Coven

Chapter One - (The Past)

The House

Things were fine when you first joined the coven. 

In fact, you're pretty sure that everything was fairly normal at first. Actually, it was better than normal. The family was nice, a bit odd in some ways, but well-respected and considered kind amongst the populace. Most of them held highly coveted positions in the outside world and inside your community they spent their resources finding ways to persevere your dying race. Humans and vampires held them in high regards, often speaking their praises like gospel whenever the opportunity struck. You're pretty sure everyone you'd ever talked to acted like they were God's gift to Earth, and from the outside it really did look that way. 

Unlike many of the covens you'd seen, no one they harbored was an out of control, raging vampire that couldn't manage their own bloodlust. Everyone was old enough to handle a drought and the younger of the group always took priority just to avoid accidents. It was also made clear that the family prided themselves on being responsible for holding one another accountable for any action taken. Their friendships were strong, but they respected the law above all else. On top of the group's morals, the six lived within their means and managed to keep close ties outside their self-made family. They always had a plan-B. Money to fall back on, people to protect them when needed, and a great internal household; things most covens spend thousands of years working towards. 

All around they seemed put together. The truest sense of the phrase blood brothers. 

 Of course, despite how perfect they seemed, you didn't trust them completely. It would have been foolish to do so after hearing the stories of those who joined covens based on outside appearance alone. Often if one was not careful, the popular would use the excitement of a joining to hide their true intentions. It wasn't uncommon, really. People would rush the bonding process due to a unit's notoriety. They'd trust them before they ever even knew them, allowing ample opportunity for them to be forced into being feeds or killed for the group's amusement.

Such a mess was something you wanted to avoid, which is why you had always been wary of these groupings. No matter their status in society to you they were all the same; wolves in sheep's clothing. Men and women who couldn't care less about anyone but themselves. Despite the praises in their name, The Perez household fell under the same scrutiny as everyone else. You didn't trust them at all. 

No, you didn't trust them, but you whole-heartedly trusted the woman who turned you. 

Megan was like a sister to you, a guardian in the vampire world. She had been the one to recommend the reclusive group after you'd begun to tire of the nomad life, stating she'd known their appointed leader for years and was positive the two of you would get along. You realize now it was a mistake, but you trusted her judgement. She was thousands of years older than you, and your growing mind believed no one her age could be dumb enough to make the same mistakes as fledglings. 

Still, even with her everlasting adoration it took a good year of convincing before you even considered meeting the notorious Adam Perez. Megan had gushed about him for so long, consistently bringing him up everyday without fail. She'd mentioned his caliber. How he was a born vampire hailing from Rome in the days when the empire ruled the western world and that he'd been influential in politics for hundreds of years.  She never mentioned how he'd swayed political parties, but you tried not to step on her toes by asking. Adam seemed to be closer to a brother than a friend, and you couldn't imagine what would happen if you managed to accidentally insult his name. 

You don't really remember much of the day Megan introduced you and Adam. Well, not enough at least. It had been raining, threats of harsh weather blaring over the radio as you woke up early to get ready. There had been some sort of warning, a threat of disaster somewhere, but it is lost to you now. It wasn't much to worry about; nothing of extreme urgency that would require you to take extra measures. Just ramblings of an early morning newscaster and the occasional annoying ad break. Things you never really paid attention to, often too caught up in your own head to offer the shrill voices an ounce of your time.