Disclaimer: Twilight doesn't belong to me.
This is my first fanfic, so please be kind.
Swathed in thick, dark grey robes that fanned out in a pool where he knelt, the vampire cowered under the concentrated blast of Caius's fury.
"Incompetent fool!" he spat, venom-spittle flying from his mouth. "Not only did you fail in your mission, you have also allowed Jasper Whitlock to betray you and escape."
"And now you tell us," he swooped forward and wrenched up the guard's head by his hair, "that you can't find him. Tracker, forsooth!"
"I'm sorry, Master," Demetri whimpered brokenly. "I tried, but he.."
Caius snarled, lifting a bony hand to strike.
The force of the Ancient's blow smashed the snivelling immortal's face to the marble floor. Jagged cracks radiated from the point of contact, like an avant-garde artist's depiction of a spider web.
I peered into the room, through a tiny chink between the brick and plaster of the wall, getting a lovely front view of Caius's histrionics.
Well, though Jane and Felix seemed to be getting a kick out of the entertainment that Caius so readily dished out, Aro definitely looked pained at his partner's antics. His own methods of extracting information were far more subtle. And absolutely more effective.
As I watched, Aro shook his head infinitesimally and descended the three steps of the dais, leaving Marcus—who as always, was a study in eternal ennui—seated in one of the three ornately carved ebony thrones as he drifted towards his "brother".
"You are being wasteful of time and energy—not to mention valuable marble," chided Aro in his gentle, mellifluous voice. "Let me try." His saintly, patient tones were a stark contrast to Caius's furious growls.
As Felix hauled Demetri to his feet, my fists clenched reflexively into balls. Jasper, I hope for your sake that you know what you are doing. What you have done.
To my great frustration, Aro turned around as he faced Demetri. Now all I could see was Demetri's fright-filled visage and Aro's black, silk-robed back.
As I watched, Aro's back stiffened. This, and the length of time he held onto Demetri's hand, told me everything I needed to know, everything that I was missing out on.
As if somehow sensing my thoughts, Aro abruptly dropped Demetri's hand, and in one fluid movement, backhanded him into a marble column which nearly snapped into two. He curled into a ball, whimpering.
Felix, Jane, and Caius gaped at Aro, beyond shocked at his behaviour. Though I hadn't been around for that long, I was willing to bet all my worldly goods on them having never witnessed Aro losing his control so spectacularly.
"You are quite warranted in your anger, brother," Aro's tones were cold and clipped; tightly controlled, I'm sure, to prevent himself from screaming. "Jasper has outwitted us all." He turned, and I glimpsed his lips twist. "He—or someone we know nothing of—has completely wiped out all traces of their mission from Demetri's mind, and thus everything that may or may not have transpired. Never mind tracking—stringing simple words in a sentence may prove far too taxing for him." He gestured contemptuously in Demetri's general direction.
What?
The listener's faces jaws dropped to such an extent that they were danger of hitting the floor. Someone had actually managed to get the better of Aro's nearly omniscient gift? Today was a day of firsts for the Volturi clan.
"Where is Rosalie?" demanded Caius, trying to take control of events, since Aro was still fuming. Funny, he wasn't so bent out of shape the last time his powers were thwarted—
"She's with Heidi, Master," Felix answered. They'll be back soon, from fishing." He imbued the last word with a darkly macabre twist, teeth flashing in anticipation."
"Where's Bella?"
At the mention of my name, I turned and ran, as fast as I could while being absolutely quiet. I wasn't going to stick around for Felix to find me kneeling on the floor outside the very room he just left.
As I ran, I prayed. I prayed for me to reach my room before Felix, and for Rosalie to stay calm in the face of both Aro's and Caius's wrath.
I had a feeling I would be saying many more prayers before this was over.
Thank you for reading! Any feedback—positive or negative—will be greatly appreciated.