AN: Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the big reveal as much as I did. I know it's been awhile since I've updated so my apologies, it's been a crazy, stressful week. Without further ado, here's the new chapter! As always please read & review.
Stepping back from her, Jax connected their eyes before leaping into the air. When he landed, Isabella gasped in surprise and froze in place. Where once a man had stood there now stood a black lion with a grand mane. The lion's eyes bored into Isabella's as it shook out its fur, and from its back, large pure black wings unfurled, stretching out around six feet on either side of its body. It was a magnificent and beautiful sight, a dark symbol of strength and noble action.
However, what stood out to Isabella the most was the vivid violet of the lion's eyes that mirrored perfectly her own.
The great, dark lion stood proud and tall, reaching well above 5 feet at the shoulders. His wings were as black as night itself, his form the image of regality and strength. The bright purple of his eyes stood out in stark contrast to his fur, further accentuating his uniqueness.
Isabella's eyes were wide, surprise etched into every corner of her beautiful face. The eyes that mirrored her own were deep, reflecting the experience and wisdom of a creature that has lived for centuries. Even the eyes of Aro and the other ancient vampires fell short of those before her. Once Isabella was able to tear her eyes from the violet orbs in front of her, she noticed suddenly that there was a deep scar running down the lion's face. The scar was identical to that of the man she knew as Jax in both location and appearance, though it was almost indiscernible in the pitch black fur that had grown around it. Without a vampire's sight and knowing that the creature before her was indeed her new friend Jax, there was no way to know that the man and the create he became were related in the slightest.
"Jax," she breathed, slowly reaching a hand toward the massive animal. If a lion could smile, this one certainly was, a slight twinge of the lips revealing glistening white canines. The lion stepped forward into her outstretched hand, letting her palm land on his forehead and slip between his ears.
Isabella moved her hand then, eyes tracing the contours of his body with wonder as her fingers glided over silky fur and delicate feathers. A soft rumble began in Jax's chest and Isabella halted her movements in alarm, her instincts telling her there was great danger underneath her fingertips. However, Jax simply moved closer into her touch, moving his head into her body like a normal house cat would as a sign of affection, the rumbling in his chest growing louder. With an awkward laugh Isabella realized that the vibrations she was hearing was purring, and that though this creature was indeed dangerous, he meant her no harm.
As he stepped back from her, violet eyes met once again. It was then that Jax lowered his head slightly, his eyes trained upwards at the woman in front of him. Before Isabella could react, Jax pounced, pinning her to the ground beneath him. Instincts and fear caused Isabella to let out a short scream and throw up her shield, pushing him off of her, but not before his tongue connected with her face and left a wet trail across her cheek. As he was thrown off of her, Jax landed lightly in the grass, that lion smile back in place.
"Oh gross, come on!" she exclaimed in annoyance, wiping the saliva off her face. The annoyance on her face didn't last long however as she broke out into melodic laughter, her face twisting into a breathtaking smile.
"Isabella" a deep voice rumbled.
Turning around in surprise, Isabella attempted to locate the source of the voice that sounded oddly familiar. When she returned to looking at Jax she suddenly realized that the voice was familiar because it was in fact his. Knowing that lion could not talk however, Isabella became confused and slightly panicked.
"Do not be afraid child. You know who I am." The large lion dipped his head in affirmation as he spoke, though his mouth never moved.
"Wh- How are you speaking right now?" Isabella stuttered.
"You are aware of the pack of shifters that exist in your hometown? The way that they communicate with one another through a telepathic link?"
"Well, yes, but they're wolves and to be included in that you have to be a part of the pack." Confusion filled Isabella's voice, though the panic had subsided to curiosity and uncertainty.
"You do not think that our connection and eyes are mere coincidence," Jax challenged, his voice resonating through her mind.
"I don't know what to think. Please do tell me what's going on."
The dark lion sighed before laying down, tucking his wings neatly onto the plane of his back as he settled his head onto the large paws beneath him. Isabella followed his lead and sat down with crossed legs in front of him.
As soon as their eyes reconnected Isabella was pulled into a scene within Jax's mind, darkness engulfing her before she was suddenly standing next to a young boy. The boy was tan and thin, though his muscles were beginning to show on his young body. As he turned around, Isabella gasped at the realization that this boy must be Jax at a young age. His eyes were the same shade of black, determination and strength shining through them. The scar wasn't there however and his voice wasn't the deep rumble that Isabella knew.
"Papa!" he exclaimed, running straight through the place where Isabella stood, taking her by surprise. The young boy leapt into a large man's arms, tanned and well defined muscles wrapping around his small form.
"Hello son," the deep voice responded. "Have you been practicing while your mother and I were away?"
The little boy nodded eagerly and scrunched up his brow in concentration. After a few seconds, there was a subtle pop and a small black lion crouched on the floor of the cave growling. Though she was sure it was meant to be threatening or intimidating, Isabella couldn't help but laugh at the adorable creature. She quickly put a hand up to her mouth but neither of the men in the scene seemed to notice her.
The large man laughed and ruffled the small lion's forming mane, congratulating him on how much better he had gotten and how big he is growing. Soon, the scene faded and Isabella was once again pulled into darkness before she was placed in another memory. This time the smell of smoke and burning flesh made her gag, doubling over in revulsion. As the smoke cleared she heard a roar and saw a large black lion, wings unfurled and fangs bared, standing proud atop the overhanging cliff. The sound of battle cries and pain suddenly reached her ears and made her cringe as the scene before he became clearer.
There were countless pyres in the field below the cliff, bodies being torn apart and thrown into the flames, screams and fast movements surrounding her entirely. Chaos was all consuming and Isabella could see numerous black lions fighting on and flying over the field. She could also identify newborns and ancient vampires alike fighting on the field, though it was nearly impossible to tell which side was which. Vampires fought one another and they fought the winged lions as well. The pain and fear that filled the air was nearly tangible and Isabella choked on the sudden influx of emotions that she felt.
The scene shifted and Isabella was standing right beside the massive black lion at the top of the cliff, overlooking the battle. His eyes were the same captivating violet as hers, but she couldn't tell whether or not this was Jax in another time. Her suspicions were put to rest as a woman came to rest her hand on the lion's back, her marble skin reflecting the little light that breached through the overcast sky. The woman was blonde, with the same striking eyes as the lion at her side and it was obvious that there was a connection between them.
"He wants to fight you know. He's going to despise you for forcing him to stand under watch while we are out here risking our lives." The woman stroked the fur beneath her fingers lovingly as she spoke.
"The vampires that are behind this attack see us as the biggest threat to their reign. They wish to take over the world and all the creatures that live in it. We are the Abaven and we do not let madmen take over. We are the guardians." The lion growled and bared his teeth.
"You were lucky to find both the mate and the guardian bond in one person. The Abaven are tasked with protection, and those that they form the guardian bond with are important for the balance of the world. One day, Ajax will come of age and find his bond. I hope that day never comes though, because it means that you and I are dead." The woman's tone was soothing and reflective.
"Only the leader feels the guardian bond, and I refuse to let my son take this burden. That is why he remains safe and away from this battle. We will fight and we will win against this group that believes themselves higher than all else."
"You leave your tribe to fight your battles for you? I guess it is fitting that you watch them all die before your time comes." A cold voice spoke behind the group. The voice made Isabella shudder and she whirled around to stare into bottomless pits of red tinged with darkness.
Jax's father growled menacingly as more ancient vampires stepped out of the shadows and backed them to the edge of the cliff. They moved so fast that Isabella was almost unable to track their movements as the attack began. After a few minutes in which Isabella's already dead heart was pounding in her chest, she heard a blood curdling scream on her left. Turning toward the noise, a cry of her own slipped from her lips as she saw the white fingers make their way around Jax's mother's neck. With a sickening smile, the ancient vampire pulled her head from her shoulders and tossed the body behind him so that it could be tossed into the newly created fire. Jax's father roared in fury and pain, his violet eyes flashing as he tore one of the ancient vampires to shreds in front of him. The great lion quickly disposed of two of the four remaining vampires but was eventually pinned by the ancients who snapped his bones one by one so that he could no longer fight back, even with his healing abilities. Isabella nearly screamed as she saw the figure that came sprinting from the forest edge, fear consuming her.
A smaller lion, but much larger than when she last saw him, came toward the group and ripped one of the ancients off of his father. Jax growled and swiped at the other but was thrown back towards the trees.
"No! Son get out of here! I'm afraid you're our last hope. If you die, the Abaven die with you." The deep rumbling voice of his father caused Jax to halt in his movements. However, the ancient vampire that led the attack blurred over to him and threw him toward the edge of the cliff. Jax yelped in pain as the vampire swiped at him, fingers raking down the lion's dark face as he took flight. Blood dripped from the wound, landing right beside the motionless form of his father. The vampire leader's red eyes narrowed as a malicious smile made its way onto his face. Within an instant, a loud snap was heard across the cliff and Jax's eyes welled with unshed tears. Blood pooled on the ground next to his father, seeping into the ground.
As suddenly as the scene was there, it ended and Isabella reeled backwards as she was suddenly placed back in the present. Sad violet eyes watched her turn and dry heave, her head spinning. If she were human, Isabella would have splurged the contents of her stomach and cried until every tear was gone, but alas she did what vampires could and shook and wretched nothing but air.
Upon seeing the sad lion laid before her, Isabella wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered words of apology and consolation. The great lion simply nuzzled her in return before speaking.
"Now you know who I am, where I come from, and what this connection between us is. I am the last of my kind, the last ptereleon or winged lion as you would say, the last Abaven. My species was sworn to protect and serve as guardians but in the final battle, we were outmatched. I have hunted those men for centuries, vowing revenge for my people. Now that I am the leader by default, I gain the ability to form a guardian bond with a special individual. When I first laid eyes on you as a human, I knew that you were the one I was destined to protect. There is something special about you Isabella Volturi. The vampires that tried to take over so many centuries ago are still out there, I can feel it. Perhaps you are the one destined to help me stop them." The deep voice echoed in Isabella's head.
"I-I don't know what to say," her soft reply called out. "I'm not this special and powerful being. Your father, you… you're like that. I'm just a vampire that was recently a broken, uncoordinated human."
Jax shook his head at her before responding. "I know that it's a lot to take in. We have time Isabella. Train with me and the other guard members and let us bring out the strongest possible version of you that exists. Aro's friend joins us tomorrow and he will be able to tell us if your gift has any other forms or if it can be made stronger." Isabella nodded with a small smile as she let her fingers flow through the softness of Jax's mane.
For the rest of the night, Isabella and Jax trained both physically and through their bond, learning to expand their connection and the extent of it as well as some basic combat situations between a shifter and a vampire. As the sun began to peak its way above the horizon once again, Jax shifted back to human form. Unlike the wolves, Jax apparently did not shred his clothes when he phased, so there was no need for uncomfortable nudity as the pair prepared to head inside. Jax yawned as he walked Isabella back to her room, laughing as a certain witch twin pair were found leaning up against the wall by her door.
"Isabella," Alec exclaimed. "We were supposed to train your shield a bit more tonight."
Isabella apologized and gave Jax a quick nod goodnight. She smiled and wrapped her arms around Alec in a brief but strong hug before turning with a smirk towards Jane whose frown would have deterred literally anyone else. The hug with Jane was brief, ending with Jane shoving Isabella off of her and grumbling something about how affection is a sign of weakness.
Isabella followed Alec and Jane into the throne room the next morning, ready to meet her esteemed guest. What she didn't expect however, was to be standing in front of Aro's guest, looking into familiar golden orbs.
"Hello Isabella, I've heard so much about you," the man said with a warm smile.