Authors' Warning: Before you read this next chapter, we wish to caution you of the content within. There is a hint of domestic violence and some naughty innuendos (though never explicit). Take it as you will, let your imagination be your guide, and as always, enjoy!
Sulpicia's POV
Aro had a mind that ticked like a clock and, like a clock, it regularly went cuckoo. I didn't speak to him the rest of that evening, the next morning, and now it was nearing the afternoon. Aro is not one to lose his temper and go on a rampage—that's Caius's forte—but he does the strangest things when he gets upset. First, he'll refuse to speak to anyone and lock himself up in his study where he keeps a calligraphy set. He'll make a list of everything that he's mad at, crumple up the paper, and pocket it for later. Next, he moves into the art room and draws a detailed picture of the individuals he doesn't like at the moment. This could take hours and entire days. Finally, he carries both the list and portraits out behind the castle and burns them in a small bonfire to heavy metal rock music. No one knows why he does all this, but he says it calms him down. Compared to Caius's killing sprees and Jane's tendency to drink babies, Aro's anger management process can be considered "low-key".
As I cooped myself up in my all-too-familiar room, I leaned against the headboard of my bed hoping for a sign that everything was going to be okay. Or at least a vague clue as to where my second vuvuzela went. Out of complete boredom I walked to my closet and rummaged through all the board games, the latch hook kits, the written instructions for Solitaire—a game invented exclusively for the lonely, oil pastel sets, trivia cards, and self-learning language books I never bothered to open. Nope. Done that. Yes Jeff Foxworthy, I'm smarter than a fifth grader. I choose 'No Deal', Howie Mandel. I don't wish to draw. I memorized all of the trivia; did you know kangaroos cannot hop backwards? Learn German? Nein. I was about to shut my door when a slip of loose paper caught my eye. I picked it up, my curious eyes scanning the fine penmanship.
Sulpicia,
I want Caius back.
Your coven sister,
Athenodora
I read and reread that sentence four times, wondering what it could mean. Then it came to me: she must have finally come to her senses. I remembered how upset Aro was when he found out I broke away from his guard's power, and I cringed when I pictured how Caius would take it. A loud smash of glass shattering emitted from a couple rooms over, the unmistakable sound of Caius's rage. I gathered the skirts of my midmorning gown and hurried down the hall to Athenodora's room, anxious to listen to the heated argument. I reached for the handle, prepared to burst inside.
"What did I tell you about playing that idiotic obnoxiousness?!" a male voice snarled. My hand returned to my side and I took a step back. Nobody's dim enough to cross Caius when he raises his voice. Nobody.
"How else am I supposed to get you to talk to me when I'm lonely?" Athenodora complained. She sounded hurt and desperate for attention.
"You have Corin and your sister—"
"But I want you!" I listened on, silently cheering her on for speaking her mind.
"Now you listen to me," he growled in a dangerously low voice. "I am a very busy man with a full schedule of things to do, and I do not have time for your nonsense."
"I made you a scarf," she pleaded. "For traveling in the colder weather. It has love in every stitch."
"Is it wool?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"I don't want it."
"Oh, Caius!" She shouted like he just stabbed her in the side.
"Don't 'oh Caius' me, Athenodora! You know how much I detest the texture of wool!" From the crescendo in his volume I could tell this conversation was going to get ugly really fast. "I never liked your little knitting gifts, and I never will!" I burst through the door, not being able to listen on the sidelines any longer. Caius whirled around, his hand raised and prepared to do something he'd forever regret.
"Caius!" I screamed.
"Sulpicia?" He inquired incredulously, his hand dropping to his side.
"What are you doing?!" We roared at each other in unison.
"I'm trying to have a private conversation with my wife; do you mind?"
"Yes, I do. You should thank me right now for saving you an existence of misery. You should know better; violence is never the answer!"
"Well—," he started.
"Never the answer!" He stood there, dumbfounded as if it was news to him that abuse doesn't lead to a happy, lasting marriage. Neglect is an equally terrible option. He had no further argument with me, seeing how I was right. I am the wife of the world's most powerful vampire after all; I do have some authority.
"I have a mission file I must return to," he mumbled, sidestepping me to leave the room. I could hear his beastly rage venting through huffy breaths between every step he took until he reached the bottom of the tower. I let out a heavy sigh and sat on my coven sister's bed with her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her antique glass flute lay in pieces in the corner.
"Are you okay?" She weakly nodded.
"I am now. Thank you." I forced a small smile in attempts to persuade her that everything was going to be fine soon enough. "You got my note?" I nodded.
"How do you expect to get Caius back?" I asked curiously. Caius was as stubborn as lazy donkey and we'd almost have to trick him into being the husband we wanted him to be.
"Well, I thought about you and Aro, and I—" she trailed off, listening closely. I heard it too; it was the sound of a man's footsteps and they were in a hurry to get to where we were. Athenodora made a grab for something as the doorway was blocked by none other than Aro. Speaking of the devil…
"What is going on up here?" he demanded, glancing between the two of us. I turned to my friend who was busily weaving yarn pieces through a wax grid.
"I made a cat!" she chirped with a girlish smile, brandishing her latch hook picture of an orange tabby. Aro wasn't impressed by the façade.
I whispered gently, "Dora, he knows." Her smile faded as she put down her project. She leaned back in her pillows and crossed her arms.
"Caius and I have been fighting. He…said some things." Aro slowly nodded, taking this in.
"Thank you for telling me this. I know exactly what I'm going to do next." I couldn't believe it. Was he actually going to give Caius a lecture on decency? "Corin?" he called sharply down the hall. She appeared in a flash and dropped a quick curtsy.
"Yes, Master?"
"Look at Sulpicia and Athenodora," he ordered, gesturing to my sister and I. "Do they look happy to you?" She peered at our solemn faces and frowned a little. She knew what was coming to her.
"No, sir."
"Can your power, by any means, correct this?" She concentrated her eyes on us, but I didn't feel any different.
"N-No, I can't." Aro almost looked sorry for her, but I knew it was all a lie.
"Then you leave me no choice but to demote you to the lower guard. I want you out of this tower by sundown." A somber look crossed her face and grudgingly accepted her fate. She curtsied again and disappeared as quickly as she came. "Sulpicia?" He was staring, not taking his eyes off mine for a second. "Why don't you go down to the library and find a good magazine to read. If you see something in a catalog that you would like, I'll buy it for you." I knew he meant well, but trying to buy my happiness was one of the things I despised most about his idea of romance. Marriage isn't as materialistic as it once was in his human time period. No man needed to present his fiancé's father with money and sheep anymore! I stood up to leave—not to the library, for I still had to continue my search for my missing horn.
"Alright, Aro. I'll go."
"I'm coming too!" Athenodora asserted behind me.
"You will stay here," my husband stated. "From what I gather, you don't want to upset Caius any further." She sighed dejectedly and Aro finally left us alone. I crossed the hall up to my room, shut the door, and began going through every square inch of the place.
Athenodora's POV
"Oh dear, sweet husband of mine?" I sang loudly as I seductively floated my way around the door fame of the library; knowing too well he'd be immersed in a novel of some sorts in there.
"What is it?" He groaned back tiredly in reply, not even looking up from his book. I knew that he hated anyone disturbing him while he was reading, but I'd be considered a fool if I didn't begin my scheme now.
I draped myself around the doorway more, desperately trying to get his attention. "I have a gift for you, my love" I purred, hoping that he'd look up or at least glance at me.
"I don't want it," he sighed, leaning his head on his hand as he slowly turned the book's pages.
I frowned disappointed and drummed my perfectly manicured nails against the dark wooden door frame. "You don't even know what it is!"
"How many times do I have to remind you, I'm no longer going to accept your knitted mittens, socks, sweaters or hats?" Caius has always been angry about how much better I can knit than him, so much so that he's not even accepting my newly knitted masterpieces that I make for him anymore. But lucky for him, that wasn't why I went to see him…
I shook my head and chuckled softly. "No, that's not what I've got you...This time".
"Good," he snorted.
"Well? Aren't you going to close your eyes?" I purred again as I slowly began gliding over to him in the shadows.
"What? Why?" He snapped back, like I'd just told him to do something highly inappropriate. My request made him look up from his book though, so I was partly happy that I'd got his attention.
"Because it's a surprise!" I reminded him in a singsong voice, hoping to lift his usual dreadful mood.
"I'm not interested in your surprise. Now leave." Ha! He wasn't going to get away from me that easily.
"Close your eyes," I whispered gently like I was hushing a baby as I tugged the stolen vuvuzela out from under my cloak before hiding it behind my back like a stealthy ninja.
He suddenly stood from his chair angrily. "Athenodora! Did you not listen? I'm asking you to leave!" He yelled as he pointed to the doorway that I had draped myself around before.
"Fine!" I snapped back in a huff, turning to leave as he settled back down into his chair.
"Good-bye!" he growled impatiently to me as I pulled out the vuvuzela with my back turned to him. My plan of attack sprang into action; I span quickly on my heel and darted up to him at vampire speed, giving him a few minor seconds to question what I was doing before blowing the vuvuzela as loud as I could in his ear drums.
"AAAARRGGHH!" He yelled as he quickly attempted to cover his ears from the mind-piercing sound that came from the instrument. "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!" He shouted with complete rage; he was almost as loud as the instrument itself.
"SURPRISE!" I yelled back, trying to match the volume of his voice.
Caius stared at me and blinked for a few seconds; obviously very confused.
"What the bloody hell was that for?!"
"For not showing me the affection I deserve anymore."
"Don't be ridiculous, I show you affection almost every evening!" I scoffed loudly at his response.
"I don't mean that!" I shouted back, determined to win at least one argument with him for once.
"Well, spit it out then!" He replied aggressively as he moved closer to me. He made a grab for the horn, but I whisked it behind my back before he could snatch it away.
"ACCEPT MY KNITTING!" I practically screamed; my voice was probably heard all the way around Volterra.
"Accept your knitting?" He chuckled darkly. "You're angry with me because of that?"
I folded my arms like a spoilt child. "I like knitting sweaters for you...and I like it when you wear them," I tried to state simply without blushing.
He rolled his eyes. "Enough," he said simply whilst returning back to his chair. I shook my head rapidly, to which he scowled back. "I thought I told you to leave."
"I'm not leaving until you promise to wear the sweaters I've made you!" I yelled in protest as I kept my feet firmly planted in place.
"Athenodora," he called in a dangerous and low tone. "I've told you no, I'm not going to wear your silly attempts to please me. Now, OUT!"
"I'm not leaving this spot!" I kept my expression fixed to a glare, refusing to do what he'd ordered. I was planning on getting what I wanted for a change, and I wasn't going to hold back in telling him what I want any longer. His expression suddenly and unexpectedly fell from an angry scowl to an amorous smirk. "I shall have to carry you out then."
My glare morphed into a slight grin at his words. I couldn't help but let out a childish giggle as he slowly rose from his chair and strode over to me like I was in deep trouble. He snatched me up from the ground with ease and carried me bridal style out of the library; causing the vuvuzela to fall to the floor with a loud crash—most probably breaking it.
"Where are you taking me"? I asked breathlessly.
"Somewhere where we can talk in private about your knitting addiction" he calmly replied, still wearing his amorous smirk as I realized we were taking the route to our chambers. Something told me we obviously weren't going to "talk".
Sulpicia's POV
"Where the heck is it?"! I muttered under my breath as I emptied the contents from the draw from my vanity table onto the floor. By now I'd already turned my whole room upside down looking for my vuvuzela; it looked as though a bomb hit the place. I sighed heavily as I kneeled down amongst my scattered belongings and rubbed my head in frustration. I needed that vuvuzela to get what I wanted from Aro; how am I supposed to begin my next plan if I don't have it? My arsenal of annoying weapons decreased by one; I may as well just drop it and order another one.
"I know who took it," a small voice whispered from behind me. I turned around quickly and brought myself to my feet, only to find that the voice belonged to Patches. I knew I must have looked a bit manic from searching through the mass of my belongings which were now all over the floor around me.
"My vuvuzela?" I whispered back, my eyes widening with delight that I had the possibility of getting it back. He nodded timidly.
"Who stole it from me? When did they take it? Was it Alec? I bet it was Alec, I've seen that look that he gets in his eye whenever I'm holding it!" I yelled uncontrollably as anticipation built inside of me.
"N-No, it w-wasn't Alec," he stuttered as he took a few small steps away from me. "Ath-thenod-dora." He cleared his throat. "Athenodora took it."
"Athenodora?" I murmured, making sure that I didn't raise my voice again so I wouldn't upset Patches. "Do you know why she took it"? I asked more calmly. He gave a small shrug.
"N-Not really...She just passed me in the hallway on the way to the library; I just finished dusting in there."
"The library? Right! Thank you, Patches!" I exclaimed happily, causing the poor kid to jump back at my sudden outburst. I quickly darted past him and ran through my chamber doorway, continuing onward through the castle until I reached the all too familiar sight of the library's large entrance.
"Athenodora, I need my vuvuzela back!" I called as I walked through the doorway; expecting that she'd be still in there, or at least hear me shouting her name as she couldn't possibly have gone far. The library was totally deserted as far as my eyes could see. The only sign of recent activity in there was a book had been left open on one of the desks.
"Athenodora?" I called as I walked aimlessly around the room. No, she definitely wasn't here. Maybe she didn't go in the library after all. Was it possible Patches had been wrong? That'd be a first for him. I decided that the best thing that I could do now was leave—perhaps she's in her chamber...
CRUNCH..."Oh dear...My vuvuzela?!" I lifted my foot to find the shattered vuvuzela below it. I slowly knelt down and picked up the broken pieces, wondering if it was in anyway fixable—but it was in so many pieces that it wouldn't probably be even worth trying to mend it. Not even with all the duct tape in the world.
"My plan...ruined!" I sighed, as I carelessly dropped the thousands of vuvuzela pieces onto the ground. "Now I'll never be anything more than an unloved, miserable trophy wife." I sank into the nearby chair that had the open book on the desk in front of it, and folded my arms and rested my head on top of them, wondering what I should do next.
"I could still try and track down Athenodora and give her a piece of my mind for stealing my vuvuzela; my only hope in having a successful marriage...Or I could go and find Aro and tell him that our marriage is as dull as dishwater and ask him for a divorce—which is something I don't even want to deal with at my age, and he'll never agree to it."
The book that had been left open in front of me on the desk then randomly caught my eye. It was open on the very last page—so someone had obviously almost completed reading it. There was a short ending message on the page, alongside a plastic sleeve that was attached to the page under the message which appeared to have a CD slotted inside. Immediately I was interested in what both the CD and the book were about, so I began to read the text on the last page:
So, now you have enough information on everything you need to know about "charming the tomatoes", you might as well change your name to "Mr. Big Daddy", hm? But you know, nothing will complete your new profound skills of "scoring" than a little extra to go away with, so be sure to also check out the enclosed DVD that can be found below.
"What on earth?" I mumbled. "What sort of book is this?" I turned the book over so I could see the cover, and found the words "Sizzling Sex: The Sex Doctor's 250 Hottest Tips, Tricks, and Techniques" in bold red letters, alongside a cartoony type image of a couple "getting it on". I immediately threw the book back down onto the desk in embarrassment as I quickly looked around to see if anyone had caught me looking at it but no one appeared to be around. I was alone...With the book and the CD... Forget the vuvuzela, this book and CD could possibly be my ticket to a better marriage with Aro, and whoever this belongs to will surely not mind me borrowing it just for a few hours so I can absorb the information. What else do I have to lose? It's worth a shot!
"I see you've found yourself a good read," a deep voice chuckled from behind one of the tall bookshelves. I looked up around like a deer caught in headlights. Clearly, the library wasn't as vacant as I thought. The mountainous form of Felix emerged, and he was smirking his face off. Interesting, I didn't know he could read.
"Oh, this isn't mine," I told him, chucking the strange, disturbing book behind my shoulder.
"I know. Someone was in here earlier and couldn't put it down. Though I prefer Playboy myself." He showed me the cover of the magazine in his hands to prove his point. I averted my eyes for reasons I needn't explain. He laughed at my reaction.
"You're quite familiar with this material, aren't you?" He thought about it for a moment and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess you could say so." I considered my idea for a moment and saw its one flaw. It wasn't enough for me to educate myself; I had to somehow plant the concepts into Aro's mind as well. Why that's just it, isn't it? Use his power against him and literally get the ideas into his head! Now, to get Felix to help me.
"That's vile. No one reads magazines or videos like these!" He planted his forehead into his palm and shook his head.
"You have no idea." I crossed my arms.
"How do you know you're not the only one?"
"Because," he started, trying to suppress his laughter. "I've seen everyone in the upper guard with all this at one time or another: Jane, Demetri, Heidi, Alec, especially Alec!"
"How did I not know this earlier?" Felix shrugged his broad shoulders.
"It's not exactly smiled upon, if you know what I mean. People usually tend to keep it on the "down low" and take it out when they're alone."
"Ahh, I see." I smiled, now in possession of some leverage. "Could you do me a favor, Felix?" He grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"You want me to set you up?" This made me laugh. Ha, as if I wanted to see such profanity!
"No, no that won't be necessary. You know Aro wasn't the same lover as he used to be—"
"I've got it," Felix cut in. "You want me to introduce him to porn."
"Close, but not quite. I want him to see it through everyone else's eyes." He wagged a sly finger at me.
"Clever. So…I tell the upper guard to watch it up, some Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, you know, and then we all…touch Aro?" I smiled insidiously in response. He chuckled darkly and bowed low. "As you wish, my lady."
I took longer strides as I left the library; there was still much for me to do for the follow-up of Aro's seducing shock treatment. My mind was so concentrated on the details—such as what to wear, what perfume to spray, how to set up my room—that I nearly tripped over a small blob of grey. I immediately looked down at Patches, who was busily dusting the baseboards. He glanced over his shoulder and his quizzical eyes gazed up into mine. "I'm sorry, Patches. My mistake." He slowly nodded and carried on with his work. I took four sweeping steps toward the tower until I heard him stand up.
"Can I help?" he asked in his soft voice. I paused and spun around wearing a mask of slight confusion.
"Help with what?" He shuffled his feet with an air of guilt.
"Th-The mission you gave F-Felix." I checked around for anyone who could have overheard that. It was supposed to be a secret, after all.
"Follow me," I whispered fiercely. I led him to my room where I knew we could have some privacy. He followed me like a puppy and never questioned anything. Once the door was locked and we were sitting down, I told him what Felix and I were up to…in a much modified way. "He just can't seem to take a hint, so we're giving it directly to him."
"And these books and magazines will make him love you more?" I shrugged.
"That's the general idea, yes." A wide smile popped on his face with a loud gasp.
"Can I read them?!"
"No!" I automatically snapped back. "You are the youngest one in this castle and I want to keep you innocent as long as possible." He crossed his arms and pouted. "I don't mean to exclude you, but…you're the baby."
"I'm two hundred years old," he protested.
"Exactly my point; you're the youngest one." I went to my closet and poked around my activities in search of something to keep him busy. "Here, you can help by solving this." I tossed him an unfinished Rubik's cube. He took one look at it and frowned.
"This will take me an eternity to fix." At a second glance, it did resemble some twisted sort of tedious torture. I pulled out a book and a giant box of crayons with over five hundred colors.
"Then you may color this entire activity book," I said, handing him the materials.
"A 'My Little Pony Coloring Book'?" He flipped through it and raised an eyebrow at me. "Do I have to?"
"You have to." He sighed and gave me a quick bow before departing to start on the Rainbow Dash page.
Looking around my room, I noted the mess I made searching for the vuvuzela and tidied up as much as I could. I had to make sure there was plenty of space for the romantic ambiance before Aro arrived as he did every evening. My bed was neatly made and sprayed with a warm cinnamon aroma I had saved for a special occasion. Felix arrived a bit later and knocked softly on my door. "We're all set to get him," he grinned. "You might want to see this."
I shadowed him at a distance, my eyes glued to his combat boots so that I could match his pace to avoid detection. We slunk around the corridors and soon met with the rest of the stone-faced upper guard just outside the back of the throne room. When Felix gave the signal, they solemnly entered and nonchalantly shifted to the center throne where Aro was sifting through old letters by himself. Marcus and Caius usually partake in a quick chess match about this time. I peered around the corner of the doorway, impatiently waiting for Aro's reaction. As his guard circled around him, he didn't look up. Not even once. Any other man would have had a few suspicions in his position, but it never occurred to me just how comfortable he felt in a seat of such power. With one finger each, be it index or pinky, the circle found a small patch of diamond-hard skin and staked their claim.
His head shot up, his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. All at once, every erotic nightmare became his; every evocative essence of sensuality stimulated his senses. His face twisted into a grimace that looked like someone squirted lemon juice in his eyes and he began to jerk uncontrollably from side to side. He leapt out of his throne and held his head as if it was teetering on Jenga blocks. "L-Leave," he ordered in a shaky breath, his eyes staring out into open space. "Now!" I smiled with satisfaction and dashed back to my tower. Any moment now, my husband will appear and see me with new eyes, and he'll look at me the way every woman wants to be looked at. Athenodora revealed to me once where she keeps her stash of lingerie just for these kinds of occasions. I walked in her closet and snatched the first thing I saw: a simple black kitty costume that consisted of a lacy belly skirt with a tail trailing down to the knees, a satin, sleeveless, strapless halter-top, thigh-high leather boots with heels, and the signature headband with attached cat ears. Purr-fect.
Aro turned the handle precisely six and a half minutes later to a dim, candle-lit room. "Sulpicia?" he called, looking around.
"Over here, love," I hummed from atop my bed, my arms outstretched to him. He blinked at me a few times and moved a little closer.
"What is all this, mio amore?" he inquired, a little surprised. I sat up, equally surprised that he questioned the moment.
"What are you talking about, Aro? Isn't it obvious?" He tilted his head to the side.
"Oh, it is, but I don't approve." Before I could say a word, he shut the door and glared at the candle. "Open flames are a hazardous danger, my dear. I'd much rather have it off." And with that, he pinched the flame, leaving the two of us in the absolute mystery of darkness.
"Mmm, there you are," I purred as his now bare body nestled against mine. "Now I'd like you to know that you are mine and no one else's." His breath tickled my neck while his arms encompassed me in a close embrace. His hands found my stomach and began to massage it in small circles.
"No need, dearest. I will never leave you or even look at another woman the way I do at you. You are my one and my only love." I felt a twinge of guilt under his sincerity. After the party, I thought for sure he saw someone else, if only for a small moment.
"Then I am sorry I ever doubted you. I'm sure what the Count said was all just this crazy misunderstanding." He stopped massaging me and let out a sigh just behind my ear, becoming as still as a log.
"You were under the impression that I slept with a prostitute, am I correct?" I admittedly nodded. "What if I told you…I did?"
Authors' Note: SpinTown and I would like to thank you if you stayed with this story thus far. We've put a lot of dedication and effort into doing what we love and we always appreciate feedback from our readers. We encourage you to leave us a review and tell us how we did. Thank you!