Marcus strode away from his room, rather hurriedly shocking his employees. He was an aimless man, floating idly through life, since time immemorial.

But now his change of pace left others in a dizzying confusion. He could sense Heidi and Demetri in the castle. He called to them and they appeared, as apparitions, in front of him. He spared them no greeting.

"Heidi, Ms Bianchi's whereabouts?"
"She is in Sienna."

Marcus' face was stone.
"I requested she be here." He said making no space for argument.

"She was, Master. Master Aro sent her away this morning. He did not want our food supplier involved with Makayla.

He believed it was a matter you, as brothers, could solve alone." Demetri saved Heidi from abasement.

Marcus did not flinch.

"Heidi have her brought immediately. We must get Makayla out of the city as soon as possible."

"Again, with the girl? What has come over you?" a cold voice said.

Demetri and Heidi stiffened and looked at their white-haired Master from below their noses.

"Get going, Heidi." Marcus said, ignoring his brother.

Caius growled and turned Marcus to face him. Marcus did not resist.

"She is food! You will not waste our resources ferrying her outside when she could be of use, to sustain us another week per chance."

Caius bared his canines and his tongue flicked like a snake's. Marcus looked at him blankly and he pulled himself from Caius' hold. Caius nearly fell. He was so shocked he stood still.

"Watch me, do so. I will not allow any interference."

Marcus glared at Caius before facing Heidi whose eyes were enormous. Aro dawdled to the reception, he wanted Heidi to find him a snack. He needed something real to grasp onto. He felt his head swaying with the weight of his thoughts.

When he looked at that girl, he had felt his heart beat again, no, that was impossible. Then he found Caius, flustered, behind Marcus. This was strange. Marcus in the few days that passed had taken new wing, he was still a shell of who he was but now it was if he had sipped an energy that could never lose its flame.

Aro wondered what instructions were being relayed to his guards. He gripped Caius' palm and he saw flashes of Marcus' countenance. It worried him; Marcus' face was now resinous with passion and determination.

He had defied them!

Marcus never stood up to them; the two of them had pushed him into a corner, like a runt, only beckoning him when he suited their purposes and he never fought back. Aro frowned.

"Marcus!"

Marcus looked down at Aro and Aro was disturbed. Marcus was looking through him. He was more powerful, but what had turned their ghost of a comrade into this fierceness of spirit? Marcus told their employees to bring their supplier.

"I have told them to send her away. She is not needed this week. "

Marcus paid Aro no mind and told Demetri to instead bring her. Aro was furious.

"Did you not hear me?" he tried to paint a pleasant smile on his porcelain face.

Marcus told Heidi to book some tickets. Was he going somewhere?

Marcus began to walk, to his secret hiding place. Aro ran to catch up with his longer gait.

What was this? Marcus never had such command.

"What troubles you?" Aro whispered, taking Marcus' hand.

And that girl he had met was in his thoughts.

Marcus felt, for once, what felt like needles pricking his brain as Aro touched him. He snarled and Aro scuttled back, a cold shiver covering him

"Do. Not. Read. My. Thoughts. You have no right." He said it so stiffly, ice spread in the hall.

"You, y...you have never minded thus far." Aro stuttered.

"I always have."

But what had changed? Now he was strong enough to feel the stinging of his brother's mind invading his own.

Marcus could sense a dark gift trying by all means to possess him. Aro was sure now. The girl, the girl had to be the cause.

"What has she done to you? You never dared def...quarrel with us!"

Aro corrected himself; he needed him none the wiser they were his Masters, there could be no equality when it came to power.

He needed Chelsea to ensure Marcus stayed loyal to him, even if he would no longer be loyal to the coven. That way he would not try to go against them or, heavens forbid leave!

"You seem unwell, why do we not visit Chelsea?"

Marcus snapped and Aro's false niceties snapped into fear. Fear! He had not seen it since he became immortal, now it reared its ugly, black head at him.

"I know what you are scheming. I will not let you destroy my friendship with Makayla. You may be fool enough to let her go but I will not."

He made his way past the door of Aro's room, nearly reaching his but Aro stood still.
"I call a council."

Marcus spat "Humbug."

Aro was wasting his time, and he knew it would not be long until Makayla was in peril, left alone.
"But five minutes to spare."

Marcus conceded.

"After that I do as I intended."

Marcus was not asking. Aro tried to smile but it exposed his anxiety. He retracted it. Yes, they should go.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aro sat in the centre, in his throne; he twitched.

Her scent swam in the room, a rich scent that reminded him of the cool paste that soothed his burnt hands ,as a young boy, on the streets of Greece.

It was not mouth-watering like other scents. Caius glowered.

"You brought her, here. And not only once! This was why you demanded our trial be held in the East wing?" he said snappily.

Marcus nodded soundlessly joining his brothers on the dais. Aro tapped his fingers on the arm. Chelsea was coming. Caius had instructed her to come, without Marcus' knowledge. This would cure his brother. Marcus whipped his face to Aro.

"I warned you."

Caius and Aro were buckled over, never had he been a dominant force. It was difficult resisting now.

Good thing, no other guards were present. It would be difficult to build themselves up as the leaders again, having bowed down to lowly Marcus. His fangs glinted in the light and they were terrified.

"Master," her voice echoed in the furniture scarce room.

She bowed, her red bangs flapping. Aro smiled. He gestured to Marcus with his eyes.

Fix him  he said with no words. Chelsea had heard the rumours... Marcus had a girlfriend ; this could not be.

She would have noticed the bond forming, since she had only come to their home.

Had he hidden her?

It would not be a poor idea. Humans like her would be picked off first, especially if she were connected to such a powerful immortal.

Chelsea looked into Marcus' black eyes and concentrated. A pink string connected him to the girl she found in his room. She pulled it mentally, testing it.

It was superfluous so she made a move to rip it from the source like a weed. She gasped when she felt resistance. It must be a fluke. She tugged and tugged; she opened her eyes.

Marcus had been venomously eyeing his brothers, when he felt the icy grip of Chelsea invading his heart. Why had he never felt this darkness before?

Was it always so?

When he saw her flutter her gaze open, he felt betrayed. He wondered if the dead wife, he missed, was ever truly missed by himself. Was it not a construct made by Chelsea under Aro and Caius' direction?

Marcus' hard face moved from the redhead to the creamy haired man, who he now knew as a enemy.

No, Caius was such a weak personality with no powers of his own. He was a puppet.

But who was he, was he not Aro's favourite toy as well?

Marcus staggered forward out of his chair, a new feeling dawning, that he could not name. Was this his power he could finally drink after all these millennia?

He held Chelsea's doll neck in his musician's fingers and squeezed her like ketchup. She squealed like a pig.

Aro opened his mouth and Caius stared. Caius enjoyed suffering but he did not like when his objects of sadistic pleasures were made to suffer without his bid.

"Marcus, stop that," he said petulantly.

Marcus' grip tightened and Chelsea felt her cartilage popping and her face becoming hot. She tried prying off his hands to no avail. She coughed.

A grumble rose from the belly of Marcus, an eery sound akin to a bear gobbling down a cub. The vampires in the room became like their portraits in their stillness.

"Never do this again." Marcus whispered.

Chelsea cried and nodded resolutely. He loosened his hand, and she like a scarf drifted to the floor, shaken.

Caius chose that moment to speak: "It would have been better you sever all connection to it; she will not live long..."

"What is it you have done?"

Caius replied: "Corin is escorting her peacefully into the afterlife..."

Marcus' eyes became night from a curdled blood colour. His anger burnt them and he was no more. Caius and Aro panicked.

Had the death of a mere mortal finally taken Marcus away from them. They, the immortal brothers, were frozen on their thrones.