"Why have you not done it? Marishka is dead because you have not kept up your side of the bargain!"

Aleera flew at the Werewolf and bit it hard, the wolf howled but didn't fight back. The moon was full in the sky and held its sway over the Prince. Aleera shifted into her human form and studied the Prince calmly, she could turn her emotions on and off when she liked. It was a useful trait and made her even more dangerous.

"You cannot control yourself can you?"

The wolf looked at her, obviously not understanding, she walked over to it and gazed into its eyes.

"Prince Velken is in there somewhere, obviously you are weaker than I thought."

The wolf snarled at this but she ignored it, she paced about the small room he was kept in.

"You have had many chances my Prince, both to do as we agreed and to tell your impossible sister."

It was then that the Wolf shifted, and collapsed.

"You do not know Aleera."

The Prince panted after the change.

"Do not know! What do you think I am? Is a Vampire any different to a Werewolf?"

Aleera punched a wall and it crumbled slightly under her blow.

"Yes."

She watched as the cuts on her knuckles healed with great interest.

"How? Both feed off the living, both immortal, both cursed and bound to the Master. How is it different?"

Her hand was as flawless as before and she turned back to Velken.

"You have your own mind, I am nothing but a ragged animal when I change, you at least know what you are doing."

She leapt at him scratching his chest till the blood was flowing.

"Do you think that is better?"

Aleera was becoming hysterical and she wouldn't bottle it up.

"Do you think I enjoy killing so many people? It still holds sway!"

The Prince cocked his head to the side, even human he was becoming more and more like the wolf. It was slowly eating up his soul, soon he would not recognise his own sister and even now he wouldn't hesitate to kill her if he saw her.

"Wandering the forests for a year turned me savage enough to kill mercilessly for my own survival. I retain memories and conscience because I was already half animal when they found me. Now tell me, is it best to kill with no knowledge of it or do it knowing fully what you do? My sisters remember none of their past lives, one of the tricks Master knows. I pray to the Devil that my memories will fade, he just torments me by making them stronger."

"Perhaps you should pray to God, he hears all."

Aleera snorted.

"If there is a God then I would have died of old age, happily married with children. As it is, I'm married with dead children and eternal life. Tell me which part of that show's your God's mercy for me. After so many years he will not hear me even if I did pray."

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty, we won't hurt you."

Aleera stayed silent, listening to their patronising calls and quiet laughing. It was the eve of her 21st and they were true to their word. How they found out where she was, was a mystery to her, luckily she knew the forest better than them. Even with their night eyes and heightened senses it would be hard for them to find her.

"Come now Aleera, we wish to help you."

More laughter, Aleera looked down at the wooden stakes at her feet, she would not go without a fight. She could hear them getting closer, hear their footsteps on the fallen leaves. She stood, hearing them directly behind her. With her back to the tree trunk she gathered the stakes and jumped out at them only to come face to face with the count.

"There you are my bride, you shouldn't play such games."

Aleera dropped the stakes of her own accord and stared at the ground.

"Come, come, I don't think your sisters would take kindly to being stabbed."

He held out his hand to her but she didn't move, instead she turned away from him and walked back behind the tree. She sat down and ignored his laughter, she knew she would not escape this, either way she would leave this forest dead. If she stabbed herself with a stake then he could not turn her. If she let him turn her she could show what her family did to her.

"Time is up."

The count was standing next to her, making her jump. He laughed again and helped her up.

"What is your choice? Not that you have one."

He smiled at her again showing his fangs, Aleera looked at him then turned away and bared her neck.

Aleera hated this new hunter, he had taken away hr sister and caused them both great pain. He would pay for it, she would find a way to torment him as he has them. But how? The Prince had seen the monster with Anna and this man, Gabriel the master calls him. The master seems to know him, if this man is still alive then he must be a vampire also. Why kill his own kind then? Pondering this was enough to keep her occupied for many hours.

"Aleera?"

Verona stood in the doorway of her room, Aleera held her arms out for her and Verona collapsed into them.

"Why did he have to try again? It always fails, how many of our young have we seen die? My heart could not handle any more."

"Shh Verona, Master has found the monster. He will give our children life, just as he was made for."

"Yes, we are to fetch it tonight, the man and Princess are taking it to Rome. We must kill them and take it, the werewolf will come with us to distract them."

Aleera nodded, it was fast becoming dark and she had not slept in many days. She knew it would greatly affect her strength and she needed to be fully aware against Anna and the hunter Gabriel.

"Come Aleera, Master wants to see us before we leave. It will take us some time to reach them, they are travelling fast."

"No match for us though Verona."

They walked towards the door but Aleera grabbed Verona's arm.

"Verona, promise me you'll be careful. We just lost Marishka, I couldn't lose you."

Verona smiled and hugged her.

"I will be careful, you must promise me also."

"I promise."

They left an arm round each other's waists, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time they were together.

Aleera felt a sharp pain in her neck then a spreading numbness. She felt the blood draining from her body and for one terrifying moment she thought that he would kill her, then it was over. She stood and looked around, it was the same as before and the others were smiling at her.

"Verona, Marishka, teach her."

They screamed loudly then shifted into their vampiric forms. Aleera backed away in horror as they lunged at her, they grabbed an arm each and flew into the air. Aleera screamed but they laughed, they flew high then stopped.

"Learn to fly little bird!"

With that they dropped her, she screamed and closed her eyes silently praying it would be painless. She opened her eye after what seemed like an age and looked down, the ground was miles below and her wings were flapping keeping her float. She gasped and looked at her clawed hands and feet, Marishka and Verona flew over and hugged her.

"She is a fast learner, Master had to catch me twice before I shifted."

Aleera looked in disbelief at Verona.

"Are you saying he did this to both of you?"

They nodded but it didn't seem to faze them, they just cackled and flew away from her.

"Catch us Aleera!"

Aleera tried to follow them, discovering how to use her wings. Left, Right then forward, she smiled and flew towards the brides who were looking fondly at her. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad with Marishka and Verona with her.

"Time to feed."

Aleera nodded suddenly feeling her own hunger, she looked at the village below thinking to scare those that had cast her away then stopped. They did not know her, she was just a stranger to them, she would feast on those that betrayed her.

"Where do you want to go Aleera?"

"Home."