious again.

“You wanted to find something out through me… hence our agreement,” she stated. She dared to raise her gaze and look at him directly. But she only managed to meet those probing red eyes for a few seconds. “But the matter has already been settled, if I understood correctly…”

“Yes.” was his monosyllabic response.

“So that means you no longer need me,” she said with a voice as steady as possible.

He wondered if she was saying this because she thought he might not want her here anymore and because she perhaps felt guilty. “You fulfilled your part of the agreement, you have nothing to blame yourself for.”

But that wasn’t what was troubling Sulpicia.

“No, I… I’m wondering what will happen to me now.” Again she looked at him, and this time he struggled to hold her gaze. If he was honest, he hadn’t really thought it through. The idea of a potential mate hadn’t occurred to him—he was far too uninterested in a fixed bond. Even the thought of it made him feel constricted!

Yet for some inexplicable reason, he wanted to have her near. He had already enjoyed her presence in his evening classes immensely, and it had been a joy to watch her learn and see her delight in her progress.

The vampire sighed heavily.

“I brought you here because it’s safer for you. I won’t hurt you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

That had indeed been in her thoughts, as he knew—but not what was primarily occupying her in that second. Yes, she had wished to be rescued by him. In her mind, it had sounded romantic—the idea that she might mean so much to him that he would bring her to him.

But now that things were what they were, and reality had caught up with her, she realized that it had been much more her desire for freedom which Aro, with the life he led, had only further ignited within her. At the same time, she had never wanted anyone else to die for her freedom.

And after meeting Cecilia—a woman who had willingly entered the service of this man in the hope that he would one day desire her as much as she desired him—the shock had been so deep that she had realized her own foolishness and delusion.

She couldn’t fool herself. She wouldn’t be anything more to him than Cecilia was.

“You said back then that you would help me become a free citizen…” she began carefully.

Aro frowned in slight confusion. One might think he had seen these thoughts in her mind, but it was such a complete mess in there that he hadn’t focused deeply on every thought. And now he regretted it. If only he had looked deeper.

Did she seriously want to leave him now? After everything he had done for her?

“Well, that wouldn’t be possible just yet,” he deflected and studied her. “People would talk, now that Tiberius and his entire household are dead.”

That wasn’t even a lie. But the thought of the dead bodies and his sudden coldness in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.

“But I could make sure you remain unnoticed,” Aro continued in a slightly more melodic tone. “No one would find you here.”

“Here with you?” she asked again hesitantly, trying to meet his gaze.

“Yes…” He finally closed the distance between them and took both her hands once more. The look he gave her was warm and kind, and for a moment, she nearly forgot the gruesome images she had seen of him only hours earlier.

He was so beautiful, and it would be so easy to push it all aside in her mind. She was shocked at herself—how much a part of her wanted exactly that.

But her reason screamed back at her. Even if it were just about the aspect of captivity: this man had, without batting an eye, murdered an entire household. He was not human. And apparently all of this was merely a game to him. Apparently she had become part of a larger game…

“But what would I be then?” she whispered back to him. She didn’t dare to speak louder, out of fear of his reaction. Inside, she was so uncertain and weighing her options. And she nearly decided not to speak the words aloud. But what would that achieve? He knew her thoughts anyway… and the encounter with Cecilia burned in her memory. “Your slave?”

“You would serve us until time has washed away the traces of the past night and it’s safe to let you go,” she heard him say evasively again. It hurt unbelievably to hear her thoughts confirmed by his words. That was what he called help? Then she would have gone from one cage to another—and even worse: she would be competing with Cecilia for his attention. Was that really what he wanted?

Inside, she had known that she couldn’t have been more to him, despite his beautiful words—but it still hurt to hear it. Especially because the words from his mouth were wrapped in such velvety tones.

“So I’d be like her?” Aro didn’t need to ask, because now he saw Sulpicia’s thoughts regarding Cecilia and her unconditional devotion to him. “I don’t judge her, please believe me that… but I don’t want to be like her!” And once more, she gathered her courage and continued: “It’s incredibly embarrassing, but based on what you’ve said, I assume you know my thoughts on this topic too… you know how I feel about you…”

Aro immediately shook his head and took a strand of her hair between his fingers. “That’s nothing you should be ashamed of.” Of course, she couldn’t help but follow his gaze. Aro smiled as he noticed it… how could she not? She was still captivated by him, and he enjoyed it.

But Sulpicia surprised him when she suddenly furrowed her brows, lowered her gaze, and once again stepped back to create distance.

“I don’t…” she began, inhaling and exhaling deeply. A storm of thoughts raged inside her, but one thing she knew for sure: against the attraction she felt in his presence, she would be powerless. And he knew that—still played with it. So she had only one thing left to argue with if she wanted to be free, even if it was unbearably uncomfortable for her. “...but I feel that my heart, after all I’ve seen, still longs for you… and I would do anything to please you, you know that. You know my thoughts.” She immediately blushed. But the truth was also liberating in equal measure. “I don’t want to live like this. Through you, I’ve seen what a free life could look like. And now that I am undeservedly no longer bound to Tiberius, I ask you: fulfill your promise.”

Her statement was so brave and honest that it truly impressed the immortal. He wanted to touch her again, to read her thoughts. He was once again surprised by how much she stood up for herself. He had taken his promise to her seriously at the time. He just hadn’t thought she’d actually want to leave him! No woman and no man had ever done that before!

But of course, it made sense. And if he was honest with himself, he had never thought about it in more depth. From his point of view, a life as his servant wouldn’t be a problem. He would welcome it. He already had. With Cecilia. And she truly wasn’t doing badly!

Aro hadn’t always been so self-absorbed. But the last decades of immortality, his and Didyme’s hunger for power, and the fact that they only needed to snap their fingers to get anything and anyone they wanted had made his heart grow cold. It had brought out the worst in him. He had become manipulative and self-satisfied.

And that’s why Sulpicia’s honest words were truly a shock to him. Because she had stopped playing that game with him in which only he could win.

And yet he tried again, cautiously came closer to her, raised a hand and gently placed it on Sulpicia’s cheek. He watched as she followed his movements and slightly closed her eyes as she leaned in a little more. “Then why does she want to leave?” he thought. “It’s not like she doesn’t like it here!”

But then his expression changed as he now clearly and distinctly perceived her deeper-lying thoughts.

He heard her voice of reason, speaking against her feelings for him. Telling her that his words were nothing but empty promises, that she couldn’t trust him because he hadn’t been honest with her from the beginning… he heard her urgent wish to be allowed to leave, to be free, even though part of her wanted to stay with him…

And all of that hurt him and made him angry at the same time.

He was so trapped in his own world, had come to see the playing with emotions as something so normal for himself, that he couldn’t understand why he might have done something wrong.

The thought didn’t even occur to him. The only thing he thought was that Sulpicia was being ungrateful toward him.

And that made him grow cold emotionally in an instant.

“I can’t possibly let you go, after everything you’ve seen,” he whispered softly, and the words sent a shiver down her spine, because the way he said them made them sound threatening. “And I would really like to have you here with me.”

She couldn’t tell whether the words were more of a promise or a threat. That velvety soft voice he had already used earlier that night… and she felt the fear in her limbs. A fear that told her, by all the gods, not to contradict him!

But what good would it do her not to speak the truth now? He would know she was lying anyway…

“So I’m a prisoner?” she concluded out loud, thereby stepping onto dangerous ground. She knew, legally she now belonged to him. There was nothing she could do about that. If he wanted to keep her here, there was nothing she could do.

“No…” he replied immediately, and yet inside he thought that might not be entirely true.

Since his hand still rested on her cheek, her next thoughts hit him more strongly than he had expected.

“Just a moment ago you told me I was worth no less than all the other humans… and yet I can’t decide freely. You decided to kill my household and now you decide that I have to stay here.” It was impossible for Sulpicia to control her thoughts. And she instantly recognized by the way his gaze changed even more that she had obviously crossed an invisible line.

He withdrew his touch and looked at her coldly before he said, “It’s ungrateful to think such things, darling. You should thank me for what I’ve done for you!”

She shivered briefly due to the coldness in his words. But as she processed what he had just said, she shook her head fiercely and, against her better instincts, immediately felt the need to defend herself.

“Ungrateful?” she said incredulously. “Aro, you simply decided that! You decided I should help you get information, and you decided to punish my masters for what was lawfully theirs!”

“You entered this deal voluntarily!” She could practically see his eyes flare with anger and without realizing it, she shrank a little.

Her next words were a bit quieter again. “That’s true…” She studied him for a few seconds, weighing whether to say the next words aloud—but she had to! He didn’t seem to understand what was troubling her! “…but if what you say is true, then you knew my thoughts. You knew I didn’t want them to be harmed!”

Aro, who had so far managed to control his anger, couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I saved you!” he corrected. “From people who had lied to you and oppressed you your entire life!”

“Maybe they did—but that still doesn’t justify their death!” The young woman couldn’t believe he didn’t see this the way she did… part of her was truly touched that he had defended her, but Sulpicia had never wanted so many lives to be wiped out just for her… how was she ever supposed to live with that guilt?

“The people around you have blinded you so much!” Aro’s words were more of a hiss. “Think back to your torture! I asked you that night, and I ask you again: Do you believe you deserved that?!” He looked at her intensely because he could feel that his patience was now extremely thin. Was this woman worth engaging in this discussion?

He didn’t even know why he was doing it, if he was honest.

Sulpicia lowered her gaze. She wouldn’t lie, and the answer she had given Aro that night—if she thought about it—was still the same. “No… no, I don’t believe anyone should be treated that way! No one deserves something like that!” She didn’t need to say it—he knew she judged him for the ease with which he had killed them all.

And that hurt him. He didn’t feel like he deserved to have such things thrown in his face. Yes, he had used her for his purposes, but he had given her so much in return! And he still did!

“But the end of one imprisonment has now ultimately only marked the beginning of a new one for me, it seems…” Sulpicia didn’t look at him as she said it.

And those were the words that ultimately overstrained the immortal’s goodwill.

“It is truly very unfortunate that you see it that way. I’ll say it again: you are not a prisoner.” Even Aro knew that was a lie, but he was annoyed at her and her stubbornness. At her judgment of him. No other woman had ever dared to question him like this. And if she really saw it that way, then he didn’t want her around!

“Then I ask you, let me go!” she said again, hesitantly but urgently. She clung to the last straw she had left—the hope that he perhaps valued her enough to grant her wish…

“If you go, I can’t let you live, not after everything you’ve seen,” she heard him say, and her stomach twisted. What was this?! First, he decided to maneuver her into this situation and now again he left her no way out but death?

“Then you’ll have to kill me,” she replied defiantly, shocked by his comment. She immediately sucked in a sharp breath as he came closer—this time not in the slightest bit kindly—and stopped directly in front of her face to study her.

Aro felt the urge to grant her that wish just because of her defiance. The way she behaved, she didn’t deserve to be here, he thought! And if it hadn’t meant admitting his own guilt, he might have done it.

“Maybe I should,” he whispered coldly.

On the other hand: he could also simply force her to stay. It lay within his power to impose his will on her, and for a moment he considered it… but what good would it do? She would hate him. And he would hate himself for it, too.

He didn’t want anyone with him who didn’t want to be there. Admittedly, this had never happened to him before—that someone didn’t want to be with him… and it stung his ego immensely.

“If I stay, then what will become of me?!” It was almost as if she had heard his thoughts, and her sudden courage surprised him. “Will I become like her?!”

For a moment, there was silence. Aro remembered Sulpicia’s thoughts about Cecilia, and of course, she was right. He strung the other woman along because he liked how she saw him and because she was beautiful to look at. Should he feel bad for that? He was an immortal, and she adored him, wanted to be like him, and had entered this situation completely of her own free will.

“Will I also hope for years that you might someday notice me and that I can be more than just a slave?!” Sulpicia continued, and Aro had to—much to his own shame—avert his gaze. The blonde woman noticed that he actually looked embarrassed! And a bit calmer, she added, “Then I would just be going from one cage to another, and I’m not sure this one would be any better!”

She paused a moment, struggling with a wave of emotion. She knew this cage would be worse. Because in it, there was the illusion of hope. A hope like Cecilia had… Sulpicia shook her head. “I’ll never mean enough to you… and that’s okay. But that’s why I beg you: let me go!”

Those words hurt the immortal, and she could clearly see how he tensed and struggled inwardly. In one second, she saw a trace of softness, though he still didn’t look at her—but then, within a blink of an eye, that softness faltered and a veil of coldness once again spread across his features.

“I will keep silent about what happened, I swear it!” she added pleadingly. And still filled with the courage and the feeling that she might actually reach him, she hesitantly reached out her hand and said: “Read my thoughts, this is not a lie.”

Aro didn’t take her hand. He merely looked at it for a few seconds with a calculating gaze. Seconds that felt like endless minutes to Sulpicia, so uncomfortable was the silence that spread.

Shortly after, he raised his gaze, and the usually so controlled coldness she had seen until now had given way to a nameless rage he had previously tried to keep in check.

“Then go!” he said quietly, but the tremble in his voice was unmistakable.

Perplexed, Sulpicia remained motionless for a moment. She couldn’t help but keep staring at him, even though he had just said exactly what she had wanted to hear. She couldn’t read him. And suddenly she regretted her words a little, because what if he really did kill her? She had seen what he was capable of…

When she still didn’t move after several seconds, Aro took a deep breath, because he felt that his rage was burning through him painfully and that he wouldn’t be able to control himself for much longer.

“GO!” he shouted, and she flinched immediately. “I don’t know where you want to go, but I certainly don’t want anyone here who doesn’t want to be with me!” The darkness in his voice went through her like a shock and her fear drove her forward, sent an electric jolt through her. “Didn’t you hear me? I said GO!” Only now did she recognize, besides the anger, the hurt in his voice—but her legs were already moving and she rushed around him to the door, unsure how many more times he would repeat the words before he took them back.

“I’m sorry…” she said softly, feeling tears rise in her eyes. And he was right, she didn’t even know where she wanted to go, but she wanted to be away from here. Away from the thought of her master’s death… her father’s… every time she looked at Aro.

“You should be…” she heard Aro’s words, who was still staring at the wall where Sulpicia had been standing just a second ago. He didn’t turn around when she grasped the doorknob, nor when she stepped out. She didn’t deserve that.

And yet there was a small part of him that wondered whether her accusations against him might not have been justified after all.

“You bought a star in the sky tonight
Because your life is dark and it needs some light
You named it after me but I'm not yours to keep
Because you'll never see, that the stars are free

Oh, we don't own our heavens now, we only own our hell
And if you don't know that by now
Then you don't know me that well

And you could buy up all the stars
But it wouldn't change who you are
You're still living life in the dark
It's just who you are“

(Buy The Stars – Marina)

~✾~

Sulpicia ran as fast as her feet could carry her through the streets of night-time Rome. Blood pounded in her ears and she could hardly form a clear thought. “If you leave, I can’t let you live after everything you’ve seen,” Aro’s words echoed through her mind like dark wisps of fog. Panic shot through her. She shook her head again and again, as if that could drive the thoughts away. She was so incredibly confused, and the wound on her back made itself painfully known with every step.

She didn’t know where she was running, tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks now that she was alone, and she could only bear the flood of emotions because she didn’t stop. She would keep running, she told herself, until her legs gave out!

“He will never desire you, Sulpicia! I hope you realize that! He’s playing with you to get to me! You don’t matter to him! You’re just part of a bigger game and you don’t even see it!” The memory of Tiberius’ punishment and his words screamed at her from within. It pierced her once again. She had been so incredibly foolish to get tangled up in all of this! How she wished everything were still as it had been, that she had never committed this betrayal against her master – her father! – and that she had never fallen in love with Aro… Aro… who had killed them all…

Tiberius is dead… they’re all dead… Sulpicia felt the muscles in her calves ache and beg her to stop. He killed them all… She sobbed again and had to suppress a violent wave of tears that otherwise would have forced her to stop. “I fell in love with a… a monster…” She forced herself through the dark alleyways, as far away as possible, and into the growing fear of the darkness of the night and its cruelty that it concealed. “What did I think I was doing?! Who did I think I could be?!”

A woman should never cross Rome at night alone, she knew that, and so she sent up several short prayers to the gods, begging them to protect her and let her pass unharmed. “A woman…” she thought. “I’m not even that… I’m less than that…”

In Aro’s presence, she had always felt like a free citizen of Rome, had at least given in to the illusion. She had loved the image he had painted. An image in her mind that she had completed, in which she saw herself as a freedwoman. “I betrayed Tiberius… I betrayed my father… my father! Who never acknowledged himself as such! My father… who had me whipped…”

It was all so hard to believe! All the lies… and all the betrayal! “Why did he never tell me who he really was? I must have been a disgrace to him!” And now she also understood why Aurelia, Tiberius’ wife, had always seemed hostile and cold to her, even back when she had been just a young girl.

She reached the banks of the Tiber and clutched the stone balustrade protectively. She leaned her body over it and, for the first time in what felt like forever, actually came to a stop. Her breathing was frantic as she looked into the black current of flowing water. “I deserved the punishment… I served another master… I betrayed him… and now he is dead.”

She desperately clapped her hand over her mouth and could no longer hold back the wave of tears that forced its way to the surface in heavy sobs. It wasn’t a gentle weeping. Rather, it broke from her mercilessly and in great waves, and she didn’t believe that all the grief and pain she felt would ever end.

“And the man I love is a demon… a demon whose intent was never to set me free… I was so foolish! How could I believe he would ever see me as anything other than a slave?!”

Several strands had come loose from her hair and now fluttered around her tear-streaked face. “What am I supposed to do now? Where should I go?!”

“Is he worth giving up your whole life for?!” Tiberius’ words once again ran through her mind.

Her decision to leave Aro began to waver. Should she have stayed after all? Because now she had nothing! Her home no longer existed.

Frantically, she went back and forth in her mind.

“Hey girl!” She spun around hastily at the sound of the deep voice and froze in fear as she saw two seemingly drunk men approaching her. “Why so shy?! Don’t be so coy, come over here!” She had to get out of there. She knew she would never be able to fight them off and she had no rights. These men would take what they wanted, and she couldn’t even stop them.

So she ran again.

First along the Tiber and then quickly into a side street, ignoring the increasing pain in her body, stumbling as the shouting came dangerously close again and panic seized her once more. In her attempt not to fall, she staggered, lost one of her sandals, but left it behind to run as fast as she could.

She didn’t care. She couldn’t care. She had to keep running. Save herself. Anywhere.

Thank the gods, the voices calling after her eventually grew quieter. They seemed to have lost interest, and Sulpicia’s heart beat a little faster with gratitude for the protection she felt from the gods in that moment.

She knew she had to stay in the side streets, even if it stank of filth and decay, otherwise worse would await her. “Oh, if only I had stayed with him! He killed… but he did it for me…”

She cried again, bitter tears over her foolishness, because now she had nothing. No shelter. No title as a freedwoman. Nothing. She would die on these streets if she couldn’t think of something.

“Felizitas…” flashed through her mind. “… maybe I can ask her for help!” Sulpicia remembered that Felizitas lived not far from here, and back when they both attended evening school, she had always been a good friend to her. It would be unbelievably humiliating to now tell her the truth about her actual status, but what other choice did she have?! “Even if there’s a chance she might turn me away…”

She forced herself to keep running, even though her body hurt. Under the cover of the alleyways, she ran past decaying animal carcasses and tried to block out the acrid stench so she wouldn’t have to vomit. Homeless people tried to grab her and stop her, but she tore herself free several times, screamed, hit out, and somehow – however she managed – she pushed forward, in the direction of the house she was aiming for.

It had to be the gods paving her way; she couldn’t explain it any other way!

The main streets weren’t an option, even though she weighed it over and over again, since it would have been faster. Not for a woman alone. Never before had the misery of her status been so present to her as on this night, and soon she wasn’t crying just for her own misery, but also for the many unfortunate souls of the eternal metropolis.

A walk at night had not long ago still seemed romantic to her… Now everything appeared grotesque, like a distorted image, a memory that could no longer be true… had she only imagined it?

She remembered the kiss… and all the loving words he had said… all of that had faded so far into the background after everything that followed, Sulpicia no longer knew what to believe… what had been truth and what a lie.

But now, it didn’t matter anymore.

She had destroyed everything that could have been herself… and all of it just because she was afraid that his feelings weren’t real and that he had only wanted to use her. She would have broken inside trying to please him, she knew that. And as his slave, he could have discarded her whenever he pleased.

“And yet the question remains, if this now is really better… I was so naive… I didn’t think…” she heard her own thoughts again, far too loud.

Eventually – Sulpicia couldn’t say how long she had been running – she reached the house with the golden doors, which rose majestically before her. She had never been here before, but Felizitas had told her about this place. Her home, which she had always referred to as a golden cage, because she lived there with a man she didn’t love…

It was so absurd, thinking about it now. “Better a life with a man I don’t love as a free woman, than an unhappy life as a slave, desiring a man I can never have…” thought Sulpicia anxiously, but her decision began to falter. The way Aro had wanted her by his side… as his slave, as one of many perhaps… would that have been a better existence? It had seemed to her that leaving him was the only right thing to do.

Now she wasn’t so sure anymore…

After all, she had nothing.

And was no one.

No one without him.

Her hand trembled as she balled it into a fist and timidly knocked on the large door.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Before the doorman finally opened with an annoyed and sleepy expression.

“Who’s there?!” he asked dully. He was a slave, like her. And yet she felt beneath him.

Sulpicia opened her mouth to speak, but the sound caught in her throat, so uncomfortable was it for her to be standing there at this hour and in such a tattered state.

“My name is Sulpicia. Please…” she finally managed. “I need to speak with the domina. Please wake her. I am…” She hesitated, not sure if she could go that far. But that seemed irrelevant now. She had to seize the chance, no matter how small it was.

The slave raised an eyebrow and didn’t let her finish the sentence. “Now?! At this hour?!” He didn’t seem pleased at all. “You must be mad, girl! Get out of here!”

“Please, I’m her friend! And I need to speak to her urgently!” Sulpicia dared again. She could imagine that the slave was weighing his options – after all, he wouldn’t want to incur the wrath of the domina, and the likelihood that she’d be angry was very high. Nobody liked being woken in the middle of the night.

“A friend, huh?” He raised a skeptical eyebrow and looked her up and down. “I know all of the domina’s friends who come and go here. You’re not one of them. Don’t think you can take me for a fool!” The doorman was already about to close the peephole again and turn away.

“No, please, it’s not like that, I…” Sulpicia frantically tried to come up with a lie that would convince him to wake Felizitas, but her head was completely blank, and what finally came out of her mouth sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. “You know the domina disappears at night from time to time. And I’m sure you know where she goes.”

That did cause the doorman to pause. Of course he knew. The dominus had ordered him to find out, because he wanted to know where his wife was going. “Go on.”

“I know it too, because I know her from that place…” The slave girl straightened her shoulders a little. “She would be very angry if she found out tomorrow that you turned me away…”

The doorman studied her for a while from top to bottom, unsure whether to believe her. She could practically hear him thinking, and the seconds until he reacted felt like a cruel eternity.

But finally, he rolled his eyes, sighed, and closed the peephole.

Sulpicia’s heart was beating far too fast, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the cold of the night all too clearly around her.

She sincerely hoped he would go get her…

Some agonizing minutes passed before the door – thank the gods! – opened a crack, and Felizitas stepped out, wrapped in an expensive tunic and covered with a silk shawl.

Sulpicia had to suppress a sob of joy when she saw her friend and had to hold herself back from running to her and embracing her.

But Felizitas looked rather reserved.

"Sulpicia! What are you doing here?" The Roman woman with dark hair looked completely perplexed. "And at this hour, no less!" She eyed her friend skeptically from head to toe and couldn’t miss how disheveled she looked. How shaken... and how poorly dressed!

"Felizitas, I’m so sorry to bother you at this hour, it’s just that I... I..." Sulpicia could barely get the words out, and her vision blurred as she broke into tears once again out of shame, feeling her cheeks flush and her shoulders slump.

She didn’t want to say it, but what was the point in keeping up the illusion now? "I lied." She clapped a hand over her mouth as the realization of her own transgression washed over her once more. Her audacity! To ever believe she could be anything other than what she truly was! She was ashamed to stand before Felizitas now without the protective illusion of a free woman she had once maintained. "He lied for me. I’m not a citizen of Rome, I’m just... I’m just..."

Felizitas looked utterly shocked, pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders, came closer and reached out to touch Sulpicia. "Come now, dear, what happened?!"

"I’m a slave..." Sulpicia broke down in tears and had to look away, unable to meet the eyes of the woman before her. The shame she felt was simply too overwhelming.

The doorman behind them widened his eyes in shock, but no one noticed.

"Aro lied because we had an arrangement... but then... then my master..." she continued, struggling to summarize the events of the past hours and days without sounding insane. And she realized—it all sounded completely insane. "My master, he... he found out and punished me... rightfully so... he... Aro... he... he killed him..." she sobbed. It was all simply too much in that moment.

"What? What did he do?" Felizitas furrowed her brows, clearly struggling to follow.

"He killed him," sobbed the slave. "And I ran away..." She couldn’t bring herself to tell the full truth, afraid of the consequences. In truth, she had already said too much. Aro had already hinted that she knew too much...

"He did what?!" Felizitas asked in disbelief.

"Please, you must keep this to yourself, please promise me!" Sulpicia’s eyes widened with sudden fear—fear that Aro could be held accountable, his reputation damaged, or worse! She absolutely didn’t want that! And worse still was the thought that he might kill her for having betrayed him!

"You’re a slave...?" Felizitas whispered a moment later, as if the realization was only now dawning on her. It was clear she was struggling to grasp the fragments.

Sulpicia’s heart ached at the disdain in her voice, though it made perfect sense. "But how... how is that possible? Why...? How do you know each other then? And why did Aro bring you to us?"

"We met by chance," Sulpicia tried to recount the events and forced herself to calm down a little. "Tiberius, my master, was doing business that apparently interested him, and so he offered me the deal."

"A slave..." Felizitas said with contempt, and her voice sounded colder than before. It seemed she was stuck on that part of the story. "Aro got involved with a slave... why would he do such a thing?" she thought, but didn’t say it aloud.

Sulpicia’s eyes widened—this was exactly what she had feared. Felizitas saw her differently now...

"Please, I’m still the same person you met!" She took a deep breath and felt unbearably guilty about her next words. "I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t absolutely necessary, but I... I don’t know where to go... or where I can..." She sobbed again, unable to control her emotions. "I turned him down, I turned Aro down..."

"I... I could work for you..." she tried to offer to the Roman woman.

Now Felizitas understood what she was trying to ask but couldn’t. The laws of xenia were sacred and dictated that every person who asked for hospitality should be granted it. The only problem was, in her eyes—and in Rome’s—Sulpicia wasn’t a person... she was a slave... and thus worth no more than a fine vase in Felizitas’s household, or rather her husband’s.

"Sulpicia... I’m sorry..." the domina began and stepped back into the house. "I cannot possibly help you with this..."

"Please..." the slave begged desperately, correctly reading her hesitation. "I don’t know where else to go..."

Felizitas looked into the glassy eyes of her former friend, and at the sight of the beautiful figure before her, she could only think one thing: "Secundus would like her. He would take her and pay even less attention to me than he already does."

"As much as I’d like to, I can’t help you," whispered the dark-skinned lady. "Secundus, my husband, would never approve! I could never explain to him where you came from! He would never believe the truth," she tried to explain the situation. The risk was simply too high! What she said was true... she’d have to explain how they knew each other, and she didn’t want to give her husband any more reason to speculate than he already had! Her comfortable life depended on her husband’s favor, after all!

"But I..." Sulpicia choked on her tears. "Please, I need your help."

For a few seconds they stared at each other in silence, and with each passing moment, the gap between them seemed to grow wider, the illusion that had once connected them vanishing.

Felizitas was by no means heartless, and what she had heard—though it wasn’t much—sounded terrible. But she enjoyed the freedom of attending evening school far too much to get involved in a scandal now... especially one involving a slave!

She pushed aside the sympathy she felt for Sulpicia. It wasn’t right. Sulpicia wasn’t the woman she had thought she was...

Finally, she closed her eyes in pain and took a deep breath, glancing left and right to see if anyone was watching. "Please, control yourself, Sulpicia. And be reasonable! Surely you understand why I can’t help you, even if I wanted to!"

Sulpicia’s eyes shimmered as she recoiled a few steps, shocked by the coldness in her friend’s voice.

Although she had been prepared for something like this, it still frightened her deeply in an inexplicable way.

Felizitas now also had tears in her eyes. “I have a reputation to uphold, as much as I dislike admitting it. And what you describe sounds like more drama than I could burden this household with.”

“No, please!” Sulpicia tried again.

“I’m sorry.” Felizitas raised a hand, creating even more distance between herself and the slave. “But I know where you might be able to go. I know a very kind lady, she runs the ‘Lupus et Uva’, not far from here.”

The Wolf and the Grape … that was the name of a certain establishment which housed both the city’s she-wolves and a wine tavern. But Sulpicia did not know what it meant to be a she-wolf of Rome … a whore. She had grown up too sheltered to know such things. And so she also didn’t understand Felizitas’ hint—that this was probably the only option for an escaped slave that the respectable citizen could see.

“She’s on the Via Cassia, do you know where that is?” Felizitas looked at her intently and silently hoped her husband hadn’t been awakened by this nocturnal action. She had no idea how she would explain it otherwise.

Sulpicia wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to concentrate. “Two side streets from the market … yes, I think so.”

“Ask for a certain Athenodora,” Felizitas continued. “Tell her you’re a friend of mine. Then she’ll help you.”

“A friend…” Tears welled up in Sulpicia’s eyes again at the expression Felizitas used for her, even though she had told her what she was …

“She’s the only one who’s ever given me a transparent report of who my husband is enjoying himself with night after night, and which of his needs I’ve failed to meet so far…,” she added with a touch of hatred. “I appreciate her honesty very much.”

Sulpicia observed an expression on the Roman woman’s face that she couldn’t interpret. She wanted to beg her once again to take pity on her, but she knew it was hopeless.

Felizitas had good reasons to reject her.

She couldn’t hold it against her.

She had to accept this decision.

Backing down now was the smartest thing she could do.

And, in truth, the only thing she could do…

“I… I will try,” she forced herself to say, even though she didn’t feel it.
“…thank you…” Sulpicia bowed and saw a tear drop onto her feet as she did so. She hastily wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to preserve the last bit of dignity she had left.

“I wish the world were different, Sulpicia, truly…” Felizitas sought her gaze again. “But I’ve already angered Secundus when he found out I sometimes enjoy the company of another man… and all for the sake of educating myself! Can you imagine?! There wasn’t even anything sexual involved, even though I would’ve liked that…”
She was probably referring to Aro…

“I’m sorry…” stammered Sulpicia, for whom the problems of the wealthy Roman woman were completely incomprehensible in that moment.

“Yes, me too… I fear Secundus is jealous of Aro, even though he doesn’t know him.”
Sulpicia had known that Felizitas had an interest in Aro, and yet she had always tried to ignore it because of her own infatuation… an infatuation that had cost her an unspeakably cruel punishment and the death of her master—her father!

“Aro is… he is…” she began again… and again didn’t know what to say. Felizitas had said nothing about the fact that he had killed! Had she not heard?

“A wonderful man!” Felizitas interrupted the slave, raising a hand and shaking her head, fully aware of Aro’s influence in the city. “And nothing else should you let out into the world!”

As the Roman woman knew, many men were violent. And even if she didn’t know the background of this particular story, there had to be a plausible explanation. And she suspected that it would be extremely unwise to stand against a man as powerful as Aro.

Or worse still: to lose his favor.

And what she also didn’t know was whether Sulpicia was even telling the truth…

“Yes.” Sulpicia understood the hint and closed her lips. “I suppose he is.”

“I hope you know that I’ve only ever wished you the best,” Felizitas began again. “And I still do. I very much hope this Athenodora can help you more than I could. Perhaps one day we’ll see each other again, who knows?”

They both knew there was a chance the slave wouldn’t even make it to the brothel alive, and it hung unspoken between them in the air.

“I… I hope so too,” stammered Sulpicia, perplexed by the abrupt ending Felizitas seemed to be conjuring.

“I wish you all the best, Sulpicia,” said Felizitas at last and looked toward her doorman before giving him a slight nod. Sulpicia’s stomach twisted, and yet she had to accept that her friend had just turned her away.

It was her right.

“I wish the same for you, Felizitas… thank you,” whispered the blonde woman and watched as the golden doors closed once more before her, and she found herself again wrapped in the deep darkness of the night.

Aro had clenched his teeth and was still staring at the door through which Sulpicia had disappeared, unsure how to feel about his decision. Rage coursed through him. He was shocked and astonished at the same time by her audacity. “After everything I’ve done for her!”

He only averted his gaze when Marcus entered and instead looked at the large wall painting that was supposed to depict Venus, but in truth—as both Marcus and he knew—portrayed a former lover of Aro’s, whom he had accidentally killed.

He didn’t want to look at Marcus. Not now. He had absolutely no interest in a moral lecture!

He hoped that if he just held out long enough, the other vampire would disappear again, but that didn’t happen, which only increased Aro’s anger. He could feel Marcus’ silent presence far too clearly behind him, growing more irritable with each passing second, without quite being able to say why.

“She’s gone. I let her go,” he finally pressed out through clenched teeth. As if that weren’t obvious…

“She must have meant a lot to you,” Marcus began cautiously, trying to sound as neutral as possible so as not to anger the black-haired vampire.

Aro laughed theatrically. “That’s absurd!”

“You deny it, but you care about her,” Marcus replied gently. Aro shook his head in disdain, but Marcus continued, sensing what the other vampire felt. “Otherwise you never would’ve done what you did. You respected her wish.” He hoped Aro would look at him, come to his senses, but that didn’t happen.

“She humiliated me.” He practically spat out the words.

Marcus furrowed his brow, realizing that his brother was denying his feelings, but Aro continued before he could interject. “I rescued her from the household she was bound to, and this is how she thanks me?!”

The black-haired man finally did turn around, and now Marcus saw clearly the wounded pride in the eyes of his immortal brother, who couldn’t believe what had just happened. “She thinks I’m a monster! She condemns what I’ve done! … What I did for her! Can you believe that?!”

Aro was truly more than upset! Never before had any woman treated him with such disrespect! They had always sought his favor! Worse still… he wasn’t supposed to feel bad! Because of a woman! A slave! He didn’t need that! He hadn’t done anything wrong!

And yet he couldn’t deny that he did feel bad.

Because of her. Sulpicia!

And he hated it!

Because deep down, he knew that he had summoned this fate upon her.

“You wanted her to choose a life at your side,” Marcus began again softly, for he had been trying for some years now to explore the emotional world of his brother and close friend, in order to support him.

“That would hardly have been a bad life!” Aro hissed again, already having envisioned a life with Sulpicia in his home… how she would be devoted to him… how she would be grateful for the great sacrifice he had made for her… and for the devotion with which she would honor him…

Obviously a completely different vision from the one Marcus had in mind for him.

But it didn’t matter. Now she had destroyed all of it!

“And yet an unequal bond… as you’ve formed so many times before, if I may say so,” the gentle vampire continued. Aro hated that Marcus knew him so well—that he could seemingly complete his thoughts without being asked! And that he voiced things Aro would rather have denied.

Who did Marcus think he was, anyway?! Didn’t he have enough to deal with on his own doorstep?!

“No, you may not! I didn’t ask for your opinion!” the black-haired man hissed and stepped threateningly close to the tall Roman.

Marcus inhaled and exhaled slowly, seemingly unimpressed by his friend’s rage. “And yet I sense that you do want to hear it, brother.”

Aro closed his eyes in annoyance and rubbed his temples, knowing that his counterpart would say it anyway. “Fine then. What do you think?”

The vampire watched him. Perceived every flicker of his heated mind and yet knew that Aro was merely trying to protect himself. He tried to choose his words carefully… “I think it’s remarkable that in all this time, you didn’t seduce her.”

He could have said much more. But he held back. This wasn’t the time or place.

Aro raised his eyebrows. “I could have!”

“Certainly, I know that!” Marcus agreed. “And she would have fallen for you, like all the others, but you didn’t do it.” And that was what made no sense to Marcus in all of this, or at least what differed from every previous story Aro had ever orchestrated. It had always been about maximizing his own pleasure. With Aro, it was always about sex in combination with complete devotion and adoration… but this time, it had never come to that, and that made Marcus suspicious.

Aro waved it off. “Unnecessary. I already have women around me who give me what I want.” He laughed. “And men.”

“Then why her?” Marcus asked again in a calm voice.

The mind reader rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by the intensity with which Marcus regarded him. “Please, Marcus, she was… she was… a means to an end, an opportunity to help Caius with his case, a…” He searched for words, glanced furtively around the room, and gestured wildly with one hand. “… lost soul who deserved saving.”

“Would you say you saved her?” Marcus couldn’t help but want to see a deeper meaning in all this. He had so often wished for redemption for Aro, redemption from his own demons, that he had lost count. And that was why he had hoped that this woman, with her pure thoughts and pure soul, might have meant such a thing for his friend… that Aro, perhaps secretly and always, was searching for some kind of redemption…

He could not and would not give up hope that it was true. The alternative was too cruel.

“I freed her from the constraints of servitude! She could have lived with us!” Aro replied faintly, and Marcus felt the thought pained him. There was more behind it than he was willing to admit.

“But she chose otherwise…” the Etruscan finished Aro’s thoughts, perhaps to steer him onto a different path.

“What are you getting at?”

Marcus sighed.

“You’re looking for more than another bedmate, Aro. As you yourself say, you’re already more than satisfied in that regard.”

Aro stifled another eye roll. Was he serious? Why did everyone always want more from a woman or a man?! Why wasn’t it enough just to have fun?! And why did Marcus think he might be missing something?!

“Are you planning to analyze the depths of my mind now?” he replied as lightly as possible.

Marcus shook his head. “No, but I believe you let her go for a specific reason.”

Aro sighed. He really wouldn’t let it go! This vampire with his sentimental soul could be truly bothersome at times!

“And that would be?” What meaning could that slave possibly have held for him? Yes, she had shown interest in languages, in mathematics and history, and she had especially been curious about how he saw the world—but so what?!

Many people would be.

“If she doesn’t choose freely to stay with you, she’s not the right one,” Marcus continued and looked him directly in the eyes as he said it.

“The right one for what?” Aro joked and was about to avert his gaze—but he couldn’t. Marcus was too serious for that, and he didn’t like it one bit.

“To be your mate.”

“Mate!” The vampire laughed heartily. “Now that’s truly absurd, Marcus, I beg you! You don’t seriously think I tried to make myself a mate? From a slave?” Aro felt how much those words hurt, even as he spoke them, because he had genuinely liked Sulpicia. And at the core of it, her only fault had been wounding his pride.

Yes… he was hurt. And he hated admitting that! Who did she think she was?!

He couldn’t and wouldn’t admit to himself that the fact that Caius had been meeting so often with that brothel owner and genuinely seemed to be interested in her had made him start to think. Sulpicia had been, so to speak, an experiment. An experiment that had failed.

“You do realize she only has one way out now, don’t you?” Marcus pulled him from his thoughts and looked at him intently, raising an eyebrow.

The vampire shrugged with feigned indifference because he knew exactly what his counterpart meant. “She chose it herself…” He was too hurt and angry to allow himself to care.

“Even if she finds work as a whore, they’ll investigate Tiberius’ death and that of his household.” Marcus observed his friend. Searched for any reaction in his features. But Aro was too practiced. Too controlled… He wasn’t ready to reveal what he truly felt, and so the vampire thought he had to make his appeal more forceful:
“If she doesn’t die on the street first, they’ll most certainly hunt her down and have her executed, you must know that!”

The other, far crueler alternatives he consciously left unspoken. Aro would surely imagine them himself.

The black-haired man considered for a moment and made a great effort to stifle every emotional reaction at its root. He looked his friend in the face with indifference. “It didn’t seem to trouble her when she left.”

“Aro, she’s a young girl who knows nothing of the world! How could she have guessed?!” Marcus was shocked! How could Aro be so incredibly indifferent?!

“She could have stayed here!” the Etruscan said, agitated. He suddenly felt the need to justify himself! “It would have been safe for her. She chose against it.” He thought to himself how selfish and naive that slave was, not to have accepted his offer! She could have had everything. He would have given her everything! She could have had him!

But to his surprise, Marcus merely looked down at the ground, visibly uncomfortable. “I think, brother, you’re too hurt to see what you’re doing to her…”

Aro shrugged again with exaggerated nonchalance and tried to ignore his counterpart’s emotions. He certainly wouldn’t let him touch him now! He didn’t even want to know what Marcus was thinking.

“She made her choice. And I respected her wish. She doesn’t want to be here, after all I’ve done for her? Fine! Then let her go!” He turned away and looked absentmindedly once again at the painting.

An equally unpleasant memory…

He hated it! He hated all of it—and most of all, he hated being exposed in such a way.

It was over. He wouldn’t dwell on it any longer, as he decided in that moment.

A seemingly endless silence passed before Aro spoke again, in a chillingly cold voice: “Caius doesn’t know about any of this, does he?”

The sudden shift in his tone was not unfamiliar to Marcus. He knew him too well and knew how quickly his moods could change, how quickly he could shut down emotionally.

“No, I don’t believe so.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way. We won’t speak a word of this.” By which the black-haired man meant Marcus more than himself. The latter wanted to respond, wanted to tell Aro that there was no reason to be as hurt as he was, and that he had, in fact, likely done the right thing—but he didn’t get the chance, for Aro said right afterward: “Please send Cecilia to me. I need her tonight.”

The brown-haired vampire shook his head sadly, though Aro didn’t see it.

He knew the matter was closed—for now.

“I think you’re doing her an injustice, brother,” he said before turning and leaving the room. He was shocked—and yet, sadly, not surprised—by his friend’s indifference. He had felt more for this woman than he was willing to admit, Marcus could sense that clearly…

And he truly felt sorry for Sulpicia. The energetic signature that had surrounded the girl had been so bright, so positive, that he didn’t want to see it darkened… not by all of them…

Aro couldn’t seriously mean to simply abandon her to her fate! But when his brother’s pride was wounded, Marcus knew, he had already been capable of far worse.

He would need time to see these events in a different light.

Time Sulpicia did not have…

Marcus withdrew, silently considering how he might help this unfamiliar woman—without Aro noticing…

She had been dragged into this game without knowing what she was getting into. And the vampire didn’t like to see innocents suffer. Maybe—just maybe—he could help her.

“My name was hidden somewhere in the back of my brain
I didn't know before my head was drained
And all I could hear was that name
I erased the mission I had before I was reversed
Long before I was a part of Earth

I was a part of your world
I was a part of your world”

(My Name – Aurora)

~✾~

Sulpicia looked up hesitantly at the wooden sign. ‘Lupus et Uva’ was written there in elegant letters, and she flinched as the door opened and two men staggered out, laughing and obviously drunk. The blood froze in her veins as their gazes fell on her, inspecting her body from head to toe.

One of them made a lewd gesture and was just about to reach out a hand toward her, but she forced her legs into motion again, braced herself against the door, which bore a large phallus, and pushed it open with the last of her strength.

A stale scent hit her. It smelled of old, heavy rose perfume, alcohol, sweat, and several other undefinable things. The slave girl had to suppress her gag reflex immediately.

She was trembling. All her limbs ached and her head was pounding. She tried to make herself as small and invisible as possible as her eyes carefully scanned the room—searching for a woman who might be this Athenodora.

Dionysos, who stood behind the bar and always kept an eye on the entrance, frowned when he saw her enter, and his eyes widened in shock as he noticed her torn clothing, disheveled hair, and the trembling of the woman who wore only one sandal.

She looked around shyly, and he kept his eyes fixed on her until hers finally met his and she flinched, realizing she was being watched.

He sincerely hoped she would simply turn around and leave—he’d already had enough trouble with his guests this evening—but apparently encouraged by the exchanged glance, she now hesitantly approached the bar.

He sighed inwardly, filled another jug with mead and a second with beer, served them, and then stepped out from behind the counter toward her. It wasn’t that her appearance left him cold. He had simply seen too many women like her—and they usually meant trouble…

Sulpicia tried to ignore the rowdy guests and the shouts directed at her and turned to the man before her as he came closer.

“I…” she swallowed and only now seemed to realize how raw her throat was. “Excuse me, I’m looking for someone named Athenodora. Do you know her? I was told I might find her here…”

She looked at the necklace the man wore around his neck, from which several phalluses made of a shiny material dangled—it was, in her time, a sacred symbol, which, in addition to its sexual meaning, was also used symbolically as a talisman to ward off evil influences, as she knew. It was also meant to express vitality and strength, but in this case—since she saw the image all over this establishment—Sulpicia was certain that it referred primarily to the sexual context.

She shuddered. Only now did she understand where she had ended up.

“Yes, she is, along with me, the owner of this house. What do you want from her?” the innkeeper asked snippily, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The girl truly stirred his pity, standing there trembling like that, but he tried to suppress any sympathy.

“I was sent here because I was told she might be able to help me…” Sulpicia looked at him pleadingly, and her hope began to fade as his features hardened even more. She felt so incredibly weak… she didn’t know what she would do if he turned her away now…

Dionysos looked at her for a while. Finally, he sighed. He knew that if Athenodora found out he had simply sent away this woman who had asked for her, she would raise hell. Let her send her away. He would stay out of it. “Give me a moment, child.”

And with that, he turned and disappeared into a back room. Sulpicia wrapped both arms around herself, crossing them over her upper arms, and squeezed herself into a corner to stay as far out of the line of fire as possible.

She had experienced this kind of waiting once already tonight…

She looked around the room furtively and observed the drinking men, around whom scantily clad women circled, some sitting down on their laps and others disappearing with guests… She turned her eyes away in shock as she saw some of the women touching the men—and vice versa…

Prostitutes, as Sulpicia realized… she was in a brothel!

And it wasn’t even the actions themselves that shocked the slave—after all, she had often been an involuntary witness to such things in her old household—but rather the sheer number and the brazen openness with which they were practiced here…

Shortly afterward, her gaze snapped to the side, as a woman so majestic entered the room that Sulpicia was immediately overwhelmed by her presence and momentarily forgot what she had just seen.

“Someone asked for me…?” came the bell-like voice, and the slave took in the artfully pinned-up hair, the dark blue-green-gold shimmering dress—though made of cheap fabric—and the deliberately feminine and graceful makeup, upon which worry lines now immediately formed at the sight of her. “By all the gods, what happened to you, my dear?”

The woman came closer and, to Sulpicia’s surprise, immediately reached out her hands to her, as if they were old friends.

“My name is Sulpicia,” she blurted out at once, touched by the warm gesture. “My friend Felizitas mentioned you, she…” The slave faltered, and although she had tried to look the beautiful woman in the eyes, her gaze now dropped to her hands, which the brothel owner had gently clasped and was now stroking across the backs of.

This gesture, simple as it was, brought tears to the young woman’s eyes immediately—so moved was she by this semblance of concern, even if it were only politeness.

“She… mentioned that I might come to you if I…” She paused again and could feel herself trembling. “If I needed help,” she whispered, and immediately felt ashamed for asking it of a stranger.

“Were you robbed? Did someone hurt you?” The tall woman furrowed her brow even deeper and now placed a hand on Sulpicia’s shoulder, gently turning her, having seen the torn fabric and, shortly thereafter, the injury on her back. “Oh, darling!” She pulled her hand back and held it, shocked, in front of her mouth. “You must be in terrible pain!”

“I…” Sulpicia wanted to speak again, but her vision turned glassy once more as her field of view filled with tears. With effort, she just barely held them back. “ … Please, might I possibly stay here for the rest of the night?” She felt her body begin to tremble more violently as she suppressed her emotions and sensed the rising fear of the reaction. “Just for this one night, I promise! I’ll leave again first thing tomorrow, I…”

“Yes… of course!” Athenodora said faster than she would have liked. The woman in front of her looked so exhausted, seemed to have gone through so much—how could she turn her away? Her heart was too big when it came to women! It had always been that way.

Not only did Felizitas report to her regularly—soberly and with as much distance as possible—about her husband’s preferences, but other wealthy ladies had also turned to her. Over the years, she had built a trusted network of rich Roman women, who of course paid her for her honesty. And while she was happy to do so and it was essential for her business, her heart secretly leaned more toward those women who had been far less blessed by fortune…

But no sooner had she spoken the words than Dionysos pulled her back somewhat harshly. He had turned his back to Sulpicia so he could speak close to the brothel owner's ear: “She’s probably a slave, Athenodora—look at her clothes! What if she’s run away from her master? They’ll come looking for her! It will come back to bite us! I don’t trust her! What woman walks through Rome alone at night?!”

The brothel owner furrowed her brow and immediately gave her friend a sharp look.

“If that’s true, then our respectable establishment will certainly not be the first place they search… and it’s just for one night! Dionysos, have a heart! Can’t you see she’s about to collapse?” she hissed back and pulled away from him at once to approach Sulpicia again, smiling as kindly as possible.

“We’ll find a place for you tonight, don’t worry.” Athenodora gently touched her arm to calm the young woman, who was clearly intimidated by her friend’s rejection.

“And where, pray tell, is she supposed to sleep? We don’t have a single bed left!” Dionysos was once again shocked by Athenodora. It had taken so long to build this place! First she bought girls off the slave market—girls she couldn’t even be sure would be good for business—and now she wanted to offer shelter to a complete stranger! They had a reputation to uphold and couldn’t afford charity like this!

“A corner will be more than enough for me!” Sulpicia responded at once, hastily, her gaze darting pleadingly from the brothel owner to Dionysos.

“Nonsense! You’ll borrow my bed, dear!” Athenodora shook her head at once. “With that injury on your back, the floor would only make it worse!”

As if to confirm the words, Sulpicia felt the pain of the not-yet-healed wound and looked at the woman before her again, overwhelmed by this generosity. “Thank you so much!” She didn’t know what else to say, so she folded her hands and bowed. “That’s truly beyond kind! I… I’ll repay you, I promise!”

“She must have at least some education if she knows words like ‘repay’,” the innkeeper thought briefly.

“Come, I’ll take you upstairs,” said Athenodora, frowning as she noticed the leering looks of the men around her. She silently hoped they would remain just that—looks…

Sulpicia watched as the woman turned briefly, walked behind the counter, filled a jug with some kind of liquid, and grabbed a piece of bread before returning.

“Here, take this with you. You must be hungry and thirsty.” She handed her the jug, well aware that Dionysos wouldn’t approve of this either—because technically, they had nothing to give away for free…

The slave accepted both and couldn’t take her eyes off them. She should have waited—she knew that. It was a generous gift, and she shouldn’t just gulp it down—but she couldn’t help herself and took a large gulp of the drink right then and there.

She told herself she’d save the bread.

The liquid tasted sweet and warm as it ran down her throat. Mead, she guessed. She had never been so grateful for a drink in her life!

~✾~

“Have you completely lost your mind?!” Dionysos began his tirade the moment Athenodora came back downstairs a short while later, slamming the jug he had just filled loudly onto the table to underscore his point.

She had offered Sulpicia her bed and had to reassure her multiple times that it was truly okay for her to sleep in it. Again and again, the strange woman expressed how much she appreciated this generous hospitality and that she couldn’t put into words how grateful she was!

The brothel owner had wanted to ask what had happened—what had brought her to this condition, why she had run through the dangerous city streets alone at night—but judging by how the woman looked, she decided to wait until morning. She clearly needed rest…

“That poor girl was clearly abused! Dionysos, what was I supposed to do?!” Athenodora calmed the guest who was now complaining about the spilled drink and handed it to him with a warm, though forced, smile.

“Uhm… turn her away?!” The innkeeper leaned sideways against the bar and looked at his friend as if she were no longer in her right mind. “Because you know we can’t save everyone?!”

Two more guests loudly called attention to their thirst, and he responded to their demands, collecting the four asses tossed his way—two for each mug of beer (also known as cervisia)—before turning back to Athenodora, who was looking at him accusingly.

“Fine, but her we could help! I’ll talk to her tomorrow and find out what happened and where she came from…” She leaned forward a bit, collected a few empty jugs, and ignored the lewd remarks being thrown at her from across the room.

“One night, Athenodora!” said the innkeeper firmly, raising a finger. “And then she has to go—or be willing to work!” He knew his friend far too well not to suspect that it probably wouldn’t stop at just one night… But for now, he still hoped. He really wasn’t in the mood for trouble!

“Yes, yes… I do understand you!” she said and exhaled heavily.

“And anyway: if she’s sleeping in your bed tonight, where exactly are you going to sleep, hm?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I thought that was obvious, dear friend.” Athenodora smiled mischievously as the words playfully crossed her lips and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll be taking yours, of course.”

Dionysos’ jaw dropped, much to Athenodora’s amusement, and he immediately launched into another outraged complaint in her direction.

She burst into loud laughter at how easily irritable her friend could be from time to time—and how easy it was to tease him again and again!

Silently, however, the brothel owner, just like Dionysos before her, kept glancing toward the door, for she, too, had been on constant alert for some time now.

They were both still keeping an eye out for a particular guest. The red-eyed man Caius was searching for, whose arrival was to prompt her to send Tiro—the slave Caius had given her for exactly that purpose—after him.

But it seemed as though he wouldn’t be showing up tonight either…

They would have to keep their eyes open!

~✾~

The next morning, Athenodora once again carried a full jug and a bowl with a bit of bread and a few grapes on a tray as she carefully entered the room where Sulpicia had slept.

The latter startled immediately and made a move to get out of the bed at once, but Athenodora waved her off with a gesture, letting her know there was no rush, and sat down beside her. For a while they sat in silence as she watched the stranger eat her breakfast, and finally broke the silence when Sulpicia was finished.

“Do you want to tell me what happened to you?” she asked gently, examining the woman before her more closely. She seemed a bit more recovered… but the fear from the previous night still showed on her face.

Sulpicia set down the jug, from which she had taken another sip, and tried to sit up a little straighter.

“You were so kind to me—I don’t know how I can ever repay you…” She paused for a moment, but then continued when the silence began to stretch. “The man behind the bar wasn’t wrong… I did actually flee from my master… but it’s not what you think!”

The slave girl saw how Athenodora immediately leaned back slightly in surprise and quickly went on. “He’s dead! My master is dead! He was murdered by a…” She trailed off, lowered her gaze and looked at the bed. “…by another man. Everyone in my household is dead. He killed them all.” Her voice grew quieter with every word.

“And he let you live?” the brothel owner asked in disbelief. “Why? Or no—that’s why you ran, isn’t it? You managed to escape?” She shook her head in confusion.

“No, he… he killed them for me,” Sulpicia said softly.

Athenodora’s eyes widened in disbelief at those words. “What are you saying…?”

And then Sulpicia told her.

Everything.

The whole story—how she had met this strange man, how he had offered her the deal, how she met Felizitas, how much joy she found in the lessons, and what happened when her master found out she had betrayed him. She told her that Aro had come to her and how horrified he was by what Tiberius had done to punish her… She also spoke of how she had deserved the punishment, and how she hated herself for being so foolish, so ungrateful toward her father, and how confused she was that he had never told her about her true origin…

And then she told her how she learned about it. How Aro had killed him for what he had done, and how shortly afterward he had killed everyone else as well, to cover up the traces.

Athenodora’s mouth fell open at the story, for even if she hadn’t understood it at first, it became clearer the more Sulpicia recounted—she knew this Aro!

That couldn’t be!

She pondered back and forth, but everything the young slave girl reported only completed the picture further: the red eyes, his white-haired companion at the dinner… Marcus, the scholar… and finally, the fact that this man could read thoughts—no matter how absurd that sounded.

She had met Aro once herself. However, she had encountered him differently from the way Sulpicia described him… She couldn’t help but immediately draw parallels to Caius, for she too had a strange acquaintance with red eyes.

Sulpicia continued telling her how Aro had taken her to his home and how shocked she had been by Cecilia. She also spoke of the argument between his sister and him, and ended by saying how she could think of nothing else now but being a slave again—only this time, in love with a man she could never have, and who would never see her as an equal.

“It’s so narrow-minded of her to even hope for that,” Athenodora thought to herself.
And yet, she immediately felt a pang in her heart—because even if she didn’t want to admit it, deep down she too hoped that she might mean more to Caius than simply being a means to an end…

But wasn’t her situation completely different? After all, she and Caius did treat each other differently from the way Sulpicia described Aro’s treatment of her.

Still, both of them—strange as they were—were wealthy men of Rome.

And the two of them were merely a brothel owner and a slave.

Athenodora shook her head and raised her eyebrows to clear her mind and to be able to listen to the woman in front of her again.

The latter spoke about how she and Aro had argued… how she had begged him to let her go… and how he had finally sent her away. How shocked she had been by the anger in his voice.

“It’s strange that he even let you go at all!” Athenodora mused aloud after Sulpicia had finished her story. “You must have wounded his pride tremendously.”

The slave felt her stomach twist. That was probably true…

“I know now how wrong it was, but…” Sulpicia shook her head. “My heart couldn’t bear to live that way.” She felt guilty. Oh, how she wished she could undo everything!

“Your heart?!” The brothel owner could hardly contain herself, so shocked was she by these ridiculously childish words and views of the young woman before her, who clearly had no idea of the world’s cruelty. “My dear, forgive me, but that was incredibly foolish of you! You can count yourself lucky if no one sends people after you, suspecting you of being the murderer when they find out you’re still alive!”

She saw how Sulpicia flinched at those words. Rightly so.

“I’ve met this man,” she continued. “And even if he clearly enjoys playing games, he’s handsome and wealthy! And even better: to satisfy his needs, the two of you could’ve even shared him!” She was so shocked by what she had just heard! This woman had had the chance to live a life of luxury—a privilege afforded to very few women of her kind.

And the heartache—she understood it even less! Had Sulpicia become his slave, she would have seen another slave more as a blessing than a threat.

But that, of course, only applied if one had no feelings for someone… and suddenly she hated herself for the feeling stirring inside her toward Caius. Because he, too, probably had other women…

Who was she to even care?! No, she didn’t care!

Feelings… they were a luxury no one could afford! Not ever!

After all, men always wanted more than one could give! She had experienced that too often firsthand—and heard it every day from the stories of her she-wolves—the women she employed as prostitutes.

Apart from Dionysos, there had only ever been one man who seemed different—or at least pretended to be… and she had been foolish enough to fall for the illusion!

That had to end! She had to put a stop to those thoughts—or try to ignore them, if nothing else. The comparison to the slave before her, and the story she told, was too painful.

Sulpicia looked at her, shocked, seemingly overwhelmed by the brothel owner’s words. She had never looked at it that way before… how could she? She didn’t even fully understand what Athenodora meant, but she had a hunch.

After all, she had heard stories and seen a few things… and just the previous night, she had feared for her body more than once.

Athenodora’s expression shifted from shock to sympathy as she looked at the woman before her and realized how little Sulpicia knew about the world’s cruelty—and how many bitter tears she would likely cry in the future over her own foolishness…

“I… I didn’t know what to do, I was afraid,” Sulpicia tried to justify her actions and felt unbelievably foolish and young under the other woman’s gaze. Athenodora had not only more years physically…

“He murdered an entire household for the cruelty done to you!” whispered the woman in colorful garments with reverence, because she didn’t want to hurt her further but still hoped to wake her up. “Girl, forgive me, but it was unbelievably foolish to reject him!”

“I know.” A silent tear ran down Sulpicia’s cheek, and she couldn’t even say whether it was out of pain over her own foolishness or pain over the broken heart and shattered image of her supposed future. “I know, but I can’t undo it now.”

They sat in silence for a while.

Finally, Athenodora once again clasped her hands, just as she had the night before, which made Sulpicia look up, and she gave her the most encouraging smile she could manage.

“No, but you’re here. And you’re still alive. You’ll find a way out.” She didn’t know if she truly believed it herself, but she had the feeling that this woman in front of her needed to hear exactly that.

“I know I’ve already overstayed your hospitality—far more than I have any right to! And I know I only asked for one night, but…” She hesitated, unsure if she could or even wanted to say what was going through her mind. But Athenodora—although she didn’t know her—seemed so composed, so grown-up, so strong despite her profession, that the slave thought maybe, with time, she could become like her. Just as unshakable. “…would there be any chance I could work for you? I’ll do my best, I promise! And I’ll pay off the debt I’ve caused!”

Athenodora’s face showed a trace of pity. The woman in front of her was desperate—she could clearly see that. She had no options, no place to go… and yet she felt incredibly uneasy at the thought of employing her for the same work she expected of her other women.

This young woman before her seemed so gentle, so fragile… so pure.

She raised her hand, gently cupped Sulpicia’s chin and lifted it slightly. They looked into each other’s eyes—one full of sympathy, the other waiting, fearing. The slave likely feared both possible outcomes of this decision.

“You’re still a virgin, aren’t you?” the brothel owner asked carefully. Sulpicia nodded slightly. The next question followed. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen,” came the shy reply from the slave. Athenodora’s eyes widened again in shock. It was, on the one hand, younger than she had expected—and on the other, older than most virgins in Rome at that time.

“How did you manage to grow up so protected for so long?! Your master must have treated you very well!” She slowly turned the woman’s face from left to right to get a better look at her.

“With that injury you have, I’m afraid you won’t bring me any money.” She didn’t want to tell her that there were men who took pleasure in a woman’s pain and vulnerability—such truth was too much for today. “I could let you serve beer and wine, if you’d like, but that’s Dionysos’ domain. You’d have to speak to him about that.”

She released the young woman’s chin and already saw in her mind’s eye how Dionysos would roll his eyes…

“Just one night…” He hadn’t really believed that, had he?!

“I’ll ask him!” Sulpicia was meanwhile so incredibly grateful that Athenodora wasn’t turning her away, as she had expected! She tried to push down the fear she felt about everything this decision would mean. “You won’t regret it! I’ll do anything! Oh, thank you so much!”

“Be careful with a statement like that, my dear… truly!” She thought about how much money they could earn with her as a virgin, once she had recovered, and how she would personally watch who would approach her first. It would be hard for her… and truth be told, she hadn’t really meant to say yes… But she couldn’t throw this woman out into the street!

What would happen if Caius saw her? Did he know her? She had spoken of Marcus often, but had he seen her? He would recognize her! After all, he came here often because of Dionysos.

But maybe, just maybe, Sulpicia would have a chance to return to Aro this way? After all, he seemed to have an interest in her—otherwise, he never would’ve treated her so gently, as Sulpicia had described…

“What an absurd thought…” Athenodora thought to herself. In the end, she was probably more of a romantic than she cared to admit—and more than was good for her…

So be it. Sulpicia would find death on the streets. And that, she could not and would not allow. Everything else they would deal with later.

“But Dionysos is right: they will look for you. We need to come up with something. Starting with the fact that you need a new name. We can’t risk anyone recognizing you. Sulpicia is not a name for a she-wolf of my brothel.” She tilted her head and studied the woman before her closely.

“What do you think of Gaia? The mother of all gods… I think it sounds very graceful.” She smiled encouragingly at Sulpicia, fully aware of the difficult time ahead for this woman—so innocent as she was…

“Yes, I like it…” Sulpicia let the name drift through her mind for a moment and tried to embrace her new identity. “Gaia… that’s a beautiful name.”

She tried to square her shoulders to appear more confident, just like Athenodora before her. She wouldn’t disappoint her! And she would never forget the kindness that had been shown to her.

„I was given a heart
Before I was given a mind
A thirst for pleasure and war
A hunger we keep inside

We fell from sky with grace
And life gave us a sweeter taste
You can drink, you can feast
There's beauty in your beast

The flesh in the fruit
And the blood in the wine
Come and feel alive, lover“

(Blood In The Wine – Aurora)

~✾~

About a week had passed, and Marcus had kept hoping that Didyme would, of her own accord, seek him out for a conversation. He had wanted to give her time, to let her decide when she would speak to him.

But he could hardly bear the silence any longer. Above all, he had no desire whatsoever to lie to Caius, and it was a mystery to him how Aro could do it so easily.

They really were very different …

He was sitting a little apart, listening to the splashing of the fountain in the great atrium, lost in a book he had actually intended to read — but his mind had to grasp many of the lines several times. He was too distracted. The talk with his companion burned under his nails, and with every hour that passed, his resolve to simply confront her himself grew firmer.

Aro and Caius had seated themselves not far from him to play a game of chess. Marcus had hoped they would do so quietly — but that was not the case.

He sat out half the game, but the increasingly needling remarks the two men threw at each other distracted him so much that he finally abandoned his plan to continue reading altogether.

He sighed, set his book aside, and circled around the two other immortals — not without casting them a sharp sidelong glance. Amused and annoyed at once, he noted that they were both so deeply absorbed in their game that they did not even notice him.

All the better, he thought. I can hardly look at Caius anymore without the truth bursting out of me.

And so he withdrew and went up the long staircase to his and Didyme’s quarters. It was time that he finally spoke with her …

Meanwhile, Aro moved the black knight to c6, overlooking the threat from Caius’s queen, which the latter had maneuvered in, hoping Aro would miss the obvious. Which he did.

He had to suppress a grin.

“Knight to c6 … Hmm, I wonder if that was such a wise decision?” the white-haired man tried to unsettle Aro. He leaned a bit over the board, moved his white bishop to c4, and went back on the offensive.

“If that was such a wise decision?” Aro’s parrot recited from the perch behind him in a grotesquely high-pitched voice, which made Aro chuckle and caused Caius to roll his eyes.

“That blasted creature really had to be, didn’t it?” the elder hissed and shot the bird a warning look — which the creature, quite obviously unaware of any guilt, ignored completely.

But this distraction suited the immortal just fine. He expected his opponent to respond properly by now, since the attack was, in his opinion, laughably obvious. Yet Aro, to his surprise, was focused on an entirely different quadrant and instead moved his second black knight to f6.

“Of course! Can’t you see how much joy it brings me?” Aro replied mischievously.

Caius tried not to show any expression, but he couldn’t help glancing up in surprise for a fraction of a second. His son seemed so distracted that day that he had missed such an obvious attack.

“You’re inattentive…” He moved his queen to f7. “Checkmate.”

Aro’s joyful grin vanished at once. When he realized what had happened, he leaned back reverently, focused on the board, and searched for possible ways out of the situation. His blood-red eyes darted hastily from left to right. He clenched his teeth in concentration, which made Caius smirk again. His son so hated to admit when he made mistakes — it was far too amusing to lure him into traps on purpose!

The dark-haired one pondered back and forth, but there was no way out. Caius’s queen could not be taken, and his king had no escape route left.

“Stercore!” he exclaimed angrily, throwing his hands up in fury and then, in a fit of frustration, swept his arm across the board so that the pieces scattered across the marble floor. “Again!” he demanded, snapping his fingers at one of the nearby slaves to gather the pieces.

“Brother, you really must learn to control yourself better. You were far too sure of your victory — I could see it. You were completely blind to my encirclement.” He used the term brother for Marcus as well — they had, at some point, agreed that addressing each other that way made them feel more like equals, even though both were his sons.

Aro glared furiously at the white-haired man, and it was plain to see that he was forcing himself mightily not to give in to his anger again.

The pieces were meanwhile being gathered up once more.

Caius gestured briefly to the slave to place the pieces on the table only — he wanted to set them back on the board himself. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve seemed incredibly tense all day.” Normally he wouldn’t have asked. Caius wasn’t one to talk about feelings — mainly because they usually made him suspicious. But Aro was his son… and of course, he wanted him to be well.

“It must only seem that way to you.” Aro waved it off and took a large gulp of blood from his richly decorated, colorful chalice. He didn’t want to talk about it. His wounded ego — though soothed in other ways — still hurt too much. And all because of a slave! A slave who had actually dared to reject him! “How are things going with your brothel keeper, anyway? Lately, it’s been rather quiet in your thoughts in that regard.” He deliberately steered the subject elsewhere and jabbed at the one wound that truly caused Caius discomfort. “A real pity. And I know you see it the same way.” He winked at him, wanting to draw him out — pushing his own shame about what had happened even deeper into his subconscious.

It didn’t suit him to be affected by something like that, he thought! Who had she even been?! A charming girl, perhaps … but nothing more! He didn’t understand why the whole matter still troubled him so deeply.

She should mean nothing to him. He would simply forget her. Let her see to her own fate!

“She’ll inform me as soon as Pictor returns to the brothel — as agreed,” Caius replied. He felt his stomach clench at the words, and he hated that feeling. That feeling that, every day, he was secretly hoping that moment would come — so that he’d have a reason to see Athenodora again.

He also hated that, if he were honest with himself, by now it was almost a little more about her than about uncovering the missing slaves. And he hated that he was so torn between wanting her to notice his feelings and wishing she’d simply think him too cold and turn away.

At the moment, he was actively keeping himself from going to her without a valid reason. He had already overstepped the boundaries concerning her far too much. But he liked her too much, if he was honest … he enjoyed her presence, and that sensation was refreshing. He didn’t feel that way with many people … and the kind of feelings she stirred in him confused him.

It would be better if he toned all that down a little. It wasn’t logical. Nor rational.

“What will happen when she informs you and you finally put an end to our old friend?” Aro raised an eyebrow, taking a white pawn in one hand and a black one in the other, hiding both behind his back before holding them out expectantly to his opponent.

He had seen in Caius’s mind that the latter had already toyed more than once with the idea of making her immortal — yet had always talked himself out of it again, if only because he would then have had to admit his feelings.

Aro hoped he wouldn’t turn her. What would that make him look like then?! Both his brothers with companions — and he alone?! He could never bear that!

Under no circumstances would he expose himself to such humiliation!

A part of him had liked the distraction and the prospect of Sulpicia. She might have been different from the other slaves. He would have to come up with something should Caius truly decide to make that brothel keeper immortal!

Cecilia was now the best option he had … even though he actually disapproved of it. In truth, he had long since lost interest in her.

“What’s supposed to happen? I must, of course, find out where he’s hiding the slaves.” The white-haired man shrugged his shoulders, but Aro could clearly see that he was merely pretending not to understand him.

“I mean with her – with Athenodora.” He looked at him expectantly, searching his creator’s face for an answer.

But Caius didn’t know himself yet. For the time being, he pushed that question aside. And apparently, he also had no interest now in making any effort to find a concrete answer.

“I’d suggest we play now.” He chose Aro’s right hand, which the latter immediately opened, thus ending the subject. This time, it seemed, he would be playing black. “After all, you want to defend your honor, don’t you?”

~✾~

Meanwhile, Marcus had gone upstairs. So long as his brothers were distracted by the chess game, they wouldn’t overhear his conversation — or so he hoped.

He knocked softly, then opened the door and stepped inside.

“Marcus, my dear!” Didyme greeted him euphorically. She had taken a seat on one of the large couches, upholstered in a velvet, gold-shimmering fabric. Her appearance was breathtaking. She was draped in an almost transparent, dark red, gleaming dress, wore golden jewelry on her ears, neck, and arms, and let her hip-length, jet-black hair fall over her in great waves. “Come, sit with me!”

She smiled, and he returned it gently, musing in silence for a moment on how beautiful she was.

His Etruscan beauty, in whose blood-red eyes he still saw the lively girl she had once been, back when they had both been children …

The picture before him, however, was somewhat marred by the fact that a slave was kneeling before her on all fours, so that she could rest her bare legs on him. Another lay sleeping on the couch beside her — bite marks were visible all over his neck and body, along with slightly dried blood. The scent still hung heavily in the air.

Another slave stood beside her, gazing down at her in quiet expectation. There were also bite marks visible on his neck, but judging by the look he gave her, it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. It was his companion’s gift — to lull almost anyone as she pleased …

“May I offer you a drink as well?” Didyme asked now, noticing his gaze, taking hold of the slave’s arm to tilt him slightly in Marcus’s direction.

“Thank you, mi luri, I’m not in the mood.” Mi luri was the Etruscan expression for my sun, a pet name Marcus had given her in a long bygone time when they had both been much younger and more innocent. He didn’t use it often anymore, yet now he hoped it might soften her a little, considering what they had to talk about.

Didyme let go of the slave’s arm and looked at him expectantly. He mirrored her.

He didn’t want to beg her. She should begin to speak of her own accord. He had, in fact, hoped she would have come to him much earlier and apologized for her lie.

But that hadn’t happened.

And that hurt Marcus even more than the lie itself.

A few seconds passed during which they locked eyes. Didyme’s expression grew more defiant with every passing moment.

Finally, the immortal sighed and began: “If I’ve neglected you lately, I’m sorry.”

In his effort to find some justification for her hurtful behavior, he had actually begun to blame himself. And he didn’t want to accuse her directly, so he began instead with his own failing.

Didyme waved it off and looked to the side. “I know how important your position as quaestor is to you.”

“Of course.” Now Marcus moved a little closer to her, sat down beside her so as to cross her line of sight, and took her right hand between his. “But I haven’t given you enough time, and for that I’m sorry. I should have been more attentive.” Perhaps she was right — perhaps he truly shouldn’t have spent so much time in the senate …

But Didyme immediately furrowed her brow and tore her hand away from him, clearly not pleased that he, of all people, was now the one apologizing. She knew he deserved an explanation from her! But so far she simply hadn’t been able to bring herself to it, and she hated that he was now putting her under pressure by trying to reach out to her!

She sighed loudly.

“Spit it out already. I know what you actually want to talk about! I’ll tell you right now: I’m not exactly eager for a moral lecture!” she tried to defend herself — and immediately realized, to her great annoyance, that she sounded like a sulky child.

Marcus glanced at the slave standing beside Didyme, who was watching him closely. “Out.”

The slave flinched briefly, then immediately left.

“You too!” He tapped the slave at his companion’s feet on the upper arm. “And take your friend here with you.” He pointed at the sleeping slave on the couch, and the two did as ordered, as the sleeping one was shaken awake and pulled to his feet.

The immortal hated having to deal with them like that, but he had no interest in their overhearing what was about to be said.

Only when the door had finally fallen shut behind them did he begin to speak.

“Why did you do it, Didyme? Why did you turn Pictor?” He looked her in the eyes, unable now to suppress his hurt. “You told me you killed him because I couldn’t … You lied to me.”

It was written all over his face how deeply it affected him. He — of all people — who would forgive her anything, and who she knew she could always be honest with … he simply couldn’t understand what he had done to lose her trust.

The woman with the long black hair shook her head, annoyed but gently. She hated it when Marcus was sad — and even more when it was because of her. “I was so angry at Caius! And at you, too, at the time … I know perfectly well you would have wanted to rule with me and Aro, but because Caius didn’t approve, you backed down. You both always do that — bowing before him! I think we’re capable of so much more than he allows us to be!”

Marcus watched her with furrowed brows as she grew more agitated with every word. He had known it had bothered her to stand alone in her opinion, but he had assumed she had come to understand Caius’s reasoning — at least over time.

“Why do you even want such power?” he tried to understand and placed a calming hand on her cheek, upon which she closed her eyes in pain and began to calm again.

“Because we didn’t become these beings for nothing!” she whispered. “We are better than humans! And you know that!”

The immortal shook his head. They had had this discussion many times. He couldn’t and wouldn’t think that way. Like Caius, he found it presumptuous to pass such judgment merely because they were immortals. Yes, they were older and wiser, and certainly better suited to make great decisions, but they were also too often driven by thirst, by greed, and by capriciousness — he saw it every single day in Aro, in his companion, even in Caius from time to time, though the latter tried his utmost to minimize it. And he saw it in himself.

As immortal beings, they had the responsibility to control and moderate themselves. Anything else would mean chaos.

“But you can influence the people in this city … without subjugating them,” he tried to reason with her.

“Marcus, I’m a woman!” Didyme jumped up in outrage and gestured sharply down her body with her hands. “How do you imagine that?! Should I have tea with the elite ladies?!”

“Why not?” he asked, somewhat soothingly, intending to add a touch of humor to the conversation. “I bet they’d tell you fascinating stories.”

The immortal folded her arms across her chest. “I have no interest in the chatter of some ladies. I want influence, Marcus.” She looked at him intently. “With everything we know, we’d be far more capable than Trajan of ruling this city …” He couldn’t disagree with that.

“And that’s why you turned Pictor?” He still secretly hoped for an apology from her for her lie.

Didyme threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. “I thought it would wake Caius up — if he saw what was possible. Pictor shares my desire. He also believes that we have the power and the right to rule!”

He couldn’t understand why this idea still wouldn’t leave her mind. Back when she first proposed it, he had hoped Caius would bring her to her senses, just as he had with Aro. They all had their spheres of influence and exercised power — but only under the pretense that they were all still human.

Caius believed they had to grow with humanity. And he wasn’t wrong: they had already seen what progress the human race had made over the past centuries — and it would continue.

“Is it really so important to you? Can’t you enjoy what we have?” he asked, for he truly found their life extraordinarily beautiful. He loved reflecting on the senate’s decisions, even if, in his position as quaestor, he didn’t have much influence. But that was enough for him. The right men listened to him anyway. That his biological age prevented him from taking a higher rank didn’t bother him.

It was always much more interesting to listen and observe than to draw attention to oneself.

“That’s not enough, Marcus!” Didyme cried indignantly, then immediately lowered her voice, not wanting Aro or Caius to overhear their conversation either. “Simply living in a beautiful house … that’s not enough!”

Marcus obviously lacked an understanding of what it was like to be a woman in this city. Aside from gossip meant to harm others or seducing wealthy men to get what one wanted, she saw few ways to exert influence. And she truly didn’t need that!

“And what do you want with this army, then?” Marcus now asked openly, because he was growing angry that she neither relented nor apologized to him. “Are we to rule with Pictor? Do you really want to betray our creator?” He spoke the last part almost in a whisper, so that truly no one from the lower floors could hear what they were saying.

“We will, of course, kill Pictor in a timely manner, don’t be absurd!” She looked at him, almost speechless at his assumption. “But his army of newly created immortals … we will keep them. It never hurts to have people around you who are devoted to you.”

“So you want to have Caius killed?” he pressed again, incredulous. “Is that it?”

“But no, Marcus!” She waved it off. “Have Caius killed! As if that were possible! The man has wiped out entire packs of wolves single-handedly.”

Marcus now stood as well and took her hands, which immediately made the expression on her face soften.

“Perhaps you should talk to him,” he suggested. “I understand that you’re upset, but he has good reasons for not wanting people to know of our existence.”

“Yes, yes, I know! He’s afraid that people might one day become clever enough to kill us if they know who we are.” She tried to wrench herself from his grasp, or at least to avert her gaze, but she could not.

“He has been in this world for so long and has followed its development far longer than we have … can you blame him for that stance?” She saw the hurt flare up in his eyes again and immediately became angry once more. In her eyes, Caius had wrapped her companion far too tightly around his finger. So much so that he now believed Caius’s views were truly his own!

And yet she knew there had been a time when that was not so.

A time when he had always agreed with her. But these days it seemed as though he were practically resting in this comfortable life, as though he no longer wished to strive for more, as once he had!

Oh, how Caius had corrupted him! And her brother as well!

“That would make you happy, wouldn’t it?” she said bitingly. “If we all lived together in harmony. Without quarrel and without conflict.”

Marcus sighed. “I simply think it is a very beautiful life, and that we should make use of this gift. We never know what tomorrow will bring. The treasures of the world are open to you. You can avail yourself of any education you want, research as you please, and on top of that outlive every single one of these people and profit from their knowledge. Is it not worth wanting to preserve that?”

He began again and gently laid his hand over her heart. “I only want you to be happy. And I will make an effort to devote more time to you again. But for that, I would ask you to speak with Caius. Otherwise, I will have to.”

“We’re going in circles,” Didyme thought. “He still hasn’t understood my point.”

“Talking, always just talking!” she exclaimed, shook her head, and gently removed his hand from herself. “That leads nowhere! Wars are not won by talking.” She did not want to hurt him. But she hated that he did not understand her and that he always sided only with Caius.

Angrily, she strode through the room to put some distance between Marcus and herself.

“You are not at war,” Marcus noted, appalled at the directions her thoughts were taking, watching her as she crossed the room.

At his words she stopped some distance away and spun sharply toward him. “No, but we could be! Do you seriously think we are the only immortals?” She raised an eyebrow. “Do you think Caius told the truth and there is no one else who is like him? I doubt it! I think we should build our strength while there is still time. At least I have done something, instead of merely drifting along day in, day out. I have an army now! It still needs to be trained, but once it is, all will fall back in awe. Humans and immortals!”

Now it was Marcus’s turn to shake his head. “I think you’re getting carried away with something. Caius would have absolutely no use for lying to us in that respect. Why would he, then?” Yet Marcus could not, much as he wanted to, entirely deny that he himself had once thought along those lines. His world had grown many times over in the past centuries, and he knew there was far more uncharted territory. They could not be the only ones who were immortal … But he wanted to concern himself with that question once he had learned more, experienced more. At the moment, his aim was to maximize his knowledge. “You cannot keep the army, you know that. Even if we tame them, they are too uncontrollable a constant. If they turn people indiscriminately, the world will no longer be able to save itself from blood drinkers.”

That was also what Caius always admonished them about when feeding. “Never create immortals unintentionally! In yourselves you see how hard it is for me to keep you in check.” Caius had spoken the words more in jest, but Marcus thought they had a core of truth.

“And would that be so terrible?” Didyme now came closer to him again. “Would such chaos not perhaps be precisely the upheaval we need? Someone will have to lead and guide them! Someone will have to rule. That will be us!” To underscore her words, she placed her hands on Marcus’s shoulders and looked him intently in the eyes.

She could not understand why this man always wanted only to preserve what already existed. From her perspective, change would be a blessing!

But Marcus lowered his gaze, weary for a moment, and brushed her hands from him. “We have to speak with Caius. You cannot let a horde of newborn immortals run free. And I no longer wish to have to keep that from him. He already knows that Pictor is behind all this. He will want to know where the missing slaves are.”

He was tired of arguing, and he was tired of how uncomprehending and stubborn she was. He had tried … he had truly tried to soothe her and bring her to reason …

“You cannot seriously think I’m going to tell him that?!” She felt attacked and betrayed. Marcus, of all people, as her companion, should have had her back! But no, once again he conspired with that white-haired demon!

“Aro must know where they are,” Marcus replied in a monotone. He seemed resigned. “He knows your thoughts.”

“I don’t know either!” came Didyme’s defensive, amused reply. “They are not my immortals, after all, but Pictor’s. I ordered him to hide them in a place I do not know.” Inwardly, she had looked forward to the showdown that would have taken place once Caius had solved the riddle. She had always assumed he would find Pictor and had deliberately stoked hatred because she wanted to challenge the original of all immortals — without having to face him herself in battle.

But now everything had turned out differently.

Marcus, meanwhile, looked anything but amused, unlike her. “End this little game,” he said, with a sudden coldness in his voice that astonished even Didyme. “It has lasted long enough. I am giving you one week. If by then you haven’t spoken to him and eliminated your henchman as well as his arsenal, I will speak with Caius.”

And with that, he turned toward the door and left the beautiful Etruscan alone in her rancor.

Just before he went out, he turned to her once more. There was regret in his eyes. “It is a pity that at the moment you are blind to all the beauty that surrounds you. Your heart is so much lovelier when it is not eaten away by this greed.”

And then he truly left, without waiting for any answer from her.

~✾~

The immortal left the estate quickly, leaving street after street behind him. He did not want to think of Didyme and be annoyed at how hurt he was by her behavior. Could he have done something differently? Might other words have convinced her more? And how many concessions in her direction would it take for her to recognize how wrong her behavior had been? She had not even managed to apologize to him for the lie she had served him …

He also did not want to be near Caius or Aro; then he would only have had to think every second again about the fact that, at the moment, they were all being dishonest toward their creator.

He essentially did not want to have to think at all.

What he truly longed for was a distraction, even if only for a short time.

Thus it came to pass that his path led him directly to Dionysos, to the “Lupus et Uva.” It was still quite early and still bright outside, which he found very unpleasant on his skin. But it had the advantage that at this hour there were few guests in the tavern and Dionysos could take a little time.

Athenodora had given her girls time off, as she usually did in the hours before the evening business, so that they could rest. The brothel keeper had seemed somewhat sad that he had come alone, he could clearly see that in her, though she knew well how to hide it.

Yet she laughed heartily when Dionysos furtively searched for an excuse to be able to leave. She insisted that after all she had to grant him a break once in a while too, and that with Tiros’s company, the slave whom Caius had left to her, she would certainly get by for a while.

The innkeeper disappeared shortly thereafter upstairs with the immortal …

~✾~

The feeling of distraction into which Marcus let himself fall a short time later was unbelievably soothing!

He felt Dionysos’s hands and lips on his body and let himself be carried away by the sensation. At the moment he wanted to feel nothing other than pure lust.

He let his head sink back into the pillow and closed his eyes, savoring the touch and the gentle pressure with which the man attended to him. His pelvis rose to meet the innkeeper as if by instinct, demanding more.

Dionysos drew in a sharp breath and picked up the pace. He could feel that Marcus urgently needed this kind of release. He was different than usual. He rarely gave himself directly into his hands, but was always intent on giving him as much pleasure as possible before allowing it to himself.

But today, from the very beginning, he had seemed to need to be attended to first and foremost. That suited Dionysos just fine. He had always worried anyway that Marcus, with his constantly watchful eye, could never truly let himself go.

Even so, at the sight of this beautiful man beneath him, he could hardly contain his own desire. He moaned as the pull in his loins grew stronger and felt a tingling run through his body when Marcus let out a dark laugh beneath him.

“I haven’t forgotten you …” Marcus’s voice sounded rough and trembling, as though he had to struggle for every single word, which only further encouraged Dionysos in what he was doing. He almost had him where he wanted him.

He felt the dark-haired man’s hand seek his chest, run down with the fingertips, while he himself was again and again traversed by waves of arousal. With his free hand the innkeeper gently but firmly took the hand that had nearly reached his groin, softly interlaced the fingers with those of the man beneath him, and changed his position by leaning farther forward, trailing his lips down Marcus’s chest, so that the latter let out a deep moan — which Dionysos felt more than heard.

“I know that, Marcus … but we’ll have plenty of time for that afterward.”

Marcus wanted to reply, but he didn’t get the chance when he felt the lips that closed around his erection. He had opened his mouth to answer, but now he opened it silently wider in arousal.

Fuck.

Dionysos moved faster.

Marcus’s hands, now free again, clawed into the sheets, and for a moment he forgot everything around him. He surrendered himself entirely to the lust that coursed through him wave after wave and finally seized him with such force that a shudder ran through his body when at last he found release.

He exhaled heavily.

“That … was …” He did not finish the sentence. Instead, he looked up, took the man’s chin above him with fingers still slightly trembling, watched how the latter’s copper-colored hair stood from his head in wild curls, and then drew him closer to kiss him.

“I’d like to return the favor …,” he whispered, and with a smile he noticed how Dionysos’s body responded to his voice.

“I won’t stop you. Not this time.” He felt the innkeeper’s grin and, in one fluid movement, changed their position, so that he was now on top.

He lowered his head and first scattered kisses on the man’s hollow at the base of the neck, which sent pleasant shivers through his body. His teeth ran over the neck, at first lightly scraping, and he breathed in deeply the sweet scent of the blood that immediately took full possession of him. He heard the rapid heartbeat echo like music in his ears.

His hand slid downward. He could feel how much Dionysos wanted him.

“Do it, Marcus …,” he could hear the man beneath him say in a slightly pleading voice.

And the immortal began to move his hand up and down — at first slowly and gently, but soon the need became more urgent, and with increasing pace he sank his fangs gently into the man’s neck, which made the latter moan loudly, because of the sudden pain, which then turned into a pleasant shiver as the venom spread.

Dionysos’s arousal built more and more, and Marcus was only too glad to meet the bodily desires of the man beneath him, while the intoxication of the warm blood nearly made him cry out in ecstasy himself.

Three more strokes.

Two.

One.

Dionysos climaxed violently beneath him, and Marcus exhaled heavily before closing the wound with his venom by licking over it.

He lowered his head into the innkeeper’s neck hollow, and the latter lifted his hand and lightly ran it through the dark brown, wavy hair.

“I welcome this kind of reciprocation very much,” said Dionysos, still gasping for breath, and they both had to laugh.

They lay together in silence a little longer.

Neither was in a hurry to return to his obligations. Marcus absently stroked the chest of the man beneath him and took in his heartbeat.

So steady. So powerful. So young.

“Would you like to tell me what’s troubling you?” suddenly came the innkeeper’s voice, and Marcus looked up questioningly. “I can tell. Forgive me if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“No, it’s all right … it’s complicated.” The immortal slowly shook his head and was moved that Dionysos had even noticed his feeling.

A moment of silence fell.

“Is it because of your wife?” Dionysos carefully raised his eyebrows, as if fearing he was taking too much liberty with the question. After all, Marcus never spoke of her — and yet he had mentioned that he had a wife …

He felt Marcus lift himself a little, only to turn slightly onto his side so as to look at him directly. He now propped his head on his hand so that the dark brown hair fell around his shoulders, and the innkeeper had to swallow at the sight. Marcus was so incredibly beautiful!

“I don’t want to talk about it.” The immortal looked him meaningfully in the eyes. “Truly. I thank you for your attentiveness in noticing it, but I came here so as not to have to think about it. Is that all right with you?”

“All right with me?” Dionysos had to smile. “Marcus, you are always so heartbreakingly empathetic.” It sounded sarcastic and yet he meant it.

The immortal let out a deep laugh. “Would you prefer me to be rougher?”

“No …” The innkeeper’s eyes shone in the darkness. “I like you very much just as you are.” He lifted a hand and, a little absentmindedly, stroked Marcus’s angular face. Then, however, something seemed to cross his mind, and he furrowed his brows, let his hand sink, and turned his gaze away.

He did indeed like Marcus. More than he should … and this realization hurt unbelievably, for he knew Marcus would never leave his wife. Least of all for someone like him.

“But something is troubling you too,” the immortal noted gently, as he could feel the sensations emanating from the man opposite him.

“Oh no, not really.” Dionysos waved it off and feverishly considered what reason he could put forward so that Marcus would not probe further. “Athenodora once again had to rescue some stray girl — this time a runaway slave, can you imagine?” He laughed. “That will only bring us trouble if someone comes looking for her … I don’t understand why she keeps deliberately bringing trouble into our house!”

The dark-haired one could feel that that was not the real reason, but he let him be. After all, he himself had not wanted to speak about what truly moved him.

However, at the mention of this slave he pricked up his ears. “A runaway slave, you say?”

“Yes, Sulpicia.” Dionysos rolled his eyes and spat the name out somewhat spitefully. “We have called her Gaia.” Marcus saw how he shook his head slightly in aversion. “Athenodora says she’ll learn quickly, but every evening I see her standing there trembling before the guests — she’s like a timid doe. And as I said, she can count herself lucky that she has not yet been recognized.”

The innkeeper thought about how much cosmetics Athenodora had applied to her face every evening, to make her on the one hand more enticing and on the other to cover the places on her body that still had not fully healed. Perhaps it was because of that that no one recognized her … or because in truth no one cared about her — Dionysos didn’t know. “I don’t want her here, Marcus; such a scandal only brings trouble.”

Marcus nodded thoughtfully.

But less because of his friend’s words than because a thought came to him that he had actually already dismissed again. So the girl of Aro’s was here … That made his original idea tangible again.

“I might be able to help,” he said.

Dionysos furrowed his brow and gave him a skeptical sideways glance. “Why should you?”

“I made the acquaintance of a scholar a few weeks ago, whom I met in the baths.” He noticed how Dionysos’s frown deepened and continued, laughing. “No, not in that way. He caught my eye because, like me, he preferred to linger quietly in the seclusion of a single pool and read, rather than amuse himself with the masses. He is only passing through and originally comes from Alexandria. At one of our meetings he told me that he is still looking for a woman to keep him company on his travels.”

The innkeeper’s brow cleared as he understood what Marcus was saying.

“A scholar passing through … well … travel is notoriously expensive. And can be very lonely. I presume he is wealthy?”

“I think, if interested, he will certainly pay a good price, yes.” Marcus still felt sorry that this girl had been drawn into his brother’s machinations and had now lost everything. Pliny was indeed very wealthy and could offer her a beautiful life far from this city — provided he would be interested in her.

“She is very beautiful, if one overlooks her injuries …” The innkeeper considered further. “She has a very innocent expression, fine features … if you have the scholar stop by here, I’ll gladly make him an offer.”

Marcus nodded. “I’ll speak with him. In the meantime, see to it that she isn’t touched by too many men — that would drive the price drastically down.”

Dionysos let himself sink back into the sheets and sighed. “In the end, she may yet bring me something after all. Thank you. I wasn’t aware you were now going into business for yourself as a broker of whores!”

The immortal had to smile and let his body sink back onto the bed as well, in order to linger a little longer in the original position in the arms of the man beside him. “No worries. It was just a spontaneous idea.”

„Do you want me on your mind
Or do you want me to go on?
I might be yours, as sure as I can say
Be gone, be faraway

Roses on parade, they follow you around
Upon your shore, as sure as I can say
Be gone, be faraway

Like fuel to fire

Into the town we go
Into your hideaway
Where the towers grow
Gone to be faraway
Sing quietly along”

(Fuel To Fire – Agnes Obel)

~✾~

Two days passed before Marcus once more followed his weekly ritual and made his way to the city’s baths. Normally, he used these hours to spend some time alone — for relaxation and recovery. From time to time, Aro and Caius had accompanied him, but Aro was always far too impatient to endure the differently tempered rooms for long, and Caius hated the smell of human sweat that always hung heavy in the air.

Marcus well understood what his creator meant, and yet he enjoyed the warm, moist air that made breathing difficult and slowed his thoughts. In the caldarium — the room that most resembled a steam bath — he often felt as though he were in a trance, as if all his movements had become sluggish and heavy. It reminded him a little of his humanity. At the same time, the heaviness was at times very soothing, and he had often considered building such a bath in their house.

Even though he was not, by nature, a great friend of humankind, these visits often had something amusing about them, when he, withdrawn into a corner, simply observed the goings-on. In the tepidarium, a rather lukewarm room, small footbaths were set into the floor, and he often used this space to read a few pages of his books undisturbed, since he found that reading with warm feet was particularly pleasant.*

He had developed a precise sequence for using the different baths, so that by now it had truly become a weekly routine for him.

A few weeks ago, however, he had noticed an older gentleman who — likewise withdrawn into another corner of the tepidarium — was reading a book on natural philosophy, more precisely on the nature of decay. Like Marcus, he kept his feet immersed in hot water.

The two men had repeatedly exchanged secret smiles — partly out of curiosity about each other’s reading material, partly in amusement at the coincidence that they not only preferred the same day for bathing but also shared a mutual disinterest in interacting with others, even though they both enjoyed observing them.

Marcus would certainly never have spoken first, of that he was sure. But the other man — Pliny, as he introduced himself — had eventually grown too curious and had drawn him, with a remark about his book, into a fascinating debate on the fundamental nature of the world.

Since then, both men quietly delighted whenever they happened to visit the baths at the same time again — to be alone together.

The immortal would not say that the two were friends, for it was never the case that they arranged to meet deliberately. Secretly, Marcus also liked him because he knew that the scholar was merely passing through and that he would soon be able to resume his relaxation routine alone once more.

But for the moment, he enjoyed the company.

So it was today.

They had just left the tepidarium, set their books aside, and entered the caldarium, where they now sat — also in one of the corners — with their legs in the water and their backs against the ornately decorated marble.

Both closed their eyes and took a deep breath. The water that day was infused with a soothing lavender oil.

The air was warm and moist, and through the steam they could see the other Romans only as white, misty shadows — walking up and down before them, delighting in the water, or speaking softly to one another.

Through the haze, Marcus watched as several prostitutes offered themselves to men not far from them and wrinkled his nose. He had nothing against such things, but this was a place of relaxation — not of lust.

Amused, he noted that Pliny and he had declined the ladies so often that they now always left the two of them in peace.

He preferred it that way.

A sidelong, amused glance at the man beside him, whose forehead was beaded with sweat, told him that he felt the same. He, too, seemed glad simply to indulge in rest.

“I shall miss our weekly ritual once I’ve departed. I do hope you’ll continue to enjoy the baths without me,” Pliny said, his voice touched by the melancholy of an aging man.**

“Don’t worry, I enjoy solitude just as much as I enjoy good conversation,” Marcus replied with a faint smile on his lips. He had tied his wavy hair into a bun, leaned it against the wall, and closed his blood-red eyes once more. Pliny had often wondered about the strange color, yet had never dared to ask, fearing it might make Marcus uncomfortable.

“Without a doubt.” The graying man closed his eyes again, and they laughed in that quiet, gentle way of old men who had been gripped by the serenity and calm of age.

An unequal bond — for Marcus certainly did not look like an old man, though he had to admit to himself that he was one. The thought made his lips curl into another smile, for if one looked closely, the man beside him, with his bald head and white beard, was a mere youth compared to him.

“When will you be leaving Rome again?” the immortal asked after a while, as they sat silently side by side, breathing in the steam.

“In just a few days, I fear,” the scholar replied, taking another deep breath, savoring the heaviness that filled him.

“Mhm.” Marcus nodded thoughtfully, even though neither of them could see it.

“I’m sorry. But I plan to explore the surrounding regions a little more — perhaps I’ll come upon a city I like and stay there awhile, I’m not yet sure…” Pliny had greatly enjoyed Rome, and his heart ached at the thought of leaving the city that never slept. There was so much knowledge here!

He feared he might never see it again, due to his age, yet he also looked forward to broadening his horizons with new cities.

“I’ve been thinking again about what you mentioned during our last meeting,” Marcus began, his tone deliberately neutral as he broached the actual topic.

“Refresh my memory, Marcus — I talk a lot when the days are long, and they are long at this time of year!” Pliny laughed, clearly amused by his own remark.

“You hinted that you might miss a bit of female company on your travels.” The immortal opened one eye and glanced sideways at his companion to gauge his reaction.

“Well…” Pliny sighed. “Science is deeply fulfilling, but still, it would be pleasant, from time to time, to enjoy company other than that of books, if you understand me.”

The scholar had once been married, as Marcus had learned. But after his wife’s death, he had long been consumed by grief and had withdrawn from the world, finding solace in science and study — something Marcus could understand all too well. (A/N: Because he will do exactly that later… poor baby.)

“And the whores of this city… they are all exceedingly desirable, I will not deny that! But I long for more than just the physical,” the old man continued, opening his eyes now as well to look at Marcus. “Forgive my expression, but they are all so simple-minded! And I must confess, that quickly diminishes my… interest,” he added, choosing his words with gallant restraint.

The immortal nodded thoughtfully once more, leaning forward slightly and running his fingers through the warm, steaming water before him. “I may know a young woman who might suit you. She’s had a bit of education, though not much, but she’s very eager to learn.”

Pliny raised an eyebrow and leaned forward too, mirroring the other’s movement. “A whore?”

“She hasn’t been one for long,” Marcus replied, keeping his tone neutral. He deliberately omitted the part that she had previously been a slave — his companion didn’t need to know that; it would only lessen her worth in his eyes. “She’s truly very beautiful. Young, with long blond hair, a graceful presence, and a charming voice…”

“That sounds as though you know her.” The scholar furrowed his brow for a moment, making him look even older than he already was. “Strange — I would have guessed your tastes apart from your wife’s to be… different.”

Marcus raised his eyebrows at him, and again both men had to grin.

“That may be true,” he admitted, both amused and a little embarrassed by the man’s perceptiveness. “A friend of mine works at the Lupus et Uva, that’s how I know her. She’s one of the girls there.”

“A friend of yours?” Pliny stretched his arms behind his back and straightened his spine. It had taken many years, but with each passing day he felt more keenly his quiet desire for companionship again, now that Cornelia was gone. He certainly did not wish to marry again — but to have a girl by his side, one with whom he could speak about his research from time to time as well as share physical pleasure, and to whom he owed nothing, sounded quite appealing.

And if Marcus’s recommendation in women was as good as his recommendation in literature, he was certainly not opposed.

“You should see her for yourself. I’m only saying — I think she might suit what you’re looking for.” Now it was Marcus who mirrored the man’s movement, leaning back on his arms as well. “And in doing so, you could take a little piece of Rome with you.”

He knew that mirroring another’s body language usually created the impression of greater connection — though in this case, it wasn’t necessary. He liked Pliny, and he believed Sulpicia would have a good life with him. Far from Rome, and far from his brother. The two of them would surely be good for each other.

To feel Aro’s desire was already dangerous — he had seen it destroy many women and men. But to wound Aro’s pride and draw his wrath upon oneself would certainly end badly. Even if Aro denied his feelings for now, he would search for her; Marcus was sure of it. And then it would be better if she were no longer here.

The old man laughed. “Why, I’m already taking it with me — in my memory! But thank you for your concern nonetheless. I’ll inquire about her.” Now it was Pliny’s turn to be slightly embarrassed by Marcus’s perceptiveness. “What’s her name?”

Marcus hesitated for a moment. He was about to use her real name, but then replied, “Gaia. Her name is Gaia.”

~✾~

The immortal had been debating whether it was wise to speak with Sulpicia again. In the last few days, he had carefully avoided being touched by Aro — otherwise, the mind reader would surely have interfered with his plan — but sooner or later, Aro would learn what had happened anyway.

Aro would hate him for it regardless. So he might as well follow through with his plan in good conscience.

And he had a feeling it would be better to prepare the young woman a little for what he had in mind, so that she could decide for herself. And she should. He didn’t believe things would end well for her if she remained near his brother…

The immortal had waited for a moment when he could find her alone, had kept to the shadows — and when she happened to be taking out the rubbish, their paths crossed as if by chance.

Sulpicia flinched when she recognized the man with the red eyes and immediately turned crimson. She tried to avert her gaze, but it was too late. Her stomach tightened. What was she to do?!

“No need for concern, girl, I merely wish to speak with you briefly.” He remained at a distance, not entirely sure himself why he felt such a strong urge to help her. He told himself it was because of Pliny, tormented by loneliness, whom he might thus grant a bit of joy in the winter of his life. Or perhaps because of Dionysos, for whom this woman was a thorn in the side.

Or perhaps he simply needed a distraction to keep from dealing with his own problems — and his wife.

“I… I’m so sorry, I…” the blonde slave began, stammering, then quickly shook her head. She had imagined seeing Aro again so many times, thinking about what she might say to lessen what had happened — but she had found nothing clever to say.

Part of her still feared these creatures, still wrestled with the thought of what they truly were, yet a far greater part now regretted her decision deeply.

Despite all the cruelty that had happened, Aro had done it all for her. For her… and she had rejected him…

The images flickered through her mind almost every second, together with the final memories of her father — who had never truly been a father to her.

She felt sorrow and fear and confusion all at once. She was so incredibly lost.

And what she had had to learn these last days in the brothel demanded and shocked her so much that she barely had time to think or process what had happened.

She felt stupid. Stupid for her ignorance, stupid for the lost chance, and sorrowful for the loss of her old, sheltered life.

The way Aro had touched her stood in such grotesque contrast to the way she was now touched by other men… she could hardly believe this was to be her life now.

She had ruined everything for herself. That hurt most of all.

The small part of her that had wanted to protect her from the heartbreak of a broken heart had, through all the unwanted touches she’d had to endure since, receded so far into the background that on some days she wondered how that feeling could ever have been so strong.

But on the other hand — what had she really known about Aro? He had left so much unsaid… and now she had so many questions, so many scattered fragments of illusion about this man, his sister, and now Marcus, who stood before her.

“No, I am the one who is sorry…” Marcus waved her words away and furrowed his brows as he perceived the storm of emotions within her. His ability to sense bonds between people also allowed him to perceive emotional vibrations. “...That we drew you into all of this, and that this is now your fate — that you ended up here.”

He wrinkled his nose.

Sulpicia said nothing, only lowered her head again. She felt neither agreement nor rejection. So much inside her was shattered — she hardly even knew anymore how she felt, or how she was supposed to react.

She suppressed it all as best she could; otherwise, it would be too much. She had no other choice.

The part of her that still felt, she had begun to bury deep inside herself — because the fear of her own emotions, of what might happen if they all broke loose, was far too great. Too much had happened in too short a time; it was more than she could bear or process.

The immortal noticed her hesitation and continued after a moment. “I would like to help you. I imagine it’s your wish to be free.” Sulpicia looked up. That had indeed been what she had always longed for… what every slave must long for, without ever daring to say it aloud. Marcus continued at once. “That I cannot grant you. It wouldn’t be right for me to decide such a thing without my brother’s consent.”

He had thought about it, truly. But he remembered past times when he had tried to mitigate the damage from Aro’s affairs, or to decide over life and death in his place… it had never ended well for those affairs. And this woman had never been one of Aro’s lovers! If he could get her out of the city, Marcus thought, she might yet have a chance to live on in peace.

“A good acquaintance of mine — Pliny is his name — is seeking a companion to accompany him on his studies and travels. That way, you could leave Rome and perhaps start anew.” He watched her thoughtful expression as she tried to piece together the picture Marcus was painting for her.

She seemed confused. Clearly, she hadn’t expected anything like this.

“Companion?” she asked incredulously.

Silently, a small breath of hope had already seized her — that he had come to take her back with him … But that was surely pure wishful thinking.

Who ever got a second chance?

“He has no interest whatsoever in marrying again. But he is lonely,” the immortal continued. “I have gotten to know him, and I do not believe he will be cruel to you. His wife died early, and he mourned her for a long time. He loved her very much.”

He tried to cast Pliny in as favorable a light as possible — even though he truly was a good match!

At the moment, Aro was far too proud to perceive the cruelties his decisions entailed for this woman. But Marcus also sensed shame in his brother’s feelings, although it was not quite clear whether this was due to the rejection or to the consequences of his decisions.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Sulpicia replied, distressed by the brief story, and immediately felt genuine compassion.

“He is already somewhat older,” Marcus went on matter-of-factly, well aware that Aro would rage if he saw the memories of this conversation in his thoughts. “And he likely wishes for someone who will be with him even in the final years of his life. After that, you could be free … I am quite sure you will be able to ask him for that, should the time come. And you would no longer have to work as a whore in this brothel.”

Sulpicia could not prevent the stab in her heart that she felt at once. Her mind still spared her from imagining a future as a prostitute. Even though Athenodora and the other women were truly exceedingly kind and had already told her much about the cruelties in other, less reputable establishments than this one, she nevertheless dreaded an existence like the one she was now about to lead.

And she felt terrible for thinking so. That was absolutely unfair to Athenodora.

“Where … where will he go when he leaves Rome?” she asked timidly. She had never been outside the city. And she dreaded the thought of being at the mercy of a single man … No matter what Marcus said, she did not know him. She did not even know whether she could trust the immortal — whatever kind of creature he might be.

But she remembered the evenings in the brothel, in which she had felt so endlessly used, in which her body had been disposed of for money, and after which she had always curled herself up as small as possible to disappear.

Which, of course, did not work …

Would the prospect of serving a single man not be better than serving hundreds? The thought of having to spend a life here made her shudder and gag at once. She did not know how much strength she would have to muster for that, but at the moment she did not believe she could endure it forever.

She was not as strong as the others.

And she so wished she had been wiser before and had not asked Aro to let her go … how terribly foolish that had been!

“I don’t know,” said Marcus. “He has no concrete destination yet, as far as I know.” And that presented another advantage. If Marcus did not know it, it would remain hidden from Aro. And that, in turn, would protect Sulpicia, so he believed. “He intends to travel around and explore new places.”

“It would be better if I left the city, wouldn’t it? The investigations will surely bring Aro trouble …” Sulpicia mused aloud and drew her shoulders in a little as she spoke his name. That was, to her, the only logical reason why Marcus might be inclined to help her.

“I think it would be better for everyone involved if we ended this chapter without it getting an unpleasant epilogue.”

Sulpicia began to nod slowly as she thought about it. She did not feel at all comfortable with the idea of having to please a strange man … yet better one who was kind than many rough ones, as she had experienced in recent days … “This man is offering you a way out! Seize it!” “Thank you! You didn’t have to do this!” she heard herself say immediately afterward.

The immortal with the red eyes nodded slowly. “If in the end it’s to the benefit of all, then I am glad to have helped.”

Marcus was already about to turn away, but Sulpicia, almost mechanically, took a step forward as if to stop him and asked, “How is Aro, is he …?” She broke off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. She had, in truth, no right to ask at all. But the words had simply come out of her without her being able to hold them back.

The immortal stopped.

“He is angry with you,” he replied curtly. “And his pride is wounded. You need not worry; he will not learn where you are going, provided Pliny is interested in you.”

That had not been Sulpicia’s concern. And Marcus knew it.

“Please tell him that I’m sorry. For everything that happened! I …” she faltered and shook her head again. “I have so many questions, there is so much I did not understand! It all happened so fast!”

“That is no longer of consequence now. But I will tell him.” He would not. But Aro would see it in his thoughts anyway. And Marcus had no interest in being the messenger between the two of them.

He had to concede to her, however, that it had been brave of her to reject his brother. Hardly anyone had ever dared that.

“I have forfeited my chances, haven’t I?” she asked softly, feeling once more like a small child.

Marcus nodded soundlessly.

At least for the next years. When heated, Aro never let go of his anger so easily — to say nothing of his wounded pride! When his phase of indifference was over, he would become angry; Marcus knew that. He had witnessed it many times. And it would take further years until Aro could allow the sorrow — which he presumably buried deep concerning this situation — to surface.

In all likelihood, immortal years that Sulpicia would not have. Perhaps he would need longer to come to insight than she would live … He was a master at hiding his true feelings — even from himself.

Marcus had clearly sensed that part of his brother’s feelings regarding this woman had been on the verge of being real. But with her reaction, she had nipped them in the bud.

“And yet you consciously decided against him.” That was not a question.

“I was afraid! I still don’t know … what he and you actually are! What he did, he did so … lightly …” Tears of regret welled in her eyes. “To extinguish the lives of people so easily, that … that is not right! No matter the reasons! It was so … brutal.”

And that was precisely why she had to leave here. Because of everything she had seen. Otherwise, Aro would have to kill her. If he did not do it of his own accord, then at the latest when Caius learned of it.

Even though his creator had been bending his own rules recently far more than Marcus had ever seen …

He would not presume to ask him about Athenodora, just as Caius did not ask him about Dionysos. Both knew that they had initiated a human into the secret of their existence, and that for both humans there were now only two options.

But with Sulpicia, it was different. Aro had not informed Caius. And that would displease him greatly.

Marcus did not want her to have to die. It remained the case: it had not been fair of his brother to show her the cruel side of their existence. He only hoped that if Sulpicia could not ask more questions and learn more, Caius would allow her to live.

“I would advise you not to pursue the matter further. With anyone. For your own safety.” He looked at her intently and wondered inwardly whether that had not already happened.

After all — the gods alone knew how — she had ended up of all places in Athenodora’s brothel!

Sulpicia nodded, obviously somewhat intimidated. Marcus could see how grief threatened to overwhelm her. He could feel what she still felt for Aro, despite everything that had happened, and in an instant he became angry at her reaction.

“You should not have rejected him. Not like that.” Perhaps she would have been good for his brother! If only she had stayed … He had truly believed he could feel it!

She was gentler than the women and men Aro usually preferred, and perhaps that would have led him to greater gentleness as well.

Perhaps, when he outgrew his stubbornness, Aro would find someone who was like her. Marcus would wish it for him.

“I didn’t think.” Sulpicia wrapped her right hand around her left upper arm and looked down. “He did it for me, and for that I’m very grateful — but … there was so much blood everywhere … so much cruelty …” She began to lose herself a little in the memory, but the immortal before her did not allow it.

“Then think now!” he admonished her urgently and sharply. He was a kind man, but even his patience had limits. He understood her, and yet it upset him. Under no circumstances must she further incriminate herself, giving cause for her death.

It was already too late anyway. The spark of affection Aro had felt had vanished. Marcus had been able to sense it — even though he never perceived all of Aro’s feelings. The man was good at hiding them in the depths of his mind.

But if his friend Pliny took an interest in her, she might have the chance at a better life. That would be something, at least.

“Pliny likes it when you ask him for things. He rejects most women because they are too blunt for his taste. It is good if you come across as a little shy to him. And he likes it if you are enthusiastic about the sciences as well.” He wanted to give her a bit of guidance because he truly hoped his plan would bear fruit. He would feel better knowing that he could at least somewhat contain the chaos Aro and Didyme had caused — even if it was the wrong end of the chaos…

Sulpicia nodded and swallowed back the tears. She blinked a few times. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She could feel that Marcus’s mercy extended only to the path he was about to pave for her.

She must no longer think of Aro. The immortal before her had made it clear that it was over … she herself was to blame. It had been her decision. Now she had to bear the consequences.

“Good.” He straightened up and was glad of her insight. His anger had vanished as quickly as it had come, and now he felt sorry for the woman before him again. Her life was so dependent on the favor of others; he truly hoped that far from this city she might find a bit of peace.

“Marcus.” He flinched at the mention of his name and at her eyes, which now looked directly at him and, unfortunately, appeared far too honest and pure. “Thank you for your help. Truly. I know it is more than I can ask.” She hadn’t even noticed that she had slipped into addressing him as du.

But to the immortal, that verbal closeness went briefly through marrow and bone.

He inclined his head slightly, as if in assent. “I very much hope you will be good for him. And he for you. He will certainly come to you in the next few days and speak to you … I wish you the best of luck!”

And with these words he turned and left.

Sulpicia pressed her lips together and blinked hard again, pushing her emotions down. She forced herself to view this whole situation with hope as well. She had to! For it was the only option she had.

Regardless of her emotional dilemma, she had already heard people talking about Tiberius’s disappearance and had, here and there, received furtive yet uncertain glances … Marcus was not wrong.

It would be better if she disappeared.

And if Aro really was a mind reader — incredible as that sounded — then there was a chance he would see her in Marcus’s thoughts and that he would, hopefully, understand a little more why it had all shocked her so much and why she had rejected him.

She had to be strong now … perhaps through this man she could attain freedom, and perhaps she could then one day see Aro again and explain everything to him.

“So have me hide my emotion, hide my pain
For our land that we lay
Our lives upon these never-ending days
All for the very labor and love
Through every hurdle unnerved
Keep the fire burning

We'll give it all, we'll give it all
And ensure that this would blossom in our hands“

(Sixty Five – Gentle Bones)

~✾~

Pliny had, of course, followed Marcus’ recommendation. It had taken him a few hours of introspection, but he could clearly feel that his long stay in Rome partly stemmed from the fact that he was tired of traveling alone.

His wife had been his equal, and therefore he had hesitated to let someone new into his life. But he was not looking for a second wife, he reminded himself. No one could ever replace her. What he sought was someone he could teach. He and Cornelia had never had children, and he regretted that deeply. His wish to share the knowledge he had accumulated with a daughter or a son was deeply rooted in his heart, yet his wife had died before she could grant him that wish.

And he longed for something else as well: the affection of a woman.

Marcus had read him well when he assumed that he might find both of these things united in this courtesan. He must have been very sure—and must have known this girl well. Pliny valued his friend greatly, and therefore also his recommendation.

He had to see her.

It had been slightly uncomfortable for him to enter the brothel—a place he normally avoided, deeming it improper—but his curiosity about this woman outweighed his hesitation.

He was certain Marcus had lied about the circumstances of their acquaintance. Never before had he heard Marcus speak so kindly of any other person—he had even believed that Marcus’ love was reserved solely for scholarship, until he had revealed that he was married.

But regardless of how he knew this Gaia, Pliny would form his own opinion.

Hours passed. He had settled in a corner of the Lupus et Uva and—as usual—continued reading his book. From time to time, he cast fleeting glances over the top of the pages to observe the serving women, none of whom, at least judging by the names they called to each other, seemed to be the one called “Gaia.”

But as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon and the day’s serving women gradually vanished into the back rooms with various men, a delicate, blonde woman finally stepped behind the counter.

She kept her gaze lowered and spoke softly to the innkeeper—her master, as Pliny assumed. She nodded quickly as she listened to him, and her eyes darted shyly over the room, as if she had to memorize precisely the instructions for each table.

The scholar couldn’t help but watch her as she went from table to table, nodding earnestly as she took orders, as though she were still entirely unpracticed in what she was doing. She avoided eye contact—he could see that clearly—subtly dodged the men’s hands, and smiled more shyly than enticingly. And that, in his eyes, only made her all the more appealing than her delicate appearance already did.

Marcus had not exaggerated. She was indeed exceedingly beautiful! She seemed far less corrupted than the other women, who wound themselves half-naked around the men.*

He despised that kind of vulgar, fawning behavior and tilted his head in interest as he continued to watch her.

Finally, she reached his table. He had been following her path and now pretended to look up just by chance, as if he hadn’t noticed her before.

“Would you like another jug?” she asked in a soft, melodic voice, and he couldn’t help but smile at her. She was so young! So innocent!

“Gladly, my dear.” He searched for her eyes, but she had turned her gaze away from him as well. No surprise—he was a stranger to her, after all. Yet he didn’t want her to leave so quickly, so he added, “And I have another question, as I seem to be at an impasse.”

Something in him was eager to make her trust him. He couldn’t quite say what it was.

His words actually made the slave girl pause, and he closed his book, keeping a finger on the page he was on, and showed her the cover. “What’s your opinion on this?”

The blonde woman with the prettily pinned-up hair before him looked slightly confused. But she was trained to fulfill the wishes of guests, so she squinted her eyes to read the inscription.

She really tried, but the letters were quite ornate.

“Natural Philosophy,” she murmured uncertainly—the word was hard to decipher. “A treatise on the Earth as the center of the…” She paused and needed a moment to grasp the word she didn’t know. “Universe.” She pronounced it slowly and with the wrong emphasis, which made Pliny chuckle.

Sulpicia finally shook her head. “To be honest, I’ve never given such things any thought before.”

“She can read!” he thought joyfully. He had wanted to test that, for if she couldn’t, she would be useless to him. He’d have to start far too far back to teach her anything at all. But she did seem to have received some education.

“And if I were to ask you to think about it?” he asked challengingly. She froze, and at last, she met his gaze. Her eyes were of a beautiful green-blue hue. Young. And untainted—or so he hoped, for that was how her gaze appeared.

A blank canvas. That was exactly what he sought.

Sulpicia, meanwhile, was visibly confused by his question. In the past, she had never wasted a thought on what lay beyond the borders of her city. But since she had attended Aro’s lessons, things had changed…

She felt the pain in her chest rise at the thought of him and forced it back. “This must be the man Marcus spoke of!” she thought quickly. “I must present myself in the best possible light! I can’t waste my chance!”

“I can see you’re thinking about what answer might please me.” The scholar smiled, delighted to see the woman before him blush. He loved it when people responded to his charm! “That’s not necessary—I’m interested in your opinion.” He extended a hand and touched the back of hers.

She wanted to recoil instinctively but forced herself not to. She hated these unsolicited touches, when men always assumed they had a right to her body simply because they paid for it. Yet this man wasn’t rough.

It was a gentle gesture.

Uninvited, yes—but still gentle. That was more than she could usually hope for, wasn’t it? (A/N: This is all so problematic… but for the sake of the story, let’s move on.)

“The center, then…” she mused aloud, searching feverishly in her mind for a suitable answer. He had said she shouldn’t try to please him—but that was exactly what she had to do! She had to please him if she wanted this brothel not to become her life. If she ever hoped to be free one day…

On the other hand, this man before her seemed genuinely uninterested in hollow flattery. She took a deep breath. She would try the truth. “I don’t know. If we believe such a thing, aren’t we being… well… too egotistical?”

She saw the scholar laugh, amused.

It came out so loudly and suddenly that it made her flinch.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you!” She was half shocked and half smiling herself, since his laughter was so contagious. She raised a hand in a calming gesture, her eyes wide.

“Don’t worry, girl, you haven’t!” His warm eyes met hers, and for the first time, Sulpicia glimpsed a vision of a future where she could be happy with this man. He seemed kind and gentle… and she would have to serve only one man instead of many—wasn’t that a good prospect?

“I find that refreshing!” said Pliny, leaning back slightly. “And I share your view.” He looked at her approvingly, and Sulpicia finally allowed herself to laugh as well, the smile she had been suppressing breaking free.

He tilted his head again, studying her beauty. "She could learn so much from me", he thought. "She seems so sincere."

“Hey!” a harsh voice called from further away, and Pliny immediately frowned as he saw the woman before him flinch and glance over her shoulder. “You gonna move or grow roots with that old man?! My jug’s empty again! Get your sweet ass over here!”**

Sulpicia looked back at Pliny, her eyes sparkling apologetically. She had truly enjoyed the conversation. Only now did she realize that, though she stood hierarchically below everyone present, the man before her seemed to be looked down upon by the other man merely because of his age. She couldn’t quite grasp that—the scholar seemed wiser and more experienced. More polite and gentle. And those qualities alone made him rise in her esteem.

Not that her opinion mattered to anyone.

“Excuse me, I’ll bring your next jug right away,” she said to the scholar with a small bow meant to convey her feelings, and he nodded kindly.

He understood that she couldn’t stay with him forever.

Unless, of course, he paid for it…

Now he couldn’t take his eyes off her anymore. He watched as she recited the orders to the innkeeper, timidly pointing to each table one by one. When she came to his, their gazes met, and she once again lowered hers in embarrassment, realizing he had been watching her.

Marcus had truly not exaggerated. She was perfect. Beautiful yet reserved. Young yet not unblemished. Educated yet inexperienced. Exactly what he was looking for.

He waited for her to bring his next jug and smiled encouragingly when, after what felt like an eternity, she finally stood before him again.

“You’re Gaia, right?”

“Yes.” She looked at him—this time a little less shyly than before.

“My name is Pliny.” He placed his hand on his chest and offered a slight bow.

“I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance,” he heard her say. Her voice truly was melodic—Marcus hadn’t exaggerated. He imagined her reading to him, imagined how her voice might sound in the darkness of night…

“Have you ever been outside of Rome, Gaia?” he asked, testing her slightly, trying to gauge whether she might be interested in what he was about to propose.

“Never, sir.” She shook her head honestly. Sulpicia’s senses were heightened within, and she pondered, recalling what Marcus had said. She had to please him. Yet her reactions so far had not been feigned. She was merely afraid of what she would have to ask of him next…

“I think you would like it very much.”

For a moment, there was silence. She wondered if he might be making an allusion—or perhaps giving her a subtle hint? But he couldn’t possibly know that Marcus had spoken with her. That would be absurd. Marcus would have made sure that Pliny believed he had won her over of his own accord.

And, if she was honest, she could quite imagine a life at this man’s side. She would be sheltered. She would be protected. And he seemed to possess immense knowledge. She would never desire him—not the way she had desired Aro—but perhaps that didn’t matter.

Perhaps that kind of desire was nothing but an illusion, or something reserved for the citizens of Rome. Which she, after all, was not…

Perhaps she simply had to take the best opportunity that presented itself. She could learn from him, too. And through him, she might one day be freed…

And possibly—she didn’t want to allow this thought, yet it crept in nonetheless—possibly, if she lived another life long enough… she might one day meet Aro again as a free woman?

But that was pure speculation. Only the gods knew what her fate would be. Here and now, she had to do what would allow her the best possible life.

She inhaled and exhaled quietly. Braced herself for what was to come.

“Would you…,” she began. “I mean, might you perhaps be interested in something else this house has to offer, besides wine?” Her hesitation and shyness were not feigned, yet they helped her—for they only intrigued Pliny more, and he was pleased that she was finally steering the conversation in the right direction.

“That depends. Whom in this house would you recommend for that?” he teased, wanting to hear how she would answer.

“That depends on what you want…” Her eyes shone uncertainly as she said it. Pliny interpreted it in his own way—as a kind of affection toward him. She didn’t notice, but it worked in her favor.

“And what about you?” he asked softly, touching her hand again.

She looked down. Suddenly, panic welled up inside her. What if she wouldn’t be enough for him? In truth, she had almost no experience! The few days she had spent here had stolen her innocence, and yet she was only just beginning to learn the language of passion, as Athenodora called it—a language apparently invented by men, as far as she could tell.

For her, it had so far only ever meant pain.

“I am, to be honest, rather inexperienced, I’m afraid,” she admitted truthfully.

Pliny drew her a little closer, and she allowed it reluctantly, remembering what Marcus had told her.

“I’d actually prefer that. It’s less artificial.” The scholar considered that he would like to try her before he bought her—a completely legitimate thought for the time, in his eyes…

Sulpicia seemed uncertain for a moment and turned toward the counter, where Athenodora had now stepped up as well. She sought her gaze.

Athenodora—the one who had taken her in and shown her so much! The woman she trusted above all others, whose opinion she valued more than anything. The woman who had saved her when no one else had wanted to take her in. The woman who had offered her a new perspective, even if it was that of a courtesan in her brothel. The woman who had held her after her first time, when she had felt pain she thought would never fade… and the woman who had told her that every pain eventually subsided, that she—as a woman—would be stronger than any cruelty a man could ever inflict. The woman who had told her that no man was ever worth humiliating herself for—and, not least, the woman who had taught her how to take from the world what she wanted.

Athenodora caught her gaze and smiled. Pliny thought he had been subtle, but the madam had been watching him all evening. She always kept an eye on the men who pursued Sulpicia. She protected her as best she could.

The blonde slave raised an eyebrow questioningly, her eyes flicking toward the man beside her.

A silent request.

But Athenodora merely nodded slowly.

This man looked decent enough.

Sulpicia closed her eyes briefly and took another deep breath, just as she always did before truly approaching a client.

“I will do my best, if you’ll let me,” she finally said to Pliny and, with trembling fingers, reached out her hand to him in invitation. The scholar looked at her for a moment, then lowered his gaze again, studying her eyes to see if they spoke the same language as her body.

Her green-blue eyes shimmered. She seemed uncertain, yet resolute. He swore to himself that he would be gentle with her. He had never liked causing women pain.

Cornelia had taught him much, though he still didn’t understand the female body.

In that instant, Sulpicia’s mind flashed back to her last night, and she forced the memory deep down. She didn’t want to relive it. The roughness with which the other man had handled her… how he had gripped her throat, made it hard to breathe… she never wanted to experience that again.

Athenodora said it would get easier from night to night. But there would always be men like the one from last night. If she had a new man every evening, it would surely happen again.

If this man was different, perhaps she would never have to go through it again.

What choice did she have? She had to try…

Pliny took her hand and let her pull him to his feet. “A courtesan who’s shy—that’s not something one finds every day.” He gave a small bow, which Sulpicia actually found somewhat charming, and kissed the back of her hand.

She smiled faintly and replied softly, “You’d be surprised.” And she watched with quiet curiosity as he began to smile as well, as if she had made a joke…

She led him away, into the back of the tavern…

~✾~

He had indeed not been rough with her. He had asked her to undress slowly before him so that he could watch her as she did. His gaze was probing, to be sure, but not unpleasant, as with many men. He looked at her rather… benevolently, the way one looks at a beautiful painting, she thought.

Inspecting, appreciative…

“Could you wear your hair down?” he had asked at the beginning.

“Of course.” She had removed her pins so that her dark-blond hair flowed down her back in long waves. He had regarded it appreciatively and touched it.

“You have very beautiful hair, my child… apparently you have cared for it well.” She had remembered that Tiberius had always slipped her some of the good soap when there was any extra available—only she had never understood why. Only now did she grasp it.

Pliny had leaned forward briefly to breathe in the scent, and she let him, even though the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She knew she had to awaken desire in him, otherwise she had no chance. And as much as it went against her, she did her best to please him.

“Thank you,” she had replied to his compliment, had tried to withstand his intense, probing gaze, but immediately afterward she started when he grasped her hip boldly and pressed her down onto the bed.

In the end, it was not so different from with all the other men before.

What followed she endured, just as Athenodora had told her. And she had been right—it was, essentially, always the same sequence. And even though she still found the men’s preferences shocking, it was seldom surprising anymore.

She knew Athenodora kept watch over who was allowed to approach her. When she observed what vulgar men Aurora, another of the prostitutes in this brothel, had to deal with, she felt quite different when she imagined she would have to stand in her place.

Aurora was hard as granite, or at least that was how she seemed. Sulpicia rather had the impression that this woman had closed off her soul in a way Sulpicia would likely never manage. Aurora never spoke of her past and no one asked her about it… that was an unspoken law of the brothel… they did not speak of the past.

She felt less pain than the other times and could sense that Pliny was truly making an effort. But he, too, like all the other men, was more concerned with himself than with her. She did not expect it to be otherwise. The thought did not even occur to her. After all, one cannot miss something one has never enjoyed…

When he was finished, he rolled off her and exhaled deeply.

“Thank you, my child. You were truly wonderful!”

Sulpicia forced herself into a benevolent smile to confirm him in his belief. She turned slightly onto her side to look at him, even though she did not really want to. “I am glad that you enjoyed it,” she said as charmingly as possible.

She knew she was never as convincing as Hestia or Aurora, but she would learn that in time.

Pliny turned toward her and grasped a few strands of her hair, winding them around his fingers. Sulpicia watched him, wanting as much as possible to encourage him in what he was doing.

A few breaths later he asked:

“Gaia, how attached are you to this place?”

She froze and already had a suspicion what he would say next. She must not make a mistake now!

“Not very. I have not been here long,” she answered as indifferently as possible.

“I would like to make your master an offer to buy you.” Pliny looked at her through the darkness, waiting to see how she would react. “That is, if you want that as well,” he added.

Sulpicia sat up, propped herself on her forearms, and tried to find his eyes. “That… that is very generous of you!” she managed to get out with the greatest acting talent she could muster.

“Pliny will be good to me,” she told herself. “He will be good. He will not hurt me.”

“I will be leaving Rome in just a few days.” He looked at her expectantly, wanting to know what she thought of that, but she seemed completely unimpressed. “And I would like you to accompany me.”

“I would be honored!” she got out, pushing the image of Aro, which still plagued her thoughts, far into the back corners of her mind. It was wrong. She must not still want him.

“That pleases me greatly!” said Pliny, and now he, too, sat up, enclosing her hands. “I promise you, the two of us will have a wonderful time together!”

~✾~

“Are you truly sure, my dear?” asked Athenodora skeptically, who had taken Sulpicia a little to the side when Pliny had asked Dionysos how much it would cost to buy the slave.

“I think…” Sulpicia began, looking uncertainly back and forth between Pliny and Athenodora. Pliny had addressed Dionysos, seemingly because he could not believe that a woman ran the business here, but Athenodora’s word was, at the end of the day, law.

“It was unbelievably kind of you both to take me in!” said Sulpicia, clasping Athenodora’s hands. “Please, he has told me what he is willing to pay—it is a considerable sum that will surely help you!” The slave thought of what she owed the madam and the innkeeper, and how many men Athenodora had turned away on her account so that they would not hurt her. She owed her more than enough!

“Money or not.” The madam waved it off and looked intently at the young woman. “I do not want you to place yourself in hands that could harm you.”

Sulpicia shook her head hastily. “I do not think he will harm me.” She looked, frowning, at Pliny. “At least that is not how he seemed. I think as long as I can give him what he wants, I will be all right.”

The madam thought of what she had experienced—what so many men demanded and did not admit the first time—but she did not want to unsettle Sulpicia.

“You are still so young… there is so much you do not yet know. I wish I could shield you from the cruelties of the world.” Perhaps Pliny truly would be good to her! She could not know. And to have Sulpicia out of the city would indeed be good! She had underestimated how much people had begun to talk because of the murdered household… it would only get worse, and then Sulpicia might not be safe anymore anyway.

And then there was this matter with the immortals…

“I hold it in the highest regard that you took me in!” said the blonde slave. “And I find it more than remarkable what you have built here! Truly! I think… were I in your place, I could not have done it. I would have been broken by all the cruelty.” Tears welled in Sulpicia’s eyes and she shook her head as she looked at Athenodora. She felt guilty for leaving her after all the madam had done for her. And she meant honestly what she said. She was certain: had she suffered Athenodora’s fate, she would have been broken by it.

Athenodora furrowed her brow, moved, and placed a hand on Sulpicia’s cheek. “Oh, my dear, do not cry!” She saw the young woman lean into the touch and briefly close her eyes.

“It is only unfair that I, of all people, am given this chance, do you understand?” she whispered. “I was foolish enough to squander my chances!”

“Life does not play fair,” Athenodora replied gently. “But we should use the opportunities that present themselves to us. I am truly very happy for you, provided it is what you want!” She watched as the woman before her opened her eyes again and smiled warmly at her. None of her other girls had ever been offered such a chance, and she would have wished it for any of them just the same. In her heart of hearts she wanted them all to find peace, but in this world in which they lived, that was sadly only very rarely possible…

Sulpicia sobbed. “With him I have the chance to learn… the chance to be free… someday…” Her eyes filled with tears again—more emotion than Athenodora could bear, if she was honest.

“Then so be it,” said the madam. “I will not stand in your way.” Athenodora’s words were warm and benevolent. She meant what she said. She wished only the best for all her women. And if one of them had the chance at a happier life, who was she to deny it to them?

Especially as this particular woman had also had dealings with an immortal… She herself did not know how that circumstance would turn out for her…

The madam pushed the thought aside and forced herself to inner order.

“Pliny, I accept your offer!” Athenodora enclosed Sulpicia’s hand and turned with her so that they both faced Dionysos and Pliny again.

The blonde slave clapped a hand over her mouth and disguised the sorrow at having to leave Athenodora as joy over the opportunity Pliny was offering her.

“8 sesterces for my dear friend.” An absolute extortionate price for a slave! Athenodora knew that all too well, but Pliny had offered it! And Dionysos also looked more than pleased at the prospect of this deal.

“I will treat her well, I promise!” replied the scholar, and Sulpicia was touched as he bowed and obviously put sincerity into his words. “I will be all right,” she told herself again and again. “I will forget Aro and I will be all right. Pliny will be good to me.”

She turned to Athenodora once more and threatened to burst into tears again. “You have taught me so much, I do not know in how much gold I could ever balance the gratitude I feel! Your goodness is a blessing!” She felt tears welling up in her eyes and had to smile through tears as tears also rose in Athenodora’s eyes at these words. “May the gods bless you, Athenodora! Should I ever meet you again or be able to speak my word for you—I swear I will find no end to praises for you! I bless you and bow before you! And I thank you for everything you have done for me!”

The otherwise so hard and controlled Athenodora could no longer suppress her tears of emotion either, as she replied: “May your life be peaceful, dear Gaia. It has been a joy to know you!”

The two women embraced and felt the other’s sorrow and love. It was an unequal friendship. A bond that had existed only for a short time, and yet it was no less intimate.

Neither of them would ever forget the other… Neither of them would ever forget what united them: the secret of the immortal monsters whose attention they had drawn. And the suffering they had to endure day after day as unfree women of Rome.

~✾~

The sum of money was paid, and Pliny seemed increasingly irritated that it was Athenodora who conducted the business with him, but in the end, it was all the same to him.

He was happy and proud of his acquisition.

He offered Sulpicia a hand and smiled at her encouragingly as the deal was concluded. “Gaia, I am truly more than glad that you will accompany me! You will be able to learn so much, and I promise, you will never lack for anything!”

And he truly would shower her with treasures and money! He had more than enough of it, after all!

All he lacked was love and an ear to listen to him.

Warmth spread through Sulpicia’s heart, and she took Pliny’s hand with a sincere smile. Love—or so she guessed—could perhaps take many different forms. And perhaps one day she would be able to make her love for him real enough, to let the feeling grow in herself, so that it would be great enough to give him everything he wanted.

This love here was based on goodwill, on kindness, and on generosity, and she would do everything in her power never to forfeit her favor in Pliny’s eyes!

She would never forget all that had happened here in Rome; she would never be able to forget Aro! She dreamed of him every night, even if she did not dare to tell a single soul!

Night after night she was occupied with the question of what would have happened if she had decided differently… if only she had not rejected him…

But would her life then have been so much better? As one more of his slaves? Even then she would not have been free.

She had to think of Cecilia, who had yearned so much for his affection… Would he have been gentler with her than all the other men?

She did not know…

Pliny made no secret of his affection for her. And through him she could attain freedom. That, after all, had always been her true goal!

She had to leave, as Marcus had advised her—of that she was certain. But perhaps… perhaps she would indeed see Aro again one day. One never knew, and she did not want to give up hope.

She would never be able to forget him.

Sulpicia swore she would do what she could to learn as much as was at all possible. She would be free, if Pliny allowed it. She would become a free Roman woman! That was all that mattered now.

Everything she had, in truth, ever wanted.

And with this man it would be possible! She had to keep that in mind! Even if Pliny did not awaken romantic feelings in her, he was nevertheless lovable! And she would value him, she would do everything to ensure that he valued her as well!

She would be free!

One day…

She would make sure that this plan would bear fruit in her hands!

Far from the city of her birth. Far from Rome.