Didyme sighed contentedly and snuggled more closely into Marcus' arms. "I'll go anywhere you want to go, my darling…" Her hand grazed his cheek and she gazed earnestly into his eyes before kissing him softly and then more deeply.

Marcus nuzzled her neck, reveling in her vivacity, her love, and the happiness she made him feel. "I don't know where I want to go," he laughed. "I just know I have to get away from here. Aro and Caius are full of nothing but war and plans for further conquest. They won't be satisfied until the Volturi have control over the entire world."

His mate laughed up at him. "And is it such a bad thing to own the world?"

Marcus looked into her eyes and, for once, was totally serious in his reply. "I love you, Didyme! Ever since I met you, all I have wanted to do is spend every second of forever with you. I don't care about the rest of the world. I don't care who is in charge of it. There is no reason why it should be me."

Didyme sobered. "Caius won't care, but Aro won't be content just to let us walk away from Volterra."

Marcus shrugged with the careless disregard of the young. "What can he do, after all? Have the Guard arrest us? How would that further his plans?" He shook his head. "No… I will tell him tomorrow about our planned departure. And then we shall leave with his good will. But now…" He grasped one of her auburn curls and twirled it around his finger as he smiled into her burgundy eyes. Didyme accepted his implicit invitation to move closer into his arms and no more was said about their future.

The next day, Marcus waited until Caius was spending time with his mate before he brought up the subject of the impending departure. "Aro, I've – we've – been thinking, Didyme and I, that we will be leaving Volterra… at least for a while."

Aro was careful to keep the rage he felt out of his voice. He sounded quiet and reasonable as he inquired curiously, "But why would you want to do that, my dear brother? What would you do if you left here?"

Marcus laughed easily. "Oh, we haven't really planned that far. Wander like any other nomad couple, I suppose… see more of the world. Mostly just be together." He beamed happily at his brother-in-law. "She's such a darling! All I want is to spend time with her. Nothing else matters to me."

Aro turned his back to him, regaining control over his emotions as he fidgeted briefly with selecting some jewelry to wear. "Yes, Didyme was always special; that's why I made her immortal." A fact he was beginning to regret. A thought occurred to him and he turned back to Marcus. "But, as you are both immortal, why be in a hurry to leave Volterra? As you know, we are in the middle of an important campaign and your input is invaluable. I don't know that we could spare you at this time."

Marcus shifted uneasily. "She said you wouldn't want us to go."

"And why should you, after all? It isn't as though you are just any couple. You are Volturi! Can't you see the difference between yourselves and others of our kind?" Aro knew his impatience was showing but he was past caring.

"There is no difference to anyone except you and Caius! I don't feel different and I have no desire to be! All I care about being is her mate… and we leave tomorrow!" Marcus turned and left the room.

He hurried into the rooms he shared with Didyme. She approached him with her hands extended and he took them in his.

"You were right!" he informed her. "Aro refused to understand. I told him we depart Voltura tomorrow."

His mate clung to him. "You don't know him like I do! Let's leave now. Immediately!"

Marcus caught her urgency, holding her close for a moment. Then he nodded. "Get anything you want to take. Then we will go."

Didyme nodded and ran from the room, her thoughts on what she would take. She did not notice the form behind her tapestry until it was too late.

A large hand covered her mouth and the large vampire who restrained her jumped off her balcony with her. Then he carried her into Volterra by a different door and headed for the lower levels of the castle. Didyme couldn't scream but she found that nothing she could do had any effect on her giant captor. Finally he stopped and set her down in front of her brother.

Aro paced in front of his sister, every few seconds casting a fulminating glance her way. He finally stopped in front of her. "Do you not recall my telling you, just before I introduced you to him, that Marcus was very important to me?"

Didyme's chin went up. "I do. That was when he was just your friend. It has nothing to do with him being my mate."

"If you think that I shall allow the two of you to walk out of here, you quite mistake the matter." Aro responded decisively.

"We are not tied to you – only to each other!" She declared passionately. "You cannot keep us here just to wage your wars!"

Aro had reluctantly reached a decision. "Will you tell him you have changed your mind and would rather stay or not?"

"No! It's not as though you actually need us!" Didyme insisted."Caius won't even care that we are gone…."

"Our esteemed Caius does not know everything," Aro said deliberately. "And you are only half right. I must have Marcus and his talent but, if I must, I can do without you."

He grasped her head and wrenched it from her body. Then he set her body on fire. When the flames expired, he examined the head thoroughly to be sure that she was gone.

Turning to the huge vampire who stood silently near the door, he said, "Leave this where you found her and make sure no one sees you."

"Yes, Master," the giant agreed.

"And, Felix, don't think that I will ever forget your assistance to me this day. It is difficult to execute a traitor who is a member of one's family. Even though you have no exceptional talent, I shall consider your size and willingness to be of service to be essential. You will always be a permanent member of the Guard."

Felix bowed, pleased, carefully cradling Didyme's head. "Thank you, Master."

"Oh… and Felix… Marcus must never know what happened to her. It would not do for him to discover that you took her."

The implied threat was not missed. A knowing look passed between the two vampires.

"No, Master."

Aro left the chamber and Felix followed with his grisly burden.

Marcus was puzzled by Didyme's delayed return. When he did not find her in their rooms, he went to look for her. He found her head on his return, fell to his knees and cradled it tenderly, sobbing without tears. When he regained his feet, the carefree boy Didyme had loved was gone, leaving only a trace of Marcus behind.

Aro was shocked by the change in him when Marcus finally sought him out, carrying her only remains. He hoped his talent for seeing relationships would not be affected.

"Whoever perpetrated this outrage must be found, Aro," Marcus stated with the last passion he would ever show. "This hideous crime is against us both!"

"Indeed it is!" Aro agreed. "I will never stop looking for the murderer of my beloved sister."

~End~