THE WASHINGTON FAMILY

THE BETRAYAL

He eventually arrived at a large mansion in London. Music could be heard from inside. Bright lights filled the garden. Hundreds of guests had gathered for a birthday celebration. It was the birthday of Natasha, the daughter of the British Prime Minister. Natasha was light-skinned, with long hair and bright eyes. She had known Nicole for some time, and despite everything he had told her about his family, she had never truly believed him. Nicole had told her about Damon. He had told her about Nathan. He had even told her about Lazarus. He had warned her that his family was not normal. But Natasha always thought Nicole was telling stories. When Nicole entered the party, Natasha immediately saw him. She smiled and walked toward him. "Nicole!" Nicole smiled. "Happy birthday." Natasha hugged him. "I thought you weren't coming." "I wouldn't miss it." Natasha looked at him carefully. "You look different." Nicole smiled. "It's been a strange day." "You always say that." She laughed. "Come on. I want you to meet some of my friends." Nicole followed her into the party. For a while, everything seemed normal. People laughed. Music played. Natasha's friends danced around them. But Nicole couldn't stop thinking about Damon and Nathan. He knew his brothers were awake. He knew they would eventually discover everything about his life. And Natasha was the one person he couldn't allow them to find. Later that night, the party began to come to an end. Most of the guests had already left. Natasha walked outside with Nicole. The garden was quiet. The moon reflected its light across the swimming pool. Natasha looked at him. "You've been acting strange tonight." Nicole looked away. "I have a lot on my mind." "Is it your family?" Nicole remained silent. Natasha stepped closer. "You told me your family was dangerous." "They are." "And you said your brothers were monsters." Nicole looked at her. "I wasn't joking." Natasha smiled softly. "I still don't believe you." She moved closer and tried to kiss him. Nicole immediately stepped backward. Natasha looked confused. "Why did you move away?" Nicole's expression became serious. "Because I can't." "Why?" Nicole looked toward the dark forest beyond the mansion. "Because if my brothers discover you..." He stopped. "What?" "They will use you to get to me." Natasha slowly understood that he wasn't joking. "Are you afraid of them?" Nicole looked at her. "I'm afraid of what they will do to you." Natasha reached for his hand. "Then don't leave me." Nicole squeezed her hand. "I have to." "Will I see you again?" Nicole looked at her for a long moment. "I promise." He kissed her forehead and walked away. Natasha watched him disappear into the darkness. She had no idea that someone else had been watching from the shadows. Damon. He had followed Nicole from the mansion. He had watched everything. He had heard every word. And he had seen Natasha. Damon smiled. "So this is what you've been hiding." Nicole disappeared into the distance. Damon stepped out of the darkness. Natasha turned around. She saw Nicole standing there. Or at least, she thought it was Nicole. The brothers looked identical. Natasha smiled. "You came back." Damon smiled. "I couldn't stay away." Natasha walked toward him. "I thought you said you had to leave." "I changed my mind." Natasha looked at him carefully. Something felt slightly different, but she couldn't understand why. "Are you okay?" Damon smiled. "I'm better now." Natasha moved closer. Damon didn't step away. He allowed her to believe that he was Nicole. They kissed. Natasha wrapped her arms around him, believing she was finally reunited with the man she loved. Damon continued the deception. "You missed me." Natasha smiled. "More than you know." Damon began kissing her deeply, then moved to kissing her neck ddeply .The two remained together that night. Natasha never realized that the man beside her was not Nicole. He was Damon.

The next morning, Damon left before she woke. He returned to the mansion with a smile on his face. Nicole arrived shortly afterward, completely unaware of what Damon had done. Damon looked at him from across the room. "You really should be more careful about the people you love." Nicole stopped. "What did you say?" Damon smiled. "Nothing." Nicole stared at him suspiciously. "Damon..." Damon walked past him. "You have no idea what your family is capable of." Nicole watched him disappear. Something about Damon felt different. Then Nicole's phone began ringing. It was Natasha. Nicole answered immediately. "Natasha?" There was silence on the other end. Then her voice came through. "Nicole..." "What's wrong?" Natasha hesitated. "Nothing." "Are you sure?" "Yes." She paused. "I just wanted to hear your voice." Nicole smiled. "I'll see you soon." "I love you." Nicole froze. He looked toward Damon, who was standing at the other end of the mansion. "I love you too." He ended the call. Damon smiled. Nicole stared at him. He suddenly realized something. Damon had been following him. And if Damon had discovered Natasha, then she was already in danger. Nicole's face became pale. "What did you do?" Damon slowly turned around. "I think you already know." Nicole's eyes darkened. "Stay away from her." Damon laughed. "You should have listened to me when I warned you." "She's not part of this." "Now she is." Nicole stepped forward. "If you touch her again, I'll kill you." Damon smiled. "You tried that once." The two brothers stared at each other. Damon clenched his fists. He had always believed that protecting his family justified everything he did. In his mind, Natasha was not simply a woman Nicole loved. She was a weakness that could eventually be used against the entire family. But Damon had another reason for what he had done. He wanted Nicole to understand that nobody could hide anything from him and wanted to punish Nicole for sealing him for a century. He was the eldest, and he believed his brothers should respect him. "I'm the firstborn, Nicole." "That doesn't mean anything to me." Nicole replied calmly. Damon's eyes narrowed. "It should." "It doesn't." Damon stepped closer. "One day, you'll understand why I do what I do." Nicole stared at him. "No, Damon. One day, you'll realize that protecting your family and destroying it are two different things."

Neither brother noticed the strange shadow moving beneath the mansion. Deep underground, Rose was awake. She could hear everything. "So much anger..." She slowly stood from the stone coffin. The chains around her body fell to the floor. "So much hatred..." Rose walked toward the ancient door. She placed her hand against it. The door opened by itself. Rose walked out of the chamber and into the mansion. She moved silently through the corridors. None of the brothers noticed her. She passed Damon. She passed Nathan. She passed Nicole. Not one of them realized that the woman who had been sealed beneath their home for centuries was now walking among them. Rose opened the front door and stepped outside. The trees bent toward her as she walked through the forest. Leaves rose from the ground and followed her like a living shadow. She disappeared into the darkness without the brothers ever realizing that she had left. The Washington brothers remained inside the mansion, arguing about Natasha, unaware that the woman who knew the truth about their birth was already free and was seeking their destruction. And somewhere deep in the forest, Rose smiled. "They still don't know." She looked toward the moon. "They don't know what they are." Her eyes glowed. "And they certainly don't know what they will become."