Lei é il mio vino.
I moved forward, and the frantic intensity of Edward's thoughts only heightened the excitement. It was unlike anything else—the suspense of the hunt; the scream of terror from the victim that heralded the vampire's thirst and made the venom swirl inside his mouth. I had consumed countless mortals since the birth of this new life, and yet I never tired of the delicious thrill that awaited me each time I smelled that familiar scent… each time I tasted an enchanting, new flavor.
This girl was no exception.
I sucked in the air indulgently. How could any immortal resist? She was practically there for the taking. I shattered every barrier I'd formed to keep Edward from my thoughts. I wanted him to hear. I wanted to laugh when the horror was unmasked in his young, stubborn eyes.
I did laugh.
Caius met my eyes across the room, and a smile broke the childish petulance of his face. How amusing it all was! To have set up such ridiculous preliminaries; making the fools believe I would let such a treasure slip from my grasp. And then…
My lips curled back from my teeth. Then to break the promise in exchange for that blushing face painted so irresistibly with blood… Ah, but it was damnably funny!
I sighed. "This is a sadness," I said, continuing my charade. Edward looked at me with daggers in his eyes. I smiled at him. "If only it be your intention to give her immortality…"
His teeth gnashed together, and I regretted for the millionth time not being able to sense thoughts from a distance. I would have liked to savor the rage pouring from every cell in his body…
"Well!" I clapped my hands together. "There's only one thing left to do, I suppose."
"Hurry up, then, Aro," Caius snapped. "We're all starving."
Poor, impatient Caius. It was a good thing he didn't know I'd told Heidi to postpone her entrance on purpose. Besides, I was doing Isabella a favor. She was too young and sweet to gaze upon such horrors. Things could get a little…messy…in the throne room during dining hours.
I smiled at my own kindness. At least she would die painlessly…
Dio nel cielo, è bella…
I could not contain myself any longer. The heat was scorching my body, choking my dead heart until I felt it would beat again. It was astounding; the stimulating effect this insignificant girl had on an immortal like me. How she was calling to me with her blood. How utterly irresistible—
A cry of pain broke my thoughts, and I looked down to see the girl in my stony arms. They were locked around her, my body acting for me as I puzzled out the dilemma.
Che cosa sono io che aspetto? What was I waiting for?
Edward's snarls were giving me a headache. I longed to snap his neck—just a quick, easy gesture—and silence him so I could have Isabella all to myself…
I'm sorry, my dear Edward, but I haven't your control. You should have been more careful…
I looked back at Isabella's porcelain face. Her eyes were like two round moons, petrified with fear. Her arms were blue and purple where I'd touched her. Stone against fragility.
I was a vampire, and I was going to hell.
A laugh ripped from my throat. Who cares?!
My teeth sank viciously into her neck; ripping…tearing…sucking. Edward's scream, along with Bella's, became nothing more than a memory as I drank.
She was wine to my aching body. She was light in the winter of the undead. Her naked throat hung limply over my arms, and I echoed each moan as I heard it. I could hear Felix's grunt of discontent as I drained the last of the precious liquid.
"Ahhh…" I sighed heavily. I let my arms fall, and the girl's broken body sank to the floor, white and lifeless. The trickle of blood staining my lips felt so warm and pleasant. I ran my tongue across them smoothly, turning to look at Edward with a mockery I'm sure he perceived.
His face was contorted with pain and rage. "You lied!" he screamed. "You lied to me, Aro! You made a promise you would let us go in peace!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Promise?" Turning to Jane and Alec, I held my hands out for explication. "Have I made him any promise, my dears?"
"No, master," they chimed together.
I looked at the rest of the guard. "Have I in any way broken the law set down by the Volturi?"
"No, master."
I turned around. "You see, Edward? The only one to blame here is you."
"Me?!" he burst out, enraged.
"Yes," I said softly. "After all, wasn't it you who left Isabella in the first place, abandoning her for your own selfish reasons? And wasn't it you who, instead of checking on her yourself, decided to trust a priggish sister who made no secret of her dislike for either of you?"
Edward stared at me, and for once the hatred was gone from his eyes. His face was pale with horror.
"But that's not all," I said harshly. "In coming to us, my friend,you dragged Isabella into it, sealing the inevitability of her death."
Edward's face crumpled. He moaned, his body slumping in Felix's arms. I looked at Alice. She was silent, staring at the body on the floor with a blank expression.
I gestured to Demetri, and his hands slid off her marble throat. She stood there, unmoving, and watched me. I said nothing, but I could imagine what she saw.
"Will he be free to go?" she asked suddenly. Her voice was hard and clear as glass.
I smiled. "Of course, dear Alice," I said tenderly.
"And the rest of my family will be unharmed?"
"They will be left alone, I promise."
She didn't question my word. The future was laid out before her. "Then I have only two requests before I join you."
Edward's head snapped up; the first sign of life since I'd spoken to him.
My teeth flashed. "Whatever you want, dear one. It is yours."
"Alice!" Edward pleaded, but she held up a tiny hand, looking straight at me.
"You must allow me to hunt the way I always have. I will brook no refusal."
I agreed, if a little unwillingly. She would have looked beautiful with red eyes…
"What else, my love?"
She looked down. I saw her lips tremble. "Let me give Bella a… a decent burial."
"Certainly!"
The room was silent as we watched her decide. She looked up, amber eyes subdued, and nodded briefly. My dead heart rejoiced. I looked back at Caius, and we barely disguised our triumph. It had all been so easy…
That night was wonderful. I felt so exhilarated. Caius came to my room, and smiled wickedly when he saw me.
"You could have saved some for us," he jeered, gripping my shoulder.
"Ah, but you would only have done the same, dear brother."
He laughed with me, and his vivid eyes sparkled. "For a moment there, Aro, I thought you were going soft in your old age."
"You're older than I am, Caius. You wouldn't have had the strength to drink all her blood."
He snorted. We always mocked each other in this fashion. It was a ludicrous idea—vampires growing old. My brothers and I had already lived far beyond what most vampires could boast of. Edward wasn't the only one to request death of the Volturi. I'd seen them before; immortals who had lived vibrantly in their prime, but after the first thousand years were barely crawling through the centuries. I'd compassionately destroyed them all, seeing no prospective talents.
But Edward and his sister? Only a fool would destroy such priceless jewels. I already coveted Alice's brilliant, little mind, and the efficient way she had of coming to a quick decision. Her chemistry with Edward only increased my longing. I had to have them. And have them I would.
Lei é il mio vino - she is my wine
Dio nel cielo, è bella - God in heaven, she is beautiful
Che cosa sono io che aspetto? - What was I waiting for?