Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Previously:
"You are mine, Isabella," he said gently. "Now and forever."
"Now and forever," I agreed. I thought he would but instead Caius stood up, holding me bridal style, and ran back to Volterra. He took me into the room in Marcus' wing and held me all night while I It was a wonderful night.
Chapter 2: Victoria and Riley
I awoke with a groan to a familiar bouncing on my bed.
"Bella, Bella, get up already!" Jane pounced the second she saw me crack open my eyes. "Its morning and the Cullen's are bound to arrive at any moment. I need to get you ready."
"Jane, what time is it?" I moaned, pulling myself out of bed, moving towards the bathroom. "And where is Caius?"
"Master Caius was here until a half-hour ago; he left to change into something more appropriate for a trial. Oh and it's 5:15, silly, far too late to be sleeping still." Well that explains why I feel hungover...four hours sleep really isn't enough, although it's more than I have been getting for the past few months.
I took my human moments, showered and brushed my teeth before leaving the relative privacy of the bathroom to face the bubbly-wonder. Is being completely hyper and loving clothes an imperative part of being short? If so, thank God I missed that memo.
"Hurry and put those on," Jane pointed at a pair of crimson lace boy shorts and a corset.
"Jane the panties are fine, the corset is a no-go," I said, pulling on said underwear.
"But its tradition!"Jane huffed, stomping her tiny foot.
"Does tradition state that I must die of asphyxiation? Because with my ribs the way they are, the isn't a chance in hell that I can wear that contraption without dying from either a punctured lung or lack of oxygen. Save the corsets for another time."
"Fine!" the tween pouted, acting put out as she shoved the dress she had chosen back into a fully stocked closet, pulling out an evening gown, complete with a puffed skirt, petticoats and hoops.
"Put that back Jane," I said, pointing at the monstrosity. "For one, that is a ball gown, and as there is no ball today, there is no way in hell I'm wearing that. Second, its like, fifteen degrees outside and it's only going to get hotter as the day goes on...wearing that thing would probably make me collapse from heat exhaustion."
"If you don't like this one," Jane muttered, putting the gown back into the wardrobe. "I am so going to hurt you." This time she pulled out a flowy, low cut dress that mesmerized me. Jane made me change into a dark blue g-string before she helped me put the dress on.
The sheath was midnight blue and form-fitting, its neckline dropping mere inches from my belly button, and had slits that touched the top of my thighs. It was surprisingly easy to move in. A single layer of black gossamer fabric was attached to the upper part of the dress, sown along the same lines to the hip. From my hips layer upon layer of choppy blue and black gossamer fabrics with glittering silver specks laid on top of the each other, melding the colours together. All together, the dress gave an the illusion of me being wrapped in a starry night. I loved it.
Jane did my make-up, drawing dark rims of kohl around my eyes, adding a touch of mascara to my lashes and - to my amusement - clear, Motherpucker lip gloss. Using a straightener and hair spray, she made my elbow length hair fall neatly down my back.
"Master Caius asked if you would wear this," Jane opened an old wood box, turning it to show me the contents. Inside was a delicate silver circlet, an upper arm cuff and an bracelet, each decorated with a peculiar symbol and identical blue and red fire-like stones. "The symbol is a Triquetra, the stones are Dragon's Breath, fire opals if you will. Bella, if you wear these, it is a confirmation that you belong to Caius...that you are his, forever. Are you ready for that?"
Slowly I turned around, looking myself in the eye with the floor-length mirror. Shutting my eyes, I looked inside my self, examining my feelings the way Jasper taught me when I asked what it was like to be an empath. I thought of Caius and my emotions reacted: happiness, warmth, desire, compassion and lust were all there but love...the love I felt for the blonde king was all encompassing. A single, silvery tear rolled down my cheek as I faced Jane with a huge disbelieving grin on my face. "Yes Jane, I am. I love him. I am completely and utterly in love with Caius Volturi."
Twenty minutes later, after a good cry, fixing my face and putting on the jewelry Caius had sent, Jane and I walked quickly to the throne room.
"Just remember to breathe," Jane smirked before throwing the throne room doors wide open, zipping over to a dark haired boy I had yet to meet, leaving me alone in the middle of the open door way. Must be her revenge for not wearing the first two dresses she picked, damn her. Looking around I saw the remaining Cullens standing off to one side of the room, Jacob, Sam, and Paul beside them. In the middle of the throne room, Victoria was on her knees, pinned to the floor by Felix's hands on her shoulders. Beside them, Demetri was in a similar position with another vampire I vaguely recognized. Crap, it's the kid from Charlie's missing posters...what was his name again. That's right, Riley Biers. I wonder how he got caught up in this mess. Realizing I'd been standing motionless in the door way for a while now I took a deep breath.
"Caius," I exhaled, looking my mate in the eye with a smile. "I hope I didn't interrupt. Jane and I had a disagreement about my clothing, though I think it ended alright, don't you?" Take that bitch, I smirked inwardly. Serves the miniature vampire right for ditching me.
"No, my love," Caius appeared at my side in a flash, taking my hands in his, bring them to his lips before dropping them. "You arrived just in time. We have yet to deal with the seer and mind-reader." Caius placed his hand on my lower back, leading me to the dais where Marcus and Aro greeted me with smiles. "We are taking care of these two first - the Cullens and wolves brought them. Apparently the red-head was making a newborn army to go after you. The rest of the newborns are current in the dungeons to be disposed of later."
"I see," I said stoically. "Before that, may I have a word with the three of you," I glanced at the podium where the Cullens, including Jasper and the wolves, stood, then to the guards, lastly the prisoners. "I promise that it is relevant."
The brothers looked at each other and nodded. At vampire speed, Caius holding me bridal style, we moved to the Kings shared library. "What could be so important that you would ask us to delay a trial, Isabella," Aro inquired. The words sounded harsh but the tone was anything but.
"The people Victoria turned," I started gingerly, watching my mate pace. "Are you sure they must be destroyed?"
"What do you mean by this, Bella?" Marcus growled, making Caius hiss in return. "We destroy newborn armies...it is one of the laws we made ages ago before your ancestors were even a thought. Now you make us stop a trial to ask this to be changed!"
"Yes," I replied, as regal as I possibly could. "I do. Because I have a feeling that those who were part of Victoria's so-called army have been misled. Because I recognize the newborn Demetri is currently holding down beside Victoria. And because my brother is a veteran of a vampire army and is probably emphasizing with the newborns at this very moment. If you kill them without learning the truth, you are no better than Maria!"
"You speak of the Major," Aro said calmly, relaxing on a settee, twiddling his thumbs. "But what do you know of his past? And you recognize the male newborn? How?"
"All of it," I sighed, leaning into Caius' chest as he embraced me from behind. "It is not my story to tell but needless to say, Jasper is probably imagining himself in Riley's place; the chances are that their beginnings were fairly similar...changed by a manipulative woman who claims to love them in order to use their abilities for herself. Yep, sounds nearly identical to me. As for Riley, Riley Biers is a missing kid that my dad has been looking for, for almost a year. I recognized him from the missing posters plastered all over Forks, Port Angeles, and Seattle. He is nineteen years old, played wide-receiver for the Fork's High football team, was an all-around boy scout, and is loved and missed by both of his parents. At this point, I doubt he remembers his human life much, but he should be told that, at least."
"I have a better idea," Marcus intoned, smirking, Oh, I'm not going to like this at all, am I? "The principessa here will lead the questioning. If, and only if, she can prove the newborns were misled, will we let them live. Does that sound good brothers?" Caius and Aro agreed to Marcus' plan immediately, the traitors.
"Fine, but as I'm still human I get to pick a helper."
"None of us can do it," Marcus shrugged. "We are the judge and jury. So Caius cannot be your chosen...assistant, if you will."
I smirked, "He wasn't who I had in mind anyway. You guys stay here until Jane comes to get you," I smiled playfully, bending just so, so they got a peek at my cleavage, distracting them. "I just need a moment to speak with my assistant before you return, okay," I laughed as I exited the room, leaving the confused, aroused Kings behind me. Sometimes it's good to be a little bad.
"I see everything is the same as when we left," my voice rang out as I reentered the throne room, capturing the vampires attention. "But it won't be fore long, I imagine." I swept over to the Cullens, moving more gracefully then I had since Phil hurt me when I was 14. "Hello Cullens, I'm pleased to see you again," I smiled falsely, waiting for recognition to hit. And then it did.
"Bella?" Emmett sputtered, blinking rapidly, then rubbed his eyes and blinked again. "But you're..."
"Let me guess," I cocked my head, tapping my lower lip. "Dead?"
"How are you still alive, Bella?" Carlisle whispered sadly, brushing his cool hand over my cheek before I could move away. "Alice said you..."
"Ah, Alice," I nodded. "Not everything is as it seems, Carlisle. If, after Aro reads you, you are pronounced innocent of a scheme we have become aware of, we will talk more." I looked over the rest of the Cullens, before continuing coldly, "there is much that should be said...to all of you. But for now," I turned to my golden haired, brother with a genuine smile. "Jasper, will you come with me for a minute?"
"Sure Bella," Jasper took my offered hand, following as I lead him outside the chamber, ignoring the vocalizations of the Volturi guard - we had yet to introduce me to the general guard...only Felix, Demetri, and Jane knew who I was. The others must have figured that I was important from of the difference the Kings had shown upon my arrival.
I had Jasper close the doors to the throne room and dismissed the human secretary before jumping into my vampire-brother's arms. "I missed you so much, Jasper! Why did you leave without saying good-bye? Why did you leave me at all?!"
"Bella, darlin'," Jasper moved out of my arms, confused. "Edward told us that ya wanted us to leave, that we were, I was, too dangerous to be around. He said ya wanted a clean break, for none of us to come say our goodbyes. It near broke Esme, Carlisle, Emmett and I to leave ya darlin'. We all love ya.
'bout a month after we left, Alice divorced me and Edward kicked me out, takin' my Cullen crest. Carlisle and Esme weren't around - they were on a huntin' trip when it happened - but I didn't wanna stay to have the only parents I can remember dismiss me like my supposed wife and brother did. I'd been stayin' with my brother, Peter, and his mate, Charlotte, since then...until I heard about the killin's in Seattle. I realized someone was makin' a newborn army so I called up Carlisle for help. We got busy roundin' 'em up but we were gonna come back for ya when we finished darlin'. Then Alice had her vision and..."
"Now we're all here," I smiled sadly. "Once I'm done in there," I nodded to the closed doors of the throne room. "We need to have a nice, long chat, I think. In the meantime, however, I have a question for you."
"Shoot," Jasper replied as he finished wiping my face with a tissue pilfered from the receptionist's desk.
"Do you think any of Victoria's newborns have the right to live? Have they been misled, if so, can we correct them?"
"What kind of question is that?!" Jasper gaped, dumb-struck.
"Its what I called the kings aside for," I remarked, leaning against the wall next to the elevator. "I recognized Riley Biers, the newborn in the throne room - by all accounts, he was a stand-up guy, when he was human. Charlie's been looking for him for a while now."
"Hell," Jasper raked his hands through his long golden hair, pulling on the ends. "I know there's one, Bree, that Esme has taken a likin' to. Bree isn't like other newborns...she's much calmer and scares easily. She actually started drinkin' animals without any convincin' from Carlisle...says they taste better than humans which I, for one, completely don't get. Bree told us that while Victoria made them, Riley controlled them. All of the newborns are completely ignorant of the Volturi and the laws. Riley only kept them in control during the daytime with the human myths about the affect of sunlight and wooden stakes. Basically, they have all been misled. I don't know if any of them, besides Bree and her friends Fred, Diego, Doug, Shelly, Steve and Adam, are willing to change their ways. Them, I can guarantee."
"Where is Bree now?" I asked, thinking of all the angles.
"In the dungeons with the others," Jasper snared. It made me wonder if Jazz and this girl were more than friends so I asked. "I think of her as another sister, Bells. She was barely sixteen when she was changed."
"I'll get Jane to bring her up here on the condition that she stays beside Esme at all times. If the brothers ask any questions, I'll just say she is a witness and I may need her testimony."
"Tryin' to turn the throne room into a court of law?" Jasper sniggered at the idea.
"No, just trying to make things a little more fair. There's no point in killing the peaceful, after all. I get the feeling Caius and Marcus will agree with me and as long as Aro gets to destroy someone, he'll happily let me save a few. The thing is, someone is going to have to teach those who survive the realities of vampire life..."
"And you want me to do it," Jasper sighed; it was apparent to me that he was really craving a cigarette. Who knew that tobacco was as addictive to vampires as it was to humans? Yeah, it surprised me too.
"Not alone...it's something that will need to be discussed later. For now, will you back me up? I'm supposed to question Victoria and Riley and prove that the newborns were misled by them...it's the only way any of them will get a second chance. And as I am human, and they are vampire, they may not be very eager to talk. You on the other hand..."
"Hello Isabella," the Major leered, looking me up and down in assessment, his previously gold eyes now pick black indicating Jasper's personality switch. "You're lookin' particularly tasty today."
"Hey Major," I smiled with a nod. "It's been a while. You been listening?"
"Yep," the Major drawled. "Still waitin' to hear what's in it for me though. So far ya want me to help ya interrogate the red-hair and boy-pansy and train a bunch of erratic newborns and ya still haven't told me everythin'. Jasper would have no problems doin' as ya asked without compensation but me...not so much."
"How about forgiveness? Understanding? The chance to save a bunch of newborns from the fate you would've had, had the Volturi captured you, back when?" I breathed a sad sigh. "I know that you only attacked me on my birthday because of the emotions in the room, that before Edward tossed me into the stack of plates, you were coming to protect me from him. That it was never, at any time, your fault for being overcome. I told Carlisle the same thing while he was stitching me up after, but if it's what you need to hear: I forgive you."
"That works, I guess," the Major scratched his head, baffled. "But how did you figure it out when six vampires, other than myself, couldn't?"
"You explained your gift to me during one of our talks and I figured that blood lust was an emotion from watching some vampiric quirks...like the eye colour change, when hungry or angry. Hence, my deduction that you were only moving towards me to protect me from Edward: everyone's eyes darkened a little when I cut my finger, except yours and Carlisle's. Usually one plus one equals two, in my book. And then, when Fuckward tossed me into the stack of plates, even Carlisle's eyes were pitch black...and it's not like you fought Em and Rose when they pulled you out of the house. You're the Major, Major," I smiled widely, nudging the vampire's side. "If you wanted me dead, no one could have stopped you. Therefore, you merely acted on the combined blood lust of seven vampires and what happened at my eighteenth birthday was not your fault."
"Alright already," the Major laughed, shaking his head. "You win. I'll help."
"Good," I assented with a victorious smile. "Did Bree tell you anything about Riley?"
"She never shuts up about him," the Major grumbled. "He protected her from the other newborns who were tearin' each other apart. He never lied to her 'bout anythin', and always made sure that she was fed. Even kept Victoria from destroyin' her once. A miracle considerin' that the boy is under the mistaken belief that Victoria is his mate and the Cullens are out to get her.
The army actually started as a couple of body guards for Victoria but as paranoia and the need for revenge set in, Victoria sired more vampires in order to make a newborn army... Riley tried to keep them from goin' out of control. The boy-pansy is a good guy, just under the wrong impression. If he was anywhere near as awesome as me, his story would remind me a lot of myself and Maria...but I'm guessin' you know that. Prove to 'im that Victoria was usin' 'im and ya'll have the pansy eating out of your hand."
"That I can do," I said confidently as I moved to the door of the throne room. "I have a few theories that need confirming." Just as he pushed open the doors I added, "Oh, and Major. Don't let my mate hear you leering at me...I belong to Caius and he is one of the few who could take you down in a fight."
I paid little attention to the now stunned vampire, choosing instead to get down to business. "Jane," I called, the mini-vamp zooming to my side. "I need you to go get one of the newborns from the dungeon...her name is Bree. Bring her here and direct her to stand beside Esme and not move until I or the Major ask her to."
"Si, principessa," Jane bowed then disappeared to do as I ordered. Next I pointed at the brunette boy who Jane always stood beside. "You, come here please." When he was standing worriedly in front of me I smiled kindly and received the same in return. "What is your name?"
"I am Alec," he mumbled, head down. "Jane is my twin sister. She talks of you a lot, principessa."
"All good I hope," I laughed at his sheepish face. "Alec I need you to go collect the Kings for me, okay? If they ask why I sent you instead of Jane, just tell them I sent Jane on a different errand."
"Si, principessa," Alec nodded and left with a bounce to his step. Yep, definitely Jane's twin, two peas in a pod.
"Ya do realize ya just sent off two of most powerful vampires in the world like they were nothin' more than errand runners, right?" The Major muttered to me. I shrugged in return. Alec and Jane were more like children than guards to me so sending them on errands really doesn't phase me.
"Well," I clapped my hands together, reminiscent of Aro...just not as cheerful or as insane. "Let us get started then. Felix, can you remove Victoria's blind fold without her escaping or shall I do it for you?" Felix rolled his eyes and removed the hood covering Victoria's head.
"Hello Victoria," I spoke, my voice carrying throughout the room. "Do you recognize me? Don't worry if it takes you a minute; even those who called themselves my family took a moment." While the Cullens flinched, my scent reached Victoria and she snapped, struggling in Felix's grasp, snarling and spitting venom all over herself.
"I guess you do remember," Jane appeared then with a nervous looking girl, silently moving to Esme's side. Bree gripped Esme in a tight embrace and snuggled into her arms like she was afraid she would never see the maternal vampire again...I knew the feeling and sympathized all too well. "I suppose, what was his name again? Johnny? Jackson? Jefferson? No I got it! It was Jason! Right so I suppose Jason didn't mean much to you, did he, Victoria?" I tsked, taunting the female nomad. "I mean, look how quickly you moved on."
"James!" Victoria snared, spitting more venom, appearing completely feral. "His name was James!"
"Huh, I thought for sure I got it right that last time," I cocked my head then shrugged. "He told me he was your mate you know, while he was torturing me in the ballet studio," I looked her over as she glared holes in my head. "I guess James was wrong about that. He would have been so disappointed."
"James was my mate!" Victoria growled. "And you killed him!"
"I didn't realize humans had super strength," I said in a mocking tone, making the other vampires - even the Cullens - chuckle. "But if James was your mate, then what is Riley to you?"
"A means to an end," Victoria snared evilly. The brothers chose that moment to return, silently moving to the dais and taking their seats. "I filled his head with lies and convinced him that the Cullens and their human pet," the brothers hissed noisily abut his, but Victoria paid them no mind, "wanted nothing more than to kill me. That they would hunt us down and kill us like they did my former companions. And he bought it, hook, line, and sinker."
I looked up at Jasper, flummoxed. "That was easier than I thought, it'd be."
"Agreed," the Major waved his head in disbelief. "She is a total imbecile. How she managed to come up with a plan like this, I will never know."
I turned back to the prisoners, Felix and Demetri, wanting to get this over with. I took no pleasure knowing that I was breaking Riley's heart. "Demetri, remove Riley's blind fold." As he did so I saw Victoria's alarmed face, enticing a satisfied smile onto my lips.
"That's right Victoria," the Major chortled, an eerie sound from one such as him. If vampires could pale, the vampires in the room would have lost colour. "The boy heard everything."
"Riley Biers," I called softly, standing as postural as I could with my sore ribs. "If you want even a chance to get out of this mess alive, it is best if you confess everything. Tell me your story: we will listen."
Riley gulped and nodded, ignoring Victoria's insulting comments, mocking sneers and hopeless pleas that she directed towards him. Tired of Victoria's constant bawls, I summoned Jane to my side, indicating that Riley should wait a moment before he started. "Jane," the girl appeared at my side, looking up at me with amused eyes. "You wouldn't have another of those ball-gags like you used yesterday would you?"
"Si, principessa," Jane smile, reaching into her cloak. "I always keep one on me - you never know when it will be needed."
I smiled kindly, "Would you like to do the honors?" Jane's face lit up with a gorgeous, happy smile before she ran at Victoria and shoved the gag into the whining vampire's mouth. I then gestured for Riley to start again and he sagged his shoulders in relief. From an end to Victoria's nagging or from the fact I hadn't sicced Jane on him, I couldn't tell.
"My name is Riley Biers," he began softly. "I was nineteen when Victoria turned me, born in Forks, Washington, and had just finished my freshman year at the University of Washington in Seattle. I don't remember much from my human life...I only know what I do because I had my driver's license and student card on me when I was changed.
When I awoke from the burning Victoria claimed that she changed me because she had fallen in love with me, that we were soul-mates. She taught me the limitations and some, not all, of the laws of our kind. She told me, what I now understand was a bunch of lies, about her former coven and the vampires that destroyed them. I learned on the trip here that the Cullens are not the great evil that Victoria portrayed them as; in fact, between their diet and their compassion, the Cullens are far more humane than me. I also was told that vampire armies were outlawed centuries ago - something else Victoria lied about.
The army started out as a few body guards; Victoria had sensed someone tracking her and fear set in, or so she said. I was jealous, wanting to be her only one but became less so when she let me pick 'suitable' candidates. I choose troubled high school and college students - those that wouldn't be missed because of their disastrous home lives - and a few homeless teenagers. I figured that their human lives were shot so at least as vampires they could stand a chance in this often cruel world.
I kept them under control using the human myths - wooden stakes, turning to ash in the sun, etc. - and, on Victoria's orders, didn't tell them about the Volturi, the laws, even the basic realities of being a vampire. They only know that they need to feed inconspicuously, and that while I lead them, there is another in the shadows whom I take orders from - Victoria never let any of them see her face but a few could felt her presence.
I am not saying that all of the newborns should be saved because of their ignorance," Riley stopped to look at the brothers, his eyes lingering on my mate. "There are a number of them that are completely unmanageable, chosen by Victoria for their deranged and psychotic minds. But there others, like Bree," he looked to the newborn clinging to Esme with a smile, which she returned, "and her friends. Out of the thirty newborns, six or seven of them would likely conform easily, without any hesitation - they were suspicious of my motives...Victoria's motives, right from the start. Another fourteen or so would be easy to convince to change their ways; they would probably jump at the chance the moment you told them the truth. The rest of them are lost causes - rapists, murderers, thieves, changed by Victoria because she wanted fighting machines that would have no issues with ripping people apart...in fact, they would cherish it. Their blood lust knows no bounds. I can't tell you the number of times I had to kill to prevent them from raping one of the female newborns. It wears on a person, quickly."
"How long have you suspected that Victoria wasn't what she seemed Riley," I asked, observing the crestfallen vampire.
"Almost a month," Riley responded, forlornly. "One of the original newborns, who became a good friend to me while Victoria was leading the vampire tracking her away from us, found out that we don't die, but sparkle in the sun. I knew that Victoria didn't want anyone to know but had hope that because he and I were close, she might make an exception. She didn't - Victoria tore him apart and left after telling me to burn the pieces...I didn't...I had Bree, who had awoken the day before, help me put him back together."
"This newborn," Aro called from his throne. "What is his name? And why wouldn't Victoria remember tearing him apart?"
"Diego, sir," Riley answered reluctantly. "Diego Valasaries." I recalled the name from the list the Major gave me of Bree's friends and hoped that Aro, Marcus and Caius would allow him and the others to live. I don't mind death, but killing innocents without cause just doesn't sit right with me. "And Victoria never really paid attention to the newborns...something about the limitations of the Cullen's seer, Alice. If she didn't think about them, then the seer would not get a vision about her decisions. And if any of the newborns were caught, the mind-reader, Edward, would not be able to see her face in their minds. A fairly simple strategy which, given how long we were active in Seattle, was reasonably effective."
"Indeed," Aro said sharply. He spoke with Marcus and Caius at vampire speed - gosh I hate that - and when they were finished, faced me. "Piccolo, come here," Aro raised his hand, and Jasper escorted me to the dais where I took hold of the appendage. Aro raised my hand to his lips, much like Caius did earlier, and brushed his lips over my knuckles. This obviously wasn't planned as Caius snared at his brother until Aro dropped my hand. "Now, my brothers and I have lengthily discussed what to do if you could prove that the newborns were misled by the two in front of us. On top of that, you have proven Mr. Biers to be an honest, good sort of fellow who was treated much like the Major was by his maker. And so, we have elected this action: it is for YOU to decide what will happen to the nomad, Victoria, the newborn army commander, Riley Biers, and every newborn we currently have in the dungeon. They were after you and yours so it is your grievance. What will you do, principessa?"
Everyone, including me, gawked at Aro's pronouncement. I, the human girl, would be decreeing the fates of not one, not two, but thirty plus vampires. Is it just me or has the world gone topsy-turvy?!
"Thank you, Aro," I responded, more eloquently then I felt. "That is an honor...may I ask a favor of you and Marcus?"
"Of course little one," Aro chirped happily. I swear the man is at least a little unstable. "Umm...in that case, Marcus," I faced the tall, brooding vampire who had a mask of boredom plastered onto his face. If it wasn't for the twinkle in his eyes I would have thought I was imposing on him. "Could you check Riley's bonds? I am only interested in the ones in this room."
"For you, piccolo," Marcus sighed resigned, "anything." The ancient looked at Riley with narrowed eyes then blinked rapidly, his jaw dropping. "Well, hell," Marcus exclaimed in his usual quiet tone. "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." He looked a me with a half smile that made his rugged, handsome face even more attractive than it already was. I swear if Caius wasn't my mate, and divine male-beauty personified, I would totally jump Marcus, he's just that hot. "I saw the bond you did, principessa, but another that you didn't...I am sure it is one Mr. Biers has no knowledge of either."
I filed that for later. "But he and..."
"Yes," Marcus confirmed.
Happy that something good was going to come from this mess I returned my attention to the rest of the room. "Riley, Victoria may not have been your mate," I told the vampire as Caius pulled me onto his lap, nuzzling my neck as I spoke. I guess he'd gone as long as he could without touching me...darn male vamps. "But you do have one. Demetri let Riley go." Demetri backed off, allowing Riley to stand up. "Do you know of whom I speak?" He shook his head no.
"The young newborn clinging to Carlisle's wife," Marcus sighed, weary. "You and she have a mating bond, a strong one at that."
"You protected her," Jasper said to the confused vampire, "trusted her, made sure she was taken care of...the emotions between you two...there is not doubt in my mind that you Riley Biers, and you," Jasper slides his glance over to the newborn. "Bree Tanner, are true mates."
"Go to him," I smiled at the newborn, Bree. "He needs you." Before I could get out the last syllable, Bree was in Riley's arms, purring in satisfaction.
"Your sentencing will wait until later Riley," I relayed. "For what I have in mind, a talk with certain people must happen first. For now, you will allow Aro to read your mind, to ensure that everything you have said today is true." I looked at Aro and shrugged sheepishly...he said I could have a favor. Aro rolled his eyes, exasperated, and moved from the dais to the floor in front of Riley and took his offered hand.
"Everything was true," Aro confirmed for me joyfully. "And what of this...disgrace?" He looked down at Victoria, still gagged and pinned by Felix.
"Do you want to read her to get the full extent of her crimes?" I asked, curious. "I mean for all we know, the newborn army and several exposure risks could be the least of her crimes. She was James' mate after all. After that, off with her head...I always wanted to say that," I giggled to the horror of my former family and amusement of my new one.
"Good thinking, piccolo," Aro touched his hand to the red-head's forehead then withdrew, snarling. "You were right Isabella, the army was just the tip of the iceberg. Victoria Grenly, for the crimes of exposure, making immortal children, creating a newborn army, separating mates, attacking a Volturi princess, and just down-right pissing me off, you are sentenced to be ripped apart and burned for your crimes." Before Aro could rip off her head, Caius buried my head into his chest and covered my ears. Even so, I could smell the same nauseatingly sweet scent I smelt when Jasper and Emmett had set James aflame.
"Well," Aro clapped cheerily, then dusted his hands off on his robe. "One problem down, two more to go!"
My stomach decided to grumble right then, causing me to blush tomato red. "Perhaps we can adjourn to another room to talk while I eat?" I requested. "The meeting with the Cullens won't be a trial, I think...more of a sit down and would be better managed in a informal environment."
"Fine," Aro pouted, scuffing the tip of one of his black designer loafer on the stone floor, looking every bit the picture of a remorseful, normally petulant boy. I think he wanted the chance to intimidate his old friend. Too bad for him.
"Cullens, wolves, Mr. Biers and Ms. Tanner," Marcus said stately. "Please follow me. There is much to discuss. Everyone else, you are dismissed until later."
We walked at human pace to the same room I had left the kings in before Victoria's and Riley's trial. When we arrived, the smell of human food wafted from the long table where a huge buffet was set up. That God the wolves are here because I'd never be able to eat all that on my own.
"Before we go any further," I vocalized, stopping in the open doorway. "I would like you all to allow Aro to read you, Cullens. If you are innocent of the crimes set against you, as I believe you are, we can begin this conversation." I raised my hand, cutting off Rosalie's disparaging comments and the others protests. "You all left me, abandoned me without a word, not even a fuck-you or sayonara. Certain parties have been after my life for a long time now to try and prevent my mate and I from recognizing each other." I looked up at Caius, who kissed me chastely, before turning back to my former family. "I need to know that none of you played any part in that."
"That sounds perfectly reasonable to me," Carlisle smiled sadly, offering his hand to the king. "Read me first."
I killed off Victoria and got to us a line from Alice in Wonderland...yay me!
Please review, doing so will only make me update faster.
