Caden watched, with bated breath, each second weighing like eons, as he did something he had not done in so many centuries.

He prayed.

He prayed to everything and anything that would hear his prayers. He prayed that his beloved open her eyes. He was desperate, and a man who found his new-found heart, breaking into pieces. She was the one who taught him to love again. He couldn't do this without her.

He heard the faint noise of his children crying, but all that occupied his mind right now was her. Her deathly figure lay there, lifeless, not even moving an inch. He closed his eyes, and for the first time, he wished that someone out he room would talk. The deathly silence was getting to him like nothing else has ever done.

Opening his eyes, he traced her body with his eyes. He could see the blood he fed her, slowly creeping through her veins. Her skin was so pale, that he could even make that out. He heard the slight rush of the blood, and he crossed his fingers, waiting and waiting, for what felt like a lifetime worth to him.

She still lay lifeless, and the noise of his children crying, slowly started to die away. That's when he registered, realised that he was a father now. But he couldn't do it. Not without her.

For a moment, he took his eyes off her, his gaze drifting around the room. He found his siblings with grim faces, but Adela was missing. He didn't see his children anywhere too, so he guessed Adela might have taken them away, to have them cleaned and wrapped up. His children. He was a father. The idea was still foreign to him, never in a million years had he ever imagined that he would hold the title of being a father.

Bella stepped closer to him, taking his hand in hers, as she squeezed it, reassuringly. She looked at him with find, calming eyes. Her beautiful eyes were enough to leave anyone breathless, and Caden found himself gaining strength with her touch. She had always been there for him, through thick and thin, a Girl he would risk his life for, just like Maria. Bella was his best friend, someone who knew most of everything about him, and a person he found a lot of strength from. And right now, she was the one keeping him together from tearing things to pieces.

He squeezed her hand back, Her tiny hands so warm inside his, as he tried to calm himself down, looking at Maria once more.

Wait, did her finger just twitch?
Caden stood motionless. Had he just imagined it? Did it not work? He had never turned anyone before? Did he do something wrong? All he had were question, but what he wanted desperately were answers. He closed his eyes tightly, hot angry tears pricking his eyes, but not falling down. He was about to give up, literally, about to fall on his knees and fall apart, but that's when he heard Bella suck in a sharp breath.

Opening his eyes, he saw the most horrifyingly beautiful thing ever.

Ruby red eyes, staring at him.

She had opened her eyes, but her breath had stopped forever.

She was now, one of them.

A vampire.