Name of OS: The Beginning of The End
"Entry for The Softer Side of Villainy Contest"
(check my profile for the link to the info page)
Summary: After the near-fight with the Cullens, Aro desperately tries to make sure the Volturi name stays untarnished. His methods are erratic and his actions rash as he tries to save face. In the end, it's his wife that comes to his aid.
Pairing: Aro/Sulpicia
Word Count: 2939
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters. No copyright infringement intended.
AN: This is written as a prelude to Fallen Princess and Absolution. Want to read more after this? Look for both on my profile. Special thanks to my awesome beta Jkane180 for making this look good and for pointing me towards this contest in the first place. Also, thanks to my army of pre-readers: Leanne Golightly (who also made the awesome banner), Megsly, WolfGirlAtHeart and Wordslinger. Love you, ladies!
"I never told anyone. I won't tell anyone; I promise. Please don't do this! No!"
The agonized screams of the vampire were quickly drowned by the noise of his body being torn apart. With great satisfaction, Aro raised the nomad's head and looked into the now unseeing eyes.
"Demetri, light the fire, please," he ordered the tracker.
Within seconds, an orange blaze lit the forest around him. His ever-loyal Guardsmen were quick to dispose of the torso and separated limbs that had once made up the nomad. Aro glanced at the shocked expression on the vampire's face one last time before he violently threw it into the fire, where it quickly burst into flame and incinerated before his eyes. The fulfilment he'd felt upon capturing, torturing and eventually killing the traitorous bastard was already rapidly fading. His anger returned as he faced his Guard.
"Where are the others you promised me? There were supposed to be more!" He addressed no one in particular; instead, he just looked around furiously, making most of the men and women cower in fear. The Guard had diminished greatly ever since the confrontation with the Cullens. Outwardly, he'd gracefully admitted defeat, leading the Cullens and their many friends to believe they'd won. Inwardly, he was seething, unable to properly deal with having been outsmarted. Aro wanted their power; specifically, Bella's. Her shield had incapacitated his entire Guard. The mere thought was enough to infuriate him once more, and he rushed towards the nearest vampire, grabbing the female by the throat.
"You incompetent fools! Do you have any idea what this will do to the Volturi's reputation if word gets out?"
Chelsea's eyes bulged wide in fear as the master she'd served for so many centuries squeezed his hand even tighter around her neck. She could feel her skin start to crack where his fingers pushed into her flesh. She knew what was coming; she'd seen it so many times over the last few months. She said a silent prayer in her mind, hoping it would be quick, and then everything went dark.
Aro looked down at Chelsea's remains, not even feeling the slightest bit of remorse. Her power had been useless anyway. What good was it to be able to toy with relationships when you were going up against a mind-reader, fortune-teller, empath, and that goddamned shield?
"I suggest you try harder next time, if you don't want this to be you," he spoke, looking at all of his minions in turn. "Santiago, get rid of it."
He stepped over the body, his shoulders straight and his nose haughtily in the air. Behind him, a frightened Santiago did as he was told. As he watched Chelsea burn, a sadness settled in his heart. He'd lost so many companions lately because of Aro's rage, but Chelsea held a special place. Her mate Afton had already fallen victim to Aro a few weeks before, and she'd not been the same since. Santiago had always been close to them, having not yet found a mate himself. Now he'd lost both of his friends, and an intense loneliness settled in his heart.
Caius smiled, rubbing his hands in glee as he followed his brother. He'd been most angry at the Volturi's failure to deal with the Cullens and had wanted to kill them regardless. When the shield had deflected Jane and Alec's power, it had been Caius who wanted immediate revenge. He'd suggested going after the wolves, but Aro had overruled him, stating that these wolves were too powerful to take on. Having been responsible for the eradication of most of the werewolf race, Caius had thoroughly disagreed with Aro's assessment, but it was no use. So now he directed his fury towards the nomads that had been witness to their failure. Picking them out one by one, making sure they knew what was coming, had been fun, he had to admit. Watching Aro take out his anger on some of their own had just been an added bonus. The Guard needed weeding out anyway; they were obviously an incompetent bunch.
Felix and Demetri quietly followed the Elders, both wondering who would perish next. They'd travelled all over the world, making sure no one lived to tell their tale of failure, but there were still many nomads to find. Both of them were loyal to their masters, but they were also tired of chasing insignificant fools. They longed to get back to Volterra, where they could hunt the way they wanted to, instead of just making do with whoever crossed their path. Like the rest of the Guard, they lived in fear of being the next to fall victim to Aro's irrational outbursts of rage. Both of them worked as hard as possible, trying to find the remaining witnesses as quickly as they could. The sooner they found them all, the sooner life would return to normal.
"Word has reached us that some of the nomads are gathering on Malta. They seem to think that they have strength in numbers."
Aro laughed at Caius' words, and Caius laughed with him.
"Idiots. They're only making it easier for us, especially since they're congregating on an island. They'll have nowhere to run. This should be quick," Aro eventually responded, his voice filled with malice.
v~V~v
It took them only half the night to reach the tiny island, but since daylight was about to break, they had to hide themselves until the sun set again. They took refuge in one of the many ruins around the island; reminders of its battle-laden history. Demetri had been able to determine that there was indeed a group of six nomads close by. They were currently holed up on the other side of the island, hiding from daylight, like the Volturi. There was no strategy or plan; come nightfall, the Guard would just attack.
It was easy to capture them; almost laughable. It took no longer than ten minutes to reach their location and round up the nomads. They were trembling in fear, already aware that they had mere moments to live. Aro circled them like a vulture, a cruel expression on his face.
"So you think you could escape us. How silly," he hissed lowly, coming to a stop in front of a young male named Glenn. Glenn cringed when the Elder kneeled before him and pulled his face up so he had no choice but to look Aro in the eye. When he was approached those many months ago to be a witness for the Volturi, he'd thought it a perfect opportunity to showcase his strength. He'd wanted nothing more than to join the Italian army, but when he arrived and saw what they were going up against, he knew he'd made a mistake. Glenn had known ever since he fled the clearing that day that it wouldn't be long before they caught up with him. There was a bounty on his head, and it no longer mattered that he was immortal. Death was coming for him.
Aro narrowed his eyes, a look of disgust on his face. He remembered this particular nomad and his desire to join the Volturi's army. Even if they hadn't failed the way they had, this male would never have proven himself worthy enough to be in the Guard. He had no special powers, no skills to speak of. He wouldn't be missed.
"Please; there's no need for this. I'd never tell; you can trust me," Glenn begged, his voice shaking.
"Trust you?" Aro repeated, his nose scrunched up in repulsion. "Why would I trust you? You mean nothing to me."
Glenn opened his mouth to speak, but Aro swiftly stood up and motioned for Felix. The sizeable guardsman approached Glenn, his face a mask of indifference. It took him only seconds before Glenn was ripped apart. Next to him, a female started rocking back and forth on her knees, a dry sob escaping her every now and again. Glenn had been a good friend to Fay. Ever since they fled the clearing together, he'd been there to support her and help her run. They'd met the others not too long ago, and, though nomads usually run alone, they quickly formed an alliance and decided to stick together. They'd figured they'd be safer in a group. Obviously, it hadn't worked.
Aro gestured for Felix and Demetri to take care of the rest. Demetri grabbed the female by the hair and pulled her face up. He felt a pang of regret as he looked at her beautiful features. It had been a while since he'd been near a woman, and she would've been more than satisfying. As it was, he simply did as his master asked and disposed of yet another witness, hoping it would all end soon.
While the flames burned high, sending purple fumes into the air, Aro suddenly felt uncharacteristically tired. He'd been away from Volterra for seven months and eighteen days. He missed the town, his castle, and, most of all, he missed his wife. Thinking of Sulpicia, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to imagine her long, blonde hair as it slid through his fingers, her soft skin beneath his hands and her sweet breath as she sighed his name. Aro opened his eyes again and found his army staring anxiously at him. He righted his shoulders, unwilling to show weakness, before addressing them.
"For now, we shall return to Volterra."
Aro turned quickly, striding away from his army before they could comment. Because of that, he also missed the looks exchanged between his Guardsmen, shifting from confusion to sheer exhilaration. The only one who seemed unhappy was Caius; in fact, he looked downright furious. He knew better than to speak up now though, Aro didn't seem to be in the mood for discussion. Caius would have to wait to confront him.
v~V~v
Upon arrival in Volterra, the Guard scattered immediately. Felix and Demetri vanished into the countryside, looking for some much needed relief. Jane and Alec retreated to their chambers, ready to spend some time together. Marcus took his usual place in the Royal room, where he proceeded to stare blankly ahead, while Caius, still seething, dashed off to complain to his Athenodora.
Aro walked towards his chamber, anxious to see his wife. Sulpicia greeted him as he entered the room, dressed in nothing more than a sheer nightgown. The weak light from the candles she'd placed around the room cast her in a beautiful golden glow. She smiled, and the gesture immediately relaxed him. Aro approached her as quickly as he could and took her in his arms. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled greedily, all the stress and worry of the past few months vanishing as he held her close.
"I've missed you," he confessed, wrapping his arms around her even tighter.
Sulpicia sighed contently against her husband, happy to be near him again. She understood the need for his missions, but she always felt like part of her was missing whenever he was gone. She lifted her head and looked into his beautiful eyes.
"I've missed you too, my sweet husband," she replied before standing on her tiptoes and pressing her mouth to his.
The taste of her lips was enough to ignite a passion in Aro that surpassed any desire for killing. Being with her made it easy to forget everything else that was going on. He pulled her closer to him until he could feel every contour of her flesh. They kissed with abandon, getting lost in each other. Eventually, Sulpicia broke the embrace and backed up towards their bed. She sat herself down and extended her hand towards Aro, her lips curving in a seductive smile. Aro took her delicate hand between his own and brought it up to his lips. Images of how Sulpicia had entertained herself during his absence assaulted his mind, causing him to moan with desire. He kissed each of her fingers in turn before opening his eyes and looking down at his beautiful mate.
"You know exactly how to please me, my love," Aro whispered hoarsely, overcome with lust.
Sulpicia moved up the bed and lay down, her legs slightly parted. She slid a hand over her thigh, moving up her nightdress, exposing her luscious, long legs. Aro quickly rid himself of his robe and shoes and moved up the bed towards her, pulling his shirt from his pants as he went along. He hovered over her, opening her legs even further with his knee. Sulpicia's hands tugged at Aro's shirt as she tried to get him to take it off. She's opened the buttons in a matter of seconds and exposed his smooth chest. Her fingers traced the contours of his muscular abdomen, right down to where they disappeared underneath the fabric of his pants. She looked him in the eye as she unzipped them and pushed them down his hips. Aro growled low when Sulpicia firmly squeezed his ass.
"So eager for me," he whispered, lifting his hips so that his wife could easily slide his pants down his legs.
She responded with a growl of her own. It had been so long since she felt her husband close, and now that he was finally on top of her, it seemed almost cruel that he was not yet undressed. Aro kicked his pants off the bed and quickly removed his shirt before turning his attentions back the woman beneath him. He could clearly see her hardened nipples through the thin fabric of her nightgown, and they beckoned to be touched. He leaned in and gently curved his lips around one of the tiny buds before using his teeth to rip a hole in the dress. Beneath him, Sulpicia writhed in pleasure. She loved it when Aro displayed his power to her, and she was ecstatic when he quickly tore up the rest of the material, leaving her in only a few shreds, which covered nothing of her lean body.
"My love," she panted, wrapping her legs around him.
"My life," he replied, swiftly burying himself inside of her.
As Aro moved slowly in and out, he could feel himself relax. What did it matter if a few nomads escaped? He would just have to come up with a plan to once again establish the Volturi as the ruling government. He could do it; of that much, he was certain. For now, he concentrated on making love to his beautiful wife. For hours they moved, silently declaring their mutual affection. After so many centuries together, there was no need for words. They both knew what the other wanted; what they craved most. Being apart only seemed to enhance their need for each other. Sulpicia was his safe haven; with her, he could be himself.
"When will you be leaving again?" Sulpicia asked, her body draped over his as they enjoyed the blissful feeling that followed their release.
Aro grimaced, not wanting to leave but knowing there was still a job to do. The Cullens had made a mockery of the Volturi, and it was his job to rectify it.
"Soon," he replied, pulling his wife closer to him.
They were silent for a while, neither of them willing to admit their sadness at the impending separation – Aro because, as a man, it was his duty to be strong and, as a ruler, he was not used to showing weakness; Sulpicia because, as his wife, she had to support everything he did, even if it caused her heartache each time he left her behind.
Aro took his wife's hand and lovingly kissed each of her fingers. As he cradled her delicate hand between both of his, images suddenly flooded his mind. At first he was shocked to find himself in that clearing once again, standing across from the Cullens, but he actually gasped when Sulpicia's thoughts zeroed in on the Cullen hybrid child. Aro's brow furrowed as he took in her copper curls and chocolate eyes. She was a perfect mix of her mother and father, of human and vampire. Her gaze was intense as she was so aware of her surroundings and everything that was going on. Her mind had truly been a pleasure to experience; so innocent, yet so wise. Her skin only shimmered slightly in the sunlight, and the blush on her face and the beat of her heart made her look so human, yet she was immortal like them – durable and strong, but with the ability to blend in.
It hit him then; the perfect way to show the vampire world that the Volturi still dominated. Aro looked down at his wife and smiled. Sulpicia smiled back, already aware of what was going through her husband's mind since she had planted the seed. She was ready for it; she'd been ready long before her change. It had been her only regret about this never-changing life, and this was her chance to finally satisfy that side of her nature.
Aro rolled over, pinning his wife beneath him, and kissed her passionately. She returned the kiss with unprecedented hunger, eager to express her gratitude for what he was willing to give her. A child.
As Aro and Sulpicia made love once more, the idea cemented into his brain. It was perfect, flawless and full-proof. He'd be able to infiltrate the vampire and human world alike. He'd be revered again, as he should be. This would take careful planning, maybe some experimenting, but it would be worth it in the end. The Volturi's own hybrid army.