There was a reason why Arya didn't simply find a human to turn to have a companion like she'd been to Marcus before she'd been replace. Most of the humans she'd come across were frail and most of the vampires of this age weren't much better. They thought themselves invincible. It didn't help when she couldn't control them in any way either, because they were too weak to handle the punishment they had deserved when they misbehaved and the last two she had turned herself she'd wound up killing as well. She could barely even stand her husband and that was only because he was quite easy to order around.

"Then you take them," she replied to her brother. Of course, she'd grown fond of Alec, and the girls too, she would just never admit that to anyone. Especially not when the girls couldn't behave themselves for even one day when they were on their own. The sad thing was, they were actually quite smart and oftentimes useful. They just didn't know how to behave themselves in such a manner that she didn't want to rip their hearts out from time to time.

Finding a chair of her own, Arya sat down again, this time just far enough away so that Marcus couldn't reach her without getting up. He would have to make other arrangements for the girls for a while if they were to be kept out of her playroom as right now she was really wishing she could just chain them both up and expose them to some sunlight, just for kicks. Luckily though, she didn't have to do anything else as their witch was brought into the room by a strange vampire. She was obviously not please with him holding her by her arm like he was about to drag her someplace and she glared at Marcus. "What is the meaning of all this?"

Marcus was almost relieved that Antonette finally arrived and sighed slightly. "Gabriel, this is Antonette, the witch who created Alec." Ana knew why she was there the instant Alec was brought up and noticed her surroundings for the first time. The vampire that had dragged her there suddenly let go of her and walked over to slap Gabriel, before the witch watched in amusement as he fell to his knees and begged forgiveness once her hold over him was released.

---
Sorry, I got carried away again.

"Ill take Alec in." He said. He had grown fond of Alec when the teo got together and traveled to find Marcus. He really did think of Alec as a little brother now. It hurt Alecs feelings that Arya seemed to be so annoyed with him and he honestly didnt know what he had done for Arya to hate him all of a sudden.

Gabriel was clearly amused by what Arya had said but said nothing as he coukd sense how hurt the boy was and merely waited for the witch to be brought in. He did narrow his eyes at the vampire who was rough handling the witc. He stood up then and was going to introduced himself when the vampire seemed to he ready to smack him before falling to his knees for forgiveness. He frowned at the vampire before stepping over him and stared at the witch for a moment. "Thats not very nice." He commented in a h

Of course Damien wouldn't want to take back his own fledgeling. Arya just hoped he knew what fate he was leaving the former huntress to and had the wits to not say anything about it. She didn't hate Alec specifically though, she was just so tired of all the drama in her household and couldn't wait to have a moment of peace.

Despite what the two vampires seemed to think after her initial reaction to her situation, Antonette knew how to behave herself. Just to be on the safe side though, she made sure neither of them could move when Gabriel approached her. "Neither is being manhandled like a crate of goods," she replied with a slight chuckle. "So you're the one who wants hybrids... I'll need a volunteer, someone willing to risk a werewolf bite, and the blood of the werewolf that bit him, though the werewolf itself wouldn't be a bad idea either." The witch figured she might as well get straight to business.

"So tell me, Gabriel, what exactly am I buying with my freedom?" She didn't trust either Arya or Marcus at the moment so she didn't bother asking them as they would most likely lie to her again anyway. Arya of all people should know how it felt to be traded for something else, and here the vampiress was brokering a deal doing exactly that. Why else would she be brought in like that and find not only her employers, but Damien and Alec as well.

He just smiled at her response."I do apologize, hell be punished later for treating my guest in such a way." He said and looked over his shoulder at the vampire and glared at him before turning his attention to Carolyn. He only chuckled at what she said next."I can find plenty of people so dont worry about that." He added and could almost feel the sudden jealously in Elixabeth and gave her a look that could kill.

"Actually Im willing to give you alot of freedom, all I ask if that you make hybrids for me when I want and how I want and in return you can have anything you wish." He promised.

He wasnt going to back out of his promise."I could even introduced you to people that could hekp you enhance your powers and abilities." He offered. It was almost clear that their was a big possibility that Carolyn could becone his favorite which was why Elizabeth was fuming.

Ana had to admit that she liked this vampire already. Sure, she'd enjoyed working for Marcus as he'd helped her hone her skills when it came to controlling vampires, but it was nice to know that the vampire would be punished for treating her like that and it almost endeared her to Gabriel. "So basically you want an army of hybrids in the end," she said and was highly amused by the way Elizabeth was glaring at her. The only thing she didn't like about this all so far was that in the end, Gabriel wanted her to risk her own life whenever he wanted a hybrid.

"Then there's something you should know. Hybridism isn't a final solution, at least not the spells I've come across. It would require the spell to be renewed every three or four centuries to give the person back their immortality." She stopped talking though as she could feel both Marcus and Arya fighting her and wanting to move again. Apparently they didn't enjoy her truthfulness. In the end though, she couldn't keep both of them down at the same time and she wound up letting go of them both at the same time.

Arya had to brace herself not to fall once she was able to move again and looked over at Damien, almost begging him to figure out what the witch was up to. He was somehow immune to the necromancer, whilst herself and Marcus struggled to fight her influence once she'd made up her mind. It certainly didn't help her pride when the witch walked over to her and placed her hands on Arya's shoulders.

"I'm intrigued by your offer, but you still didn't answer my question, though I see that it deserves to be rephrased. What will my services to you purchase?" With that she smirked slightly and made the blonde cringe as she took some of her strength, before Arya returned to her statuesque state not being able to speak or move. Regardless of how she might come to enjoy working with Gabriel, she didn't appreciate the way she'd been brought there to be sold and Arya would suffer for that. She should know better than to cross the necromancer by now.

Marcus looked up at Gabriel and flexed his fingers as he was able to move them once more. "So, will she do as payment for your help?" he asked, not liking the idea of meeting the witch again in any near futures if Gabriel kept his word and introduced her to people who could enhance her powers.

It wasnt that he had wanted a army of hybrids, their was a reason why he wanted hybrids and the reason being was that he wanted to study them. He just watched with amusement as she seemed to take Marcus and Aryas ability to move. He only nodded in understandment of what she told him. "I understand but we can talk more about it till after everyone leaves." He said and gave her a smile.

"I want to use the hybrids for study, Ive only seen a few hybrids in my time and they've never seem to be successful." He revealed and smiled.

He looked to Marcus."Of course." He said and smiled now to Carolyn."Make yourself at home, if you need anything ask Elizabeth while i return all of Marcus memories." He said and walked to where Marcus was and mead the other to a room. He ordered Marcus to sit down and once he did, he walked over to the other and placed his hands on either side of Marcus head. Then images and scenes of the vampires past which would answer all his questions.

Ana figured she could appreciate Gabriel's reason for wanting hybrids if all he wanted was to study them. It was better to risk everything for the sake of science than just plain old arrogance and greed and she could live with that. Arya was obviously annoyed with this all as if she'd behaved herself better she might have had a chance to study the hybrids herself and stay with Gabriel. Not that she was able to express any of that at the moment.

When she was told to make herself at home while Marcus was led out of the room, Ana approached Alec and hugged the hybrid. When she pulled away, she smiled at him. "Take good care of yourself, OK? And try not to get in too much trouble." She chuckled slightly as she ruffled his hair gently and stepped back. The witch didn't care for the boy as much as Marcus and Arya did, but she'd grown quite fond of him and his innocent ways. He was her greatest triumph so far in her life, that was for sure.

Marcus gladly followed Gabriel out of the room, even if it meant leaving all of his family behind for a moment because he was too curious about his past for his own good at times. They had all tried to warn him that it might be a bad idea, and the moment he sat down and it was good that he had, because suddenly all the years he'd lost flashed by his eyes and he groaned slightly in pain as things made their way back where they belonged in chronological order.

~*~
The four of them had just moved to Athens when things started going south. There was a stranger in the night, telling them they had to keep a low profile and his maker forced them all to attract a lot of attention by their lavish ways and never coming out until far past supper time. Sure, they had daylight rings and they used them, they just never got in until sunrise and they still didn't go to sleep for another few hours, so it was the only time they could sleep. When Adriana wouldn't listen to the stranger's advice, Marcus tried to keep his distance from her as he didn't want to be dragged into whatever scheme was heading their way. He was still so young, he had more important things to do than kill people for fun. He had learned to control it a long time ago, but he was still forced to kill his meals or she would do it for him.

They came in the middle of the night while the four vampires were out in their garden. Marcus had just gone inside to get some more wine when they were attacked by a variety of supernaturals. He tried to run out to save his sister, but was stopped and held back, forced to watch as another vampire ripped her heart right out of her chest. He cried out for her and struggled to get back to her, but had his neck broken and blacked out the rest of the events of the evening. It wasn't until he woke up again in some strange place that he recognized the man who'd probably saved his life by keeping him away from the fighting. It was Adriana's older brother.

~*~

When Marcus looked up at Gabriel again after his little flashback, his eyes were filled with a trust that hadn't been there before, and a great love for the man. "I wish you hadn't listened to them and just given me an explanation. I traveled for so long as you left, always yearning to go places with such a passion I thought I might actually get hurt if I didn't, without understanding why. I saw you once, but you probably remember that, as I didn't recognize you at all. I loved you..." Getting up from the chair, Marcus got up and placed a gentle kiss on Gabriel's cheek. "Thank you for saving my life, and for letting me remember just how much I have to be grateful to you for. Take good care of the witch, she is a dear friend of mine."

Where before there had been animosity, there now was respect. Marcus really couldn't resent the man, regardless of how he was ashamed to admit that he'd been his pet, not when he considered all the things he'd learned because of Gabriel. He just hadn't known that's where he'd learned them.

Gabriel clearly renembered what had happened to his sister was if it was yesterday. He warned her that she needed to keep a low profile, but his sister thought that she was above listenibg and the ordered killed her and Mar us siblibgs. Gabriel didnt try to stop the order, but he did rush their to at least to try and save her younglings but they were murdered and Marcus would have been to if Gabriel hadnt broken his neck and talked with the order and said he would taje his memories away if he kept Marcus and Marcus remained alived.

Marcus was his pet, but he had growned to care deeply for the man and took his memories away, even the ones that invovled him. He figured that Marcus could survive and be happy on his own. Once he had returned all of his memories to Marcus, he was surprised at the look in the others eyes. "I will dont worry about her." He said.

Marcus could never really repay Gabriel for saving his life that fateful night, serving as the man's pet was only a small price to pay. Especially since he'd gone from being basically a slave to at least have more of a say in things, though he'd never been defiant like Damien. If it hadn't been for Gabriel, he never would have had the control he had, or known how to really punish someone when they'd been bad. Looking up at Gabriel, he smiled slightly.

Prior to getting his memories back, Marcus had feared going to find a man capable of erasing himself so completely from his mind. However, after learning why Gabriel had done what he did to begin with, he wasn't afraid anymore and he knew that the other would honor their agreed upon price. Marcus never would have been so honorable if he hadn't learned from the best. "She'll learn more here than she ever could with me anyway."

Chuckling slightly, he remembered how gentle Gabriel could be if everything was fine and how absolutely horrifying he'd be when something had gone terribly wrong. "I just hope you find the answers you're looking for. Alec is really like a son to me, I'd hate to force him to stay somewhere he doesn't want to be," he offered as an explanation as to why he'd rather part with a witch than one of his fledgelings. Ana was just a friend, Alec was family.

Gabriel listened as Marcus gave a explanation to why he did a trade and could understand. "I advise you to watch out and keep a close eye on the boy, his very special." He commented and ran a hand through his hair. The order probably wasn't going to be happy with him for giving Marcus memories back, but they were leaving for colder climates. He now stood up and walked over to where Marcus was standing and gave the man a hug before showing the other back to the living room where everyone was waiting.

Damien ran over to Marcus, looking the man over to make sure he was okay but knew that the man he loved was probably furious with him and Alec. Alec stood where he was, Arya words still cut deep. "I'm sorry that we came.....I got so worried it was driving me crazy...." Damien. Said.

Marcus merely nodded to what was being said about Alec. He would keep the boy as safe as possible. With what Ana had told him after the event with the Order, they had a way to truly hide his true nature permanently so others wouldn't know what he was. He'd hate to have to involve himself with them, but he figured he could always just get Alice to get him the help he needed since she owed him a few favors still.

Once they returned to where everyone was waiting, Marcus pulled Damien close when he was at his side. "I never should have told you how off course we went to begin with, I'm just glad you're safe," he replied and though he released Damien from his embrace, he still kept and arm wrapped around his waist to keep his lover close. He would just take his frustration with Damien and Alec out on Arya as she had a good deal of pain coming her way anyway for how she'd treated Alec.

When Gabriel returned, the witch finally released her hold over Arya and the blonde was able to move again, however sluggishly, though it seemed she chose not to say anything or get up from the chair really. Instead she was just slowly flexing her fingers, trying to get control over her movements again. Ana on the other hand wasn't really mad at anyone anymore, not once she'd learned that she wouldn't really be a prisoner at all. "Don't worry too much about what Arya said, you're dear to us all. I'll certainly miss you, and if she treats you too badly, you can always just call and I'll bury her in a box for a few years," she told Alec with a mischievous smile and ruffled his hair. It wasn't a joke though, she really would make the blonde utterly incapable of moving and bury her somewhere if she mistreated Alec. After all, she felt responsible for the boy after she'd helped save him.

Damien knew that coming here was risky and probably make the other MaD, but he couldn't just let the man he love just leave MD their was a high possibility that he would get injured or kill. He gave a soft sigh and really just wanted to leave right now and head to their safe haven of Bitter Springs. Alec looked up at Ana with surprised eyes at her threat but gave him a smile a small smile. He joined Marcus and Damien at their side.

"Can we go home now?" Alec asked

Damien knew him well enough to know that he was mad that they had put themselves in danger like that, but he should also know that he wouldn't hurt the pair of them. When Alec joined them, Marcus wrapped his other arm around the hybrid, keeping them both close. He knew they were safe now, so he couldn't be too mad, not really. "If you don't mind, Gabriel, I'll leave Arya in your care for a few hours. I'm afraid she might not make it home in one piece if she doesn't find another way home," he said with a chuckle. The blonde could take care of herself and he needed to distance himself a bit from her actions earlier in order to keep himself from truly taking things too far.

"Assuming of course that we're free to go," he said and studied Gabriel for a moment. Somehow he had a feeling that they would be allowed to leave now that they both had what they wanted, but one could never be too sure. The last thing he would want was to insult Gabriel after he had give back the lost centuries of his life like that.

Arya didn't say anything when she was more or less ordered to find another way home like that, she figured Marcus would be mad at her for the way she'd talked to Alec earlier as well as they way she'd used her gifts to keep him quiet. She'd just never figured he'd more or less throw her out of her own home like that. Not that it mattered, she might not even go home for a while as she was really bored with the small town and the way Marcus only had time for her when he was upset.

Gabriel sat down in his chair and watched how Marcus was towards both his lover and the hybrid that he had thought of as a son. He never really thought Marcus would be so caring towards others the way he was towards the two. He cocked an eyebrow at what Marcus had said about leaving Arya there.with him and it amused him some with how mad his former pet seem to be at the blonde."I don't mind, add long as she doesn't cause trouble." He said.

"Your free to go, we have to start prepare for leaving." He added. Elizabeth was preparing for them leaving and Gabriel saw them to the door. He wished them a safe trip home and finally Alec had breathed a sigh of relief. They all headed to the airport. The trip home was full of chatter and happiness. One they landed, Damien invited Marcus over to his home and Alec practically ran to the grave yard to be with a certain dragon.

"She'll behave, and if she doesn't, Ana can always just make her behave," he replied with a slight smirk at the statement about Arya. Marcus knew that Arya knew both what would be in store for her if she didn't listen and stay behind and what would be waiting for her when she returned to Bitter Springs. He'd had it with the way she'd been acting lately and he also needed to hurt someone after the way Damien and Alec both had acted without regards to their own safety.

It didn't take much for Marcus to accept Damien's invitation to go to his place. He knew he should really stop by Arya's place and check on the girls, but he couldn't be bothered just now as he wanted to just be with Damien. He'd gotten the answers he needed, and he'd learned both why he'd really picked both his fledgelings and why he'd developed a soft spot towards Alec and Gale. The newborns had reminded him of the siblings he'd once had, and it seemed he'd subconsciously tried to find a way to remember them by.

Arya did as she was told and even helped Elizabeth with the packing where she needed help. If Marcus truly was so angry with her he had to leave her behind for her own safety, she wasn't sure she wanted to return to Bitter Springs any time soon. The town was her home, she'd helped build it, and here he was practically driving her out of her town. No, it he didn't change by the time she got home, she'd try to get the council to banish Marcus from town so she could stay without worrying about her own safety.

Ana on the other hand wasn't helping at all, she was watching the others work and kept a close eye on Arya. She had to make sure she didn't step out of line and caused trouble.