The Calling
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Ch. 8: Traitors
BPOV
The pain of the change was almost too much for me. After all my time in as a Legionnaire, I'd had my fair share of venom healings and had gotten use to ignoring the burn. Hell, I was practically a vampire already so the intensity of the burning shouldn't have been that bad. Twelve auto injectors full of vampire venom and a bite that forced the werewolf virus into my bloodstream worked to up the intensity of the experience. It was only the extensive training I had been given in pain control kept me from screaming out or writhing.
I distracted myself by getting lost in the recesses of my mind. It was while I was deep inside my own head that I felt the switch flip on my power and the pain of the venom burn was overshadowed by rage. A red, murderous, rage that was confined to my comatose form until the change was completed then I'd let it free.
Somebody had stayed with me when I was left here. The scent had told me that it was Esme. My mate whispered soothing words as she brushed a hand, which kept getting closer to the temperature of my skin, across my forehead. Well, the whispers had eventually become soothing. At first, she had threatened me with various forms of torture and dismemberment for getting hurt. There was little doubt in my mind that she'd have followed through with all of them.
In my spacious vampire brain, a part that wasn't focused on my gift noticed that the flames of the change had centered on my heart. The pain became a hundred times worse than before and the muscle started to beat so rapidly that I thought it was going to burst from my chest. Then, without warning, it sputtered and gave its last thump.
The rage that had been held in check exploded from me as my eyes snapped open. Esme looked worried when I leapt from the bed and stormed out of the room. As I flashed down the hall, she was right behind me and I felt her concern.
"GUARDS, LEGIONNAIRES, ASSEMBLE IN THE THRONE ROOM, NOW," I commanded in a voice that was loud enough to shake the stone walls of the castle.
I was thankful that nobody had bothered to clean me up in any way during my change. The faint electronic crackle of the com unit in my ear reminded me of another thing I needed to do. Quietly, I alerted Zilla to seal off the castle before double-timing his ass to the assembly. He was seconds behind us when my mate and I burst through the door of the throne room.
The Ancients and the Guard all bore shocked expressions at the aura of enraged authority. Just as I expected, the only Legionnaires in the castle were the members of my former team. When I raked my gaze of the gathered Volturi Guard, I saw exactly what I expected. The men that I had fought and bled with were standing behind me; I spun on my heel to face them. My body was positioned so that neither the Guard nor the Ancients could see me using sign language to issue orders.
Bull – You're Captain now. Take Dietrich and Zilla then find Santiago and John the Baptist his ass.
Q – Go to the infirmary and gather all the human blood you can find then take it to the General's room.
Report in when you've completed your tasks for further orders.
The Squad nodded then rushed out of the throne room soundlessly. I switched to the Barracks frequency on the com. The next commands were for the Ghost Legion alone.
"This is Swan, Squads Seven through Nine deploy to the Congo. There is a Newborn Army that currently stands at 100 strong. Squads Four through Six, deploy to Greenland to deal with a similar threat. Squad Two report to Volterra with a Saber, the Ancients are being evacuated to the Rock," I ordered then switched back to the previous channel.
"FELIX, DEMITRI, JANE AND ALEC GET YOUR ASSES TO GIBRALTAR. PREPARE THE SANCTUARY FOR THE ANCIENTS. HEIDI, TAKE FOUR WITH YOU AND BRING EVERY AVAILABLE COVEN HERE. THE REST OF YOU GET TO THE TRAINING ROOM AND AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS," I bellowed when I returned my attention back to the Guard.
"We don't take orders from you," Kurt, a newer member, seethed and never had a chance to realize his mistake.
In a flash, the fools head was in my hand. Everyone in the room gasped in shock as the body hit the floor.
"THE NEXT ONE OF YOU BITCHES QUESTIONS MY AUTHORITY AGAIN, YOUR HEAD'S GOIN' TO JOIN THIS FUCKER'S IN MY COLLECTION," I fumed and had the pleasure of watching them turn paler than normal. They hopped to it without further comment.
"Boss, Santiago is taken care of," Bull informed me over the com.
"Got the blood to the General's quarters and awaiting orders," Q came through right after.
"Q, stay where you are because you're about to get a patient. Bull, you and the others search the dungeon. You're looking for six metal casks that contain Athendora's body parts," I ordered while the imposter that had posed as Caius' mate attempted to flee but the General was too fast for her.
CPOV (Caius)
*Two Days Ago*
I sat in the thrown room with my brothers with a feeling of dread. We had received a distress call from the Eastern Russian Coven but it felt off. Despite my qualms, Aro ordered Squad One of the Ghost Legion into action. I felt bad because Captain Swan had only just found her Soul Mate and needed time with her. Bella had been our shining jewel from the moment she joined us. I made no secret that she was chosen. When the time came, one of mine or I were to change her into a vampire. Two of my children, Eleazar and Carmen, had been thrilled when the girl indicated she wanted them to be her parents.
After the call came in from Eleazar about Alice's vision of a trap, a rescue mission was launched. I was pacing about the throne room while we waited for news. Suddenly, I felt intense pain then fell to the floor screaming as invisible flames ravaged my body. Aro was the first one to reach my side and when he touched me, he learned the secret that I have hidden from him for several centuries. Despite what I had led everyone to believe, I had a gift; a subtle but somewhat powerful gift that manifested when I created my first vampire.
One of my children referred to it as Lineage. Mentally, I was connected to all the vampires that I created and those they created as well. That connection allowed me a limited access to their gifts. A new link had just been formed and when cast my mind down it, I discovered Bella Swan. I pushed the pain to the back of my consciousness then picked myself up off the floor. Aro gave me an expectant look, so I explained my gift and what just happened.
During the few moments that I had connected with Bella, her gift showed me the danger she was in. From the strand of her Psi-web that connected back to me, I felt her resignation and determination. The rest of the strands filled in some of the missing pieces until I understood that reason for the trap. It was my own disbelief and rage that brought my awareness back to Volterra.
*The Present*
Bella was in more pain than anyone should have had to endure. The lycanthropy fought with the venom for dominance in her body. If she had not injected herself with all of that venom before going into battle first, I had little doubt that the venom would have lost the battle. As it was, the virus in the vile beast's saliva was going to leave something behind. We needed to wait to see exactly what it would be.
Over a day into her change, I was nearly brought to my knees when her intense pain was overshadowed by her fury. Immediately, I used my gift and found myself linked to her Psi-web. Just like every vampire's gift, it increased in strength exponentially with the change. I found myself not only connected to every vampire on the planet, but found too many threats. The most shocking were the two that originated within the castle, Santiago and my beloved Athenadora.
I clamped down on my anger and waited for my granddaughter to finish her change. The second she opened her eyes, I allowed her to take the lead. When she burst through the door of the throne room, Bella had failed to disappoint. The natural leader that she was came to the fore as she issued commands. The poor fool that questioned her authority was beheaded and the others toed the line. It was just my brothers, the Cullen's, Sulpicia and Athenadora left in the room when Bella brought up the imposter that was posing my mate.
The spy had attempted to flee but was not fast enough. I caught her then tore her apart before I remembered that I should have interrogated her first. Bella burned the pieces while I stalked off to my quarters because my wounded mate had been found and taken there. Q had been feeding my wife blood by time I arrived. Athenadora had still been in rough shape when the Saber arrived to evacuate us.
My brothers were protesting being manhandled into the helicopter when I showed up with my mate. Once she was buckled in, I returned inside then headed to the training room. Bella was waiting for me and I noticed how the lycanthropy affected her. The bright crimson irises that were common to all Newborns were obscured because her eyes glowed a sickly green and her teeth were slightly canine in appearance. I glanced down at her fingernails; they looked as though they might become claws.
"Does it look like there's a helicopter in here, Old Man," was the only thing Bella said before she attacked.
The members of the Guard that were there gasped when her first strike knocked me into the far wall. For an hour, the fight raged and we each gave as good we received. Esme wandered in and it distracted the Newborn enough that I landed a lucky strike. Bella was on her back with my hand at her throat. I was vaguely aware of her mate moving into attack position. I removed my hand from the Newborn's throat and the two of us started to laugh.
"I guess you haven't lost your touch," she joked then issued the order for the Saber to take off.
Esme looked confused then noticed the awed expressions of the other then understood the whole thing was a set up for their benefit. She cast a withering stare at her mate then stormed out of the room.
"ISABELLA MARIE," the gentle woman screeched and Bella followed her meekly.