Well, I'm thrilled that people are enjoying the story. It was one of those that popped into my head when I realized how few good Dem/Bella stories there were. NOT saying this is better then any of them, but I quite like it, and really isn't that all that matters? If an author likes her work, then she is going to work on it and perfect it the best she can so others will like it.
So here is my Birthday present to all of you!
I own nothing but the candles on my plot cake.
It didn't take long for Demetri to find Edward Cullen's hiding spot in an alleyway just off the center of the city. The boy was so wrapped in his own thoughts he did not read Demetri's when he came close; either that or the boy just didn't care that he was being watched. Whatever the reason, it didn't bode well for Edward leaving Italy unscathed. Once he was out of Cullen's hearing range, Demetri called Felix.
"I found him," Demetri said as soon as Felix answered his phone. "Go back to the underground entrance, take the right path toward the clock tower and follow my scent from there." Not in the mood for anything from Felix at the moment, Demetri quickly ended the call; though he knew his reprieve would be short lived.
It wasn't more than two minutes before Felix made his presence known. "What has climbed up your ass and died," he said coming to stand next to his friend. "This isn't like you, Dem."
"Sorry, I'm just in a mood," he said with a shrug. "Didn't mean to take it out on you."
"I get it man, we all get those; you just need to remember who your friends are," Felix said clapping him on the shoulder. The good thing about Felix was he was not one to push and prod; would rather stick the with the lighthearted stuff then the emotional hard. He was a good person to have on Demetri's side because he was willing to do anything to help out his friends.
"Now," Felix started as he moved onto something else, "want to explain why you didn't do your 'thing' and just tell us where the boy was at in the first place? Could have saved us some time."
"God forbid you use that thing between your ears for something other than thinking up pranks," Demetri said with a short laugh. It was true that Demetri was the Volturi's best tracker, maybe in the world. Using his power he could lock onto the tenor of someone's mind and track them almost anywhere at any given time. When not using his power, Demetri was still one of the best at his job. He could follow someone's scent better than anyone he knew.
"Whatever," muttered his neighbor. Felix knew better than truly argue with Demetri, no one argued with a higher ranking guard; especially Demetri.
The ranking of the guard depended on the age of the member when turned, years as a Vampire, their power or talent, and strength of said power or talent. Demetri was turned in his early twenties, has been a guard since the Volturi took over the Romanians, and his power to track was very useful to the Kings; therefor his high ranking within the guard was assured; but still Demetri was different.
The entire guard knew that Lord Marcus was Demetri's Sire, and was looked upon as his son; that the other Leaders saw him as their nephew. Because of their relationship Demetri was labeled the 'heir to the throne'. If something should happen to the Leaders, it would be Demetri that took their place. Due to that, Demetri was placed a head of the guard; not that he didn't deserve it on his own merit.
Demetri was a good leader, Felix had to give him that. He made sure that each guard had jobs that fit their skill levels. No guard member left alone for a mission. If the member was Mated, Demetri did the best he could so not to separate them for lengthy periods of time. Felix would not call working with Demetri a joy, but he was close enough; and Felix wouldn't work for anyone else.
Being on babysitting duty was a boring job, they couldn't do anything unless a certain aspect was met otherwise they don't engage. In this case, it was more so than normal. Demetri's eyes roamed the crowd that was already forming at the booths for the St. Marcus day festival, even with it still early the business was booming; with both human and well-covered Vampires alike.
"I was suppose to take Heidi to the festival today," Felix complained as he slumped against the wall of one of the building in the alley they were standing in.
"The day is still young," Demetri said with a shrug. "Hopefully Cullen will do whatever he is going to do, or not do, soon so-" Demetri's phone started to ring from inside his cloak stopping him for a second. "Demetri," he said quickly answering his phone.
"Demetri, this is Donna from the computer operation office," came the voice on the other end. "I have information that you may need."
"Referring to what," Demetri asked.
"I was asked to keep an eye out for any activity of the Cullen Coven coming into Italy and it seems that I have gotten a ping," replied Donna.
Demetri ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh, "And?"
"Well," the girl said as there was typing on the other end, "it seems that Alice Cullen along with one guest has landed in Florence and is probably on her way to your location."
"Yeah, alright," he said with a sigh. "Thanks for the heads up."
"What was that all about," Felix asked once Demetri put his phone back into his pocket.
Demetri's hand came up and started to rub his chest as he said, "We have a new player in our game. The Seer is on her way to save her dear brother."
"Let's hope that she gets here before he does whatever he is going to do."
"That's all we can do."
They had been at it all morning and Demetri was done. He was done with Felix and his continual chatter about Heidi and the things they had planned. When Felix started on the surprise vacation he wanted to take, Demetri couldn't take any more. He had started to imagine himself ripping Felix's head off and then punt kicking it into the fountain in the center of the square. But Demetri's mind would kick in when he would find his hands inching toward his companions neck, and it would remind him that doing what he wanted might be going too far; instead he started contemplated walking into his own pyre.
Watching Cullen do nothing more but pace, wasn't making Demetri's mood any better. It wasn't until almost noon when Demetri saw why Aro thought two were needed to watch the boy; as the clock ticked closer to noon, the more agitated Cullen became. His pacing would take him closer and closer to the mouth of the alley and the beating sun.
Then there was the pain pulsating in Demetri's chest that was causing more than a distraction. For the last eighteen years he has lived with a constant pain that would suddenly flare for a time and then fade back to the dull ache he was use to. Today though, it did not fade, but continued to grow in strength. Add to the pain there was now a pull that wasn't there before. It felt like someone was pulling on a tether that was tied to his chest; but every time he would shift his place, to follow the pull, it would lead him right back where he was. Apparently Demetri was right where he needed to be; for what he wasn't sure. It was driving him almost as crazy as Felix was.
"Well," Felix said pulling Demetri from his thoughts, "at least he has stopped the pacing," he said pointing to the oddly still Vampire in front of them.
"If he gets any closer to the entrance then-" Demetri stopped mid sentence when three things happened. One, the pain his chest flared causing his breath to halt. Two, the tether around his chest gave a sharp tug pulling him off balance; willing him to stand next to Cullen at the mouth of the alley. And three, the wind shifted bringing with it the most tantalizing smell with it; a smell that made Demetri purr in delight.
It wasn't something he could describe even if his life depended on it. One moment it was a bouquet of flowers, the next it was a mixture of rain and sun. It reminded him of the smell of the air right at as a thunderstorm rolled in; something he remembered loving when he was young. But the only thing that mattered was that it screamed one thing to him and one thing only. Mine.
"You alright, Dem," Felix asked as he grabbed his friends arm, stopping his forward movement. "You stopped mid thought there."
"I'm fine," Demetri said quickly. "Give me a sec." He shook of the steadying arm before taking a step back and away. Closing his eyes, Demetri took the scent in again, attempting to gauge from whom it came. Slowly, he opened his gift to it, allowed his power to absorb all that it could from it. Whoever it belonged to was close, and was getting closer by the minute. But there was more. There was another scent wrapped around the first. His scent carried the distinct aroma of fresh blood, which only could mean the owner was human. The second scent, was more topical, like the first had rubbed up against the second, but it held stale, non-changing scent; it's owner was clearly a Vampire. This Vampire he knew. Alice Cullen was bringing a human into the lions den to be slaughtered.
"The day just got a whole lot more complicated," Demetri said as he opened his eyes to see his worried companion as he fished out his phone and started to dial a number.
"How so," Felix asked.
All Demetri did was hold his hand up before he started to speak into his phone. "Donna, this is Demetri. That guest that landed with Alice Cullen, who was it? Was it her Mate, or another member of the Cullen Coven?"
"It is not her Mate, that I am sure," Donna replied. Demetri could hear typing on the other side before she came back with more. "It could be another member of the Coven, but it is not a name registered in our data banks; nor is it a name I recognize Sir."
"What's the name?"
"Computer says Isabella Marie Swan."
Demetri groaned before leaning against the wall and hitting his head against it too. Of course, the person at the head of Cullen's issues, was alive and well; and was about to start more issues. "Thanks Donna."
"What's going on," Felix asked not understanding what was going on.
"In a minute," Demetri said as he dialed another number. "Marcus, we have a situation."
"What kind of situation," was the only response that came.
"Earlier today you said that there would come a time that everything that I have been through would be worth it, that I would find the one thing that was meant just for me."
"I remember," Marcus said. "What I don't understand is, what that has to do with anything right now."
"What if I told you that I have had this pull all day, but instead of leading me in a direction, it has been telling me to stay where I am; as if it wants me to stay near Edward Cullen?"
There was silence for a second, then another. "You are aware what that pull could mean?"
"I am," Demetri answered quickly. "I also know that coupling the pull with a scent that calls to me in another way other than thirst, could only mean one thing."
"Your Mate is coming," both Marcus and Felix said in unison.
Demetri couldn't keep the smile out of his voice as he said, "Now we have come back to the situation we are about to have."
"Which is," Marcus asked.
"If I am correct on who the scent belongs to, then there is going to be a fight. My only hope is to keep the unsuspecting humans from seeing or hearing anything," Demetri said running his hand through his hair as he thought.
"How big of a fight," Felix asked chiming into the conversation.
"Big," was Demetri's reply.
"Explain now, Demetri," Marcus said getting tired of the run around.
"I am pretty sure the scent belongs to Isabella Swan, who happens to be traveling with Alice Cullen in an attempt to save the emotionally unstable Cullen," Demetri said directly.
"That's impossible," Marcus whispered. "She's supposed to be dead, it is why he came here in the first place."
"The Seer saw the death," Felix said nodding his head.
"I know," Demetri said agreeing with the two others. "However, Donna has confirmed that an Isabella Swan is traveling with the Seer right now. I can trace her and I know she is within minutes of here. She must have dropped the human off somewhere, who is now coming closer here."
"The boy is not going to let her go easily once he sees her again," Felix said looking back at the Vampire in question. "That is if he lives to see her again," he amended when he noticed Cullen had moved closer to the calling sunlight.
"What do I do, Marcus," Demetri asked quickly.
"Wait. The Seer must have seen a plan of her brothers and is trying to stop it; your Mate must be the key to stop it," Marcus said with a sigh. "I suggest letting things play out. Let them try whatever they are going to do. Of course if it looks as if they aren't going to get there in time, then you step in. Once he sees her, you bring them back in; if you get a chance to get Isabella away in the process, do it."
"All that's going to do is prolong everything, and make him more angry," Felix said quickly.
"I am aware of that," Marcus snapped. "While you are there, I am going to make some arrangements on this end so you have some back up coming your way."
Demetri sighed, he wasn't fond of the plan; but he would do what Marcus suggested. "Alright, we'll wait," his eyes scanned over the Cullen boy again and added, "but I don't think it will be a long wait. It is as if he is waiting for the clocktower to toll twelve before he steps out."
"Then I must call the others," Marcus said quickly. There was quiet for a beat before Marcus spoke again, "Be safe, my son." With that the call ended.
"And here I thought my day was going to be boring," Felix said with a quick laugh.
Demetri joined him as he said, "Well, I aim to please."