EPILOGUE (TERRA POV)

A/N: I'm sorry, dear readers, I think this epilogue will need a second chapter and maybe a third. I hope you don't mind if I keep writing, I'm really enjoying this. Wait for it...

Let's travel back in time...

Venice, 1265. 

"About 12 silver ducats..."

"For a bag of black pepper? You must be joking..."

"I'm sorry, my friend, since Venice wrested control of the Mediterranean from Genoa five years ago after a big naval battle, there's no competition and our merchants can price everything they want... Take it or leave it."

My father growls behind me and keeps arguing with the guy while I sigh bored and move away from the store, walking towards Rialto Bridge despite the evening sun is showing up from time to time behind the clouds and it's pissing me off. I pull the hood up to cover my head and lean my hip on the wood railing watching the good people of Venice passing by, busy with their daily tasks. I don't understand why Marcus is wasting his time like this, we both know he only needs to control that greedy idiot's mind to persuade him to sell spices for a cheap price, I know the vampire is a fair man and doesn't want to bankrupt this human but he's not going to pay 12 silver ducats, not a chance in hell...Maybe 9 ducats and the merchant would still earn good money.

I guess he has fun haggling over the price and enjoys keeping his mind busy for a few minutes, the same Aren does while designing a new boat and visiting the ship yard to talk about the details tête-à-tête with carpenters even if he knows more about their jobs than they do. I never thought the eternity would be like this, endless hours, days, months... years that stretch slowly. All of them are the same despite the world changes nonstop around me: it's sunny, it rains, it snows, a war breaks off, crops get ruined, peace comes, we dance during the patron saint festival, humans fight and reproduce, the King is dead; long live the King... Or the Dux of Venice, who cares?

When Aren and Marcus offered me freedom, adventures, trips and unlimited knowledge, I didn't think twice and followed them immediately. But they never talked to me about the routines, boredom, indolence, the lack of interest for everything around me... You could've thought that living in a city with a population that can exceed 80,000 people and connected to the biggest trade routes of the Mediterranean Sea, I'd be able to find lot of things to do, books to read and pretty girls to have fun with, but I can't stand it here, not another day. There was a time I was like any other human with worldly concerns: I wanted another cake and my mom said no, I swam in the river every summer with my siblings, I dreamt with escaping from the castle and seeing with my own eyes the beauties of other kingdoms... But now, human concerns aren't interesting anymore and my vampire life has lost its appeal after almost 300 years.

"Okay, I'll give you 15 silver ducats but I take the cinnamon too..."

"For God's sake..." I growl exasperated hearing Marcus' voice and turn around to look at the canal, ignoring him and other venetians. They ignore me too thanks to the tricks I learnt to control their minds when I became a vampire, my father was really proud of my skills but I was also determined to master them as soon as possible: I wasn't going to travel all over the world dressed like a woman, dragging metres of thick velvet only because I could afford paying a wonderful dress. It's ridiculous and really uncomfortable what aristocratic ladies are forced to do to show off their status and wealth. It's rather absurd to move through life wearing a fur-lined velvet cloak that sweeps the floor behind you getting stained with nasty things and so heavy that you need to hold it with your hand to pull it away from your neck because otherwise it could choke you out you as you walk.

I prefer my short tunic and hose, a short cloak and a hood... I also prefer my short hair, it's comfortable and easy to keep clean given that fleas are everywhere and it's hard to find good quality water to heat it and take a bath. There're fleas in dogs, cats, horses, chickens and humans... I hate them. Most of my fellow novices in the convent were sad because they had to cut their long hair and would never wear silk ribbons and pearls again but I couldn't wait to do it. Being able to wear men's clothing has given me lot of freedom these past centuries and I've enjoyed every minute despite I had to persuade humans that I was a real man, or I forced them to forget my long eyelashes and plump lips because I don't want to have problems with the Church. Apparently, it's a terrible sin to take the role of a dude.

I can't help snorting amused, bishops and cardinals are always worried in case powerful women steal men's role in society but they don't realize we're really happy being women... and we can get power in more subtle ways. We've always have done it this way and will keep doing it.

The April sun shines blindly on the Grand Canal and I close my eyes for a few seconds, upset and waiting for Marcus to finish with his business to be able to go back home finally... I really need a glass of fresh white wine. A movement far away catches my eye when I open them again: a servant gestures at the oarsmen on a big gondola to get closer to a palazzo main door with their fancy boat. The sun is setting and wealthy Venetian aristocrats will leave their houses to visit each other, have dinner and dance, and at the same time common people will close their stores and go to their homes to have a well-deserved rest. This way, they don't look at each other's faces often. Well, the Feast of Saint Mark will be held in a couple of days and that day they'll celebrate it together in the square whether they like it or not except for the luckiest ones that will be invited to the Dux's grandstand.

The gondola moves closer slowly while I focus on the oarsman movements lost in my thought. Maybe I'll be able to persuade Marcus to go to a different city, I'm getting bored of Venice... We can head north or to east... A golden flash grabs y attention and I look up...

"Oh, God..." Breath gets stuck in my throat while I feel my legs weak and need to hold onto the railing so I don't fall on my knees on the bridge wood. I don't know what's going on, I've never felt like this not even when I was human, and certainly not since I became a powerful vampire. It feels like I got a punch on my stomach but it's not painful, it's rather a weird tingling sensation, pleasant and disturbing at the same time. My feet move on their own to walk across the planks and watch the gondola sailing under the bridge, moving down the Grand Canal slowly, trying to dodge other boats. Oarsmen yell and servants answer with insults but I keep my eyes fixed on the woman.

She's a lady from a good family because is wearing a light blue tunic embellished with pearls and a darker blue cloak with a gold brooch on her shoulder, the kind of clothes women of the highest status wear in this city. There're strict laws about who can wear valuable jewels and fancy fabrics and it doesn't matter if you can afford them, they won't let you buy them if you aren't a member of an aristocratic family. But this lady can wear pearls on her silky, long dark hair and a delicate silk veil covers her head despite her beauty doesn't need anything else to stand out. Her skin is flawless, she has high cheekbones, plump lips and a perfect jawline... A fucking angel fallen from heaven, as beautiful as those that artists paint on churches ceilings. And those eyes... The sunlight shining on the water surface has blinded her for a second and raised her head to avoid it, looking at me but not seeing me actually, her eyes got fixed on my face hidden by my hood... Those eyes are responsible for this weird vibration I feel in my stomach.

"Who are you?" I growl confused and my heart races when I notice she's moving away from me. "No, no, no..." My feet seem to have developed a will of their own and I decide to follow her down the sidewalk keeping an eye on her all the time, dodging humans that go back to their homes, worried in case the gondola turns and gets into a canal or river and I have to zigzag through the labyrinthine and narrow streets to find her again. "Get out of my way, damn it!" Some humans can't help stepping back obeying my quiet order and I decide to take the risk and run at vampire speed to get closer to her. I can't lose her... Suddenly, the gondola stops and a servant helps the beautiful princess to walk into a palazzo through a portico with marble columns.

"Terra, what the hell are you doing?" My father's voice behind me startles me and I blink coming back to reality.

"Who are they? Who lives there?" I ask pointing at the white building.

"I have no idea, despite what you seem to believe, I don't know all the big shots in Venice... What's wrong with you? Let's go home, I'm hungry..."

"No, I can't. I need to know who she is..." I whisper turning around ready to sneak into the palace looking for her.

"She? Terra, don't do anything foolish, please... Not again." Marcus' hand grabbing my tunic stops me. "Leave human ladies alone..."

"You know I'm the most serious and responsible of your children, I don't do stupid things..." I answer trying to free myself but he's stronger and has trained his vampire powers for long centuries.

"Unless there're beautiful women involved... All right..." My father blurts out wearily watching me clenching my jaw stubbornly. "Give me five minutes, I'll ask some questions around and get some information from a couple of shopkeepers I know. Do... Not... Move..." Marcus vanishes at vampire speed while I roll my eyes for a second before fixing them again on the building portico, I fear the beautiful lady can leave the house through a different door but it's pretty clear the staff knows her and I'd only need to read their minds to find her immediately. My father prefers to be more subtle handling things when humans are involved but minutes tick by, it's getting dark and I'm growing impatient.

"Enrico Contarini..."

"Sorry, what?"

"That's Enrico Contarini's house, he's a famous merchant in this city, not the wealthiest one but powerful enough to have a seat in the Great Council. I actually made business with him although never met him in person, I worked with his broker... His ships travel to Egypt and Constantinople often and he gets the best quality silks to sell, pieces of cut crystal and gold and silver dishes are his specialty and he has a good taste. He's married to a Venetian lady from a good family and has two sons and a daughter, the boys are kids still but the daughter is around 21 years old... She's the most beautiful woman in all northern Italy, apparently, and even the Emperor of Byzantium wanted to marry her."

"I can assure you that's true, I've never seen a face like hers... Oh my God, Marcus, she's stunning, seriously, she's knocked me down with one single look... Green eyes, I think, or maybe grey but lethal, that's for sure."

"Wow, are you a poet now?" My father rolls his eyes before chuckling. "Rosa Rubina... Ruby Rose is her name." I hold my breath when hearing it and my stomach turns again... That's a perfect name for her. "She's married..."

"WHAT?" I ask angrily but my father cuts me off raising his hand.

"Sorry, she was married. Her husband, Pietro Dandolo, was the grandson of a famous Dux and died two years ago from fever... She was pregnant of a baby girl back then, poor lady... Or maybe not because she's a rich widow now. I've been told that her family has started to put pressure on her so she gets married again with her father's powerful business partner but she seems reluctant, she's been having lot of fun after her mourning period was over and doesn't seem ready to put up with another idiot. I think she's smart but won't be able to ignore her mother's demands much longer, you know how things work for women raised in good families... She'll give up eventually. You need to hurry up if you want to have a fling with her while she's still free..."

"I don't want to have a fling with her!" I answer offended and my father stares at me in shock stepping back. "I don't know what I want, I don't know her and have only seen her once..." I stutter trying to explain my reaction but the truth is that I feel oddly angry when I think of sleeping with Ruby, stealing a sip of blood and leaving her bed the next day... She's nothing like my usual lovers. And I don't know why.

"Okay, whatever... But be careful. I don't feel like running away from Venice chased by an angry father or a husband like it happened in Seville."

"You'll never forget that, will you?" I ask furiously but Marcus has left looking for my brother already. I heave a sigh, upset, and decide to get closer to the palazzo to check if I can sneak inside and take another look at Ruby. I feel the urge of knowing more things about her and can't ignore it, I'm interested in something for the first time in long years and boredom has vanished. I want to know why, what's special about this woman apart from her beautiful face and nymph eyes.

The backdoor leading to the square is closed, of course, but there's a doorman in every aristocratic house and it's easy for me to persuade him to open the gate and forget my face a second later. The interior garden and staircase are quiet, most servants must be in the kitchen or attending guests in the main living room where the windows overlook the Grand Canal. All the palaces of this city share a similar layout and it's not difficult for me to find the right way between corridors and richly decorated but not crammed rooms... Yes, Enrico Contarini has good taste, damn it. I move like a shadow getting closer to the living room where I hear people laughing and there's light under the carved door.

Suddenly, it opens and I jump back to hide behind a column before taking a quick peep to try to find my target. I open my eyes in shock when I realize it's Ruby who's leaving the room and walks with firm steps down the main corridor almost touching my cloak when she passes by my side. Her perfume almost manages to make me fall down on my knees again, sweet and fruity, it's probably an expensive essence brought from the East by her father... I can't help showing my sharp fangs and the desire to taste her blood get mixed in my mind with the desire to worship her body. I hold back a moan and decide to follow her while planning how to drag her out of this house discreetly without her family noticing it... I can't wait to be with her alone.

"Chiara, where are you?"

"Fuck!" I whisper in my mind when hearing her sweet Venetian accent, once again I'm feeling that weird pain in my stomach that sends a tingling through my body. "Who the hell is this woman? A fucking sorceress?"

"Here, signora, I was going to put little Elisabetta to bed."

"It's okay, I'll do it myself... Hello, piccola..." The maid walks out of the room quietly but leaves the door slightly open, enough for me to take a look, fascinated. The pretty Venetian princess is standing under the candlelight that gets a golden flash from her fancy clothes while she rocks her baby carefully, humming a soft lullaby. Her smile makes her look even more beautiful although I thought it was impossible, she looks happy and relaxed too while swinging gently, holding her daughter and kissing her soft head before putting her in her crib lined with silk and velvet carefully. Ruby fixes the blankets over the baby's body and smiles again... Suddenly, she doesn't look like an angel anymore but like Virgin Mary herself, like that precious figurine made of gold and ivory that the abbess from the convent kept in her oratory. I always felt mesmerized by her sweet face...

I step back grimacing when feeling the physical pain that the movement causes me. I can't kidnap her now, take her to our own palace and later, what? Make love to her, drink from her vein and force her to forget me? Impossible, once I drag that woman to my bed, I won't let her leave me, that's for sure. Should I turn her into a vampire and tie her to me forever? I can't do that right now, she'll hate me... She has a life, a family, a baby... She's not free to leave everything behind and follow me, not yet... But I also know I can't stay away from her, I don't understand what's going on but Ruby belongs to me and I'm ready to claim her.

I need a plan, I have to talk to Marcus about this, my father will know what to do and maybe will be able to explain me what's going on and why I'm obsessed with a human I don't know. That's the first thing I should fix, probably: we need to be introduced formally and I'll decide what to do from that moment on. Things will be easier if she falls in love with me... I could control her mind to make her believe that...

"No, this needs to be real," I whisper leaving the house and breathing the fresh air in the middle of the street. Stars shine above Venice while I walk towards my home quickly, thousands of ideas cross my mind but one of them is very clear: I'm going to be honest with Ruby Rose, she's going to see me, will know who I am and what I can offer her, no lies. And she'll decide freely what to do with that information because I'm not going to force her to do anything against her will. She's a smart and decisive woman with a strong character and I respect her. "What the...? I never talked to her, how do I know these things about her?"