In Clara's unconscious state, she could feel her heart still beating. A rhythmic, slow beat that echoed in her ears. It beat slow, but it still beat nonetheless.

Clara's subconscious began to replay a memory. As it did, she realized that most of the words said in the memory weren't the same, and the time, place, and man were all changed.

Clara rolled over on a bed, white silky sheets beneath her clothed body.
The sun shone through the stone balcony's open doors, causing a cold morning draft to blow through the large bedroom she was in.

"You're up." Cage smiled as he turned in the soft bed and realized Clara eyes had fluttered open. Her red hair was disheveled on the feather down pillow beneath her pretty head.

"And you're staring at me." Clara moved her head down, embarrassed. She moved her hands up and covered her face with them so she could avoid Cage's gaze.

"I wanted to see you." Cage laughed and sat up a bit. He reached down and gently pulled her hands away from her face and eyes. Clara looked up at him shyly.

"I thought Orion told you to stay away from me?"

"He's dead." Was Cage's response.

Clara could feel Cage move closer to her and place a hand on her hip rather gently. His large hand shifted the fabric of the silk nightgown she wore accidentally, the fabric riding up her pale thigh.

Before Clara could react, Cage had turned her body and pulled her rather fragile frame on top of him. Her legs on either side of his body. She was straddling him.

"What are you doing?" Clara asked, her hands gently rested on Cage's chest.

Cage held Clara's body in place with his hands. The sleeves of his crisp white long sleeve shirt had ridden up on his toned arms, and his shirt was unbuttoned in more than a few places. His white tipped brown spiky hair was a bit disheveled, and his jaw tensed as his eye looked into Clara's. He looked like a dream.

Cage leaned in, his breath fanning Clara's ear. "You didn't think he would have ever stopped me from seeing you, did you?" He whispered the question.

Clara leaned away from Cage and held her face in her hands again shyly. "He thought you weren't good for me." She tried to move, but he wasn't letting her get away that easily. He gripped her hips roughly.

"I'm good for you, and I deserve you." His serious expression was surprising.

"You're being arrogant now." Clara looked into Cage's green eye.

"Do you think you deserve me?" Cage asked in response.

Clara didn't respond to Cage. She simply watched and glanced down as Cage reached up to the right side of her neck slowly. He pulled away the silk fabric that covered her neck, revealing the black mark on her skin. Cage could see the two scarred puncture wounds surrounded by a beautiful design of swirls beneath the surface of her skin.

"You're damaged goods now." Cage murmured flatly, as he moved his hand away from Clara, the fabric falling back to cover up her mark.

"It wasn't my fault." Clara said, her eyes glossy.

"You don't deserve me." Cage looked at Clara angrily, his expression cold as he continued to hold Clara.

"I love you." Clara admitted.

"You don't love me. I don't even think you know what love is." Cage said lowly.

"I've changed Clara," Cage pulled Clara closer to him. "I'm not the same man I was. I don't have time to waste on those who aren't worthy of me." He finished.

"I-" Clara started, but was quickly interrupted.

"You're no longer my mate." Cage interrupted.

"H-how is that possible?" Clara asked, tears in her hazel eyes.

"Because he marked you."

"But we are still mates?" Clara asked, her tears falling onto Cage's shirt.

"No." Cage said flatly.

"Why?" Clara asked.

"You'll learn the full reason in time." Cage removed his hands from Clara's hips.

"I want to learn it now. Cage tell me!" Clara begged as she watched Cage stand up from the bed, his back turned to her.

"No."

"I won't take no for an answer." Clara crossed her arms over her chest as she glanced up at Cage.

"Yes, you will take no for an answer." Cage's tone darkened, as he stepped for the door. His shiny boots making a scuffle noise as they hit the floor.

"Just tell me!" Clara called.

Cage stopped, his hand extended towards the bolt on the door. He turned slowly around.

"You're making me angry." Cage growled as Clara stood up and took a step forward.

"Tell me." Clara persisted.

Cage flew forward in a blur, he gripped Clara by the arms and pushed her against the wall behind her, the stone of the wall cracking and breaking into pieces from the impact. Clara groaned in pain as her body hit the broken stone.

Cage growled as he held Clara against the wall, his body pressed up against hers.

"Look at me." Cage demanded, and Clara looked into Cage's eye. It began to turn from a natural green to a dark solid red.

Clara gasped when Cage opened his mouth to reveal two sharp white fangs. He glanced down at the small girl he had pressed up against the wall and looked her in the eyes. She shook from the fear she felt.

"I'm not who I used to be." Cage growled before he bent his head down and bit the left side of Clara's neck aggressively, drinking from her before he pulled away and watched as her body sank to the floor.

Clara watched as Cage took a step back and wiped the blood that had dripped from his mouth onto his white sleeve. He turned and walked away, shutting the door to the room behind him.

Clara could almost feel Cage's bite on her neck as she dreamt. She could almost feel the ache in her back from the wall behind her, and she could almost feel the blood dripping down her collar bone onto the white silk of her dress, staining it crimson.

The dream felt so real. Too real. And as Clara began to open her eyes and force herself to wake up from the dream, she realized just how much she had changed. Mind, body and soul.

Clara realized that, this wasn't the end of her story. It wasn't the chapter that described her death, or her final moments. It was the chapter that showcased just how strong she truly was. How far she had come, and how far she would go.

It was simply the beginning.