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Caius' POV

I had never felt more like a failure in my life. The way that the bond tugged at my very soul made me feel everything that I wish I could push away and move past. My bonds with Aro and Marcus had been the same way, but something about this time was simply different.

All of my life I had tried. Tried to be good, attempted to be evil, but nothing ever stuck. Too good to be evil and too evil to be good, I wasn't ever going to be good enough for Astraea. Human in so many ways, but she was innocent. I couldn't take that innocence away from her.

Not the way it had been taken from me all those years ago.

---

Ancient Greece

Around three millennia ago

Being from a smaller part of my home city, our jobs mostly consisted of long boating trips. Whether or not you came back depended almost entirely on if you had your own sailing equipment, for sharing only happened between thieves and outcasts. Luckily enough, my father gifted me with a boat for my twentieth birthday, allowing me to ride and make as much money as I pleased.

Unlike many of the other sailors, bringing people along on my trips was not an issue. Finding friends wasn't that hard when you had a silver tongue to back you up. It wasn't like anyone would dare mess with my family.

"Caius, make sure to take your brother next time," my father said, patting me on the back. "He really wants to go with you. Tireless he will be until your return."

"I wouldn't let him miss out, father. Zenon shall be with me on my next ride. I shouldn't be gone for more than a week," I assure him. "Where is my baby brother. I wouldn't wish to not say goodbye. Could very well be my last."

"Don't say such things, my boy," it seemed that my father had not liked my joke, "You worry me. Your headstrong spirit plus your generosity may very well be the death of you. Letting all of those miscreants on your ship won't do you or them any good. Best let the bottom feeders feed off of the other bottom feeders, Caius. He is in his room with your baby brothers and sisters."

"Thank you, father," I flash him a warm smile before running to his room. Inside I watched as Zenon played with our baby sisters, allowing them to tug at his long hair. "Brother, don't let Callidora mess with you in such ways, she will learn to do it to me as well!"

"Let her play, Caius," I growled at his dramatics, "What's got you so fussy? You're the one who's going on the adventure of a lifetime. I'm stuck here, playing with our baby sister as mother is out to get her weaver fixed. They're cute, aren't they? Callidora and Narcissa, I mean."

"I know what you mean, you little menace," I picked up Narcissa as she called for me to pick her up. Looking at my baby sister, I give her a kiss on the head. "This is the thanks I get from the Gods. Being born first is the worst, Zenon, now I must set an example for you and our younger siblings. If it were not me, it would have to be you. Gods forbid I ever leave this damn place, you would be done for."

"Well, good thing you are unmarried and will be lonely just like me," rolling my eyes at his comment, I stop Narcissa from grabbing at my dirty blonde hair. "It's her way of showing her love. She's what, almost two? God, they're getting so big so fast."

"Getting to see them grow is a highlight of being older," I explain, "I got to see you go from being an idiot to being less of an idiot who still can't comprehend the way of the law."

"Like father would ever let you be one of those law people. He needs you to make money through our seas. It was how he made his fortune. You'll be great at it, you and your persuasive tongue," I hissed as Narcissa grabbed at my hair. "Just make sure that you don't die out there. Father said that there are some that take advantage of anyone they can. Aren't you going with that one guy who has black eyes? He's weird. Super pale."

"Everyone says that he's fine and he seems to like me. Don't judge my choice in friends just because you don't have any," I snark, kissing my baby sister's cheek before letting her run back to Zenon. "Father also said that going alone isn't a good idea for your first voyage. That's why you're coming with me next time."

"Dealing with you for a week straight, what could be better?"

"Nothing, because I'm lovely," my little brother smiles and shakes his head. "I'll be back in a week, Zenon. You'll be okay for a week. You make it sound like I'll never come back."

"You will come back. Do you promise that unless you die you'll come back?" I nod.

"Even if I do die I'll come back somehow. This won't be the last time you see me, brother. Like I would ever give up the chance to see my favorite Zenon."

---

By the time that I found Cain, he had taken it upon himself to take one of the rooms on the ship. Not bothered by the act, I simply took my place in the captain's quarters.

"So, you and me for the next week, hun?" His voice was deep and had no imperfections. "I know the good places, so you won't be coming back with nothing. Before you know it, you'll be perfect, all set up for success."

"I'll let you lead the way then," he nodded, looking out the windows. "Isn't it odd that we all know what everyone else looks like, but we ourselves cannot see ourselves very well. Water simply distorts my perfection, don't you think?"

The vanity had been something I let go, not disagreeing that he was always in his perfect human form. Never eating much, the man still had a muscular build. No matter how many times you looked him over for anything to prove that he was imperfect, all you would see is just how beautiful he really was. Many times I found myself jealous of his perfection. If my hair had been a bit lighter, I would be able to compare, but the greasy parts of my hair still showed as my biggest flaw.

"It makes us all look worse," I state, "Although you do not need water to know that you're beyond attractive."

"Aw, I'm flattered, Caius," he smiled at me, that awful winning smile that I had learned to ignore. It made me feel like some sort of prey animal. He constantly would stare, his eyes going from black to a dark shade of red. What had made his eyes go that color, I did not care to ask. It was not my place to ask such things.

Besides his reddish eyes and pale skin, the man looked good enough to get any woman in town. Why he had not settled down was obvious, he was known to not be able to stick to just one maiden at a time. An awful partner, he would be. Cain was a better friend than lover, often helping me even when he didn't need to.

Why he had taken such a notice to me in the first place remained a mystery. When he first saw me, his eyes were that of black, his face turning to one of pain. I assume that he had stubbed his toe, but there was no bruise on his toe later on when he invited me over to his place.

My father approved of his presence, but still wanted me to be careful around everyone. Although a man of his era, father would never want anything to happen to any of his children. We were lucky enough that we survived our early years, now we would need to survive into adulthood.

"Say goodbye to those babies?" I frown at his referral to my family, "What? They're so much younger than you, Caius. Zenon is what, sixteen? You're twenty! Those baby twins as well. You have so many siblings. Can't believe you're all alive."

"Seven siblings isn't enough for my mother, apparently. She wants at least three more before she stops trying. Narcissa and Callidora are still biting at me and pulling my damn hair. Zenon lets them, too. Why instill such poor behavior in the girls? Their husbands will not like them pulling at their brothers' hair. They may get jealous," Cain laughed before grabbing a bottle of wine, popping the top. "Why are you constantly drinking?"

"Allows me to be near someone like you," I huff, flopping down on my bed. "Believe me, it's an honor. You're a joy to be around. I'm happy that I met someone like you to bring along with me in my travels."

"You drink when you're happy? What are you, Roman?" he lets out a cackle, sipping his drink, the red liquid staining his lips.

"Just been young for too long," I gave him a questioning look before laughing myself. "You're twenty and I'm old."

"Oh come on, you're what, twenty-five at the oldest? You aren't some old man like my father. Don't tell him I said that. He'll have my ass for saying anything against him."

"A lot older than that, Caius, but let's not get into details just yet. For now, I'll let you sleep and we can start on our way to the city tomorrow," I nod before he takes his bottle with him out of the room.

Cain was a funny man, always speaking in a much older form of our native language. Even if it was hard to keep up with him sometimes, he had more knowledge than I did in almost every single subject area. How old he was didn't really matter to me, as long as he wasn't going to take me away from the people I cared about.

As much as I wanted to be out on the open seas, I also wanted to see my family again.

---

It was the second day when I realized that something was going on with Cain. More erratic than he had been the days prior, his eyes were no longer red and stayed at that midnight black color, the same as when he had first met me. While disturbingly reluctant to get anywhere near me, Cain tried his best to distract me from his disoriented state. If he had gotten sick, I didn't want to catch whatever was making him act so distant.

The looks he gave me mirrored the ones he gave when we first met, almost hungry like a wild animal. If he had gone insane, I wouldn't have been surprised, but the handsome man would stare at me from across the room as I made sure that everything was in order. His face gave me the feeling that whatever he was going to do to me wasn't what I wanted. To that, I didn't bother him, keeping to myself.

Whatever had made him feel like this must have been bad, because I have never seen something quite like this.

"Caius, I need to be honest with you here," I turned my head to Cain, who was sitting down on the deck. "You smell great."

"Bathing does wonders for that," I laughed at what I thought was a joke. "What's been up with you today? You look like you're in pain."

"My throat burns," His voice turned back to one of dramatics.

"Did you eat something horrid? Keep in mind what you eat, whatever you do eat. You never eat in front of me. Why is that? Do you just live off of wine? That can't be healthy, Cain."

"The fact that you worry about my health even though you're the one who should be worried about is astounding," I gave him a confused glare. "I'm being frank with you, Caius. You have no idea what I am and what I could do if I don't control myself around you. You're different from all of the other people in your city. You care about people, even when their eyes turn black whenever they see you."

"Showing people basic care is what matters most in this world," I explain, "Who would I be if I didn't show care? Just another Greek asshole."

"You see, that's what made me choose you. It's awful that I couldn't be around you as a human for a little while longer," I take in a deep breath, my heart starting to thrum in my chest, "I'm sorry, Caius, that I had to expose you to this. You can be like me. I'll make you like me. No more little human Caius, only power."

"What are you?" I question, looking for the dagger that I had stored away in case someone came to pirate the ship. "Look, whatever you want from me, I don't want it. Power isn't something I'm looking for right now."

"Come on, man, can't you just see the potential? Someone like you can't just live and die on me."

Live and die. Live and die. Isn't that what everyone does? Everything lives and everything dies. The only beings that don't die are the Gods, nymphs, and sirens. Is he some sort of male siren? Do those exist?

"I know that this is going to hurt, but it will be worth it. Caius, you can come with me. Be like me, be like one of the powerful beings of this world. You don't have to be weak," I scoff at the insult. "Humans are weak, they will always be weak. Don't act innocent, you haven't seen the power that I hold. I'll have it with you, that bond. Bonds hold us together, Caius, and we can be a part of a group. I can find more people until you can turn them yourselves. A new coven. Us two as the leaders."

"I have a family," I remind him, "I have a family that needs me to be there. No matter what power you hold over me or over other people, they are all that I want in this world. I cannot go with you, Cain, not unless I can take them with me. Father would never become one of you, whatever you are."

"Immortals, some call us the blood drinkers," I shake my head at the reference to the old wives tale. "We are real and we do drink human blood. We are turned by the venom that coats our teeth and we live immortal lives. Some have a gift, I simply have control. Do you know what you are to me, what you mean to me?"

The man that I had thought of as a friend, the man that I allowed on my ship, had turned out to be a monster of another kind, wishing for me to leave my family and join him. No, I won't leave Zenon, I could never leave Zenon. Nor my mother and father, or my little siblings. I promised that I would come back. My word is all that I have!

"Blood is what I crave more than all else. Yours, Caius, it's better than any alcohol. It draws me in, my mind begs me to drain you of all that red blood, but I know better. You are more useful alive than dead. That heart of yours, it will get you somewhere. You hold no hate in your heart for anyone. Caius, I wish for you to be my covenmate, my co-leader to a coven that will rule the world. After we succeed, we can go back to your home. Your family can be turned after those little siblings of yours become of age. Live immortally, we will rule this world. The world will trust you."

With all of his words of conquest and promises that I knew he could be unable to keep, I saw one look of desperation in his eyes. One of another kind, those eyes were black. No carmine, no maroon, just black.

"There is no way for you to sweet talk me into this. The answer is no," his eyes turned angry as he took a step towards me. "You have been a good friend, but my mortality is set in stone. I do not wish to leave my family. They need me. I have hope that you will find someone else to turn into a blood drinker, vampirica, but I do not wish for the life you wish for me."

He took a long pause, keeping his distance from me as he thought. Whatever was going on in his head, it must have had to do with how he was going to convince me. He needs to know that I still want the best for him in his travels. My life is here with my family, not somewhere leading in a murderous government.

"For your own benefit," he starts, "I will do this for your own benefit. I will be your sire and you will be my friend."

"Just because I am human does not mean that we cannot still be friends. There are many kind hearts out there, you shall find another to rule with you," Cain shook his head. "I will not rule with you, Cain. Please just-"

"You will turn and you will learn to love being immortal!" he shouted at me. Within a blink of an eye he was right in front of me, holding me against the wall. I whimpered, his grip like iron on a feather, nearly breaking my bones as he displayed his power. "Caius, you could never hate anyone, that is what makes you such a perfect king. Of course, even if you did hate someone, it could never consume you like most vampires. No, you love, and that is what makes you the best. I will only take the best."

"L-Let me-" I gasped for breath as his hand wrapped around my neck, cutting off my air flow. "G-G-Go-"

"Too bad that you had to be forced, this could have been such an easier time if you had just said yes," Cain gave me one last smile before sinking his teeth into one of the arms he had pinned up on the wall.

Searing pain rippled through my body, giving me no way to move as he drained my blood. After a few seconds, he pulled himself away, wiping his mouth of my blood as I fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"It won't be so bad for long. Your human memories will likely die from the venom," Cain laughed, pulling me up on the bed, "You smell so amazing, just that taste was enough for me to almost kill you."

"Leave," I whispered, hot tears streaming down my face.

"Why would I do that, my friend?" His voice almost mocked my cripped form as he picked me up, taking me down into his chambers. "You and I are going to be kings. Just you wait, Caius, you'll be the best ruler the world has seen. I can be bad and you can be good. The perfect balance."

"No-" my vision started to blur as I attempted to hold onto consciousness.

"Yes," he countered, holding my chin in his hand, forcing me to look up. "Caius, you and I will be brothers. You don't need those humans, but we can get them when the time is right. Any last words, young one?"

"I-I-I"

"Let it out!" he shouted at me.

"I hate you."

---