Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight

Twisted Brotherhood

(Salvatore's POV)

The air is thick with the stench of blood, it fills my nostrils as I walk across the carpark towards the abandoned warehouse. The light of the full moon streams through the shattered windows casting shadows on the walls. This place is sinister enough without me being here. My brothers are already sitting at a long wooden table waiting for me.

“Ah, Salvatore,” Dante greets me with a sinister smile, “You made it.” His dark eyes penetrate through me to the place my soul should be.

“Of course,” I reply, the bitterness clear in my voice. I scan the room, taking in the other members of the seven. I don’t know what possessed Dante to choose such a derelict meeting place. As the longest ruling vampire mafia, it isn’t like we don’t have the money to pay for a more civilised meeting place.

“Brothers,” I greet the rest of my family, and take my seat at the table. The cold metal chair presses against my back, reminding me of my place at the bottom of the order of the seven.

“Let’s get started,” Dante demands, his voice echoing around the hollow space.

“I want to talk about the wolves,” Marco leans back casually in his chair. “The shifters are getting bolder, encroaching on our territory.”

“Agreed,” Giovanni adds smoothly, exuding an air of refinement that is oddly out of place in this dilapidated setting. “We should send them a message. One that can’t be mistaken.”

“Something brutal,” Antonio adds, his rugged good looks mask the dangerous predator lurking beneath his handsome exterior.

“Don’t be so hasty,” Emanuele interjects, his blue eyes glint with mischief. “Quick and dirty is satisfying I agree, but we should consider the potential consequences of our actions.”

“What’s your point?” Vincenzo asks, his brooding intensity demanding attention.

“Do we really want to start a war with the wolves?” Emanuel frowns.

“Maybe there’s another way,” I add. “A more subtle approach. One that won’t start an all-out war supernatural war.”

“Care to elaborate?” Dante asks, his tone hints at his impatience.

“We should find out more about our enemy before we act.” I suggest, my gaze meeting each of theirs in turn.

“Very well,” Marco reluctantly agrees.

“Agreed,” the others echo as one, their voices laced with both enthusiasm and reluctance.

“We should focus on expanding our territory and the casino. We can’t afford any slip-ups.” Dante looks at me as he says the last sentence a reminder for me to stay in line.

As conversation turns to the day to day running of our many illicit business’s, my thoughts drift away from the ruthless plans being discussed. I retreat into the part of me that longs for something more than the brutal life I was forced into. Deep down, I know I don’t belong with the ruthless creatures that take the form of my brothers. They revel in bloodshed and cruelty, while I desire something more. I just don’t know what that is yet. I often think about a different life, filled with laughter and warmth. Where I can walk in the sunlight without fear of turning to dust. Maybe in that life I could feel the touch of a lover who wouldn’t flinch at the sight of my fangs. Without the constant fear of my brothers wrath hanging around my neck like a noose.

“Salvatore, are you listening?” Dante’s bellows his voice cuts through my thoughts like a knife. Shattering the illusion and bringing me back to the reality of my grim life.

“Of course,” I reply, leaning forward in my seat, to keep up the pretence that I’m interested in their conversation. Inside, my heart aches for something more than the never-ending circle of bloodlust and darkness. My very existence weighs heavily on me. It’s like I’m drowning in a crimson pool of despair. The others continue to talk about their plans for power and control, two things that hold no interest for me.

As the meeting wraps up, I can’t help questioning if my loyalty to my family is worth sacrificing my dreams of something more than what I currently have. For now, I must play my part as the dutiful brother, while I bide my time, in the hope that of day, finding the strength to break free from the invisible chains that bind me.

“Same time next week,” Dante says with a wicked grin, that dismisses us all.

The chilly night air greets me as I leave the condemned building. I glance up at the sky, the moon mocks me as it moves across the horizon edging closer to dawn. It’s a haunting reminder of my curse. My brothers walk past in silence, leaving me alone with my frustration at these pointless meetings.

The door to the abandoned warehouse slams shut, echoing through the vast space and I jump. My body is tense, like a tightly wound coil that’s about to snap. “Salvatore,” Emanuele smiles, his voice calm as he walks towards me. He’s the only person I can talk to, when I need advice. Even then I find myself holding back, never revealing my darkest desire.

“Hey,” I reply, as I watch our brothers walk to their cars. Leaving us alone for a moment.

“Something’s bothering you,” Emanuele is observant as usual as he, searches my face for answers.

I let out a sigh, knowing that I can’t keep everything bottled up inside forever.

“Can we talk? In private?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course,” Emanuele nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. We find a secluded corner of the warehouse, hidden amongst the shadows and away from anyone that could overhear us. The darkness envelops us, offering a temporary reprieve from the watchful gaze of our brothers.

“What’s on your mind?” Emanuel asks, his voice full of concern.

“Nothing, and at the same time everything,” I confess. “Is there ever going to be something more than just this,” I sigh.

“Ah, the eternal question of ‘what if,’“ Emanuel jokes, trying to lighten the mood. When he sees that I’m not in a joking mood he adds. “As vampires, I think we’ve all wondered about that at one time or another.”

“Have you ever wanted a different life? One where we aren’t enslaved to the darkness?”

“Of course,” he admits. “A life that isn’t filled with bloodshed and deceit. Where we’re not always looking over our shoulders, waiting for the next threat to our existence.”

“Exactly,” I state, relieved that I’m not the only one who has had these doubts.

“Unfortunately, it’s just a dream,” Emanuel sighs, bringing us back to reality. “This is our world, Salvatore. We are who we are, because of the choice we made. There is no escaping it, no matter how much we want to.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I reply. My heart suddenly heavy with the weight of the truth. There is still a tiny flame of hope that I am holding on to.

“Come on,” Emanuel says, clapping me on the back. “Let’s get out of here.”

As I disappear into the night, the question lingers in my mind: Is there a chance for redemption, even for a monster like me? Or am I destined to remain shackled to the vampire mafia family, forever longing for a life that can never truly be mine?

Only time will tell if my hope for something more will be my salvation or my undoing, but one thing is certain: I refuse to go quietly into the night.

The memory surfaces like a ghost from the depths of my past. I’m standing in the dimly lit living room of my childhood home. My human life slipping away as the vampire who used to be my brother sinks his fangs into my neck. Every fiber in my body burns with pain, but I let him take my life. I have to, it’s the only way that my family will be together again.

“Your won’t regret this brother,” Giovanni whispers in my ear before he drains the final drop of my blood, sealing my fate as a member of the seven.

At the time, I believed him. I thought that immortality and power would be enough to fill the void in my soul. However, as I walk through the dark streets, the metallic taste of blood on my lips. I can’t help but regret my decision. Time hasn’t been kind to me, and over the decades, I have grown tired of the brutality and death that defines my very existence. Every night is the same, an endless horror movie that leaves me feeling hollow and cold inside.

“Is this really all there is?” I wonder aloud, my voice barely a whisper. The silence that follows is deafening, a reminder of the emptiness that consumes me.

There is no denying that there was once an allure of the darkness, and thrill of the hunt. I am one of the most powerful beings that walk the Earth. But it isn’t enough, I crave something more. Something that hasn’t been tainted by my existence. I’m desperate to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. I long for life’s simple pleasures. A meal shared with friends. The gentle touch of a lover’s hand on mine.

I growl, my fury boiling over as I struggle to keep the memories of my human life suppressed. Laughter, and love, flashed through my mind like lightning bolts sparking my rage for a moment before I lock them away, behind the door in my brain where my human life is kept. The air crackles with tension, a hint that something is coming. Maybe, there’s still hope for me, and one day I will be free from my cursed life. The future is uncertain, but I can tell that whatever lies ahead will change everything.