Chapter One – Prologue
"There's this place in me where your fingerprints still rest... your kisses still linger and your whispers softly echo... It's the place where a part of you will forever be a part of me."
-Anonymous
Two Years ago
The pale light of the moon spilled through the large, carnivorous room of the Volturi, bathing the veined white marble, a small effort to ward away the fighting shadows that loomed within the corners that would bleed closer, should you only look away for the moment. Figures stood waiting at the wings, all eyes watching with expectance to the three figures that imposed themselves on the dais. Their pale, hard-etched marble faces bearing down, eyes a scarlet that glowed with their own power. The tallest of the three, an ebony-haired man with sharp planes that made of his face, spoke his voice whispery yet seemed to fill the room.
"I truly regret this, Carlisle." Aro sighed, a voice filled with genuine emotion, though underneath lay a hard edge, like skin covering steel. His hand twitched, as if in cat you reach out, imploring for understanding for forgiveness of an act that has yet to be committed. "I wish I did not have to do it." The final words stirred another figure, one that faced the trio, one that was surrounded by as mask of pain in the form of a family. Golden eyes looked up; a pale unblemished face was now marred with a pain that spoke of a heart wrenched from its chest. "You don't have to do this Aro," a soft cultured accent that was once long forgotten now laid the burden of being filled with uncontrolled emotion. "Please."
Shaking his head, Aro smiled, one that looked melancholy though there was a gleam in his red eyes, a sudden flash of fury that gave way instantly to pity. "Oh," he whispered. "But I do." Stepping down from the dais, a black cape billowed beneath and behind him, like tamed black smoke, following Aro as he stopped a distance away from the golden-eyed Carlisle. A figure meant to move, drawing closer to Carlisle, but was stopped by his voice. "No Edward," There was a paused, a silence that hummed expectantly, pressing uncomfortably against the still figures. Finally, Edward moved back, his hand clasping around the small pale one of his wife.
Noting this, Aro cocked his head to the side, like a bird that has gleamed interest. "I see that Renesmee and her wolf mate are not here," a flicker of disappointment crossed the deep wells of Aro's red eyes, though did not thing to alter the abyss. "No matter. Perhaps it is best, no?" Eight pairs of golden eyes glared balefully back at Aro, but the ebony haired man chose to ignore it. "I am sure you know why this must happen. Your family has grown, so much so that it threats our entire existence. It is a threat we can no longer ignore Carlisle. Having said that, I am willing to offer you a choice." At this, Carlisle looked up, eyes shining with a looked that dared not hope.
"Your choice my old friend – choose a member of your family you wish to die." The shine in the golden depths died, though there was no surprise. Behind Carlisle, a small girl shook her head, eyes glazed over, seeing something that wasn't to be seen, her diminutive shoulders held in the arms of a lean blond, one covered in a mass of scars. "So who is it Carlisle?" Aro asked, a brow rising in question. "Who will die for the rest of the Cullen's to survive?" The dark gleam was back, a calculating look that settled over Aro's face, resting on Carlisle Cullen. There was no doubt in his mind that the father of the family would be the one to offer himself, the purest of them all who would have no fear of death, of what awaited him in the next life. Aro watched as Carlisle's lips parted, his answer on his lips.
"I will." A soft melody of a voice caused all eyes to turn, resting on a young woman, whose caramel-brown hair fell in soft waves, framing a pale, motherly face. "Esme," Carlisle breathed the name out, a slow, unfurling of the word, riddled with stressed emotion, of denial. "No." the pair locked eyes and for a moment, the whole world around them seemed to disappear, every voice became white noise, every touch became meaningless, every sight that did not hold the other was not worth seeing. Esme's eyes were wide, imploring her husband to understand, just as much as Carlisle's gaze pleaded with his wife to see reason.
"No," Carlisle said again, this time his burning gaze turning towards Aro. "No. Not Esme. Take me – I will go freely and willingly." But there was a sudden, fearfully curious look in Aro's expression, his glowing red eyes looking at Esme Cullen in a strange new light. Ignoring Carlisle's declaration, Aro studied the mother of the Cullen Clan, a woman whom could be so easily passed off as meek, mild. Her spine steeled under his stare, her chin jutting out as if prepared for a blow, let her eyes remained untouched from what she expected to come. Her eyes remained a golden pool of love, of faith for her family, her husband.
Looking away from Aro, Esme sought out her husband with her eyes, her gaze greedily drinking him in, her hands longing to touch for the last time. "They need you," she said softly, her gaze resting on her children, all of whom looked back at their mother with tears that could never be shed, though their eyes still gleamed with them. "I'm sorry, but it's the only way." Esme began to take a step forward, closer towards Aro, but Carlisle's roar echoed throughout the marble walls. "No!" the force behind the one word shook though the room, stirring amongst the still figures at the wings, a sense of restlessness created.
Desperately, Carlisle turned behind him, searching for a pair of eyes that were only half seeing him. "Alice," he pleaded, a hand outstretched. "Please." But the small inly-black haired girl was already shaking her head, her small frame raking with sobs that she refused to utter. "Carlisle," Esme said gently, a soft coax in her husband's attention, turning his gaze back to her. "I have known for months. It'll be alright, you will move on, find someone else…"
"No!" Rage burned within Carlisle, a fury that had never been dreamed of before. Such anger, such despair had never existed until now. There had never been a time when Carlisle would feel the need to doubt the grace of God, of his mercy at the sight of his wife, willing offering herself to death for the sake of him. "Esme…" unable to find words, Carlisle just stared at his wife, his body slowly breaking, and the sharp sense of loss already taking its toll. The very notion of life without Esme seemed inconceivable, yet still, he could see it. Life would be a welling pit of nothingness, of meaningless smiles of touches that paled in comparison to hers. The thought of never hearing her voice again, of never holding her, loving her…
"Goodbye, my love." She whispered, offering the smallest of smiles, one that broke Carlisle's stone heart. "Forgive me." Carlisle moved, his mind already set on saving his wife, of taking her place, but strong hands stopped him, trapping him. Grey hooded Henchmen, with corded muscles forced Carlisle's arms to his sides, preventing him from taking another step. In utter despair, Carlisle watched helplessly as Aro closed the distance between himself and Esme, his cold, pale hands cupping her cheeks as if to kiss, a lover's embrace. A lone sound of utter anguish crawled its way up Carlisle's throat and ripped itself, piercing the silence as he watched Aro's hands close around his wife's throat.