Morgana

Morgana – Fanfic twilight-based First chapter I stared at the whole family of vampires watching me through the room. Carlisle just had introduced me. He had only given them my name, nothing else. They seemed welcoming. That was a refreshing feeling to see that you are welcome somewhere, when you've been so alone for such a long time. The one with the bronze hair smiled at me. He seemed to understand what I was thinking. Oh, yes. Some of us are gifted. As I am. As much as I analysed it, it seemed that he could read minds or stuff like that. I had noticed a silentful exchange between him and his... father. I guess Carlisle could have been called like that. Again the same grin from that guy. I should have guessed right. They looked so much alike, all these people, even if they didn't share the same blood. Er... Bad comparison. I suppose I should say they weren't related as human. But then I remembered the short half-blood teenager that had accompanied Carlisle at the hospital and who had disappeared with my own son. This little Nessie girl had been clearly related to that bronze-haired boy and that long dark haired girl. For the first time, he nodded at my imagination. All these thoughts had only taken me half a minute. Long enough to judge the atmosphere. Short enough for not being rude with my silence. At least, silence for almost everyone. And I saw his teeth flash through his larger grin. Okay. Time to really introduce myself. "I'm, as Carlisle told you, the doctor Morgana Kernow. I'm... Old. I can't tell you how old I am. I've lived such a long time away from humanity that days, weeks, and then years had become meaningless. So I'm not able to tell you my birthdate. Actually, birthdays were not important, when I was human. We counted our numbers of springs. The exact birth date was not considered as important.” “All I know is that I had been born in the hottest of the summer. My mother really adored this season. Mostly because that it meant that my father was away. It was a rough period, many wars were surrounding. I didn't know anything about it, and I understood only after years that my mother blessed these wars that kept her from my father's assaults. I had little siblings, all of them cute, but also all of them little demons. I often escaped to wander around our castle. My parents were the local Duke and Duchess. They hadn't had a court, or noble parements, but they were, from the bottom of they hearts, nobles.” “I had reached my eighteenth year. I knew that my father would use me for some political reason. My entire universe was the cold castle of Corwall that had nursed me, but I was not naive. I had seen girls as young as me, maids and servants, fall in love and marry. I knew this kind of fate was not for me. I knew I would never know love. I knew I would have to bear children after having undergone my future husband assaults. I knew my path was traced, as sure as the one of my mother had been traced." I felt the unease of the atmosphere in the room. I stopped a few seconds. "That is a sad fate," said the astonishing blonde girl. "At least, I didn't know I had been used before the end..." "Rose," interrupt the bear-like one. "Love..." He didn't say more, but the sadness of the blonde disappeared, melted by the adoration in the eyes of her mate. She tempted a weak smile. Then the bronze-haired guy turned to me. "You may go on, but let us tell you our names. It will be more comfortable for all of us."

I nodded. I though, it will be more comfortable for you as you read my mind, as it seems... "You already know Carlisle... Next to him, stands Esme. She's the mother and the heart of this family. As sure as Carlisle is, as you guessed, the father and the head of our family. The blonde who spoke," he gestured to her, "is Rosalie, and her husband is Emmet. The small girl with dark short hair is Alice, and her husband, the tall blond man with scars, is Jasper. And you can see here my wife Bella and you've already seen our adorable daughter Renesmee. My name is Edward." I nodded at each of them as he spoke their names. I was glad to be able to put names on each face. I wondered... About their gifts... "Oh, that..." continued Edward after my thought.”I can read minds. I mean... Almost all of them. I can't read Bella's. Her gift is an unbreakable shield to any mental power. Alice has visions of future, and Jasper can feel and influence the emotional atmosphere. Even if all of us are not gifted, all of us have brought things from our previous lives. But it is time to come back to your story." "Thank you, Edward." I concentrated. "So I was sure that love was not meant to me, and, in many ways, I was right. One night, I woke up, having a bad feeling. But nothing was to be heard in the quiet night. It was nearly dawn, and I stepped out of my bed. My mother's bedroom was next to mine. I walked in, and froze with horror. My mother was lying still, too pale, her head making an awkward angle with her body. She had the mark of an animal's bite on her neck. There were legends where some bats were inhuman shape shifting creatures that used to drink blood. I did not take the time to mourn on my mother's body. I had to go to the nursery to see my siblings sleeping well. I could not believe that this complete horror had touched my entire home. But I found them lying as my mother. My father, the servants, everyone had been drained from their blood during the night. I wandered in the castle, I nearly lost my mind at the horrific visions I had everywhere I stepped. Suddenly I saw that the sun had risen. And my body longed for fresh air not corrupted by the dead corpses." I inhaled, letting my words fade away, watching the family's reaction. "I went out in the full light of the sun that followed this cold winter night. The landscape was hidden under the snow, but there weren't any cloud in the sky. And there I saw him. He was sparkling in the sun, and I knew all my sanity was gone. I had been killed with my family and, for some unknown reason, I was trapped in this nightmarish purgatory castle with an Angel. He slowly turned to face me, as he heard me approach. I felt that he acted carefully slowly not to frighten me. I was sure he knew what I had seen inside, my irregularly beating heart was eloquent enough. I froze when I saw his face. He was beautiful, of course. And, to me, he was the most beautiful thing in the world." I saw Bella nod as if she understood me. I thought I would figure that out when she would tell me her story. "He crossed the distance between us. He slowly took my hands and I felt the ice cold of his. I wasn't worried. Did angels need to be warm? I sunk into his dark crimson eyes. They were captivating. He leaned toward me, and let his mouth come close to my ear. I could smell his odour. I was losing all my senses. He spoke with a smooth voice, appealing and irresistible.” “I'll make you my queen, sweet little girl, he told me, you will be the mother of my heir. You will be mine..." I stopped again, remembering how his voice has felt in my weak ears that day. Second chapter I went on with my story. "Completely oblivious to the world around us, I simply rested my cheek on his hard chest, completely hypnotized. He led me inside, and brought me into my room. He let me there, obedient and calm, and went through the castle to clean it from all the corpses. He hadn't been alone, of course, to kill everyone. But the others had gone away when he had decided to keep me human with him. I only learned these informations later, of course. But in that moment, I thought that some unknown monsters had killed all my family and that he saved me, for an unknown reason, except the will he expressed to have an heir. I thought he was some kind of angel.

He didn't wait the night to take me. He had bewitched me with his voice, his smell, his touch. I wasn't really aware of what was happening. He did it again and again, not worrying about me being tired or unwilling. I was under his charm, and I didn't really protest. When I woke up alone the next morning, I saw my body. He had hurt me beyond words. I wondered a moment how I hadn't had any broken bone. My skin, usually pale, was blue. I knew I healed fast, but it would still take some days to my skin to look normal again. When he came back, he didn't look sorry at all." I saw the bronze-haired... Edward react and heard the low growl coming out of his throat. I frowned, and then saw Bella putting her hand on his shoulder, comforting him. He had probably hurt her when they... "Stop it please," he asked me with some urgency in his voice. I stopped my thought, concentrating on my own story, saying the first thing I could think. "At least, it hadn't been painful." I continued. "He took me the next days but not with the same urge than the first day. I sometimes found even some pleasure in his arms. When he was soft and gentle. He nearly never talked to me, except when he felt that he had to bewitch me again to keep me by his side. I sometimes felt like a pet he was caring of.” “One afternoon, I woke up starving. I didn't know how long I had been sleeping." I shivered at the thought of what was next. "I went into the kitchen of the castle, and took some salted meat from the place we kept the food. I cooked it as well as I could. I had never been used to take care of myself. But when I ate it, it just seemed disgusting. I went out in the snow, gasping for some fresh air, and I dirtied the whiteness when I fell on the ground, sick and unable to stop myself from throwing up. He found me unconscious on the melting snow. He took me inside and warmed me up as much as he could. He asked me if I wanted something.” "- I'm starving, but it's like I was thirsty... When I ate some cooked meat, that felt bad to me. But I'm still starving, even if I threw up everything..." “He seemed to understand. He went out and I was half unconscious when he came back. I felt him press something on my lips. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it smelled so good that I couldn't stop me from drinking it. Now I know it was animal's blood. He already had killed any human within 5 miles, and there was no other way for him to feed me. He had himself to feed on animals." I showed my amber-like eyes. "Maybe that's where I took my diet. But I'll come to that part later." Carlisle seemed eager to say something, but Esme pressed her loving hand on his arm, watching him tenderly in the eyes. It was comfortable to see how we, vampires, were able to understand each other with few words. "Pregnancy was difficult. I think only Bella can understand how it was. It's my most vivid memory as a human. I literally adored the little life growing into me, and I became more and more oblivious to that angel. Having that baby kind of immunize me from his charms. Because I didn't feel real love for him.” “I was worried about the baby. I had seen my own mother pregnant, and I knew it wasn't supposed to be that fast. Nor that painful.” “I suppose the baby broke some of my ribs, during the last week. I tried to speak smoothly to him. It seemed to calm him. I explained him that when he kicked inside me it caused me pain. And he did it less often.” “The spring came. I saw the early flowers grow up and make the air smell like heaven. I couldn't move on my own anymore, the angel transported me wherever I asked him. I was outside, on a couch he had put outside for me. I didn't know where he was, and I didn't really care. I was speaking with the baby. I was telling him that I was eager to see his face and kiss him. And suddenly I felt it. My abdomen was burning. I felt the fire run through my veins. Panicked, I called the angel. He was by my side within ten seconds. The longest ten seconds of my whole life.” "- Burning! I'm burning inside! The baby! It burns me!" “I was completely out of control. He used all his charms to calm me and assured me that I was going to hold the baby a few seconds later. And then I didn't see anything more. The only thing I could feel was the pain and the burning. I think he bit me before he took the baby

out of me, but I'm not sure. The burning was surpassing everything else.” I lost the count of time. And many painful hours later, I woke up." Third chapter "I know that all of you know the feeling, after the first, and last, awaking. The sense that anything is so clear, so detailful,... So distracting. I lost myself a moment, dazzled by the sight of the beauty of that world I had always known. But then my hand touched my belly, where my baby used to be. My body was flat, empty. I think that I screamed. I was horrified to find myself so empty. And then I realized another absence. The absence of my heart. My chest was still, nothing was beating behind my ribs, between my lungs. There was also an empty space there. I touched myself, I needed to know if something else was missing. But no, nothing missed except my baby and my heart.” “I suddenly noticed a heartbeat. Too fast to be a human, faster than animal's, probably a bird's heartbeat. I went in that direction. It was the first time I was meeting something alive since my transformation. I arrived in a place I used to go to meditate, in those nearly happy times when my family was alive. There I found the vampire I once thought of being my angel, and my half-blood baby.” “The beautiful green eyes of the little creature I had once carried turned to catch my eyes as I approached. I was captivated by him. I called him. "Gwenaël". He recognized the name I gave him when he was inside me and began to wriggle in the "angel"'s arms. Finally, he let the baby go. Astonished, I saw Gwenaël put himself on his hands and knees, and he walked to me like a little kitten. When he arrived in front of me, I took him into my arms. I knew he had been born a few days earlier, but it was as if he was a few months old. I smiled at him, finding comfortable to have him there, into my arms. My love for my baby was much more ovewhelming and breathtaking than when he was inside me. I knew I would always love him this way.” “He buried his head in my hair. He was smelling me, as I was smelling him, an ageless way to recognize your own offspring. And then my eyes lifted to the vampire that had changed me. That had used me to bear this child. I want this to be clear: I was glad to have my son into my arms, the sound of his little bird-like heart filling my ears. But I just couldn't admit the way he had manipulated me. He had stolen all I had. And now that I was like him, I knew who had killed my family. I was aware that he was probably not alone to do this. But he was the one remaining. I wanted to destroy him. But I also knew he was the father of the baby into my arms, and that baby would have been hurt, if I had killed his father.” “He was still beautiful to me. But a distant beauty. His beauty was not breathtaking for me anymore. I decided to stay with him as long as he could teach me things, but as soon as I would have the feeling to not need him anymore, we would part." "Is that why you are alone with Gwenaël, now? You did it? You went away from him? How can you..." I watched the one who asked me this question, Bella. She didn't seem to understand fully. She was trying to compare our two cases. To understand how I'm able to live without that vampire. "Bella," I said in a low voice, "I didn't love him as you love Edward. He was, for me, nothing more than any other vampire you have met and who is not a part of your sweet family. I didn't know him, I wasn't attracted by him. When I was human, he attracted me, but only because his predator's features are attractive to his prey. Like a drosera, a carnivorous plant is attractive to its favourite preys, insects. The only way our cases can be compared, Bella, is that we carried the child of a vampire. And that we survived long enough to be changed. But I didn't love him. Absolutely not. And I'll tell you in a few minutes how things turned out with him." I leaned back in my seat. "He told me his name for the first time. Cornelius. I think he was Roman. He never told me his story. He asked me if I was thirsty and I realized that yes, I really was. I went inside the castle with my son. I dressed us up with my and my smallest brother clothes. It was a little bit

to big for him but I knew it would fit and then become too small soon enough. And we left the castle.” “We ran through the woods and reached a small town. I knew this town because I had gone there once with my father when I was five. The night was coming, and the sun had set when we entered the town. He had kept me in the woods until the sunset because of the first rule... Never let humans discover who you are. I understood the rule and remained hidden with him until the darkness. Then he chose a small house where two old people were living. He told me that, this way, no one in the city will think about something supernatural when they'll find the bodies. We entered the house.” “The smell hit me. The blood, and their heartbeats, were filling the house. But I stayed in the doorway. The smell, the noise, the sight of their blood flooding in their veins...None of these were appealing to me. It was not mouthwatering. I closed the door behind me. Cornelius had already killed the old lady. I watched him with disgust. How could he do it to humans when we had been once like them?" I saw Jasper move, an incredulous mimic on his face. Alice smiled at him. "How were you able to resist to human blood?" he suddenly shout. "Is that something all the mothers of half-blood vampires gain?" I winced and blinked. And then I watched Bella with more attention. She winked at me. It seemed that she found it humorous. "All I know, Jasper," I said in a calming voice, "is that he fed me with animal blood. I always have thought that he had built my taste when I was human." "But I drank human blood, when I was carrying Renesmee. But it's true that human blood is appealing to me, even if I have always been able resist it. Even as a newborn." "So maybe... We endured the vampire thirst with a weak human strength... Maybe that built our ability to resist thirst with our vampire strength." I tempted. I saw Calisle and Jasper's eyes light up with this hypothesis. Amused, I watched them lean towards each other and begin to build theories around my hypothesis. Edward showed his impatience to know the next chapter of my story, and I felt that, if I didn't think about it, he wasn't able to pick it up from my head. I saw his handsome face twist with a "believe-it-or-not" grimace, as he turned to watch me attentively. "What?" I asked him rudely. "You've a quite unusual mind to read. It's like to read the mind of one of the ancient ones. And by ancient, I mean those who are more than one and half thousands years behind them. It feels like you've seen so many things that you are able to guess the rest. But you're quicker than Aro, Marcus and Caïus." Immediately, I had a picture in my head of the first meeting I had with the three Volturi vampires. They had not yet wives, their eyes were bright and not milky, and their empire was not yet fully established on the vampires all around the world. Edward gasped. "You've met them when they were THAT young!!!" Fourth chapter They all turned to Edward to see why he had that panicked voice. Jasper looked suspicious again. All the other vampires seemed completely astonished by Edward's behaviour. "I told you I didn't know my exact age. But when I met them for the first time, I was a newborn. They had come to see Cornelius..." But they never found him, I thought. "Who the fuck is that 'they'?" asked Emmet. "Emmet!" Cried Esme, shocked by his language. "Answer him!" Ordered Rosalie to his brother. She didn't dare to do so with me. But Edward didn't care about her order. I was sure they all were scared by me, thanks to that young's reaction. "Young!" he yelled, offended by my thought. "You think of me as young!" "You are young," I stated, calm and amused, a light smile playing on my lips. He was

overreacting a bit. That was really interesting. As that was the first time I was telling my story, I might as well enjoy it. "You are as old as the Volturi," he shouted, shocked. "Actually, no." It was becoming really fun for me. "I'm older than Jane... But I'm... I guess a millennium, or half a millennium younger than the Volturi bothers." "You do not look like them," told me Bella. "Thanks, dear." I knew she was speaking of their milky eyes and strange skin. Mine was looking like the skin of all the young vampires gathered in front of me. Edward was fulminating. Because I had thought young again. But that was my truth. I was way too much older than them to care about calling them "young". "They have spent too much time hidden far from fresh air and sun. We may not be human anymore, but our physical aspects change a little bit with our environment. As I drink animal's blood, I'm always outside hunting them. They wait for the home delivery because they are too afraid to go outside." I grinned and pointed Bella. "Even if I know that you have pushed them to come here a few years ago. Because of Renesmee. I'm worried now, because they didn't know about Gwenaël, and I think that, if they discover his existence, they won't like the way I lied to them. But if I had learned before they came that you needed help, I would have called my son, and we would have come to be witnesses as well. But I live hidden and unnoticed by all of our kind. Even the Volturi doesn't know if I'm still alive, nor where I can be. If I hadn't met Carlisle in the hospital, you may have never heard anything about me or Gwenaël." "But how come that they didn't know about Gwenaël, if you met them during your first year? Wasn't your son always with you?" Objected Rosalie, the one who probably would never let her child one second out of her sight, if she'd had one. I sighed. I really wanted to tell my story in the chronological order, but this family was complicating a little bit that task. I paused and then, on purpose, I mentally added this YOUNG family. I giggled when Edward growled. I have never had so much fun. That was a little bit immature for a vampire so old that she was unable to remember her own age, but still... that was really funny to interact with the Cullen family. I focused on Rosalie, after all this fun. I was distracting myself. I should have focused on my story. I mentally apologized to Edward. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. And I mentally asked him to let me try to tell my story in the more logical sense for me and not to let what he was seeing in my mind disturb the conversation. He nodded, a very serious expression on his face. "Gwenaël... Well, you cannot know him yet. He's one of a kind. A half-bloof vampire. He never felt as belonging to one side. He doesn't feel human, but he doesn't feel vampire either. He hadn't had parents who loved each other like Bella and Edward does. He had an opportunist father, and a mother who, even if she cared a lot about him, was unable to show any love to anything. You all don't know how I lack the sense of love. I don't know what it is, as I can't feel it. I've been created in a very particular era, and as a human, I knew that love wasn't meant for me. I've grown up in a universe where love was absent. My heart has always been empty. I'm not even absolutely sure that I love my son. Sometimes I'm asking myself "isn't it only maternal instinct?". But I think I'll never know for sure the answer to that question. So, he was growing up in this atmosphere that was completely loveless." I paused. "That doesn't explain anything to me," told me Rosalie. I knew she was probably frustrated. Actually, I didn't really explain what she wanted to know yet. "I know, I was coming up with this. Even if Gwenaël was less than one year old, he was already independent. He was gone hunting when the Volturri found me. And they never guessed I wasn't leaving alone. All they did was asking me questions about Cornelius. I never touched one of them. Especially not Aro. I acted as a little savage girl. They wondered about my already amber eyes. When they saw that they wouldn't get any information from me, and that Aro could never manage to touch me, they leaved. I was relieved that this was over." I hesitated one moment. "They wanted to know where Cornelius was, and I couldn't let them know the truth. I suppose they are still wondering what happened to him. I killed Cornelius." All the vampires in the room jumped on their feet, and, behind my insecure feeling caused by that agitation, I was a little bit amused by the males' reaction : they were all

protecting their mates. What an out of time sight! Males protecting females, even though the last ones were obviously able to protect themselves. "I didn't kill him without any reason," I tried to reassure them. "He tried to kill me first. All I did was protecting my life." I struggled to stay calm and not to justify myself. I was going on telling them my story, I chanted to myself. All I wanted to do, telling them my story... "It was my first hunting party, if you remember what I was telling you before all these out of subject matters." I knew they remembered, their memories were as sure as mine."I refused to drink the human blood. I could hardly understand the frenzy in which Cornelius was, because human blood was not appealing to me. After he killed the two people, he turned to watch me, with my baby boy in my arms, staying still and calm. I told him I didn't feel like eating those people. He frowned but said nothing. We went outside. We came back into the woods. I was trying to understand myself. Suddenly, I felt Gwenaël sniff and freeze in my arms. I did so. And I smelt it. The sweet smell that could quench my thirst. It was a beautiful hind. And then I was in a complete frenzy. I didn't forget Gwenaël, of course. Even with him in my arms, I stopped the hind within a second and then we were both drinking her blood. Cornelius was disgusted. He couldn't believe that we preferred animal's blood to human's. When I stood, after drinking, I turned to him. "What are you doing?" he asked me with rage in his voice. "What? The hind smelled good to me, so I drank her blood," I explained, not aware to do something unusual. "We, vampires, do not drink animal's blood. We feed on human's! You and your son! You're not normal... Not natural... I cannot allow that!" And when he told the last word, he launched himself to kill me. I don't know exactly how it was possible, but I successfully countered him. I finally burned his remains. Gwenaël didn't express any feeling. He, as he told me when he was able to speak, had understood that Cornelius would have killed both of us. I decided to live in my family's castle with Gwenaël, waiting for him to grow up. He sometimes disappeared a few days, on hunting trips. As soon as he was able to walk, he went alone. I didn't stop him. I was alone in my castle when the Volturi found me. They seemed to know that Cornelius had come here, but they didn't know what he had done after. I told them as little as I could. I lied to them, and they never guessed anything. When Aro tried to touch me, I acted as if I was savage and afraid, I had the feeling that it would be bad, if he did. And they left. I heard them speak about my castle. They were hesitating between the sweet Italian life and the safe English life. Fortunately, they chose Italy. I wouldn't have been able to bear them in my home. When Gwenaël came back, I explained to him what had happened and we left our home. We headed north. To more savage lands. Where we were able to find more animals to feed on them, and less humans to frighten. After one or two years, we discovered that Gwenaël was gifted." I paused, waiting for their reactions. Fifth chapter They didn't actually seem surprised. And then I remembered that Bella and Edward were gifted. So should Renesmee. Edward nodded at my thought. "She can share images in her head... That's strange. If she touches you, you'll understand." He explained to me. Esme, as I was not speaking, took advantage of this silence to ask me a question that was probably bothering her for a long time. "There is something I do not understand." She paused, and I encouraged her to go on. "You contradicted yourself..." I searched for what she was meaning, going through all I told them. "You explained us that you are unable to love, even Gwenaël." I nodded. "But when you told us about the first time you held Gwenaël in your arms, the love you had for that baby was breathtaking and overwhelming... I have to admit that I do not understand you at all..."

Yes, I had contradicted myself, at least, for someone who is not in my head, and does not feel what I feel. That was going to be hard to explain. "I feel for my son something that, if it is not love, is very close to it. It was a miracle to hold him into my arms. I had never felt something stronger than the bound I felt between me and my son. I named it 'love' because it is the closer word, but it was a mix of maternal instinct, astonishment, surprise, gratitude, admiration... It is not as deep as the love you all feel for each other. Not as powerful as the love Bella and Edward seem to have for Renesmee. It's something different, something you probably won't understand because your lives have been so full of love... I can't explain it any better." Esme, probably impulsively, came by my side and took me in her arms. I stayed abashed and still a second, and then I held her tight. It was as if I was holding one of my little sisters, when I was human. Comforting, warm, and familiar. I caressed her hair slowly, remembering other times. "Thank you," I murmured in her ear. She let me go and smiled gently. I returned her smile. Esme was so kind! It was literally impossible not to appreciate her. My hand still in her hair, I impulsively kissed her on her forehead. That was a mark of respect and affection, when I was young, from an elder to a younger. I saw Edward smile. He worked as a reminder to me when he spoke again, probably echoing someone's unspoken thought. "We were speaking about Gwenaël's gift." I detached my arms from Esme and she came back to her husband, smiling happily. "Gwenaël's gift might shock you, but as you know, it is not something he had chosen. It is a gift that might interest the Volturi. Even if it has only impact on warm-blooded creatures. He has no impact on vampires. He can cause wounds when he touches a creature, he only has to wish about it and to have a physical contact. If he had touched one of you as human and wanted during that touch that your neck could break, it would have been broken. He uses it on his preys, to soften their pain. When he catches them, he breaks all the nerves connections. So the prey stays still and doesn't suffer when he bites in it." I paused, I didn't know how they could react to this, and they had been so unpredictable. "I wonder if he can break one of our wolfie friends," Said Emmet before bursting in laughter, probably imagining those unknown to me "wolfie friends" being broken and not knowing how. Thinking about Gwenaël made me nervous. He had been gone for hours with Renesmee. As I know, he had never spent so much time with another living creature, except with me. Edward saw my anxiety. "Renesmee has the natural ability to soften everyone. She made all the vampires who stood as witnesses gather and stay for her. She is an unusual girl. She is very social and friendly. Don't worry for Gwenaël. He just socializes a little bit." "Do you hear them?" I asked him, and he laughed. "Not at all. Nessie knows how far she has to go so I'm not able to catch her thoughts." "Of course," I concluded. "I'd like to hear your story, may you continue?" Asked Bella in a low and soft voice. "As Gwenaël is gifted, I suppose you still have things to tell..." "That's right, Bella. I'm gifted as well. I learned that decades later, maybe centuries. I was hunting, I was living in Ireland, or Scotland in those times. Gwenaël was still with me, he had finished to grow up. The once free of human lands had been conquered by them, slowly, pieces after pieces. I was thinking about moving again. I didn't want to stay near humans, even if I wasn't a threat for them. I knew I was too different to stay unnoticed, and I vividly remembered the Volturi's visit. I didn't want them to come back to hunt me because I would have revealed accidentally the secret. Nor to find out about Gwenaël. Those thoughts were too painful to me.” “I was in a hunting trip, further than usual from my residence, as the human's presence had made the animals go further. And there I heard a voice calling for help. Curious, I approached and I saw a girl, who had fallen from a high rock to the ground. I noticed her leg making an awkward angle. Probably broken bones, I thought. I was still approaching, as the girl seemed more curious and eager for help than afraid. I asked her - and those words were the first words I said to someone else than Gwenaël since the Volturi's visit - If someone was aware of where she was and would come to save her. And then she had a reaction that was

pretty strange to me. She began to cry, tears filling and then overflowing her eyes. I didn't remember what that was. But suddenly the human memory hit me. She was sad, or afraid, or felt pain, or all of these. She managed to tell me between her sobs that no one was coming for her before night because no one knew she had gone that far. I made the most dangerous decision in my whole life. I touched her.” “And it hit me. My gift. I was feeling her wound. I knew where she was hurt, and how. I wished I could repair her broken leg as Gwenaël would have been able to break it. And the second shot of my gift hit me. Her leg repaired itself. I just had to manipulate her leg to make it straight and natural, and then she was able to stand again.” “She did something even more dangerous than what I did." I smiled at the memory. "She frantically hugged me. Her pain had disappeared, she was able to stand on her feet, and she was so happy that she was dancing around me and hugging me from time to time. I let her do. And when she asked me my name, I answered her Morgana Kernow. I was too surprised by my gift. I was thinking about a way to use it. First I didn't figure that out. Gwenaël gave me the idea." Sixth chapter "When I came back to our residence, I told him my adventure. He was first unbelieving, but when I reminded him about his own gift, he admitted it was possible. He told me, "So you are able to cure human... You probably are a blessing for them." His words worked through my heads some days. Then I decided to go one night to the girl's village. I followed her nearly vanished scent through the woods. And there I tried my gift on all the sleeping inhabitants. I was able to cure wounds, broken bones, opened cuts on their skins, internal and unnoticed damages. The only thing I found myself unable to cure was a natural disease. Illnesses were a mystery to me, although I was able to feel them, to see them. There I discovered my vocation. I had to learn the art to cure all these diseases. I confusedly knew it was a science, and I realized that my path was going to be long before I'd be able to help someone recover. First of all, I had to learn how to act human. And second point, I had to learn how to read and write." They all seemed surprised again and I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of their faces. "Have you forgotten in which times I grew up? These were barbarian times. Nearly no one was able to read and write. And certainly not a girl that was meant to be married to raise children. I don't think anyone was able to write and read around me, when I was a child.” “I came to see Gwenaël. I told him my project to learn all I needed to know to cure what I was unable to cure with my gift. He disagreed with me. He didn't want to come any closer to humans. Sadly, I let him go. I was going to be alone for the first time of my life, and I was selfish enough to wish he would embrace my path and follow me. He never did.” “I left my country, my forests, my loving trees and rain, and I went to Greece. I had heard during my journey that there were the most civilized and full of knowledge cities of the world. It was at the end of the Roman Empire. All the Europe was burning, again with wars, between Rome and its revolting possessions. Barbarians, as Romans called them, had become powerful and wanted to rise a new world without the yoke of Rome. In Greece, I stayed around cities, observing, listening, learning the language. When I felt comfortable enough with controlling my body to make it look human, I entered cities. I found a master who taught me the letters. After that I stole books of medicine, reading them quickly, memorising all their contents, and then returning them to their original owners. I began to enter hospitals, acting as a stranger doctor, coming to learn their techniques, and to help them.” “My life had been always the same since this moment. I moved when I felt insecure, I managed to work close to doctors, and when I was not working, I was reading medecine books I had 'borrowed'.” “Gwenaël followed his own path. I'm not exactly sure about how he has spent the last centuries, but he always came back to me, now and then. We still have a bound. I think he travelled a lot. He probably made several times the world's tour. I think he's searching a

sense to what he is. No religion, no faith, no legends have ever tell him in what to believe, nor who he is. I think he feels lost, ageless, loveless, without any peculiar interest in life. Once he asked me with an infinite sadness why Cornelius had not changed me into vampire as soon as he met me, and waited until I had a baby. I had no answer to give him. May you imagine the emptiness I felt? My absent heart was even more absent than before. The hole I have in myself grew a little bit that day." If I had been able to cry, I think I would have burst out now with tears, sobs, and all the parade of sadness's signs. I was looking down when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Edward was comforting me. Of course he was the only one who had heard my internal distress. "That was a really sad story," said Alice in a sorry voice. "My life is quiet, Alice, and I have the satisfaction to often save the people I care about in the hospital. Even though I'm conscious that they are weak humans, and that they will die one day or another. Sometimes, I wander in the quiet nights, and I cure all the wounds that I can heal without being noticed. I... I like my life." Edward suddenly left the little circle we were forming in their living room. A few seconds after his move toward the doors, I heard the two bird-like hearts, but there was more. Two more hearts were heavily bumping. Two unknown hearts. I watched around me a little bit panicked. I had no clue about who the unknown hearts were announcing, but the other people in the house seemed ok with that so I tried to relax. And then the four people that were approaching entered the room. Seventh chapter Edward turned to face us and I stopped breathing at the sight of the expression of his face. He seemed amused, bemused, astonished, all kind of emotions between surprise and fun were mixed in his face. Gwenaël was by my side within a second. He put his hand on my shoulder, a very strange smile on his face. I saw Renesmee go and hug her parents, followed by a tall and massive guy with a skin too dark to think about anything related to vampires. But he didn't smell human either. He smiled at me and Gwenaël, a very open and sweet smile, but he also seemed to enjoy some private joke. And my eyes fell on the last person. She was as tall as Gwenaël. Long black hair was curling in her back, wildly mixed, disordered. Here face... Well, I was not able to describe her face, because her features were changing too fast. She was going through so many feelings, and so swiftly, that it made her face unreadable. No one was speaking, watching her, expecting something... My eyes left her to travel through the faces. Then she exploded. “Impossible! That is impossible. I can't! I refuse! I don't! NO! Not like that! Not him! I CAN NOT FALL FOR ONE OF THOSE HALF BREED MONSTERS!” “Leah!” Shouted in a husky voice the tall guy who entered with Renesmee, Gwenaël and the girl who lost so suddenly her temper. “No! I'm not like you, Jake! I can't forgive them for what we had become! I CAN NOT STAND TO STAY CLOSE TO THESE...” And then she turned to face Gwenaël, who returned her look. And her anger melted. “To this adorable and love-deserving creature...” she ended. What an unexpected turn... And then she snapped again. “NO I CAN'T!” She was turning in the room like a lion in a cage. I truly couldn't understand what was happening to her. “What on earth happened to you, Leah”, said Bella, concern in her voice. “I HAVE IMPRINTED”, she shouted, detaching all the syllables. And it seemed to make sense to all of them. Understanding spread on all their faces. I turned to watch Gwenaël who was behind me. He also knew what she was speaking about.

I jumped from my seat, shouting in my head "What is going on?" Edward blinked, surprised by the volume of my thought. “Well”, he began... “There are many things to say... I'll try to summarize...” And the girl snapped again. “NOTHING TO EXPLAIN! NOTHING TO SUMMARIZE! NONE OF HER BUSINESS!” And then, the 'Jake' I've only heard once, shouted the loudest, in an unknown and strange voice. “BEHAVE YOURSELF AND DO NOT DARE TO SCREAM AGAIN IN THE NEXT HOUR.” And I saw the snapping girl freeze, her face empty, and she fell on her knees, her arms dangling, her hands touching the ground, slightly leaning forward. Her hair covered partially her face. There was sadness in her eyes. And so was it in the 'Jake' 's eyes. He spoke gently, smoothly, as an elder brother. “You know, Leah, that I really hate to use the Alpha's ability on you, but you have to be calmer. I understand what you feel, we were connected when it happened. But you still have to behave yourself. This vampire woman is probably the mother of Gwenaël, and you know it. She didn't do anything to deserve your behaviour. Do I have to remind you the conversation we had before Nessie's birth? When I imprinted I shortly felt like you do. And then I saw everything was for the best. You must come to the same conclusion. You're my Beta, you're like a sister to me. I hate to see you in this state of mind.” He had kneeled next to her while he was speaking but after the last words, he stood straight on his feet again, and I heard again the same voice. “YOU ARE FREE FROM MY LAST ORDER.” Her shoulders shook slightly and I saw tears filling her eyes. So she was human. In a way. I had been able to see that everyone disagreed when Jake used his strange powerful voice, and I could see why. It was as if no will, no freedom was remaining in the girl. As if he was her master. “I told you before that you were good at guessing”, said Edward. He was closer than what I thought. “Now she can stay calm, we will explain you”, said Renesmee. Her voice was ringing, the most adorable thing I've ever heard. “My big friend Jake, Jacob, is some kind of werewolf.” My eyes widened. I had seen them. The Sons of the Moon. “Don't worry, they are nice”, said Renesmee when she saw my reaction. She came closer to me and held out her hands, expecting something from me. I nodded, not knowing exactly what would happen. She gently touched my face. And I saw images. Jacob shifting from human to werewolf and back to human again... Leah doing the same... She explained with images what "imprint" meant, and I saw the link Jacob had toward her. She showed me when Leah met Gwenaël, the big wolf freezing, then shaking, and finally turning into that beautiful naked human girl, too lost in Gwenaël's eyes to think to cover herself until Jacob did. She showed swiftly the way back to the Cullen's house, the moments of snaps, and the moments of dazzling. I saw through Renesmee's eyes Gwenaël staring to the shaking girl from time to time while they were walking. I felt my eyes focus on the real scene that was happening in front of me. Leah, or so they called her, was curling herself up in a corner, sobbing and peeking sometimes to my son. “Thank you, Renesmee”, I said, my eyes on Leah. I crossed the room and took her in my arms. She had told enough of her story during the way back home that Renesmee showed me to make me as sad as she was. I turned my eyes to Jacob. “You shouldn't have used that strange power on her. She has the right to say what she says.” Jacob blushed. “I had no choice... To calm her...” “There is always a choice.” He lowered his head a little bit. He mumbled "you don't know her as I do". I grimaced at him. He probably was so happy of his condition of "imprinted werewolf" that he

couldn't really see her distress as I did. All of them were so used to her that they didn't see her anymore. She slowly relaxed into my arms, her sobs stopped. I lowered my eyes to see her face. She had fallen asleep. She was exhausted, I could say so because of the shadows under her eyes, the thinness of her face and her body, the way she as curling herself up even in deep sleep. I used my gift to scan her body, searching for some way to help her. She was not physically hurt. I sighed. I turned to Jacob. “May you take her to a better bed? I don't think my lap is that comfortable.” “Sure”, he mumbled, probably still offended by the way I talked to him. But he did as I said and took her gently in his arms. He slowly installed her in a couch. Renesmee gave him a blanket. And Leah sighed in her sleep, her hand stretching toward Gwenaël... Eighth chapter Gwenaël swiftly came closer to the couch on which Leah was sleeping. There was an unknown expression on his face. He looked attentive, surprised... Nearly tender sometimes. He sat near her head, attentive not to wake her, and began to twist some of her hair between his fingers. I could not recognise my own son. Edward touched my elbow. “Let's go outside to speak more.” I noticed everyone had left the room, except Leah - of course - Gwenaël, Edward and I. I followed him outside. He led me in the garden. The smell of the flowers that had bloomed during the day was filling the night's atmosphere. It was peaceful... Or, at least, it seemed. When we arrived into the woods, I heard an argument. “Keep away from her, mongrel. How can we trust you after what you did and let you with our precious treasure?” “I did what I thought being right, bloodsucker!” “What's RIGHT? I've never been feminist, but it was obvious that you have no respect for women! You awful young machist!” “WHAT? I have respect for women... Don't judge me because I used once the Alpha on her! She was going crazy! It's the only way I found to calm her down!” “It's not because it's the only way you found that it becomes the RIGHT way!” “Shut up, Blondie!” I was shocked by his last statement. He couldn't find any more explanations so he was becoming rude! I couldn't allow that. But I had no time to interfere. I heard a low growl. “You damned mongrel! Don't even dare to tell me "shut up" again! That would mean you are suicidal!” I entered the little clearing. There were the vampires on one side, and Jacob with three other young men on the other side. The young men looked like Jacob and Leah. They must have been members of the same pack. Rosalie was facing Jacob, standing between him and Renesmee. So I could see my guess confirmed. The precious treasure Rosalie spoke about was Renesmee. Bella was near her daughter, holding her tight by her shoulders. Esme and Carlisle were out of the argument, but clearly on their daughter's side. Emmet was by Rosalie's side, trying to restrain her from launching herself against Jacob. Alice was dancing next to Jasper, seeming worried. “She cannot see werewolves.” Was he referring to her ability to see future? He nodded. The other werewolves were restraining Jacob. I wasn't able to see what to do. Edward made one step in their direction and I saw Renesmee smile to her mother. She let her daughter go. Renesmee placed herself in the no man's land between vampires and werewolves. Then I heard her adorable voice. “Jacob, I think you should go back to the reservation. At least for a few days. You have to think about what you have done and what you will do later. I... I can't stay with you now.” A nameless pain spread on his face. He would have fallen on the ground if his three fellows

weren't holding him. He was unable to speak, to move, to react anymore. I felt somewhat sorry for him. But he had deserved what was happening. My feeling is that rule over other's will and feeling is something horrible. The three werewolves managed to take him out of the clearing, probably to come back to that reservation Renesmee had spoken about. Then the vampires seemed to relax. And I surprisingly relaxed myself. Emmet changed his touch on Rosalie, taking her passionately in his arms, obviously eager to kiss her. Esme and Carlisle stared at each other with concern, probably wondering about the future of their relationships with the werewolves. Alice and Jasper smiled sadly at each other. Bella and Edward joined Renesmee, looking at her, asking her questions in low voices. I was "out of the game". Again. Never feeling as being as others. It was because of my inability to love that I've always been apart of the people surrounding me. I was used to it. But being so close to this loving family was a little bit uncomfortable. I turned to come back to the house. I couldn't figure out why Edward had brought me here. Ninth chapter I was walking swiftly through the woods. My pace was quick, but not too much, I was in no hurry. Anyway, hurry to go where? No. There was nowhere meant for me. I might as well go back to my job to help people to heal. I felt someone was behind me. I stopped. He joined me under a secular oak. Edward, of course. He looked at me with concern. “Your thoughts are so sad...” “Don't worry about me. This will fade away. As it always does. I feel more the emptiness of my heart when I'm around people as close to each other as you and your family are.” “Sorry...” “It's nothing you have to apologise about. It's because the era I was living in when I've been changed. It's because I've never been able to feel for someone something like love. I'm as unchangeable as a rock.” “That is what I wanted to talk about with you. I've changed.” I looked at him, he had lost me. Change? Vampires can't change. “We can”, he countered. “I have. I spent eighty years in the same state of mind than yours. Unchangeable, unable to completely return other's love... An empty hole in my chest, even though I was oblivious to this. Until I met Bella.” He had caught my interest. He smiled. “She was in this classroom... I was attending school again... I was trying to convince myself that she was not deserving any of my interest, as any other human in the room. I already was unable to read her mind, and that was frustrating. But I was sure anything she could think was petty and trivia. I caught her scent, and I've been close to kill her in that very instant. I was frantic about her blood. I managed to not kill her and the people who could have witnessed the murder. I took control of myself again. A few days later I began to speak with her, having discovered her by other's minds during days. I had found out that she was not like the other humans. And I realised soon that I loved her. I was completely unable to live without her, even if my very presence by her side meant her soon or later death. But she had a kind of curse. Since the day we first met, she was always in danger of death. She was like a magnet to trouble. As if the entire world was trying to convince me that I had to make her less breakable.” He sighed, remembering that past. “She even awoke the Volturi's interest. Because of bad circumstances, I thought she was dead and I tried to convince them to kill me. She came back bang on time to prevent me from doing something dangerous. Another vampire arose a newborn's army to reach and kill her... Her best friend, or so he was, is a werewolf.” His face twisted with disgust. And then is face lit up. “And she married me, fragile human. We had our honeymoon. She carried Renesmee... Well... You know how it has been for her. And I made anything I could to keep her alive. Long enough to change her into vampire.”

He stayed lost in his thoughts a few seconds and I let him speak again. “The purpose of all these explanations is "never give up love". I know what you think, you do not believe in it. As I didn't. But my truth is there. I have a loving wife and an adorable daughter. Even if I look seventeen”, he added with a grin. I smiled in return. But then I sighed. “You know as well as me how long I've lived. I haven't met anyone who changed my world as Bella did to you. It would already have happened, if love was meant for me. But it isn't. And this is MY truth. I'll never belong to any family by my heart. My heart has never been there. Even if you say you never knew love before Bella, I'm sure your human parents had loved you, and so your vampire parents did. And you returned their love.” “Hum... I have to say here that I disagree with you. But we'll see what the future prepares for you. I cannot foresee, and Alice's gift only allows her to see what had already been decided.” He paused. “May I suggest that we come back to the house? I feel Leah is awaking...” “Sure”, I agreed. Tenth chapter When I entered the room, everything was quiet. Edward had arrived before me, I needed to walk slower, to think a little bit more about all that had happened that day. I saw Leah, still under the blanket, lying in a foetal position. She was turning her back to the room, facing the couch's back. I was slightly surprised to see Gwenaël by her side, even if I had seen him twisting his fingers in her hair with tenderness on his face earlier. But I was even more surprised to see another boy in the room, and probably a werewolf if I trusted my eyes. He had a very opened and gentle smile when he saw me. “I'm Seth. I'm Leah's brother.” “Weren't you in the clearing earlier?” “Yes. But Jake doesn't need me today, so I can do what I want.” He grinned wildly to Gwenaël. “I wanted to see the vampire my sister has imprinted on.” “I see.” “Seth is the first werewolf who has trusted us”, said Carlisle. “We used to be enemies with werewolves.” “I didn't know there was a war between werewolves and humans.” “These werewolves are not ordinary werewolves, as Renesmee have shown you”, explained Edward. “These werewolves have a mission, which is to protect humans against vampires.” “Very laudable...” I whispered. “As we do not kill humans, they made a treaty with us.” “And now we have protected the humans around here together, we may speak of friendly cooperation...” Ended Seth. I heard Leah mumble between her teeth "friendly" in a distrustful way. I came closer to the couch. I put my hand on her shoulder and I could feel her contract. I slowly moved her hair from her face, to see her eyes. They were still moist, but no tear was flowing. Her eyes moved and found me. “How are you feeling, now?” I asked her. “Better.” “Can you explain me what happened, for you? All this imprinting stuff is not clear for me, I need to hear it from you.” She sighed. I knew what I was asking her. I knew it was difficult, and that I could seem cruel. But I also knew she needed to speak about it, and to think enough about it to be able to put words on her feelings. She slowly raised herself to sit. I decided to sit next to her, holding her hand. She looked at me with surprise. “I can nearly forget you are a vampire, she said with astonishment in her voice.” I raised an eyebrow. I was the oldest, the palest and the less human of this whole room and

she said me that she can nearly forget I'm a vampire? A sarcastic voice in the back of my head questioned her sanity, but I could see Leah was sane, and calm. So I made my sarcastic part of myself shut up. I scanned her body again with my gift, but, even if something was bothering me, there was nothing more to see than earlier. Edward jumped slightly, his eyes on me. Was he scanning my thoughts? As I was scanning Leah? Was he able to feel her body working as I could when he was in my mind? I decided to figure that out later. “I don't know why I am a werewolf”, began Leah, oblivious to what I've been doing and what Edward had seen in my mind. “All the werewolves we have heard about, in La Push, are males. My very first love became the head of the other pack, in the reservation. Sam... He became a werewolf because vampires were too close from our territory. And because he became a werewolf, he imprinted on another girl, my cousin, Emily. They are married, now, and have twin boys. So these vampires destroyed my life involuntarily.” She, unlike me, was sad because she loved too much. “The pack grew again and again, as vampires were still close. Until I became a member of the pack. The first time I phased, I could hear the thoughts of the other werewolves. I could hear their rejection of a woman as a member of the pack. I could hear rejection against me. I could hear Sam who was thinking about Emily. I was so shaken and angry about this that I couldn't phase back for days. They finally understood that they had to leave me alone, and none of them phased again until I was able to become human again. When we are wolves, we share all of our thoughts. To be in Sam's pack was difficult. But I had no choice, as a werewolf cannot leave his pack. So I revenged for all the pain I felt because of all of them. My thoughts were bitter, and it poisoned the pack's harmony.” She sighed again. I had noticed that she was struggling against herself to avoid looking at Gwenaël. “Once, I wished I could imprint, as so many of my brothers. To forget about Sam. To become oblivious to all my memories about him. Jacob was meant to become an Alpha. Sam was the Alpha only because he became a werewolf the first. One day, Jacob refused to follow Sam and it was over. I had a choice. Stay with Sam and suffer. Or go with Jacob and suffer less. I went with Jacob and with years, I came to feel better and better.” She raised her eyes and met Gwenaël's eyes. She lost herself a few seconds. He came by her side and took her free hand. “I was walking in the wood, as a wolf, with Jacob. We regularly patrol around Forks, to be sure no other vampire come too close. And I felt something. A way I absolutely needed to take. We soon heard Renesmee and Gwenaël speak. Then I... I...” Tears spread from their eyes. Gwenaël turned away, pain on his face, probably because he couldn't do anything for the girl. Not now. But he kept her hand in his. She found enough control on herself to go on with her story. We were close to the end. “I felt like my universe had a new centre. I should say, as if I've finally found the centre of my universe. Like I've been searching for this centre since my birth. Like I've seen the sun for the first time, with the stars and the moon. And in the same time, all my grieves against vampire and half-blood creatures remained. I still hate the bloodsuckers.” She leaned back on the couch, relaxing a little bit. She didn't speak with hatred, so her words were forgiveable. She seemed a little bit more peaceful, now she had put words on all this pain. Gwenaël hadn't spoken yet. He leaned back on the couch, next to her, and gently touched her cheek. She shivered. “You've changed my world”, he said in his indescribable voice. “You have changed me, in the deepest way. I can't imagine tomorrow without you...” I heard some of the silentful vampires around us surprise. They moved, murmured. I wanted to stand, to go away. Even my son was able to change and feel love. There was something bad with me. My memory travelled through all the faces I've met, all the people I've seen. I haven't been able to change. I had something wrong. I was able to fix others, but when will I be fixed? Never. I struggled against myself. As soon as this young girl didn't need me anymore, I would go

away. Far away. Far from all this love that I wasn't able to feel. But now, that girl needed me. But when she would let my hand go away... Eleventh chapter Thinking about what happened at the Cullens wasn't helping at all. How would I be able to concentrate when I was thinking about those events? Life was going on the usual way for me. Gwenaël was away, and I was alone in that big hospital, trying to help as many people as I could. Of course, I found them interesting and kind and nice and worth to know. But this wasn't a life for me. A wave of tenderness surprised me. Leah and Gwenaël were so nice together. At least that Jacob had done something right. But only because Renesmee told him to. He had used the Alpha once more, to free Leah from his domination. She was still a werewolf, and immortal as long as she decided to phase regularly, but she was free. She had grown used to Gwenaël. Each was as savage as the other. After all, Gwenaël had mostly lived in woods and places empty of humans. And Leah needed space and wildness. They weren't yet 'together' when I left them, but I knew that it would happen soon. Edward had refused to tell me what he had seen, even though he had confirmed that he had seen something through me. I was sure he was going to tell me if this information became relevant. I smiled as I entered the room of my next patient. It was an old lady. I knew she was going to leave us within few days. To leave us definitively. “Doctor Kernow!” She smiled as I entered the room. I had understood why Leah found me more human-like than the Cullens. As I'm not attracted to human blood at all, I don't feel the unconscious urge to keep humans away. So I don't frighten them. They feel with me as they feel with any other non-threatening living creature. I examined the lady. No changes. “You're very nice, doctor... Your hands always make me feel better...” “Thank you, Mrs Nelson. You really are an easy-going patient.” “What are the news?” There was no hope in the lady's voice. But no despair either. She had lived a long and satisfying life. Now she wanted to go peacefully and painlessly. Her family had come to see her every day. She was lucky. “You seem worried, my child”, she told me with her soft voice. “Not at all, Mrs Nelson.” “Some heartbreak pain?” She asked. I sadly smile. If only I could feel that. [Personal note from the author : Three Days Grace Pain. They inspired that dialog...] “No, Mrs Nelson. I've never known love.” I might as well be honest with that part. “What a waste! Such a lovely and beautiful woman! Alone! I cannot believe there is no Mr. Kernow...” “That is the truth.” “But you will find love.” I looked at her, mute. “I found it late. I was already more than thirty, and believe me, young miss, in that time that was too old to hope to find someone. But one day, he appeared in front of me. We were married before the end of the year. And we had two adorable children. So believe me, it's never too late.” I kept my face unreadable. “Mrs Nelson, I really would appreciate if you don't speak about love with me in the future...” “Doctor, you don't have to keep your feelings silent. Let them be.” “I'll think about it”, I promised to the old lady. And I managed to go out of her room without speaking about love anymore. Was it the approaching Valentine's day that made people that weird? Hum... Approaching Valentine's day? We were actually the fourteenth of February.

I'd been completely oblivious to the date. Usually I took a day off and went hunting into the woods... To stay away from all these stuffs that reminded me my inhumanity and my dead heart. I had been so much shaken by the events in Forks that I had forgotten about that. I went at my chief of service's office. “Sir?” I tempted. “Yes, Morgana?” “I feel bad, I said with an appropriate expression on my face. I'd like to come back home, I think I won't be efficient today...” “Maybe you should go to see a doctor...” That was ironic, as a situation. An immortal vampire doctor, who could heal any wounds, would go to see another doctor. “I don't think I need to see one of my colleagues. I just have a headache and I feel exhausted... I've worked a lot lately, I reminded him.” I've taken many hours my colleagues weren't able to do. It was also a part of my human character, to act as if I needed to rest. And there were circumstances where I needed to be away from people. When the sun shines, as an example. I quickly leaved the hospital. As quickly as I could, as human eyes were watching me. I felt relieved when I entered my car. Some familiar place with all the peace I needed. I turned my cd player on. Some lyricless Celtic songs. Some of these songs reminded me my young human time, when isolated and wandering singers were knocking on the door of my parents’ castle... I heard my car roared when it came to life and I was soon on the highway, driving far from the city. My little personal luxury. I was driving a Corvette ZR1 dark blue. I knew where I was going. North Cascade National Park. Winter wasn't leaving yet, there wouldn't be any hikers to cross my path. Twelfth chapter My car hidden, I ran to come closer to the mountains. To those isolated mountains. A place no one would go to unless this person wanted to die, or was immortal. A place I could be alone. What a relief. Nothing but myself. And delicious animals... As I was going deeper in the forest, I closed my eyes, to let my sense of smell and my hearing lead me through the trees. I stopped, tasting the sweetness of being lonely on my tongue. I listened to birds, and all this wildlife covering this little National Park. I sighed. Even if I wanted to help people, I had to admit that the place I felt like being home was in the savage and natural places. I walked swiftly, towards Desolation Peak. I was pacing next to the Ross Lake, appreciating the humidity that the proximity of the lake brought into the air. The air was really sweet to my senses. Somewhat appealing. I was soon running again, laughing out loud. I didn't really choose my path, letting my steps go right and left, following the path the nature had prepared. When the sun was setting, I had already fed myself so much that I was feeling full and, if I had still been human, sleepy. I laid down, turning my head towards the setting sun. Peace and freedom. These were my feelings. Five months since my meeting with the Cullens. Such a short time. I had met them around September. Now the trees were naked, and the snow was everywhere. I felt the soft powder under my hands. I was glad it wasn't melting. Being cold-skinned had one advantage. As the sun disappeared I closed my eyes. I let my thought shuffle through my whole life, picking some events, skipping others. I opened my eyes. The moon was full in front of my eyes. I stood up, gathering my hair in my back. Those long dark tresses were my treasure, as a human. But suddenly I crouched. I had heard some non-animal noise. No heartbeat. It wasn't human either. What was it? Vampire? I came closer to the path that would lead me to my car. And I froze. They were two, and they had come closer than what I thought. I had been so lost in memories than I hadn't heard

them. They came to me, with a smile on their faces. “Good night, lady...” I politely answered, all my muscled eager to run away. “Good night, sirs.” “We are surprised to find someone like you in these woods. We thought they were empty of the presence of our kind...” “So did I.” “My name is Demetri”, said the one with the darkest skin. “I'm Corin”, said the other one. “My name is Morrigan”, I said, telling them my old human name instead of the name I was using now. “Nice to meet you”, I added. I was feeling uncomfortable with them. No good would come from this encounter, I judged. “We are from the Volturi's guard”, said Demetri. Absolutely no good would come from this encounter. He was peeking at me with curiosity. I played the idiot. “How come the Volturi's guards visit those isolated woods?” “Have you met any werewolf?” All my nerves were tightening as I thought about my probably-daughter-in-law. “No werewolf... The Sons of the Moon have come to this country?” “We are not looking for the Sons of the Moon. But for a new kind of werewolves. They can change any time they want.” I watched the other one, Corin. He was tall, but not as tall as Emmet. He was truly handsome, in a way I had never seen before. His hair was as dark as mine. He was muscular, and looked strong, but his movements were, if it was possible, soft and gentle... I felt an unknown warmth filling my body as I was looking in his dark red eyes. I mentally slapped myself. It was an unaffordable luxury to dazzle now. “I've never heard anything like that, I managed to say with a normal tone.” “Be careful, anyway. We're not sure about their intentions and motives.” “Thank you, gentlemen. I'll be careful on my way back.” Demetri came closer and I struggled to not take a step back for any step he made in my direction. “Your eyes are golden, he said casually when he was close enough to see it clearly.” And then he crouched, showing his teeth in an aggressive move. “You know the Cullens, he growled. You are like them. So you know the species we are searching. Do you dare to hide something to the Volturi?” “No I don't. I have golden eyes, because my special gift, my ability is to feed rather on animals than on humans. That is what makes me special. Both of you probably have special gifts, so you know what I'm talking about.” Corin came by his partner's side and touched him gently on the shoulder. “Relax, Demetri. No need to react that way.” His soft baryton voice was caressing my ears. I saw Demetri stand up again. Then I heard the voice of Corin again. “I think you should go back to the Canadian border, Demetri, it is useless to come closer to their territory today.” Demetri nodded. “I'm going to accompany Lady Morrigan on her way back, I'll find you later.” Demetri looked surprised but soon left us alone. I turned to Corin to see what he was going to do. He was observing the woods where Demetri had disappeared. I didn't know what he was waiting. A few minutes of odd silence later, he turned back to me, smiled and... I pushed him away as hard as possible. He didn't seem to notice I was fighting against him. His lips were on mine, and even if his embrace on my body was unbreakable, his lips were as soft and gentle than the moves he had earlier.

His tongue slowly caressed my lips and I lost any control I had on myself. Now I was holding him as close as possible, answering his kisses... Thirteenth chapter I was holding him as tightly as if I was going to drown. He held me in his arms and made me step back until my back touched a tree. His lips left mine and frantically began to explore my throat, my collarbones, by breasts. I heard low groans, and I realised I was the one groaning. Then his lips came back to mine, pressing his body on mine and I felt him completely, and the desire he was feeling. My hands frantically made their ways under his shirt, touching the naked skin underneath. One of his hands was curling around one of my breasts under my blouse, and the other was trying to loosen my skirt. I was insane. Completely insane. I couldn't let this happen to me. Or I could? It was impossible! I was unable to feel anything... Why was it as an electric shock anywhere he touched me? Why was my usually empty chest so full of desire that I couldn't let my hands leave his skin? He was lying me down on the ground, soft thanks to the snow. His eyes scrutinized my face, searching something. I glared back at him, slowly recovering my senses. “Who are you?” He asked with an incredulous tone. “And you?” He sat back. I sat next to him, careful not to touch him. That had been close, I thought bitterly. I didn't know why I was bitter. Because it had stopped? Because I didn't want it to happen? “Who are you?” He finally repeated. “The name I use now is Morgana. I prefer animal's blood, and I decided a long time ago to live with humans. I cure them. I'm a doctor.” I didn't feel the need to tell him that I was curing them not only with medicine, but also thanks to my gift. “And you? Who are you?” “I'm Corin, and I live with the Volturi's guard. I can modify human's memories.” I was still staring at him, as he was staring at me. “How old are you?” he suddenly asked. “I don't know”, I answered evasively. “You must have an idea, as we never forget anything...” “Your mother never told you it's not a question to ask to a lady?” “She might have, but as we are vampires, the rules are not the same.” “More than one millennium”, I whispered. “Maybe more than two...” He looked surprised. Maybe for the same reason than the Cullens. I didn't let him the chance to react. “And you, how old are you?” He seemed shy, as much as it was possible. “I'm younger...” “I told you my age! Now tell me yours.” “Nearly two centuries...” He cleared his throat, looking away. “You actually don't look like someone two millennium old...” “Thanks”, I answered dryly. He peeked at me and his hand reached for my face. He touched me again, as sweet and tender as before. Then he came closer, his both hands curling around my face, his eyes deeply sunk in mine. “I'll try to never hurt you... When I first saw you, you've become the most precious person on Earth for me...” I shortly imagined myself pushing him away and run to my car... But then I abandoned the idea. Too painful. This man, this vampire, was completely ruling my feelings.

But I had to push him away. The Volturi should never find me back. They obviously wanted to find a shape-shifter, probably alone, and to do something with them. Suddenly understanding enlightened all the situation. They were going to use Corin to change the memories of that werewolf... To what? Convince that werewolf to work for them? I stood up, breaking free from his hands that had begun to caress me again. “You have to come back to your friend Demetri”, I told him in an atone voice. I had to convince him I wasn't returning any of his feelings. I just had to act as if I was still the as unchangeable as a rock Morgana I used to be a few hours earlier. His face was painful. “I'll make my way back alone, don't worry about it. Just leave me alone.” “But...” “There is something I haven't told you yet”, I said with a hard smile. He looked at me, questions in his eyes. “The other thing about me, I'm not able to feel any deep feeling. I don't love. At all. I'm better alone. That's why I'm not with those Cullens. I'm better on my own. Now I will go and don't dare to follow me.” I turned away, not letting him time to say anything. As soon as I was out of sight, I ran, dry tears filling my eyes. Why the first person I felt something about had to be the enemy of the people I cared about? I couldn't betray any of them for a hypothetical future love... Never. I entered my car and came back to Seattle. Fourteenth chapter As I was driving, I could feel my hands burning, eager to touch that guy again. I tried to make my mind stronger. Resist, I chanted to myself. My first impression was right. No good could come from this encounter. Was I stupid to have let my guard down enough for them to come so close? I couldn’t go anywhere closer to the Cullens than Seattle, now. Nor could I allow my son and Leah come to see me. That Demetri would probably keep an eye on me. He didn’t seem to trust me. And now I’ve rejected Corin… I let the pain fill my chest. Was that the pain I’ve wished to feel yesterday when I was with Mrs Nelson? My eyes were still hurting as if they were crying, although no tear could split out of them. I tried to breathe slowly, to calm me down. I would not be able to arrive with a safe car to Seattle if I didn’t get a grip soon on myself. The odour of my car filled my nose. Leather and all those artificial matters were smelling good. That comforted me, somehow. I saw the lights of the city a few minutes later. I drove within speed limits to my house in the rich outskirts of Seattle. A place everyone minded their own business. A place I could be alone again. I left my car and I entered my house at a human pace. I took a deep breath inside, trying to smell any stranger. No one had come to my home. I felt relieved. I took my cellular from my little bag, a very feminine accessory. I swiftly dialled Gwenaël’s number. It rang but he didn’t answer. “Gwenaël”, I said to his answering machine, “the Italians have found me, and they are after people like Jacob and his group. Please do NOT come anywhere close to me, but let me know you are fine. I’m…” I hesitated and then added. “I’m worried about you. Please tell me how you two are doing… Bye bye.” I cut the communication. Was he in any trouble? I shivered. That Demetri was a frightening guy. He surely was dangerous, and his way to come closer to me… As if he was checking something about me. I lay down on the couch, my hands on my eyes, trying to find anything logical in the behaviour I had with Corin. This man was so handsome! But it didn’t explain anything. I cannot feel anything… Why was that guy, an enemy, so appealing to all my physical senses? I watched my hands, they seemed normal from the outside, but I could still feel how his skin

had felt like under my fingers. I groaned with despair. My chest felt empty again. But a painful emptiness, now. I suddenly realised that my chest had felt full with him into my arms. He had filled my being with him as surely as if we hadn’t interrupted ourselves. My body stretched, wanting to feel Corin in my arms again. I wasn’t breathing as usual, but gasping, inhaling hardly a few air. I could feel my breasts, my lips, any of the most sensible part of myself cry for that vampire. If he had entered my room in that moment, I was sure I would surrender without even trying to resist. And then his smell filled the room. I was daydreaming. My body was so eager to find him again that he made me feel non-existing things. It was bringing back any memory I had from the National Park. But when my imagination made me hear his voice, I opened my eyes. I didn’t want to lose myself into memories. I sat with shock. He was actually there… Without thinking about it, my body embraced him and my lips found his. There was no need to speak tonight. There was no need to be reasonable tonight. There was no need to think about who we were to each other tonight. All I needed was his arms around me and his body as close as possible to mine. All I needed was to feel full and complete. All I needed was to feel him being mine. And so we did. Fifteenth chapter Corin was watching into my eyes, scrutinizing my face, his beloved face full of the same adoration I felt on my own face. We were lying, naked, in each other’s arms. The last couple of days had been quite busy… I knew I was in love with him… How impossible it had seemed only a few days earlier! But today I was a little bit worried… Corin’s eyes were black… That meant he was truly thirsty. I could also see it when we heard my neighbours move in their houses around us. He was always attentive to them, hearing any of their moves. He always was a little bit more tensed. “How can you live so close to them?” He finally asked me. “I’m not attracted to their blood. They are as appealing to me as human food itself. Animals are my favourite diet.” His face twisted with disgust. I softened his expression with my hand. “It’s not as horrible as you think… I whispered. Many vampires feed on animals…” “I still think it is not natural.” “That’s what my creator told me before he tried to kill me, I said with a hard tone.” His hand caressed slowly my body. “I would never be able to try and destroy you”, he said. “The Volturi may ask it one day, if they want to see me dead.” He shivered, horrified at that thought. “That’s impossible! They are fighting against all those who endanger our safety and freedom.” I sighed. “Why are they searching the werewolves?” “I… I never asked.” “And why are they sending hunters so close to the Cullens’ coven?” He had spoken about them during the two days, so I could mention them without being suspected. “I don’t know!” I kept silent. “I’ve joined them one year ago. I have only heard gossip about what had happened between the Volturi and the Cullens.” That made things a little bit clearer about his lack of knowledge. “What exactly is your mission? What did the Volturi ask you?” “We have to bring them one of these werewolves, so they can verify if they are a danger or not… Or so I suppose.”

“Hum, I see.” “Don’t you want to join us?” I softly moved my head from right to left and then right again. “That’s not a life for me. The Volturi are not people I want to meet.” “Who would you want to meet?” “No one, until I met you”, I said with all the love I was now capable of in my voice. My hands touched his perfect body in ways I knew he wasn’t able to resist. And soon enough, his lips were on me, his body pressing on mine. Sixteenth chapter I was experiencing pure happiness again in his arms when I heard something strange. The two uncommon hearts of the people I wanted to keep away from the Volturi. The two people I didn’t want to see with Corin around. The two people I wanted to be safe and sound. I guessed Corin had heard them too, as he froze. All the desire and the pleasure were melting. Within a second, he was half standing on his feet, in a both aggressive and protective pose. I dressed up, as fast as any vampire could. When I turned to him, I saw Corin fully clothed. I smiled tentatively, trying to show him there was no need to worry. But I was so much worried that I probably wasn’t convincing him. “I will explain…” I leaved the bedroom, not letting him the time to answer me. I could hear him follow me. I arrived in the kitchen when Gwenaël entered. He was alone, and I sighed, relieved. At least, I wouldn’t have to explain to Corin I knew a werewolf. We had never spoken about half-blood children. So I had no reason to tell him earlier I had a son. “Mum?” He said, his voice questioning me. His eyes went from Corin to me, and back on Corin… But I was completely under the shock, and I couldn’t speak at all. I was discovering love for my son. I felt my belly and my chest burn, but not the same way it did for Corin. My mother’s heart was awakening. I wasn’t breathing anymore. My eyes were locked on his face, and it was as if I’d never seen him before, although I had carried and raised him more or less two millenniums earlier… He came by my side, and when he took me by the arms, I felt I was falling on the ground. He managed to keep me on my feet. What an unexpected feeling, even if I was an immortal, my legs could abandon me. I threw my arms around him. And this hug was also making me complete, in a different way. “Gwenaël! Oh! Gwenaël! I love you, my son! You’re my treasure!” “Er… Mum… Calm down, please… Er… You’re acting strange… Please…” He was trying to see my face. I turned it to him, revealing the depth of my love. Now, I was a mother. I could feel it inside my whole body. “Please do not leave me as you did before! You are my beloved son, we have to be a family…” “Okay, mum. We’ll see… Please…” After he said that, I could manage to calm a little bit down. “I came because I was worried about you, mum. Your message sounded strange. Your voice seemed odd to my ears. I had to see by myself if everything was okay…” “I’ve never felt so well”, I told him, and even if I was worried, that was still true. Corin cleared his throat. He had a questioning expression on his face, but he wasn’t aggressive as before. “Gwenaël, let me introduce you Corin. I’ve met him in the North Cascade National Park. Corin, here comes the son I have carried when I was human, Gwenaël.” They stared at each other, and finally Gwenaël smiled at Corin. “So you’re the one who has changed my so unchangeable mother…” “As it seems”, answered Corin, relaxing. “But may I ask you what exactly you are?” He asked while he was hand-shaking with my son.

“I’m the son of the human Morgana and a vampire. That’s why I have a heartbeat and human-coloured eyes”, he added showing his features. “But I’m still immortal and feeding as vampires.” Corin nodded. “I’ve never met one of your kind.” “We are only a few… It’s hard to most vampires to restrain themselves when they are around human blood.” “Really hard.” “And as most vampires ignore everything about us, we like rather staying in the shadows, and not to show ourselves.” “Hmm I understand.” Gwenaël, still holding me in his arms, lowered his eyes to watch me intensely. “As you are safe and sound, mum, I’ll come back to my place. I think your friend Corin will take good care of you, I can see it in his eyes.” Corin put his hand on my shoulder. “Stay with her, Gwenaël. I have to go back to my coven, at least a little time. I’ll try to keep it as short as possible, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to make my way back here.” I leaved Gwenaël’s arms to come closer to Corin… I was torn between the happiness to have my son next to me and the sadness to know Corin was leaving. “If I don’t come back soon, I think Demetri will come to pick me up, by force if necessary…” “I understand… But come back soon.” “I will.” He kissed me, a long kiss of goodbye. When we finally parted, he waved and left. I deeply inhaled, smelling his odour that had filled my home. I closed my eyes a short moment, and when I opened them again, I smiled to Gwenaël. “You’ve changed”, he simply said. “I’ve changed”, I simply answered. And Leah entered my kitchen. Seventeenth chapter When she came into the room, I felt a wave of love for the dark-haired and skinned girl. I hugged her tenderly. Then I took a step back to attentively stare at her. Comparing her new face to the face she had the first time I met her was like comparing night and day. She had now an open face, with an easy smile, and seemed to be comfortable with a vampire like me around. I could feel love had won against rejection. I was deeply full of joy, even if this joy was tinted with the sadness to have my dearest Corin far away from me. He had left the house by the back door, so there was no chance he had met Leah. As it seemed that he had never met any werewolf, it was probable that he would have not been able to recognize her as being one. Of course she didn’t look human, but to anyone who had never met the shape-shifters, she was only a weird human. Anyway I was relieved they were with me. I took them by the arms and led them in the living room. Leah seated on the biggest couch, and Gwenaël leaned back next to her. I lightly settled on a smaller armchair, my legs folded under me. I couldn’t restrain my curiosity anymore. “What have you done since I left the Cullens?” “We have left them one or two days after you”, answered my son. “And we went in the South, where there are fewer vampires.” His eyes turned to Leah, waiting for her to tell the story her own way. She took his hand in hers and gently caressed it. “We have spent time alone, together. I needed to discover him in a different way. Even if I was hooked by him because of the imprintion, the deepest part of my heart finally fell because of his fondness and deep kindness. I think I’ll never get used to how much loving he may be. To how much he suits me. He is all I needed to cure my broken heart and make me feel something completely new. Even if what I felt for Sam was deep, what I feel now is so

much overwhelming that I can forget about that past. I have spent the best five months of my whole life with him.” She stared into his eyes and her face was radiant with happiness. Many times softer and smoother than before I left them. “We came back when we received your message. Gwenaël was really worried about you, and I have to admit I was also anxious. You have been so kind and comprehensive with me, although I had been so horrible when I lost my temper…” I slightly waved my hand, telling by this way that was nothing. “What happened, mum?” Asked Gwenaël. I kept silent a few seconds and then told them my encounter with Corin, what I had learned about the Volturi, the fact I denied knowing the Cullens, because I thought it would bring them troubles. I soon ended my story. I finally added : “I’m in love with that vampire. He is with the Volturi, and as we are taking opposite people sides, we may not be able to stay together a long time. We will probably become enemies soon. If the Volturi want to do something to the werewolves, I cannot allow anything to happen to your kind, Leah. I cannot allow anyone to be hurt. It’s not something I can bear. It’s not in my nature.” “Thank you”, said Leah. She crossed the room and held me in her arms. I hugged her in return. That was so sweet to have her in my arms. Gwenaël swiftly joined us. And there we were, hugging in the middle of my living room, as any beloving family. I secretly wished we would be able to share such moments with Corin. So everything would be perfect. Eighteenth chapter After a week spent with Gwenaël and Leah, I decided I had been long enough away from my job. My first day back to the hospital was sad. The sweet and nice Mrs Nelson had passed during the night. I never had the chance to tell her that I’ve met love during the days I’ve been away… I never had the chance to tell her « goodbye ». After my working day, I managed to go in the morgue to respectuously greet her goodbye. Even after all these centuries caring about humans and healing them, their weakness before death still made me sad. Was death sweet to them? Did they meet heaven? My hand touched the soft and cold forehead of the quiet lady. I leaned toward her to kiss her cheek. She’ll never smile again, she’ll never say her children she loved them again, she will never stand up to dance with the man she loved again... I was going to miss that wise and gentle woman. I softly smiled and turned away. Corin was in the doorway, his brilliant red eyes questioningly staring at me. I stayed breathless a second, and then launched myself through the room with my supernatural speed, my feet barely touching the ground, to land in his beloved arms. He held me tightly on his chest. By the urge in his move, I could feel he has missed me at least as much as I’ve missed him. But when I lifted my eyes to meet his, he was watching the old lady. “Corin?” “Why were you kissing her dead cheek?” “I’ve met her when she was alive. I felt respect for her. She had a life full and happy. I just wished her to find heaven.” “Why are you so interested in those weak pieces of food?” I left abruptly his arms. He couldn’t think like that! “How can you speak like that of people? You’ve been human once, even if it’s far away from you! How can you not feel sorry for their sad fates? They are meant to live shortly and to die sooner or later. They deserve compassion and sweetness. Are you cruel when you feed on them?” He seemed disturbed by my words.

“I’m not particularly careful”, he said, shrugging. He turned away when he saw the pain in my eyes. “I can’t believe you”, I said, my voice broken with sadness and disappointment. I swiftly crossed the room to the door. “I don’t want you to follow me”, I finally said. “Morgana!” As I was struggling to walk at a human pace, he ran like a human and hooked me in my way back to my personal office. A nurse crossed our path and I could see his eyes half closed darkened, his nose sniffing the air, his hands ready to catch her. I took his arm, making him focus on me. He looked puzzled. “Behave yourself when you are at my job”, I hissed between my teeth. He slightly nodded. I made him come into my office, where I knew there was no camera. “If you don’t, you will break the first rule of the Volturi yourself. And you know how strict they are.” “I’m a member of their guard…” “Do you really dare to think they will give you a second chance even if you’re a member of their guard?” He could not really believe in that. And actually he turned his eyes away. “No, I don’t.” The phone on my desk rang. I reached for it. “You have a call”, simply said my secretary when I asked her what was going on. “Okay”, I answered. “Morgana!” I froze when I recognized the voice of the handsome doctor who was the head of the Cullens’ family. “Oh! How are you?” I managed to say. Bad timing, I thought. “Actually, Alice had a vision, and we were wondering if you wanted to take your friend with you at our house. Esme wishes to meet you again, and all our family is ready to welcome both of you…” “Are you sure to be ready?” I whispered, insisting on the word ‘ready’. “Oh yes, we are”, he said with his calming voice. “Alice will advise you of my answer”, I told him shortly. “We will be waiting for your decision.” “Thank you…” “Goodbye…” “Goodbye.” I put my hand on my eyes, thinking hard about my last conversation. How much had heard Corin? How much had he guessed? And what did exactly mean Carlisle when he spoke about ‘welcoming’ them? Were they going to do something to Corin so he would not be able to hurt the werewolves? What was the wisest thing to do? Nineteenth chapter Corin put his hand on my shoulder. I took my hand off my eyes. I stared at him when he began speaking… “I don’t want to have an argument with you… I’m so happy to see you, I missed you so much…” “What have you said to the Volturi about us?” “Demetri told them I had met someone. Aro wants to meet you, actually. He says he has met you a long time ago, and would be pleased to know you better.” “But I don’t want to know him better. I’ve seen and heard anything I needed to know about him the first time I met him, the first time I met the three of them.” “I’d like you to join us…”

“And I’d like you to leave them, Corin.” “You can’t ask me that…” “As you can’t ask me to join them…” “I don’t want to be away from you!” “I don’t want that either, but obviously we have chosen two too different paths.” I had come closer to the window, one hand on the cold glass, watching outside the human lives I was protecting move and change. He took me in his arms, my back pressed on his chest, his arms wrapped around me under my breasts, his chin resting on my shoulder. I could feel his soft breathing on my cheek. “I love you”, I heard him whisper in my ear. All my defences melted. It was the first time he confessed himself. I pressed my body against his. He took my hair from my neck and his lips played with my sensible skin under my jaw. His tongue found my ear’s lobe and caressed it. I felt electricity travel through my body. He made me turn to face him. I could see the desire had changed his features. He pushed me against the window, tinted so no one was able to see anything from outside. I unbuttoned his shirt, to feel his skin under my fingers. Effortlessly, he lifted me from the ground, making my legs wrap around his hips, my skirt raised. His mouth nibbling my nipples, supporting my weight with one hand, he took all the clothes off his way with the other. And then pleasure overwhelmed anything else. I was driving my Corvette out of Seattle, my hands firmly clenched on the wheel. I was still desiring the vampire seated next to me. Two uninterrupted hours have not been enough to satisfy me. And by the look in his eyes, I was able to guess that he felt the same way. I had to struggle to not stop the car and jump on him to make love again and again. He touched by belly, where I had carried my son. “I’m jealous”, he said. I turned my face to try and read his eyes. Unreadable. “Jealous?” I asked him. “I want to be the one who has given you a son.” I was shocked. I said the first thing I was able to think. “You are too young…” “I know that. But I’m jealous of anyone who has had the chance to touch you. Please don’t let anyone else touch you like I do…” “I love you”, I said, as if it was explaining anything he needed to know. “Promise me…” “Are you going nuts? Don’t you know what love means for us vampire? You are my only mate, forever. But I’m not an object you can claim as being yours! I still have my will. Don’t bother me with such a silly question again! Your jealousy is misplaced.” I could see I had hurt him, when he turned away from me. But he had hurt me the same way. Didn’t he have any confidence in me? He was the only love I’ve ever had and I’ll ever have. I stopped my car in front of the Cullens’ house. And took him in my arms. “I love you, and always will. You are the one I need. The only other one who had touched me forced me. Don’t let it shadow our relationship…” “Okay…” He watched by the car’s window. “Where have you brought me?” “At some friends’ place. I want you to meet them, and they want to meet you.” “Okay, he said with a light sigh. Let’s go.” We stepped out of the car. I came by his side and took the arm he offered me with a smile. Praying for everything to go well, I led him in the light of the opened door. Twentieth chapter I let the hand of Corin go to hug Esme, who was waiting for us. She had an adorable welcoming smile on her tender lips. How not feeling gentle and nice with someone like her? I

kissed her on her forehead, like I did that first night I’ve told them my story. “Welcome…” She said with her sweet voice. “Thank you, Esme.” “Please come in”, she invited us. We entered the house. Corin’s hand in mine, I was peeking at him from time to time to judge his reactions. He finally kissed my cheek, whispering in my ear. “I was sure you knew them. Don’t worry, I’m civilized. And I wanted to know them…” I felt relieved. Was everything going to be fine? Was he about to leave the Volturi for me? I couldn’t dare to hope. During one second, I was desiring Edward’s gift to see in Corin’s head. But that would not have been fair. I also loved the part of mystery his hidden thoughts were keeping. I shyly smiled at all the Cullens gathered in the living room. I had rudely and abruptly left them more than five months ago. And there they were, welcoming us kindly. “Corin, here comes the Cullens.” I showed him anyone as I named them. “Esme and Carlisle, Bella and Edward, Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmet, and Renesmee. You already know my son, Gwenaël…” No werewolves. And no smell of them. Edward discreetly winked. Okay, they’ve managed to keep them away. I felt like a teenager who was going to introduce her boyfriend to her family, waiting for their approval. “My friend is Corin, my mate, as we may call him, and he works for the Volturi.” No one seemed surprised. They already knew it. He shook hands with the men, and made old-fashioned courteous kisses on the ladies’ hands. “How are doing my old friends?” Asked Carlisle when Corin had greeted everyone. I saw some of the Cullens raise their eyes and sighed. Was it an usual question coming from Carlisle? I stared at Edward, waiting for an answer. He turned his eyes to me and nodded. Corin was answering Carlisle's question. “They are fine”, he was saying. Actually they are wondering about your friends who can shift their shapes...” “It is what they are - Friends. So you know we won't let you bring them anything that can betray our friends...” “I think we will understand each other well. I also won't do anything that may betray the Volturi.” Emmet went by Corin's side and hit him in the ribs, with a humorous grin. “Hey, how was it with Morgana? Not too much spider webs, with those millenniums she stayed untouched?” “Emmet! I said. I had already figured out he had a sexual sense of humour overdeveloped, but I never thought he would use it on me... Obviously, he was ready to anything. Corin hit him back in the ribs. “This is one thing I won't tell you.” “Oh c'mon! We are all adults here!” “We are not all adults”, said coldly Bella, peeking at her daughter. “And if you dare to bring that subject again, I'll challenge you with an arm wrestling match.” She looked menacing towards Emmet. I watched both of them from head to feet. Bella seemed fragile, but, as far as I could judge by Emmet's grimace, she was easily beating him in arm wrestling... “Arm wrestling”, repeated Corin with interest. “I'd like to...” He didn't finish his sentence. Emmet raised an eyebrow, probably evaluating his chances against my lover. Corin wasn't as tall or muscular, but as Bella was stronger than Emmet, everything may be expected, with vampires.

“Let's go”, finally said Emmet. “Wherever you want”, eagerly answered Corin, a wild smile on the face. I couldn't help thinking "boys..." with a mental sigh. They could be so childish! We followed the both of them outside. But that match may be the ice-breaker... We entered the clearing where Rosalie and Jacob have had their argument. I noticed there was a big rock that looked like a round table. “This is the place Bella and Emmet do arm wrestling matches”, explained Edward. “Safer than inside, for Esme's furniture.” Okay, I thought. Let's see what's gonna happen. Emmet and Corin placed themselves to be able to do the match easily. They joined their right hands, their elbows on the rock. And then nothing moved. Twenty-first chapter My gaze was going from Emmet to Corin, and back to Emmet. “Have they begun?” Asked Bella to Edward. “Well… Yes”, answered Edward. “They have an equal strength”, said Alice with a wide smile, dancing around. She came closer to the two arm wrestlers. “Both of you has won.” Corin raised an eyebrow. “How can you know that?” “I see future…” “Oh, yes, it’s you…” Corin turned to catch my eyes. “Can we rely on what she sees?” He asked me. “Yes, we can…” I said with a twisted smile, sorry for him. He turned back to Emmet. “I suppose it’s a draw, my friend…” “I suppose, yes.” Emmet said before turning towards his sister. “You are sure?” He asked her. “Absolutely”, she answered. Emmet sighed. “I suppose I have to grow used to the fact I’m not the strongest anymore…” And their hands parted. With a wide grin, Corin and Emmet hugged in a manly way, slapping on each other’s back. Well, that has been an ice-breaker. Carlisle came by my side. “Everything will be okay”, he told me. I wanted to believe him. “Alice would tell us if something was going to change. He is not going to leave the Volturi. I can understand him, as I’ve lived with them a long time ago.” “I don’t want them to…” I couldn’t go any further, but he seemed to understand me. He nodded. “We don’t want it to happen either. I’m for personal freedom. Too many bounds have been created.” I was the most we could say without attracting Corin’s curiosity. But I could see Carlisle had understood me. “We are a big family”, said Esme, coming closer. “And we want you to be a part of it. We know some choices will make it difficult. But it is possible. I don’t want to leave you out of the family because the man you happen to have as a mate is one of the Volturi’s guard. The situation has not always been tensed between them and us. There are subjects on which we can’t understand each others, but isn’t it natural?” I couldn’t do anything but agree with her. Of course. I thought about the argument I had with Corin in the morgue. It stood to reason that we couldn’t fully understand each other yet. Not

when 90% of the relationship you’ve shared has been purely physical. I gladly smiled at her. Her loving heart had given me the answers I needed to have. I watched around me, noticing details. The men were slowly gathering on one side of the rock, as the women were gathering near me, on the other side. Carlisle was speaking about the time he spent with the Volturi, and the reputation he got there. Alice took me by my right arm. “We are going to see what we can do for your sense of fashion… Do you always wear those old-fashioned skirts?” “Hum… Well…” “Don’t say anything more,” she stopped me. She pulled my arm so I had to follow her to the house. I stared at the other women, following with helpless grins. “It’s her way to show you that you are a member of the family”, said helplessly Rosalie. Alice was mumbling things I couldn’t understand under her breath. And, of course, I couldn’t count on Edward’s courtesy to let me know if all my guessings were right… One hour later, Alice had managed to put me into a pair of fashionable pants and a silky crimson blouse. “So you’ll get on with Corin’s eyes” she said. She also put bags of clothes in the boot of my car. I stared at her with horror during the whole time, knowing it was useless to resist her. She stopped dancing a few seconds, putting her hands on my shoulders and watching me in the eyes seriously. “You will have to go with me shopping soon.” Was it menacing? Had I to feel threatened? It seemed to be a very serious matter for that small Alice. I hadn’t had been conscious it was something of that importance. “Next time, I’ll have some work to do with Corin”, she said. “Next time?” I asked her. Was it something she had seen? I asked myself “Yes, of course. I can see he already likes our family. He will want to come back. Wasn’t it obvious, in the clearing?” “Er… Yes, I suppose”, I tentatively answered. Rosalie probably didn’t like not being the centre of all attentions, because she took Alice by her arm and began speaking with her about some dresses Alice was designing for her. Renesmee came by my side and made me sit in a couch with her. “How is Gwenaël? Have you seen him?” “Hum I’ve seen him a few days ago. With Leah.” “Oh! How are they doing? Are they fine?” “Leah seemed truly in love with him. I was relieved to see she had been able to see further the imprintion thing to really discover him. They seem happy. I’ve never seen Gwenaël like that. And I suppose you wouldn’t recognise Leah as the bitter girl you knew. I think they are going along very well.” “Oh! I’m glad to hear this news.” She turned to her mother. “Isn’t it fantastic?” “Yes, it is”, Bella answered. “She didn’t deserve all the hard things she had gone through.” “Oh! Sue will be so happy when I’ll tell her…” “Sue?” I asked. “Leah and Seth’s mother. She is married with my father.” I swallowed. “Your father knows?” “Er… More or less”, answered Bella. “How is it possible?” “He doesn’t want to know too much. All he needs to know is that I’m fine, and Renesmee too. He doesn’t want to know what I have become. He is happy as long as I’m safe. So we told

him as little as we can.” “Hum. I see. Don’t let Corin learn that…” “We know”, said Bella softly. “We will do anything to keep our family safe. And both of you.” “They are going to come in”, said Alice, leaving Rosalie who was smiling. We only had to wait fifteen seconds before the men came back in the house. Twenty-second chapter On our way back to my home, I drove quickly, peeking from time to time at Corin. The fastest I was doing with my car was 125 miles per hour. But Rosalie had proposed me to boost my car. “They are nice”, said Corin, telling out loud my thought. I agreed with him, smiling. “And they have known me when I was unchanged and unable to give them back any of their gentleness.” “I can’t believe that.” “You should”, I said with humour. “As you’re the one who changed me…” He put his arm around my shoulders. “You are the most gentle and compassionate person I’ve ever met.” “I think you don’t see me clearly…” He wanted to speak but I continued. “If you see Carlisle, he is really gentle and compassionate, in a way I’ve never been. He is like that by nature. Can you imagine he has never feed on humans, too hurt himself at that single thought? I’ve never feed on humans because I’m not attracted at all by their blood. I have no credit in it. If the human blood had attracted me, I would have never been able to resist it. If I hadn’t had my gift to cure warm-blooded creature, I wouldn’t have become compassionate. I’m nothing next to that great vampire. I feel an indescribable amount of respect for Carlisle.” “You love him?” Asked Corin with anxiety. I laughed. “Not the way you seem to worry about. If I was younger than him, maybe I would have considered him as a father, like the Cullens’ kids. Or as a mentor, a master in my discipline.” “I see…” I caressed his leg. “You are the only one I love, It’s you I want to know deeply. It’s you I want to have by my side. It’s you I want to hold in my arms.” I paused. “It’s you I want to feel inside me… It’s you I want to kiss, to touch. No one else.” “But why do you love me?” I could feel he had asked me the question that caused all his jealousy and anxiety since he had come back from Volterra. I decided to be honest. “I still don’t know. But I can feel in any fibre of my body that I need you, and in my newborn heart that I’ve been looking for you since by second birth. I can’t fully understand it myself. But we have eternity to discover each other. And I’m sure we will find out that we feel together better than we expected. My heart is sure to love you although my head doesn’t know why yet.” He was watching me with unreadable eyes. My hand left his leg. I had said anything I could. I was hoping it was enough. We were arriving at my house. I parked the car in the garage and went into the house, feeling he was following me. I turned to face him, and intertwined him, my eyes in his. “I need you”, I whispered. “Can you imagine how it has been hard for me not to take you away immediately when I saw you with that silky crimson blouse?”

He was caressing my back through the silk, awakening my desire for him. “It is the same colour than your eyes…” I tempted. “I have noticed.” All the worry and the anxiety were fading from his face. He continued to speak with sparks in his eyes. “You will have to wear silk more often…” He lowered his head to kiss my breast through the thin blouse. I could understand why it was Alice’s favourite material for clothing. Everything was ten times more intense. He took me in his arms and carried me to the bed. I was watching the torn crimson blouse lying on the ground. It hadn’t survived Corin’s desire… The light of the rising sun was playing on the silk. I was lying on my side, turning my back to Corin, thinking and watching the now unwearable blouse. I could feel his fingers playing with the skin of my back, his lips kissing me sometimes on my spine. I was still shivering because of the pleasure he had given me. I moved my arm to touch him and my hand met his thigh. I lay myself on my back. In an even and smooth motion, he imprisoned me between his legs and hands, standing above me. His knees were pressing on the bed on each side of my hips and his hands on each side of my head. A ray of light was playing on his chest, coming from the outside. I touched him where he was sparkling. He took my fingers and kissed them. “I think you won’t be able to go to work today”, he whispered. “Yes... But I work after the sunset, today”, I said as I winked. He freed me. I got up and took the little fabric that was lying on the ground. I showed it to Corin. “There is something I won’t wear anymore”, I said. “Sorry...” “Well I think both of us have been destroying it, last night.” “Hadn’t Alice given you clothes?” He asked when I went to my closet. I froze. “Yes... But I don’t know what...” “Go and get them... I’m sure we are going to find nice things...” I wrapped myself in a bed sheet. And I took everything Alice had put in my car. I came back in the room with an armful of bags of clothes. “Let’s check it”, said Corin with a malicious smile. Twenty-third chapter There was only one month left before Renesmee’s birthday. She was going to be “adult”. August was warm. I had moved closer to Forks. Not in Forks itself but close enough to work in their hospital. Carlisle finally had decided to move away. I knew they had stayed too long there. Even for peaceful vampires. I sighed when I came into my improved Corvette. The last months had been quite animated. Corin was spending one week with me, and then two weeks in Volterra. In the beginning of the Summer, I received two job’s proposal. First one from Carlisle. To take his place in Forks hospital. The second... I had no proof about it, but it was probably not a coincidence that a famous Italian hospital had asked me to work with them... I politely declined the Italian proposition. The Cullens had moved in Canada. Slightly closer to the Denali family. Only a few hours from my new home, when I pushed my car at its new speed. We had kept the secret about Gwenaël and Leah. Corin still didn’t know anything about the young werewolf girl. I was still wondering what to tell him and what to hide him. But I was nearly out of time. All the werewolves close to the Cullens would be there for Renesmee’s birthday. I didn’t want Corin anywhere close to the werewolves. I wanted to go to Renesmee’s party. But it was now

obvious that I couldn’t go there with Corin. And it happened to be the week he was spending with me. I had to ask to Gwenaël and Leah what I could possibly say to Corin about them... And to the Cullens what I was allowed to reveal. I picked up my cellular from my pocket when it rang. Alice. Of course. “How can you only think about not coming to Renesmee’s party?” She asked me with an anxious voice. “Er... Sorry, Alice. I was going to call Carlisle. To speak about it.” “It is going to be the biggest party I’ve ever organized!” “Well... I’m sure you’re going to make the best party any vampire has ever seen...” “Renesmee wants you to be here...” She argued. “Is Carlisle close to you?” I tentatively asked. “Okay, I give him the phone...” “Thanks”, I whispered. I heard some noise when she gave her cellular to Carlisle. I heard her say “please convince her! I still don’t see her coming.” And then Carlisle’s voice reached my ears. ”Good morning, Morgana.” “Good morning, Carlisle.” Alice told me you and Corin weren’t coming to the party for my grand-daughter?” That was sounding weird. It was the first time I heard him telling “grand-daughter”. “I’m thinking about everyone’s safety. Isn’t it better if Corin continues to ignore the deepness of our links with the werewolves?” “You won’t be able to keep him from this secret much longer...” I could hear an edge of distress in his voice. He either wasn’t sure how Corin would be reacting. Even Edward didn’t know anything about it, because Corin never thought about the werewolves when he was close enough to catch his thoughts. “Maybe I can tell him that, as we all are mythical creatures living on a small area, we have created bounds and links between our species...” He seemed glad with my poor explanation. “That would make sense”, he generously told me. “I’m not convinced it will be enough.” “Maybe ask Gwenaël how much you can reveal about imprints and love between half-bloods and werewolves...” “I will. Thank you for your support, Carlisle. And please say to Alice I won’t decide anything before I have the chance to speak with Corin.” “No problem.” “How is life in Canada?” I asked him. “Good, good... The kids will attend in high school – again. And Renesmee will go with them.” “She is already smarter than any teacher...” “She has chosen the same stuffs than her mother. I’m sure Bella will be able to restrain her if she shows off too much.” “I’m sure Renesmee will be nothing but perfect at school...” “Thank you, Morgana.” “No thank you, Carlisle. I’m so happy your family welcomed me with opened arms and wide smiles... It is still unbelievable for me how gentle and nice you all are.” “Please speak with Gwenaël, and then with Corin...” “I will, I will. See you, Carlisle.” “See you soon”, he added. And then we hung up. I dialled Gwenaël’s number. “Mum?” “Hi, Gwen. I needed your opinion about something.” “Let me know...” “What can I say to Corin about you and Leah? I need to explain him some things if I want to

bring him at Renesmee’s birthday party.” I summarized the previous talk with Carlisle. “Well... I was sure this was going to be talked sooner or later...” He said thoughtfully. “I am so sorry, Gwenaël... I have the feeling I put all of us in some danger. I really don’t like the Volturi...” “What have they done to you? Carlisle seems to respect them...” “I know, that’s completely irrational. But since the first time I’ve met them, thinking about them makes my flesh creep...” “Well... I think like Carlisle. Tell him what you have decided. You can even tell him that Leah and I are together...” “Okay.” I struggled against myself to say what I was going to say. There was still a part of me disagreeing with it, but I had to choose my priorities... “Gwenaël”, I began. “Yes, mum?” “I will protect you. Whatever it costs me. I can’t be happy if you are not safe.” “You don’t need...” “I needed to say it. I’m serious. Since the day I felt you inside me for the first time, before your birth, you have become the most important thing in the world for me. Nothing else matters more to me.” “But Corin and you...” I sighed. “If our opinions and loyalties make us part, I’ll suffer, of course. But I just can’t live and be happy when you’re endangered.” I felt he was shaken when he spoke again. His voice was nearly broken. “Thank you, mum...” “I’ll see you soon, Gwenaël...” “See you soon”, he echoed. Twenty-fourth chapter As soon as I heard Corin’s car coming in the street, I went as close as possible to the windows, avoiding the sun. This year, September was a beautiful sunshining month. As my arm was touched by the sun, I swore under my breath. Hopefully, my neighbours were less close than in my old house, but I was still careful. I watched Corin parking the car in the tiny shadow near the front door. In a blink, he was at my door, under the porch, far from the sun. He swiftly opened the door and I was in his arms within a second. I lost all my senses, taken by his loving eyes... Feeling his strong body against mine, his arms around me, his lips on my skin... All these brought waves of pleasure inside any part of me. “I missed you”, he said with urge and desire in his voice. Even though we had come to know each other better, discovering many likes and dislikes in common, and many sides of our personalities that were, and that’s the least we can say, compatible, we were still mostly “physically” interacting... I just couldn’t stop myself from touching him, feeling him, desiring him... But I finally loosened my grip on him. Right... We were two days before Renesmee Birthday Party (as Alice spoke about it, it was impossible not to think about this event with the uppercase) and I still hadn’t spoken with Corin, always finding good reasons not to do it. I watched me with an eyebrow raised, questioningly scrutinizing my face. “I have to speak with you, Corin...” His smile twisted, mixed with anxiety. We made our way to the couch. “What is going on, Morgana?” He had asked me that very question a few times the last weeks, but I had still managed to stay away from the sensible subject I was going to bring up now.

“I haven’t been completely frank and honest with you.” His mouth fell open. I could see he was thinking that I had spoken about my feelings... “I’ve been completely honest with my feelings, with who I am and how much I love you. I will still be the one you know after our little chat, some blind spots will be removed, that’s it.” “What do you mean?” He asked, anxiety replaced by curiosity. “I know the werewolves better than I told you.” “Well... I had already figured that out and I respect your silence.” “I think it’s time for me to tell you more...” He waited, expecting me to say something. “So... You know shape-shifters are as “mythical” as us, vampires... As we have chosen to live on the same lands, we had finally become closer and accustomed to each others. We finally became... Friends. It brings a feeling of relief and freedom when you can speak freely with someone who is not from your species. When you can speak with someone who can understand what it is to hide who you are to anyone.” He nodded. “I first was cautious about this “werewolf stuff” when I first heard about it. I only had met Children of the Moon. But the Cullens explained me the differences between the shapeshifters and the Children of the Moon. And I met the pack from La Push. They are friendly, kind and very protective with humans and the ones they love. In this pack, there is one girl. She was the... Well... the Second in Command, as I might say.” “They have a hierarchy?” “Yes, a kind of hierarchy.” I didn’t say more, trying not to give away too much information. “And this girl, Leah, met Gwenaël. And they are in love.” I waited for his reaction. “What do you mean? In love?” “They love each other... They have found their mates.” His face went blank, due to the shock. He jumped on his feet. “That’s impossible”, he managed to say under his breath. “Corin”, I tentatively began. “Wait...” He took a deep breath. I could read his face. He was assimilating what I had said. He was not against the idea – not yet – but he was not for this idea either – not yet. He closed his eyes and sat back next to me. “They... love... each other...” “Yes... Like we love each other. It is something they could hardly resist to. They have felt the same irresistible attraction we had felt. And now their love is building and strengthening. They know they are bound together forever. Gwenaël is a half-blood vampire... He doesn’t feel as being a full vampire, nor a full human. Leah is the only shape-shifting girl we know, she also feels as one of a kind. Destiny had made all the rest.” I was losing grip, trying so much to make him agree with their relationship that I couldn’t help but endlessly chat about it. I stopped when he raised his eyes to look directly in mine. “I understand.” It’s all I needed to hear him say. I still didn’t dare to relax, tensed about his next move. He smiled. “I’m sure you have a reason to tell me that...” “We are invited for Renesmee’s seventh birthday. And the pack will be there, with Gwenaël and Leah, and all the Cullens.” He seemed thoughtful during a few seconds. “Okay, let’s go there. When is it?” “In two days.” “We’ll have to bring a present”, he said, winking. Anything had gone smoother and sweeter than what I feared. I sighed with relief. Alice was right. Everything was going to be okay.

Twenty-fifth chapter I hurried back from my work. I had worked the whole night, and we had to be within hours in the new Cullens’ residence. I rushed into the house, opened my wardrobe, and jumped into a silky summer dress. It was made with a pale pink silk that made my skin look like ivory. One of Alice’s gifts. I was sure she was going to be delighted when she would see me wearing this dress. I smiled to my reflexion in the mirror. “You are perfect”, said the most perfect voice behind me. I slightly jumped, and realized I haven’t heard him in the house when I came back. He probably was enjoying the garden and the soft and warm air. “Thank you, Corin”, I answered. I was eyeing how he had dressed up. A pair of linen dark pants and a champagne shirt. His brown hair was nearly combed – was it a vampire thing to have messy hair -, and his dark red eyes were looking at me with love. He lifted me, holding me by my waist, and made me turn in the air, delight on his face. Then he gently put me on my feet and hugged me. He whispered "I love you" in my ear. With a hint of pain, I broke the hug. If we wanted to be there before the beginning of the party, we had to take off now. “We have to go”, I said with sorry in my voice. He sighed dramatically. “Okay, okay...” He gently took my hand, one of his eyebrows raised. “May I drive?” “My corvette?” I asked. “Yes... If I can?” I smiled. This was the first time he was asking me something like that. I nodded. The sun was setting when we arrived at the Cullens' residence. Corin had driven quickly and safely. I had time to admire his long and white hands holding the wheel, his legs slightly moving, his face peacefully turned to the road ahead. I was completely crazy for this guy... Crazy in love. He parked the car near the front door of the big house. It was an old manor, built by some crazy English lord in the late 1800s. Esme had done an amazing job on it, making it welcoming and full of light. My smile became larger and larger as I was noticing the decorations Alice had put everywhere. Balloons, flowers, paper lanterns... There were stuffs everywhere. Just too much to be able to catch any detail. Corin opened my door and took my hand - needlessly - to help me to go out of the car. “So”, he finally said, brushing some hair off my face, “how had I driven?” “Not too bad”, I answered playfully. I smelled the air. It seems that we were the last to arrive. I could even smell Gwenaël and Leah's fresh scent. He tasted the air, after seeing me smelling it. His eyes slightly closed. He was catching all the scents he still didn't know. The shape-shifters. The Denalis. Some other I didn't know either. We smiled to each other and entered the house. The inside was as beautiful and decorated than the outside. Alice had done a great job. The manor looked like a fairytale castle. A universe for dreams and entertainment. When we came into the Ballroom, I immediately focused on Renesmee. She was much prettier than she was a few weeks earlier. She seemed fully grown and mature. Nearly as old as her parents. A large grin enlightened her face when she saw us, and she hugged me. “Welcome!” “Happy birthday, Nessie”, I told her. “Have a nice birthday”, said Corin in a lower tone. “Thank you!” She kissed us on the cheeks, all excited by the beginning of her youth adult life.

I handed her a small package, wrapped in pink and golden. She took it with a huge smile and began to play with it. “What is it? What is it?” She asked eagerly. “Have a look into the box...” I answered mysteriously. I had agreed on her gift with her father. He actually helped me. Bella was delighted about this little gift. It surely had remembered her souvenirs. “Okay, I'll open it”, she said, as serious as she could. I could see she was mentally jumping around, so excited and overwhelmed by all that happened to her that day. She still managed to open the box. She found the keys inside. With a keychain telling "I luv my Ducati"... She opened wide eyes. “What is it”, she whispered. “The keys of your own motorbike. A Ducati Monster 1100. Your aunt Rosalie has already worked on it. It's in the garage.” “Oh my! Oh my! That is a wonderful gift!” She hugged me, laughing and speaking. “Your dad gave me the idea, your aunt tuned it, I only found it.” “Thank you!” she said. “I received so many things today!” “I'm glad you like it...” I let her turn around the room, going to everyone, thanking them, hugging them. And then I noticed something strange. Eleazar was standing in front of Corin, his arms crossed on his chest, and Edward was next to them. The three of them had serious expressions on their faces. A wind of panic blew through me and made my whole body become ice-cold. Something was happening. And I didn't know what. Twenty-sixth chapter Before the atmosphere of the ballroom changed, Edward led Eleazar and Corin outside. I followed them, leaving the party go on inside. Bella stayed with Nessie, but I could see worry on her face when she saw her husband between a former Volturi Guard and an actual Volturi Guard. I understood what she was feeling. There were some mysteries, and probably some lies, that might be revealed tonight. Carmen exchanged a glance with her mate, and then shook her head. She didn't follow us. So the four of us were standing in the darkening twilight. I was going to speak when one of the male voices broke the uneasy silence. “Hello, Corin”, said politely Eleazar. “Hello”, answered my lover. How did they know each other? “Long time no see, isn't it?” “Sure. Since you've left for Carmen.” “How are you doing, in the Guard?” “Still the same. Under Marcus' orders.” Understanding spread on Eleazar's face. “Still the same worries for him?” “Still the same. He's too old to change, isn't he?” Eleazar nodded seriously. Edward was looking at Corin, an uneasy expression on his face. I came closer to Edward, and I pressed my hand on his shoulder. “What is going on”, I slowly asked him. “Eleazar had met Corin in the Volturi's Guard. Long time ago. When Eleazar was still a member of the Guard. He had been a member of the Volturi for a longer time than what we thought.” “What does that mean? Haven't you read Corin's mind when he told you his story?”

“I did... That's why I don't understand what is going on here.” I resumed observing the two men. “I suppose your little ability has been useful since you've met Morgana...” Corin watched Eleazar intensely, his face nearly blank, and then smiled. “Yes, it has been very useful.” I heard Edward gasp from surprise. I took him by the arm when I saw that he was going to move. “How much have you lied to Morgana? To the Cullens?” Asked Eleazar. “I've told them my actual truth.” I couldn't stop myself from interfering. I shouted at him “What do you mean by "your actual truth"? You lied to me! There is no truth in the things you've told me about you!” “Wait a minute... I’ll tell you as much as I can”, he said. His face turned blank once more. Then Corin spoke again. “I'm with the Volturi since the mid-1800s. Marcus had found me, with Eleazar and Demetri. I wasn't a newborn anymore, but I still was very young. Eleazar immediately found out my ability, which I was completely unconscious of. I can modify memories. Human memories. Vampires are too solid, too unchangeable. Except mine. I can change my own memory. And I can reverse the process anytime I need to. I use it to hide things from Aro, and recently, from Edward.” He seemed to be a complete stranger. “Marcus used me to fight against the Children of the Moon. As I can modify memories, I can bring back what have been lost. Werewolves are not aware of what they are, but their subconscious still knew. When I and the others from the Werewolves Hunters suspected someone to be a Children of the Moon, I carefully brought back some memories of the time they had spent as werewolves. Enough to make them surrender, terrified by the horror they had become. Then I let the other Hunters end the job.” End the job? What did he meant? “He meant that the Hunters annihilated those Children of the Moon.” “When they were humans? When they weren’t hurting anyone? When they were weak and disarmed?” I couldn’t believe that. Not Corin. He couldn’t have been a part of these horrible slaughters! Then I saw pain and guilt on Corin’s face. He had really done all these things. If I had known, if only I had known... “You can’t change what happened today, Morgana, said Edward. No one could expect that. Even I hadn’t seen anything.” “But how could that happen? How could he hide you this?” Corin seemed to notice me. “I had locked my memory. There was no way I thought about it around Edward as, in those moments, I had forgotten anything about that.” He sighed and one of his hands rushed through his hair. “I know my gift very well. At least the impact it has on me. I can erase nearly everything, building a fake memory to complete the holes, but I know how to remember everything, whenever I need to. I initiate a state of complete reminding, where anything I’ve truly lived, felt, tasted fill my brain. I’m in this state now. My whole existence is whirling in my head. And, Morgana, there is one truth even I would never be able to erase, even if I wished to. I love you.” Twenty-seventh chapter I was staring at Corin, and he was staring at me. He hadn’t said anything since his words “I love you”. The question was... Was I able to trust him anymore? The other question was... Could he be trusted? My heart wanted to say yes, when his eyes caught mine, but my head was saying

no. He had betrayed me, the trust I had placed in him... He crossed the distance between us to take me in his arms. I avoided him. His eyes filled with pain. “What does Aro know about us?” “That I love you, that I'm thinking about leaving them, that I don't want to be with the Hunters anymore...” “About the Cullens?” “Nothing, I had locked the memories.” “About Gwenaël?” “They only know you had a son when you were human. And that I feel protective about his safety.” I wanted to trust him. “Edward?” I weakly asked. “There are too many things rushing through his mind... I'm sorry but you will have to make your mind on your own... I can't help you. I'm sorry, Morgana.” I shook my head, thinking "Don't feel sorry. It's true that I have to decide myself if I trust him anymore." “You are a werewolf hunter”, I said to Corin. “Yes, I am...” “And I met you with Demetri close to the Olympic Peninsula...” “That's true.” “What were you doing there?” “I don't want to lose you, Morgana...” “Does that mean that you were hunting the shape-shifters?” His face darkened and he frowned. “I... I was trying to find an isolated "shape-shifter", as you call them, to change its memories and bring it back to Volterra.” “Why?” I whispered. “To find out if they are dangerous or not... If they can think and act reasonably... To see if they are a danger for the secret around vampires' existence...” “You used me to come closer to the Cullens and the shape-shifters!” I accused him. “In the beginning, yes. I thought that you might join the Volturi with me and help us to investigate about them. I wanted, and still want to spend my whole life by your side. The attraction we felt, the love we feel, all these things are true, they are real. I want you to be my mate, forever...” “I don't know you anymore! You're a complete stranger...” “ I am still the same. I only have a slightly different past...” “Slightly?” I yelled, my voice high and angered. “You're a killer! You have taken part in nameless slaughters!” “But when I met you, I began to change. I don't want this life anymore. I don't want to help Marcus and Demetri anymore! I... I... Listen, I’m gonna leave the Volturi. I’ll come back to Volterra to tell them I don’t want to work with them anymore! I will... I will even feed on animal, if you want me to!” I could hear the panic in his voice. He took me by my shoulders with strength. “I will do whatever you need me to... I love you too much to lose you!” His grip on my shoulders was nearly painful. He couldn’t control his strength anymore. “I need you to release my shoulders. It’s hurting.” I had talked as calmly and smoothly as I was able to. He looked startled and then let me go. I crossed my arms on my chest, my hands touching my shoulders. I was going to keep my promise to Gwenaël. And that was going to be painful. But the danger was way too important for the people I loved. My son was my top priority. I was going to need all my self-control and my composure. I would suffer, but all the sweet people gathered inside would never suffer by my fault. “Go away”, I said. “Leave this place. You can erase from your memory any second we have spent together, I don’t care. You will never approach me, nor my family, again. If you do... I

will kill you myself. If you hurt anyone close to me, I will tear your body in tiny pieces and burn them, one after another, until nothing but dust remains. You. Will. Never. Cross. My. Path. Again.” My impassive mask nearly broke when I read the pain in his eyes, in his face... But I kept my mask composed. Only Edward knew how I was feeling like. My fists clenched, I turned away. I heard Eleazar whisper to Corin. “You should have known. Being a Volturi Guard and being in love are not compatible. You have seen me and some other of our comrades leave or stay, and what it meant to us.” I heard Corin groan a yes. “It was a pleasure to see you safe and sound after all these years... I didn’t know what happened to you as you weren’t there during Nessie's 'trial'.” “I was in Asia... Hunting werewolves.” My fists clenched tighter. I felt Edward by my side. “They are going to speak a little more together, but Eleazar will ask him to leave soon. Let’s get inside.” He was trying to be kind, so I tried not to be rude. I followed him inside, leaving my happiness and my love behind me. Forever. Twenty-eighth chapter When I came back in the house, I ran into Gwenaël. Recognising him, I held him as tightly as I could, desperate moans coming out of my throat. I felt his hand brushing my hair from my face, his eyes looking at me with concern. Leah came by my side and tried to comfort me. I saw Edward, by the corner of my eyes, leave us alone. “What had happened, mum?” “He is a traitor. We cannot trust him. I’m so sorry... He is a werewolf’s hunter...” I heard Leak taking a quick intake of breathe. Fear was on Leah's face. My legs refused to carry me anymore. I fell on the ground, from Gwenaël’s arms. He lifted me from the ground to make me sit on one chair. “I will never see him again. I told him that if I saw him again, I would kill him myself. I... I...” Comprehension hit me. “I’m alone. Forever. I will never see him again.” I was wishing from the deepest part of my heart to be able to faint, to sleep, to no-matterwhat that could stop me thinking about it. But I was not human anymore. I’ve been a vampire for more than 2000 years. But for the first time since I awakened as an undead creature, I was longing for sleep and unconsciousness. “You are not alone, mum...” Gwenaël’s soft voice hardly made its way to my ears. I was unable to watch him. Suddenly I felt something on my face. I struggled to put my hand on my cheek, feeling my hand heavy and cotton-like. Then I watched my fingers. Something liquid, with a beautiful translucid light red colour, was on my hand. I dazzled a minute, contemplating this strange liquid. Gwenaël kneeled by my side, taking my hand between his hot fingers. Someone else was with us. “This is something completely unheard of.” This was a very musical voice, and the shadow of this person was dancing around me. Recognising the thin silhouette, I simply said, “Alice”. “I am so sorry, Morgana. I was so sure everything was going to be allright. I have never seen such an ending in my visions...” “You are not faulty, here, Alice. I am the one who brought a werewolves hunter here. I have not been careful enough. I should have run away when I saw him with Demetri. I was sure nothing good was going to come from my encounter with them. Here is the proof.” As I was speaking, my heart was emptying. My heart was becoming numb, falling again in the same state than it had been during so many centuries. It was closing like a flower deprived of sun, slowly losing all its colours.

I touched my face again. The same light red liquid was drying on my cheeks. “What it this?” I feebly asked, expecting no answers. “Vampire’s tears, as it seems...” Alice had answered. “Impossible”, I whispered. “But true.” She touched my face with a soft tissue. A precious white linen handkerchief. I tried to avoid Alice’s touch but I was too weak and numb. As she was brushing my face, I felt my strength come back, thanks to the numbness of my dying heart. It was my way to cure myself from the poison loving that traitor had brought. That traitor. Yes, I was not able to think his name anymore. And that suited me. I was comfortable with my mind now. All the mental poison had flowed away with those strange tears. A veil was on the few time I had spent with him, and anything else was clear. One thing remained unchanged. The deep affection I felt for the Cullens, and, most of all, for Gwenaël and Leah. I had cured myself from my pain. Or so it seemed to me. I carefully stood up, Gwenaël, Leah and Alice scrutinizing me. Only a few minutes had passed since I broke up with the traitor. My feet were now able to carry my weight. I smiled at the three of them, and I was still feeling my smile as being a fake, but it was the best I was able to do. A melancholy was still there, and I knew I was never going to be the same. There was one good thing, and I forced myself to focus on it. I was able to love my dear son, his mate, and the wonderful family that had welcomed us. Now it was too late, I was going to stay as close as possible to the werewolves and the Cullens, to protect them from my mistakes. “Let’s go back to the party”, I said. And then Eleazar came back in the house. Alone. Twenty-ninth chapter (Where we leave Morgana’s point of view for a neutral point of view.) Eleazar was standing next to Edward, watching the party going on. No one else would have been able to notice they were talking together. From time to time, Edward’s lips were moving but he might as well have been musing along with the music. Morgana was in the middle of the room, dancing with her son a boogie woogie. She had a smile stuck on her face, and, as far as Edward was able to see in her head, she was quiet and having fun, inside. He was spying her when she was in the deepest despair, and had heard her tune all her feelings, putting a veil on all the memories about Corin. He had seen how she had healed herself. Eleazar’s thought distracted him from Morgana. “Edward, I have the feeling Corin was sincere. It’s hard for him to be trustful when he has to erase his own memory, but you’ve seen his mind when he doesn’t. I’m sure it’s a complete mess, all the memories mixing and contradicting themselves.” “Right”, whispered Edward when the lyrics of the song said so. He took a deep breath. He swiftly scanned the room. No one was thinking about him, nor watching him. “Even I am not sure about his being sincere or not. I want to know, to be able to bring him back to her. Do you know how long she has struggled, alone, knowing the vampire who had created her wanted her dead? Knowing she wasn’t able to feel any deep emotion like love? Knowing her son was unsure about who he was and whether he wanted to live or not? And still she is so kind and compassionate. She is the one who has accepted Leah in the first place. The one who has seen Leah as she was inside.” “I see what you mean. How old is she? I’ve never heard anyone speak about her. She must be young...” “Wrong. She is older than anyone here. She is more or less two millenniums old.”

Surprise was the main feeling filling Eleazar’s mind during a few seconds. “She thinks about us as 'youngs'.” “Unexpected. How has she managed to stay unnoticed such a long time?” “She lives with humans. She is like Carlisle, she has devoted her life in saving humans. But, unlike him, she has never created a vampire.” “She must be amazing...” “Can you see what her gift is?” “Wait, I have not yet tried to figure that out.” Eleazar concentrated, and saw Morgana’s ability when she touched one of the werewolves. Now he was understanding why she chose to work in a hospital. “She can heal what she sees in them?” He silently asked to Edward. Edward slightly nodded. “I have never seen that. She is...” “Any ability is unique, Eleazar, as any of us is unique.” “Sorry, I was thinking like a Volturi Guard...” “Not easy to give up that life, is it?” As an answer, Eleazar mentally visualized how the life in Volterra had felt to him. The safety, the feeling you were a part of something bigger than yourself, the way being there gave a meaning to his life... But when he found Carmen, Eleazar had left Volterra without a look back. “Corin and his... colleagues, sorry I lack a better word, were nearly complete strangers to us. I only had relationships with Corin because I was the one who found him.” Eleazar remembered the young vampire, horrified by the way he was feeding, hiding in cemeteries. He remembered the first time Corin used the complete reminding, and the way he nearly became insane. He knew Edward ignored all the things he was thinking about, and did it on purpose. “How did they change him?” Asked Edward. “I don’t want to answer that”, said Eleazar, trying to hide the memory. Edward just had the vision of a dark basement, probably in Volterra. Corin was chained on the wall, his eyes black with thirst and completely out of control. He couldn’t even recognise his own name. Edward caught the remorse and sadness surrounding this memory in Eleazar’s mind. He decided not to push further. It had been a very hard time for Corin. They nearly led him to insanity and then helped him to recover. How cruel! But Aro probably had seen immediately the use he could do of Corin’s gift. And Chelsea’s gift was not enough to keep Corin with the Volturi. “I think he had suffered when he was human. Suffered enough to create the urge to change his memory.” Eleazar had spoken out loud, trying to distract himself from Corin’s vision in that basement. Edward gave him a warning look. Morgana was staring at them, wonder on her face. Edward and Eleazar left the place they were discussing to take part in the party. A rock and roll song began, and everyone left the middle of the room empty, knowing what would follow. Jasper caught Alice, who was in the middle of a fashion argument with Bella, and led her to the emptying dance floor. Within seconds, anyone was looking at the dance floor, where Jasper made Alice dance. She was flying in his arms, light as a soft wind, graceful like a... There were no words to say how graceful, beautiful and astonishing they were together on the dance floor. It was a rare pleasure to see them dance together, but it was a pure delight for the eyes of the people allowed to see it. When the song stopped, everyone could see Jasper and Alice’s eyes sparkle, as delighted and light-hearted as they were. He kissed her passionately. The Cullens’ house was becoming more and more quiet as hours were passing by. Soon before the sunrise, Morgana left them to come back to her home. When she seated in her

car, she remembered the vampire who had placed his hands on the wheel. But the veil soon covered that memory too. She lit her car’s lights and then the road was nothing more but a blur. She was going to keep the Cullens and the werewolves safe. By any necessary mean. Thirtieth chapter Corin had waited to see one last time Morgana before she left the Cullens’ house. He stayed motionless hidden by the trees surrounding the house. He was feeling broken and powerless. He had lost the only one person he wanted to spend eternity with. Loud enough so Edward was able to hear his thought, he visualized his destination. The National Park where he had met Morgana. He needed to see the place he had seen her for the first time. He was never coming back to the Volturi. He was going to try to feed on animals like Morgana. And when he would be able to live like her, he would come back to her and try to convince her he had changed. It was going to be easier with golden eyes, purified from human blood. He had found a new goal, something to achieve. He felt able to go on until his next encounter with his love. He took off. His speed was nothing when you compared it with Edward’s speed, but it was fair enough to arrive within two hours in the park. Under the moonlight, he scrutinized his surroundings. Nothing to be seen, or heard. He came closer to the tree he had pushed Morgana against when they first kissed. He slowly caressed the bark of the tree, remembering any second of the first time his lips touched Morgana. He was still in his state of complete reminding, which was almost painful for him. The hand still on the tree, he closed his eyes, and erased any memory that wasn’t the truth. Like a musician dismissing the unnecessary notes to keep the purest and most beautiful melody. He recomposed the delighting time he had spent with Morgana, with Gwenaël, with the Cullens. He rebuilt the true events that had happened to him with the Volturi. Finally he remembered the face of his creator. A face he had seen again a few years after he became a vampire. A face he had seen during a trip to hunt werewolves. He had stopped in a rainy city that night to hunt to feed himself. They had found the Child of the Moon and his “colleagues” were taking care of her. His lips slightly twisted when his memory showed him the fragile small girl that had been changed into a monster. She looked so innocent and weak! But he had found her hidden souvenirs. She had killed people and was a threat for the secret. He had no other choice. A familiar smell hit his nose. He brought back the memory attached to this smell. His creator. But he wasn’t alone. He followed the scent through the city and finally found the abandoned building in which he was hiding. He heard a girl screaming. The sound was too low to be heard by human, but Corin located the scream in the basement of the building. As he came closer to the source of the noise, he heard the frantically beating heart of the girl while she was burning. His creator was making another vampire. “Corin”, the slow baryton said. “What are you doing?” “She was threatened by one of our kind. And I’m sure she will be like you. Gifted.” “That is not a reason.” “I didn’t want her dead. She had a hard life, she deserves more.” “Because being a vampire is a sweet life?” “At least she’ll have a chance to be free.” Corin’s creator seemed thoughtful. “You erase memories, don’t you?” “How do you know? I only learned it a few years ago!” “I can see which kind of vampire any human may be. And what they may do if they are changed.” “So what’s the point?” “I want you to erase her memory. Her whole memory.”

“I can’t change vampires.” “She is not yet a vampire. You still can do that.” “What will she have to remember?” “Her name. That’s all.” “The burning? Her human life?” “She won’t need to remember those.” “And you?” “She doesn’t need to remember me either.” Corin felt that there were only a few minutes left before the transformation was completed. He put his hands around the girl’s face. And then he erased everything. “What is her name?” “Alice.” Corin nodded. Then he planted the name in the girl’s mind. She had stopped screaming, and that was a relief for both vampires. Corin’s creator took her in his arms and disappeared. Corin never crossed his path again. He only knew his name. Renaud. An old-fashioned French name. He looked forty, and had midlong dark hair with white strings in it. He was taller than Corin and looked stronger. Corin froze next to the tree. Alice. Like Alice Cullen. He compared the memory of the Alice his creator had transformed, and Alice Cullen. The haircut was different, and the face paler and more beautiful. But it was probably the same girl. Alice Cullen could foresee. She sure was gifted... What kind of game had been playing his creator? How much did he know about Corin and Alice? Thirty-first chapter Corin stayed motionless by the tree, finishing to compose the patchwork of his true memories. He was nearly ready for a new start. Speaking with Eleazar helped him to make his mind. Having a lover and being a Volturi Guard was impossible when the Volturi had unknown reasons to be interested in people your lover was trying to protect. He remembered the talk they had in Morgana’s office, in the hospital. “Obviously we have chosen two too different paths.” She was right. How hadn’t he seen it earlier? Probably because he had locked his memory. No way to take a good decision when a part of the needed information is missing. He had done his best not to betray both sides, but now he obviously had to choose... He could only hope it wasn’t too late. He closed his eyes and leaned closer by the tree. His forehead touched the bark. He deeply breathed, trying to find Morgana’s scent. She stood there months ago, during the winter. The rain, snow and all the wildlife passing by had washed her odour from the tree. Of course he couldn’t find any trace of her being here with him. As he inhaled deeper, he caught an unexpected scent. He turned to face the intruders. Demetri and Alec. A fog was climbing around his body. And then he felt nothing more. His mind was like frozen, only able to wonder what was happening. Alec nodded to Demetri, who caught Corin and, carrying the one who didn’t want to come back to Volterra, they quickly took the East direction. When Corin opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Aro’s face, and the first thing he felt was Aro’s hand in his. He struggled to break contact. A greedy and desiring look was on Aro’s face. Corin stood up and walked back far from Aro. He was feeling oddly clumsy and collided in something hard. He turned to see what it was. All the guards were there. He felt something else around his legs and lowered his eyes. His legs were chained. He saw himself chained in the basement of that very castle, tortured by hunger and burning

in his throat. Aro coming and saying him things like “Do you see what happen when we refuse to drink human blood?” or ‘If you want to live, you will have to protect the secret!”. He shivered, afraid to live again those moments. He was realizing why he hadn’t left the Volturi. Aro wasn’t going to let him go away. The three brothers needed him. They needed him so badly that they would be able to do anything. Even kill Morgana. Morgana who lived alone. “No!” Screamed Corin. “I leave the Guards. I don’t want to be one of yours anymore.” Aro tried to have a paternal smile but it seemed more playful than anything else. “Corin... You know how long we have known each other. You, I’ve seen that in your mind, remember the whole truth about your life. You know you can’t live without us. We are your family, your friends. We have shown you to accept who you are and how you feed.” “You can’t stop me from leaving.” “You know I’m able to stop you.” Corin didn’t add anything. Aro turned away, motioning to some guards. Two of them caught him and carried him by the elbows. They left the room and, downstairs, made him enter the jail he already knew. They used chains so strong even a vampire wasn’t able to break them. And there he was, tied to the wall like a bug in an entomologist’s collection. He already felt the burning in his throat. He hadn’t fed for more than one week. He was going to do something he didn’t want to do. He was going to trick them all. At least, try to trick them all. He formed the plan in his head. And then he erased anything that might betray this plan. Corin tried to untie the chains. Unsuccessfully. He was going to endure the thirst. He wasn’t going to surrender. No way. He was longing for Morgana’s soft touch on him. Would she be able to understand him someday? He feared she hates him forever. He wanted her safe and sound, and happy. He wanted to beat himself for causing her pain. During a whole week Aro left him alone in the basement, Corin had the time to bring back his plan on the top of his mind, adding details and perfecting it, and then lock it away again. Eight days later, Corin saw the silhouette he was fearing appear. He was already so thirsty that his thoughts were unclear. “How are you doing?” Said charmingly Aro’s voice. “Fine”, answered hoarsely Corin, his throat scorched by the burning thirst. “Are you ready to be reasonable?” “If being reasonable means leaving the Volturi, yes I’m ready.” Aro shook his head with a fake sorry face. “You will leave me no other choice.” “Which choice?” “Send Demetri and some other ones to bring her here...” “You mean...” “Morgana, yes. With her son and that werewolf girl who accompanies them. Have you forgotten Demetri had caught her essence? He can find her wherever she is. And she is not a warrior, she doesn’t know how to fight.” Aro became thoughtful. “Your link with Alice is also interesting.” Corin’s eyes widened. “You don’t have the right to use what you’ve picked up in my mind!” “I have this right as long as you are my guest. I have this right because I protect vampires from being noticed by humans. I have this right because you and those people you are weakly trying to protect endangered the secret of our existence.” “You have no proof...” “Do I have to wait until our existence is revealed in newspaper? Until one of them makes the

mistake that will lead humans to believe in us?” “This won’t happen.” “Do you have any proof?” He sarcastically asked. Corin lowered his head, biting his lips. How to beat a vampire who is three millenniums old? He raised his black eyes to catch Aro’s red irises. “What can you offer to convince me?” A large grin came across Aro’s face. Thirty-second chapter Aro leaned closer. As he had fed within the last hour, he had a fresh blood scent that nearly drove Corin crazy. Corin fought against himself to try to keep focused on what Aro was saying. His throat was aching. He had known worse, he thought with shivers, but it was painful enough to cloud his mind. “I only want to meet one of them. The shape-shifters. Close enough to touch it and know if they are a threat for us. I don’t like the unspoken and the unknown. That’s all. I don’t want anything more.” “So why do you need me so badly?” “Because you are a good Guard. You have been very helpful the last two centuries.” “To hunt werewolves... You still want me to hunt werewolves...” “They are still a threat for humans...” “There must be other ways... There must be a choice.” “How can you tame such a dangerous beast? Werewolves are impossible to control.” “Except those shape-shifters... You’re trying to make me tame them for you, aren’t you? Was it your original plan? Is it your goal? Have a shape-shifters army? Why? Haven’t you the whole control of all the vampires? Aren’t you ruling this hidden world?” “Hidden world”, repeated Aro thoughtfully. Corin’s eyes widened. “You’re not planning to rule the whole world, I hope!” “This sounds so much like the common villain plot... No, I do not want to rule the whole world. I still don’t want humans to know about us. Their minds are so closed that they wouldn’t be able to handle with the knowledge. No I don’t plan this. I just plan to keep my coven safe.” Corin was trying not to believe Aro. He had been so tricky in the past! Aro was walking in the room, slowly pacing back and forth. “I want to leave the Volturi, Aro. I want to live with Morgana...” “She can join us. I cannot see how we would use her gift, but she still can come and stay by.” “She rather drinks animal’s blood.” “Yes, I’ve seen it in your mind. She had been fed with animal’s blood when she was pregnant... By Cornelius, I guess.” “Who is Cornelius?” “Someone who might have become the fourth Volturi. He was gone in Britannia, now called England, to find some places we may have chosen to establish our coven. He stopped by Morgana’s castle, and disappeared soon after.” “He is Gwenaël’s father...” “I suppose we may say we were... As he never showed back in two millenniums.” Aro smiled, but a gentle smile, not an evil one, that surprised Corin. “I wonder how Morgana has survived all these centuries... I was sure she wasn’t going to last long. She was so wild and savage... I thought the death of her whole family had driven her crazy. I never guessed she had a son, and that she had a will strong enough to survive through time. I would like to speak with her about the centuries we have known, to find out what she had thought, felt and seen.” Aro stopped and leaned toward Corin. “I’ve spent too much time inside these walls. I really would appreciate to share what she had lived, always outside and interacting with the world.”

“You want to read her mind...” Aro’s smile twisted and cautiousness was in his eyes, when he was trying to figure out Corin’s reaction. “Yes, I do.” “I cannot allow that.” “Non è difficile di capire... Io ho usato il mio dono per sapere sempre. Sempre.” (Note : It’s Italian : “It’s not hard to understand. I’ve always used my gift to know. Always.”) “You shouldn’t rely so much on your gift.” “No one has been able to trick me. Thanks to my gift. Not even you. In the end, I’ve learned the whole story.” Corin’s face twisted with despair. He has finally betrayed the one he loved. Aro had had all the information he wanted. About Leah, the pack, Gwenaël, Morgana. He didn’t know Leah, but he knew Gwenaël and really wished he could have been his father. And not only because he was Morgana’s son. But because he had met someone interesting and reliable in the halfvampire. But as Morgana told him, he was too young. She couldn’t have found a more accurate word. Young. He felt young in front of Aro, of Morgana... His lack of experience was torturing him. He caught Aro’s red eyes. “You have to keep Morgana and her family out of this. I don’t care if I never see them again, as long as they can live peacefully.” “You are disappointing me... If they live with us...” Corin shouted to interrupt him. “I told you I don’t CARE! Morgana doesn’t want to live here, so she won’t. Her happiness is important. And her happiness is where she lives NOW. I... I don’t want you to disturb her life. I don’t want you to meet her. Ever.” “What are you ready to do? If you can’t help me to be a friend for Morgana...” “You don’t want to be friend with her. You surely want information from her. It’s your mind food. Information, information, always more information! You are sick about it.” Aro crossed the distance between Corin and him and slapped him with the back of his hand. A wild grin appeared on Corin’s face. “Touchy?” He simply asked. Aro silently crossed the room and stepped out. Corin heard him talk with the Guard outside. “Let him one month without any blood. I’ll come to check on him then.” “As you wish, My Lord.” “Good.” “Pass the word to any guard. He cannot even drink any rat’s blood.” “We’ll make sure he doesn’t feed.” Corin sat as comfortably as possible on the ground. This month was going to be long. He brought his plan on the top of his mind. He hadn’t betrayed his plan. Everything was going smoothly. He could trust his personality to fill the gaps forgetting his plan created to go on in the direction he wanted. The betrayal was maybe not so complete. He sighed in relief. And prepared himself to breathe, swallow, and think as less as possible the next month. His hand on his forehead, he forgot his plan. All he could rely on was his personality and his hopes. Not much, but maybe enough. He was a warrior. He could endure anything necessary to reach his goals. And so would he. Thirst was the worst pain a vampire could possibly physically feel. He was the one who could know. But another pain was filling his chest. Never see Morgana again... Was he able to endure this? Thirty-third chapter Morgana rushed, as slow as a human would have been, into the emergency room. A nurse had called her, telling her someone was especially waiting for her. The nurse didn’t want to say the stranger to go to Morgana’s office, because she found something him weird. She

wanted to see the Dr Kernow’s reaction with the stranger, with all the guards around. The vampire slightly startled when she saw the stranger. But it had been so slightly that only vampire’s eyes could have caught her involuntary move. Which was the stranger. Morgana took in the vampire’s features. He didn’t seem threatening, but there was something about him that bothered her. An austerity, an old fashioned way of being. She swiftly crossed the room. She tried to look fearless, and she certainly was frightened deep inside. Her pace quickened when she noticed the red eyes of the stranger getting darker every time someone walked close by him. He didn’t seem thirsty, but desiring blood. His eyes often left Morgana’s silhouette to follow the nurses’. As she stopped a few step from him, he discreetly smiled at her. “Good morning, I was looking for you, Dr. Kernow.” “Good morning”, she cautiously answered. His smile widened a bit but he seems careful enough to not let his teeth flash too much. “Who are you, mister…?” She let her question unfinished. Santiago. You can call me Santiago.” She finally led him toward her office. She had to handle this alone. The security guards would have been helpless in front of him. “Some friends from Italy sent me”, he added as they stepped in her personal office. Her face twisted from displeasure, but as she had her back turned to him, he couldn’t see her. “Italy?” She thoughtfully repeated. She faced Santiago and raised an eyebrow. “Well… We wanted to thank you.” “Why?” “Thanks to you, one of our dearest members returned.” She froze and left an unbreakable ice-mask cover her face. “I don’t know who you are talking about. And I don’t want to.” Santiago scrutinized her a few seconds before answering. “As you wish. Besides, our three Lords warmly invite you to visit us whenever you wish and, maybe, to stay with us. We already know about your favourite meals and activities. We would help you to feel comfortable with us.” “I already declined a similar proposition.” “Circumstances have changed. And of course, your son and daughter-in-law are welcome too.” “Santiago, I am quite sure I won’t betray their thoughts if I tell you they will not make any use of this invitation.” “Well, Morgana, you still can think about it. And whenever one of you changes his mind, we will welcome you with opened arms.” “Thanks but no thanks.” “As you wish… Just… Think about it.” As the automatic answer flew out of her mouth, she wanted to slap herself. “I will.” Santiago’s smile became wider, not careful anymore about his teeth, as there were no human around. “Best feelings from Aro, Marcus and Caius. And the Guards.” “Thanks.” Santiago turned to leave. “Santiago?” Called Morgana. “Yes?” “Do not hunt on my territory. I would be awfully offended.” He bowed and left the room. As he disappeared, Morgana felt her body relax. She had been ready to fight, if needed. But she was relieved she didn’t have to.

She was slightly under shock. It was an unexpected move coming from the Volturi. So they wanted her, Gwenaël and Leah by their sides? Se was unable to figure out the Volturi’s motives and that was very stressful for her. She definitely didn’t like the sudden interest the Italian showed her. And actually, meeting them was not possible. It would give Aro the chance to touch her, to enter all her most private thoughts and acts. She couldn’t allow that. She had killed Cornelius, and knew way too much about the Cullens and La Push’s pack. Then she saw the letter on her desk. “Morrigan” was written on the envelope. She didn’t recall having seen Santiago come that close to her desk. Her hands slightly shook while she opened the envelope. And then horror spread on her face. “My dear Morrigan, Or Morgana, as you wished to be called nowadays, I’m glad to inform you that Corin will resume his previous activities soon. I am quite positive about that. Moreover, he had informed us about everything that had happened recently. This is why I felt free to also ask your son and daughter-in-law to join us. We have met such a long time ago, that I wish we could meet and talk about all these years, what do I say, centuries, you have spent in the world of humans. If my curiosity is not satisfied about you, I will come to visit you sooner or later. I really want to speak with you about you joining the guard. I know Corin misses you and he is not allowed to contact you right now.” Unable to read the letter further, she packed her stuff as quickly as possible and left the hospital. Her workday was over. She jumped in her corvette and pushed it at its maximal speed toward the National Park where she had met Corin. She found it, the tree where her back had been touching under Corin’s pressure. She also reached the place where she had lain with Corin. The words “Corin misses you” were rushing restlessly through her head since she had read them. She lay down, facing the ground and cried tearlessly. She was not able to calm down. The veil had been removed. A few words had been enough. Corin was with the Volturi. But he said he didn’t want to be with them anymore. She tried to recall what Eleazar and Edward had said at Renesme’s party but this part was oddly unclear for a vampire’s memory. She had tried too much not to notice them and not to hear what they said that she actually didn’t print anything in her memory. Her whole body tensed up when big hands took her from the ground, putting her suddenly on her feet. She felt unsteady and the same hands grabbed her, crushing her arms against her ribs, blocking any of her moves. She saw Santiago coming closer. She turned her head to see who was holding her and she saw a tall and bear-like man, looking a lot like Emmett, with a darker skin, coal-black hair and intense red eyes. This vampire was smiling. “Aro needs you to visit him, and want to make sure you will.” “No!” Morgana shouted. “If you don’t follow us, we will hunt your son and his girlfriend.” Morgana shivered. Her son was the most important thing in the world for her. She would try to avoid Aro when she was going to see him. She was going to do anything necessary to keep the Cullens and her family from being involved. She was going to follow them.

She was going to see Corin again. She was going… Thirty-fourth chapter Edward, after Alice’s call, drove as fast as his Aston Martin could to the North Cascade National Park. Alice had foreseen that Morgana would follow the two Volturi without even trying to resist and he wanted to know why. Felix and Santiago. His fists clenched when he saw Morgana crunched between Felix’s hands. She seemed resolved. Felix and Santiago were talking together, watching each other. Edward moved to catch Morgana’s eyes. With success. “Go away”, she shouted in her head. “I don’t want you to be involved! Protect Gwenaël, Leah and your family!” He took a step in Morgana’s direction. “I am not strong enough to defeat one of them, and you alone can’t defeat both. Come back to your family. I’ll do anything necessary to protect all of you.” Edward silently mouthed “And you?” Morgana slightly smiled. “Don’t worry about me. I suppose I’ll see Corin. As long as I know all of you are safe here, I don’t worry. I’ll be fine wherever I go. I have lived two millenniums. I suppose I can live two more. I won't disappear this easily.” Edward went back under cover, unnoticed. He scanned the two Guards’ thoughts. In Felix’s head, nothing much but the mission to bring back the vampire he was holding to the Volturi. Santiago was thinking about Corin, while scrutinizing Morgana. He was wondering what his colleague could find to this woman. What was worth being thirty in a dark jail. And then Edward caught Corin’s image, chained in the jail, crazy because of the thirst, roaring in pain. He took again a step in Morgana's direction, he could not allow what they were doing to Corin. Morgana's jaw clenched, making noise. Edward froze. "I will not forgive you if you show yourself here. Leave us alone, Edward. It is not your fight. Your fight is to keep your family safe. Mine will be in Volterra. That's all. Don't even dare to show them that you're here and you know." She recalled the letter Aro had sent her in her head. "Corin is not ALLOWED to contact me. I know he probably is in trouble. I am going with them. Go back to your family." Edward wanted to warn Morgana about how bad the situation was for Corin, but there was no way to do that and respect her will. He had to let them go. "Never try to do anything about me and Corin. We'll find our way back from the Volturi. There always is a way." Edward nodded and left. One of the hardest decisions of his whole existence. “You can release your grab on my arms”, said dryly Morgana to Felix. “I won't go anywhere. I don't want you to hunt my son and his girlfriend.” Santiago and Felix exchanged glances, and then Felix let Morgana go. She rubbed her arms. It wasn't painful, of course, but still. Her hard skin didn't like to be crunched against her hard bones. She preferred the soft touch of Corin's gentle hands. “Why isn't Corin allowed to contact me? Why didn't Aro send him to bring me to Volterra?” “You will know soon enough.” Santiago couldn't tell her that Corin was chained in Volterra's jails. Just in case the vampire came back to his old companions before Morgana meets him. She definitely didn't need to know anything about Corin. Morgana left the park with the guards. Felix was still holding one of her arms. To make sure she wasn't trying to trick them.

The travel to Volterra was short. Santiago already had passports ready for them to leave. And in Rome, Felix brought them a discreet dark car with tainted glasses. They had arrived at the airport by night, but they would arrive in the clear morning in Volterra. Morgana shivered. She was going to meet Aro for the second time in two millenniums. She couldn't help but admire the ancient walls of Volterra as they came closer. The city where her former lover was. The city where the person she feared the most in the whole world lived. And the first was working for the second. Felix didn't drive the car directly in the city but further on the right side of the front door. There, he led the car through what would have seemed to be the sewers. Morgana felt claustrophobic in the dark tunnel. When Felix parked the car in an underground car pool, Morgana sighed. The time to meet Aro was coming closer and closer. Santiago politely held her the car's door opened. She stepped out. She suddenly wished to wear one of Alice's dresses. She would have felt more powerful and self-assured. But no time for those helpless thoughts. As she stood still, Felix took her arm to pull her toward the access door. She took a useless deep intake of breath. And she followed. She didn't count the corridors and rooms they crossed. She wanted it to come to an end. And then they entered the room where all the Volturi and the Guards were gathered. “Morgana!” Exclaimed Aro with a wide smile. “I was sure you were coming.” “Aro”, she answered, with a tiny move of her head. He crossed the room and took her hands in his. “You can't imagine the pleasure it is to meet you,” he said while his grin was widening. “I can.” And they stayed motionless, eyes in eyes, hands in hands. Morgana knew he was reading through her. Anything she had thought, done, hoped, desired was now his. Her jaws clenched. She felt naked. She felt violated. She felt the urge to rip Aro's head off his shoulders to dare making her feel that way. “You are still as wild and savage that you were when I first met you”, stated Aro. “You know the era that has seen me grow up. You know how it was back then.” “I know, I know”, he thoughtfully said. “But was that worth killing Cornelius?” She froze. Let the show begin, she thought. “He tried to kill me.” “Yes, I saw that. Well, that was rude from him to do so. I can't blame you. I probably would have killed him myself, if he had tried to kill me. Self-defence. I meant, was that worth killing Cornelius for the life you have lived?” She recalled all the good times she had spent with Gwenaël, Corin, the Cullens, even the humans she had helped. “That was worth it, Aro. I have had a long and full life. I have seen human evolving and getting better and wiser beyond expectations.” “Good, good”, he thoughtfully whispered. Morgana was beginning to relax. Aro let her hand go. “Thank you”, he said. Morgana was going to answer when she heard something that made her start. Something unexpected, something she probably shouldn't have heard. Something that broke her heart in two. She heard the painful howls in which she recognized Corin's voice. And the noise made by the chains he was trying to break. Aro gestured and she felt Felix grab her by her arms and hold her tightly. “You will know soon enough”, Santiago had said. Now she knew, and she probably was going to join Corin. Thirty-fifth chapter Morgana tried to resist Felix when he lifted her from the ground. He really looked like a bear.

Even more than Emmett Cullen. She felt the panic taking control on her mind as Felix, carrying her, went downstairs to the basement where the jails were. But panic soon was replaced by pain and despair when her eyes caught Corin's sight. His clothes were dirty and torn. His pale skin was greyish. His hair was a complete inextricable mess. But the worst was his face. He looked insane. His mouth was twisted by the groans and roars escaping his throat through his hurt lips. His eyes were so black that no one would have been able to see the white around his irises. His mouth wildly opened and closed as if he was searching something to bite. His eyes were constantly moving, searching something to quench, even partially, his thirst. Morgana found the strength to break free from Felix's arms. She ran to Corin's side. She took his head in her hands. Corin's eyes were unable to focus. His head fell on Morgana's chest. Then he deeply breathed, catching her smell. She felt him move, and, suddenly, he bit her in her neck. She gasped because it was hurting, but she didn't resist him. She was a vampire, but there was a small chance that the venom running through her veins could ease his pain. Felix tried to break Corin and Morgana unbreakable embrace. Morgana could hear and feel Corin swallow her venom. Her strength was leaving her. Was it how she would die? Giving her eternal love the strength he needed? Did vampires need venom inside their veins to exist? She realised she didn't know that. And it didn't matter. Corin was going to be safe. The Cullens were going to be safe. Gwenaël and Leah were going to be safe. “Protect my family”, she whispered in Corin's ear. He froze and released her. His eyes had a strange colour, mixing black, red and golden. Morgana fell on the ground as soon as Corin loosened his embrace. She felt only half conscious. Felix kicked Corin. “No!” Weakly said Morgana. “He has disobeyed.” “Morgana”, said Corin. “Morgana...” “I'm here”, she answered. “Illusion... It's an illusion... Can't believe...” She struggled to come closer to Corin, avoiding Felix. “I'm here, Corin”, she said, touching his cheek with her hand. “Unbelievable”, he murmured. His chained hands stretched and caught her again. He pressed her on his chest. “What have you done to me?” “You have drunk my venom, my love.” “We can do that?” He thoughtfully said. She could say he wasn't believing the actual scene was really happening. “You did, love.” “But you hate me...” “I never hated you. I rejected you because of what you've done. But I understand better now. It's not the first time they torture you, is it?” “No. Not the first time.” He looked amazed. “I told you I was going to love you forever, and that nothing could change that.” “I remember...” “Didn't you believe me?” “I believe you... But you are not here...” “I am here. Trust your senses.” “Maybe it's one of the Guards' tricks. An illusion...” 'Do you feel me in your arms?' “Yes, I do...”

“So I am here.” Felix stepped in to make them part. Morgana sit next to Corin, exhausted. “Enough”, he said. “No!” Corin was resisting. The venom he had drunk was making him even stronger than he usually was. The chains he had been resisting to during two whole months finally broke. And Corin launched himself against Felix. Morgana, as she didn't want to see any of that epic battle between the two vampires, pressed her eyes closed. Until someone touched her shoulder. She started, pressing her hands on her eyes. “Morgana”, Corin's voice said in her ear. “Come.” Soft hands removed hers from her face. She opened her eyes, and saw Corin right in front of her, and Felix against the opposite wall, a disbelieving expression on his face. Corin's arm around her waist, she managed to stand on her feet, her own arm around Corin's shoulders. “Let's try to leave this place.” More Guards ran into the jail, blocking the only door. “Trust me”, whispered Corin in Morgana's ears. She weakly nodded. “Gods! I hate to feel that weak!” she thought. She quickly prayed the Gods and Goddesses in which she believed when she was human to make things go on smoothly. And then the three brothers appeared. “Corin... You are conscious again?” “Thanks to Morgana”, he said, holding her firmly. “Are you ready to join us once more, now your deepest wish is satisfied?” “I asked you to leave her alone.” “Yes but that was not what you wished.” “I didn't care about my wishes and you know that.” “Are you ready to join us?” Asked Aro once more. “Never. I will never help you to hunt werewolves anymore.” “Is your decision firm and definitive?” “It is.” Aro sighed. “I am not a monster, Morgana. I've seen how you see me in your head. I really need you, Corin, but as I cannot convince you...” “You let us go?” Asked Morgana, unable to believe what Aro was saying. “Actually, yes. But eternity is long, maybe you'll join us one day.” “And the shape-shifters?” “I have seen anything I needed to see in Morgana's memory. Shape-shifters are not a threat. The Cullens have a treaty with them and they will keep our secret. As they are not human, we do not need to destroy them either. No rule has been broken.” “Is it really that easy?” Asked Corin. “Well... I really want both of you join us, but I cannot force you. It has been useless on you, this time, Corin. As days were passing, you were more and more resolved.” “We may leave?” “Yes, Corin. And I'd like both of you consider joining us one day. I know our way of doing things might not be fine for you, but we cannot allow failure. We cannot allow humans to discover the truth. And it's more to protect humans than vampires.” “Why?” Asked Morgana. “Because”, answered Caius, “humans are not ready to know about us. Some of them are, and they usually end up becoming vampires, but mostly, they are not able to deal with the truth.” Corin and Morgana stayed motionless in the middle of the room, unsure about what to do. Marcus took a step in their direction, seeming less apathetic than usual. “Demetri, please bring them to the airport. They have a plane to get.”

“I will, Lord Marcus.” “Morgana”, continued Marcus. “I know why Aro wants you here.” “Marcus”, said Aro with a warning voice. “She deserves to know, Aro. She has given nearly all her vital fluids to save Corin. She has a soul like “hers”.” “I deserve to know what?” Asked Morgana. “You look like Dydime. The hair, the shape of your face, the look of your eyes... You could be her twin sister...” “Who is Dydime?” Asked Morgana. “My sister”, answered Aro. “The sister I turned into a vampire.” “Where is she? Can I meet her?” “She is dead”, sternly answered Marcus. “She was my wife...” Morgana's eyes widened. “I am so sorry for you, Marcus...” “Don't be sorry. It was a long time ago.” Morgana nodded. And then Corin nearly carried her out of the jail, following Demetri. What an odd feeling! She was weak, Corin was pressing her body against his, and they were free! Free to live wherever they wanted to live. Free to do whatever they wanted to do. Freedom never tasted so good. Demetri's car stopped soon after they arrived under the shining sun. There was another car in front of Volterra's doors. The passenger's window opened and Alice's head appeared, covered by a huge and unbelievable hat. A large grin was on her face. “Demetri! Let them come with me!” She shouted. Demetri slowly drove the car to a shadowed place, followed by Alice's car. Once out of sun's reach, Demetri stopped the car and turned to face Corin. “I liked to work with you, the last centuries. You are the most human of all of us and that was refreshing. I am going to miss you.” That was the nicest thing Demetri was able to say. Corin felt his throat blocked by emotion. “Thank you, Demetri. It was nice to work with you too.” They shook hands and then Corin helped Morgana to go out of the car. Alice was by their side, and Edward extracted himself from the driver's place of the car, worry on his face. Edward helped Corin to support Morgana. “We need to hunt with her”, Edward said to his sister. “I already know that, Edward.” “Let's go”, urgently said Corin, while Demetri's car was heading to Volterra's direction. And, half carrying, half helping her to walk, they followed animal's scent through the woods. Thirty-sixth chapter “I can’t, I can’t go further”, said Morgana. “But you have to feed yourself”, answered Edward. “I… Wait a minute. “ Edward and Alice exchanged a frightened glance. Corin noticed that. “How much venom have you drunk?” Asked Alice. “I don’t know… I was not myself… “ “Come on! She replied with anger. You are the one who can remind everything, if he wants to. Remember!” Corin closed his eyes, Morgana’s hands in his. “Erm… Maybe… Two litters… Or three...” “That’s half the content of her body!” Shouted Alice. She now seemed panicked. “Edward, you come with me. Corin, you stay with her. Do whatever it takes to keep her conscious.” And she left, Edward right behind her. “I need to sit”, said Morgana to Corin.

“Sure, love”, he answered. He sat next to her and let her rest her head on his arm. “I have never felt that weak”, she peacefully said. “You were, when you were human.” He felt her shake her head. “No. Even as a human I was stronger... For the first time in two millenniums I feel I can sleep... “ “No! You cannot sleep. It is not natural for vampires...” “Even my diet is not natural for a vampire... “ A hint of sarcasm and irony. Corin chose to take it as a good sign. “Yes, but sleep is definitely not something you can do.” He tried to find a way to change the conversation. “Aren’t you thirsty?” “Hum, yes, a little bit... But the pain is worse where you bit me than in my throat.” “Show me”, he gently said. She pulled the collar of her blouse to expose her neck. There was a clear trace of Corin’s teeth in her beautiful skin. It was nearly cured, and no venom was escaping the wound, but it was obvious that the wound was new. His jaws clenched. He was mentally hitting himself. How has he been able to hurt her so badly? Even if he as unconscious. It was unforgivable. She noticed he was feeling guilty. “Don’t worry, Corin, I made my choice, in that jail. I was willing to die if it helped you to escape that hell. I didn’t resist you.” “You shouldn’t have saved me... I don’t deserve it...” “You can be someone good, Corin. It’s the first thing I noticed when we first met. Everything in you is kindness and gentleness.” “But... All these things that I’ve done...” “It’s the past...” Morgana raised her hand to touch his cheek, and, during that move, Corin saw her eyes closing. “Morgana!” “I feel weak, Corin... Let me rest.” “You cannot rest yet, my love. You will, soon...” He watched her struggling to open her eyes. He felt her becoming more and more lifeless. He wished she was as warm as a human, to feel if she was becoming colder. Then a disgusting smell touched his nose. An animal. Alice and Edward appeared, carrying a fawn. Alice took Morgana in her arms from Corin’s embrace. And then Edward pressed the neck of the animal against Morgana’s sharp teeth. She weakly bit and swallowed the pulsing blood from the fawn. “I can’t believe they were going to leave her in this state!” snapped Alice, clearly shocked. “I don’t think they really knew what might have happened. They cannot foresee, do I have to remind you?” Answered Edward. “What might have happened?” Asked Corin, panicked. “Her body might have stopped to function, without enough venom to make it work. She might have lived forever trapped in her lifeless body. As motionless as a statue. But conscious inside.” “I have done that... I feel so guilty...” “You couldn’t stop yourself. They made you so thirsty that even water would have helped you.” “You have to feed yourself, Corin. Or you will attack her as soon as her venom’s effect disappears.” Corin’s mouth twisted at Alice’s words. She probably was right, with all her visions of the future. But drink animal’s blood... “You have decided to stop to kill humans, Corin. It’s the right time to hunt animals instead.” “Thank you, Edward, I already know that.”

“But you needed to hear it.” Corin nodded. Useless to argue with someone who can read your mind. “Let’s go together”, offered Edward. “Alice will take care of Morgana”, he countered before Corin could answer. Corin slowly caressed Morgana’s head, and, without looking back, took off. Edward followed. They soon found a herd. Corin watched Edward taking down one of the beasts and ripping its throat with his teeth. Then he felt what Alice had predicted. The effect of the venom was disappearing. His eyes were becoming black again, as a physical proof. He suddenly found the running animals mouth-watering. Even Edward seemed mouth-watering. “Focus, Corin!” “Er... Yes...” He ran after the biggest of the herd and violently planted his teeth in the neck of the defenceless animal. The blood he was swallowing, as disgusting as it was, was easing the pain of the thirst he had felt the last two months. He felt relief and peace build in his body. When the first deer had given him its last drop of blood, he took down a second, and a third. Then he noticed Edward eyeing him. “Not bad for a new vegetarian”, he said with a humorous smile. “Thank you. Now can I go back to Morgana?” Edward’s smile widened. “Look behind you...” And there she was, watching the animals Corin had killed. She looked even more beautiful than she had in the past to Corin’s eyes. He realised it was because he had feared so much to lose her. He took her in his arms. “Do you feel better?” “I will if I can hunt one or two for myself, now. But I feel stronger... Nowhere close to sleep.” “Let’s hunt a little bit more, then we’ll go back home", said Alice. And Alice led them where the remaining animals were hiding. Thirty-seventh chapter Corin’s strangely coloured eyes were tenderly looking at Morgana. She felt dazzled, melting in his deep and lovely irises. His hands cupped around Morgana’s pale cheeks. He lowered his head until their lips touched. And then the tenderest kiss he was able to give her made her body shiver. Edward and Alice were gone buying them plane tickets back to Seattle. When Morgana talked about money, Alice had given her a murderous glare that convinced her not to argue. Morgana was feeling better. Alice had told her what she risked by giving Corin her venom. Live forever like a statue, conscious but unable to move. That was worse than being unable to love. “Never forget that I love you”, said Morgana. “I can’t, as I can’t forget that I love you. I can’t erase strong feelings. Only weak memories.” Alice and Edward came back. “Let’s go, our plane will take off soon.” Once in Seattle, they noticed everything was covered with snow. Morgana felt as if she had left ages ago, instead of a few days. “My car?” Asked Morgana. She had left it in the North Cascade National Park, when she had followed Felix and Santiago. “Already here”, answered Edward. “In the airport’s parking’s lot.” “Thank you!”

“You’re a member of our family. Esme loves you like she would love her elder sister. And Carlisle… Well… I think “admiration” is the right word.” “Do you know where Gwenaël and Leah are?” “When you disappeared, we called them. They are in our house, waiting for us.” They were arriving near Morgana’s Corvette. She slowly caressed the metal of her beloved car. “Let’s meet at your house, then, Edward.” Edward grinned as Alice pressed the button on the key of her Porsche to unlock the doors. They all seated in their cars and then, surrounded by the sound of the powerful engines, they hit the road. Morgana followed the Cullens, slowing when they were slowing, accelerating when they pushed the Porsche faster. With those two Cullens, she was sure to never explode the traffic radars. Corin’s hand caressed her neck. She felt electricity run through her body. “I’ve missed you”, he finally said. “I’ve missed you too.” “You are the only person I have been able to think about, in that jail. You are the only one who made me strong enough to resist them.” “Will you tell me more about your past?” “I will. We’ll have time to speak about my past life.” She nodded, pleased. “The whole truth?” “The whole unaltered truth. I’ll try not to use my gift on myself anymore unless it becomes necessary. I feel better and more complete, when my memory is unaltered.” Morgana took Corin’s hand, an understanding smile on her quiet face. “You have deeply changed my life”, she thoughtfully said. “As you have changed mine. Who would have guessed what was going to happen when we met in that Park?” “Even Alice was clueless.” Morgana parked the Corvette behind Alice’s yellow Porsche, in front of the Cullens’ house. Morgana loved more the soft blue of her own car than the bright yellow of Alice’s. More discreet, softer and calmer. But she agreed the Porsche’s colour was fitting its owner’s personality. Brilliant, energetic, impossible not to notice. As soon as she entered the living room, she saw her son and his girlfriend. She flew in Gwenaël’s arms. “I’m happy to see you sound and safe, mum.” His voice sounded strangled, overwhelmed by emotions. “Me too, my son, me too.” Leah opened hesitantly her arms to Morgana. She had a shy smile on her face. Maybe because she had shouted at Morgana, a little bit more than one year ago, Leah felt embarrassed and shy with Morgana. Morgana released her grip on Gwenaël to take the sweet werewolf girl in her arms. “I missed you, Morgana.” “Me too, Sweetheart.” Morgana felt Leah stiffen as Corin was coming closer. “I didn’t introduce myself during Nessie’s party. I’m Corin.” He smiled and held his hand out. And then he waited. Leah scrutinized his cautiously. “You have left the Volturi? “ “ Yes. Definitely yes. I should have done that earlier. I suppose I was afraid to leave the life I knew.” A polite smile shone on her face and she took Corin’s hand in hers. “Thank you”, he whispered. It was deeply meaningful to him that she agreed to shake his hand, knowing he was able to change her memories in that move.

Morgana noticed Edward and Alice had led everyone outside to give them some privacy. She mentally thanked him, ignoring if he was close enough to hear her. Then she impulsively invited the three people she cared the most about in the whole world in her arms. And she finally had the hug she daydreamt about months ago. Gwenaël, Leah and Corin were all in her arms, close to her. Hot where Leah was touching her, warm where Gwenaël was holding her and cold as the ambient temperature when Corin’s arms were on her skin. The mix of the three different temperatures was sweet to her. A glorious smile appeared on Morgana’s face. ”Now I can say I have anything I dared to dream about.” Thirty-eighth chapter The Cullens finally gathered in their living room. Morgana’s smile had not faded. Esme and Morgana hugged, as sisters could have done. Esme was the Cullen she felt the closest to, even if she had not yet been able to figure out why. That was maybe because she was her opposite, when Morgana first met her. Esme was the most loving and caring woman in the whole world. She had a heart so immensely loving that she welcomed all those “kids” and treated them as if any of them was her dear child. Morgana had a cold and insensible heart when she met Esme for the first time. She cared about people, but no love touched her. But now it was almost too overwhelming. The maternal love she was feeling for Gwenaël and Leah, the deep passion she felt for Corin, and the true affection she felt for the Cullens were telling her she had finally found a place to call home. As long as she was able to see these people happy, and sound and safe, she was able to live satisfied and blessed. When she released her grip on Esme, she noticed Corin had come closer to Alice. The petite girl was looking up at him, a questioning expression on her pretty face. “I know you”, he said. Edward moved, reacting to whatever was in Corin’s mind, but didn’t do anything to interrupt him. Alice was disturbed. Of course he knew her, they already met several times! “You are… Like my sister, if I may say.” “What do you mean?” She asked, her eyebrows frowned. “The same vampire turned both of us. And… Well… I have a question…” “Shoot”, she briefly answered, disrupted. “Do you remember anything before your changing?” “No, I don’t. My first memory… Well… My first memory is when I awoke as a vampire. I had my first vision of the future, and I saw Jasper. Then I saw I was in a dark alley, under the rain, only with a buttoned-up shirt to cover me.” “That worked as he thought”, muttered Corin. “What worked?” Anxiously asked Alice. “You are getting on my nerves. Spill the beans! Tell me what you are talking about.” “I erased your memory, Alice. Our creator, if I may call him that, asked me to. And I agreed. “ “It’s your fault if I don’t remember anything about being human? Or being turned?” Her voice was high, as she was tensed. Corin’s mouth had twisted when she said “fault”. “He told me you wouldn’t want to remember. That your life wasn’t exactly an easy and happy one.” “How did that happen?” “I was hunting werewolves with some other Volturi Guards. I had found one and I was trying to forget that girl, on my own in the city, while the others were taking care of her. Then I caught my creator’s scent. Curious, I followed it and found him in the basement of an abandoned building. There was a girl with him, screaming in pain. He was turning her. I could

say the transformation was nearly over. And then he asked me to erase any memory, letting you only your name, Alice. What I did. Corin sighed, then took a deep breath. “When I had finished, you weren’t screaming anymore, your heart racing through its last beatings. He took you in his arms and left.” “You erased my memory…” Alice thoughtfully said. “I did. I’m sorry… I know it’s hard…” “Why did he turn me? And who is he? What’s his name?” “His name is Renaud. I’ve never crossed his path since that day. He is probably French, and certainly old. He told me a vampire was going to kill you if he hadn’t turned you.” “That fits what we already knew, told Edward.” He had taken the whole story out of Corin’s head. “So, you are like a… brother, I guess”, Alice said, swallowing as she admitted that possibility. “The same venom turned us. The same vampire.” “That explains why I can’t remember my past.” “I am so sorry, Alice. It seemed really reasonable, when he asked me to erase your memories.” “Can’t you bring them back, as you deleted them?” “I can only alter human memories. Vampire’s are too solid. But we can give it a try.” Alice held her hand out, waiting for Corin to take it. He hesitantly took it, focused on what he was going to try. He concentrated all his efforts while holding her, but didn’t feel the slight push he felt in him when he altered human memories. He looked into Alice’s eyes. “Do you remember anything more?” “No, I don’t”, she sighed, disappointed. “But if he said you wouldn’t want to know your past, I suppose he had a good reason.” “I was in an asylum. I was considered as having mental disorders. I probably already had visions.” “That explains why he told me you hadn’t had an easy life.” She slightly punched him in his biceps. “My life now is much more exciting than an asylum.” “When I remembered I erased your memories, I felt guilty, but if you’re happy with your life now, that’s what matters.” “I knew you were going to talk to me, but I didn’t guess what it was going to be about. I’m glad to know a little bit more about my past.” Corin nodded. He felt relieved Alice didn’t hold a grudge against him. Morgana took his hand, smiling. “We’ll have to go”, she gently said to Corin. “I have to work in a few hours and I have to explain them my being absent the last two days. As I’m not as talented as Alice to predict the courses of the Bourse, I can’t afford to lose my job. I still need to buy things…” Alice looked at Morgana with brilliant eyes. “Let me take care of your wardrobe… Please!” Bella sighed. A thin smile was playing on her lips. She surely felt happy Alice had found another victim. “Alice… We’ll have time later to talk about that”, Bella said. “Let them come back home together.” Morgana mentally thanked Bella, sure that Edward was going to tell her once alone. “Will you come with us?” Asked Morgana to Gwenaël and Leah, still holding Corin’s hand. They quickly stared at each other. Gwenaël was searching for Leah’s agreement. She slightly nodded. “Of course, mum. We’ll be happy to come with you.” They said goodbye to the Cullens, promising to see each other soon.

Once outside, Gwenaël held the door of his car open for Leah. It was a Chevrolet Camaro Morgana had offered him in the Eighties. It was dark grey. Rosalie also had boosted this car. She was pleased to work on cars her family never bought. The Cullens never tried Chevrolet, and she found interesting to discover another kind of cars. The Volvo’s and BMW’s weren’t a challenge anymore. The Camaro and the Corvette had been a nice change for her. She actually suspected Gwenaël didn’t need her help, as the car was perfectly working when she first look into it. They soon were back near Forks. Once in the house, Morgana quickly prepared a bedroom for Gwenaël and Leah. She realised she didn’t know if they actually shared the same bed, usually. They were kissing, holding hands, and doing whatever any couple does in public, but they had been very secretive about the rest. And this was the best choice, she thought with a bitter hint. With Emmett and his horny sense of humour. She shrugged. If it was a problem for them to share the same bedroom, they would let her know. They were old enough to speak their will. She watched the clock. 1AM. When she came back in the living room, Gwenaël’s arm was around Leah’s shoulders and she was looking up at him with a touching look of deep love on her face. Morgana froze, remembering the first time she saw the girl, shaking and walking in the Cullens’ living room like a lion in a cage, screaming she didn’t want to imprint on a half-breed bloodsucker. Gwenaël’s presence had changed her. Morgana was able to see the teenager she probably had been, sweet, loving and caring. A destructive love had nearly broken her, and another love had rebuilt her. Life was usually unfair, but it seemed Leah finally received what she deserved. Gwenaël kindly took her chin with his free hand, and he kissed her. Morgana silently left the room to go to the kitchen, where she was hearing Corin move. She flew in his arms. She didn’t kiss him, because she knew once she begun she wouldn’t be able to stop until she would rip all his clothes off him. He was feeling the same way. “I suppose I’ll have to hunt animals, in the future.” “I won’t give you my venom again”, she said with a wide smile. “Morgana, I…” “I was teasing you, Corin. I know you wouldn’t do that.” “Anyway, Morgana, I want to apologise. I shouldn’t have done that. I can’t imagine you like a statue, unable to move, to smile, to live.” “You were out of control. You couldn’t help. There is nothing to apologise for.” “It won’t happen again.” “We’ll try, at least. That’s what I wanted to talk about. Don’t push yourself too much, in the beginning. If you don’t feel like being around humans, just stay away. If you begin to feel too much thirsty, don’t wait to hunt. And if you need support… I’ll always be there for you.” “I know”, he whispered. His palm curled around her neck, where he had bitten her, covering the disappearing wound. “I want to spend the eternity with you. I wish we can always stay together. I don’t know how I would stand to be away from you again. I hate the beast in me that hurt you in that jail.” “Don’t…” She breathed. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt. The hard muscles of his chest felt good. She felt safe there. She loosened her grip as she heard the heartbeats coming closer. Corin had a sweet smile on her face. He swiftly kissed Morgana at the edge of her lips. “Mum?” “Yes?” “We…” He cleared his throat. “We have something we wanted to tell you at Renesme’s party.”

“Actually two things, now”, added Leah. Morgana questioningly looked at them. “What do you want to say?” “First of all… Leah and I are going to marry.” Morgana had to think not to let her mouth opened. She certainly didn’t expect that. Then delight and joy overwhelmed her. She took Leah in her arms, in a hug that would have broken someone more vulnerable. “Congratulations!” “Thanks”, whispered Leah, her breath short because of Morgana’s embrace. Morgana noticed the girl had a hard time with her respiration. She released her. “Sorry…” “No problem. Don’t worry. I’m a werewolf, remember?” “Yeah, how can I forget…” She took her son in her arms. She was so happy he found someone to cherish forever. She felt like she would be able to explode if it was possible. Too much happiness in her. “There is another thing”, continued Leah. “And I have to say it’s thanks to you it happened. Thanks to you and Edward.” Morgana guessed she was going to reveal what Edward had seen in her head so many months ago. “We… We are going to have a baby.” “How…” Morgana managed to breathe, too astonished to speak. She was torn between happiness and worry. “I have stopped to phase until my periods came back, and I finally became pregnant. This has always been my wish. To have a child with the man I truly love. Edward had noticed I wasn’t infertile as I thought when you examined me. He knew what my wish was. When Gwenaël and I felt ready to take one more step in our relationship, he advised us to be careful. I know the risks.” “Carlisle examined you? As a doctor?” “He said my pregnancy wasn’t as quick as Bella’s, but still faster than a normal human pregnancy. Anyway, I’m a werewolf, I’m more resistant than a human.” “When had this child been conceived?” “Three weeks ago. My womb begins to stretch, now.” “May I?” Asked Morgana, holding her hand out to Leah. Leah nodded. Morgana grabbed her arm and began to explore her body. And there she found it. The little life already struggling to exist. She hadn’t seen it until she searched it. “Oh my goddess”, whispered Morgana. “It’s so beautiful.” Scanning pregnant women’s bodies was always wonderful but this time was different. It was Gwenaël and Leah’s child. Morgana fell on her knees and, her arms around Leah, she put her cheek on Leah’s womb. “You really are pregnant… It’s wonderful…” Morgana felt Leah’s hand in her hair, stroking it gently. How didn’t she notice that? Leah was already different. She already was a mother. “Don’t leave my side while you are pregnant. Ever. If something goes wrong, I’ll be able to sense it and fix it. This is too wonderful to take any risk.” Morgana stood up as she spoke, her eyes locked on Leah’s. “I feel good, Morgana. Don’t worry. I feel… I guess I feel like any “normal” pregnant woman. I’m a little bit sick in the morning but that’s all. I can feed normally. Well, I prefer my steak bloody, but I always did.” Corin gently took Morgana by the shoulders, behind her. “Look at her, she really is going to be fine”, asserted Corin. “And if she feels bad, I’m sure Gwenaël will bring her to you immediately.” Morgana took a few seconds before she answered, scrutinizing the werewolf girl outside and inside.

“Yes she will be fine. I’m sure about it. Please don’t take any risks, she seriously said to the young future mother. And, you, she said as she turned to her son, you will have to be very careful with her. This is an unheard of situation, and I don’t like to be blindfolded when it’s about people I love.” “We are careful, mum. You will examine her every day, to oversee both of them. That’s why we told you.” Morgana nodded. And then smiled. She took Leah and Gwenaël’s hands. “We will make it as safe as possible. And it will be one of my happiest times, to see my grandchild.” Morgana paused, looking worried. “You need to sleep, it’s nearly 2AM. I’ve prepared a room for both of you…” “Okay… Good night, Morgana!” “Good night…” Corin and Morgana watched Gwenaël leading Leah to the stairs. Corin wrapped his arms around Morgana. Then he whispered in her ear. “We don’t need to sleep.” And the maternal smile that was on Morgana’s face disappeared, replaced by desire and passion. She turned and he finally kissed her, a deep, passionate kiss that might last forever.

THE END