Caius was resentful of having the child around them at all, therefore his mate, Athenadora, ignored the boy in an effort to appease her husband. Aro had brought the child to their coven as an experiment, something to add to their “histories” as he liked to call them. From the start Sulpicia took no interest in caring for the boy, but the same did not hold true for his mate.

Didyme.

She had seen the boy and had immediately agreed that she would be responsible for the boy when he was not with Aro or a trusted member of the guard. Although he had had misgivings about the arrangement, Marcus never could deny her anything and so he had let her form a bond with the vampire child.

She would chase him around the tower or out in the gardens when the skies were most cloudy. While Aro studied them and Caius resented their growing closeness, he found their laughter and interaction soothing. As he watched her play and laugh with Juvenal, for the first time he thought about what she might have sacrificed to be with him. He was rather surprised that after so much time together he had not asked many questions about her human life or her human hopes and dreams. Had she wanted a family? Had she thought about a future with a mortal mate and mortal children?

Chances were that she probably had. After all, there was no way she could have imagined life as an immortal, though she seemed to have known some things when they first met.

A month after Juvenal’s arrival as they lay holding each other right before dawn he nuzzled her cheek and whispered in her ear, “Didyme, love?”

He could feel the smile on her lips as she buried her face into the crook of his neck with an answering, “Hmmm?”

He felt his breath stir the strands of hair near her ear as he continued. “Do you have any regrets about your life with me?”

She had lifted her face away from his face with a strange look. “Marcus, never! Never ever. Why would you ask such a thing?”

He brushed her fiery curls away from her face, taking a moment to admire the way they spread out like a wild flaming halo around her head. When it wasn’t brushed to perfection it was as out of control as the tangled mane of a wild horse and he loved it that way. 

Breaking his thoughts away from her physical perfection he whispered his answer. “I see you with Juvenal and I can’t help but wonder if you regret not living a mortal life and all that comes with that, growing old, children…”

Her response had been a smile as she reached up to gently caress his cheek. “I knew that I was meant for a different kind of life for a long time, my heart. Do you remember what I called you on our first meeting? My little death.”

If he had still been capable of blushing he might have. He remembered her calling him that very well, and he remembered how he’d interpreted it.

She laughed, and as if reading his mind she let her hand wander. “No, love, I didn’t mean that at the time, though you’ve come to fulfill the role you thought of casting yourself in at that moment very well.”

He stifled a groan, trying not to let his mind wander to carnal thoughts as she let her hands run along his pale skin. No, he didn’t let himself be distracted. “Didyme, love, I know your gift. Did you know you would have a life like this? A life that is not really life, but that is not death?”

She nodded, “I knew that very well. I knew that the normal life with children, a family, those things were not for me, but honestly I didn’t know how rich and fulfilling my life with you would be. You have become my everything.”

The smile that lit up his face made her smile in return and he’d drawn her close and kissed her. No, he could not get enough of her. Eternity was not enough.

Sometime later when the sun was shining through the window, setting their pale skin shimmering like cascading diamonds he had enough presence of mind to bring up his concerns about the vampire child that she was becoming so close to.

“Didyme, my love, take care with Juvenal. You know Aro, but not as well as I do. There is no telling what his intentions in this matter…”

Before he could continue she quieted him with a finger to his lips and whispered softly. “My heart, I know…”