A/N: Hey guys,
so I take off almost the whole week, but to tell the truth I was and am struggling with the next chapter of Endless Dawn. Lucius' interlude doesn't want to come along for some reason and I totally unsatisfied with the original version which is a pity. So I decided to give it a little rest (nothing serious, only until Monday for real) and concentrate on Childe of Destruction.
For more explanation check out the After Notes.
Thanks for the wonderful reviews adds and hits! And if you still don't understand something after reading the End Notes, feel free to write me.
And big thanks to vairetwilight as always for being a magnificent Beta!
Another thing, kimeno-pebols and everyone else who write a comment anonymously or banned the possibility of replying their comments, please send me mail adress or something if you wish your reviews to be answered
12. Myths and Reality
"You are my Destined, Bella. You are my Mate, the One for me..."
"Then why? Why are you denying me to be with you entirely? Without fear? Without regret? Why are you denying me to be with you forever?!"
"Because I am a selfish monster who wants to basket in your humanity. You make me feel more human than this pathetic facade could ever do. You have my heart, Bella but I would never taint your soul with this darkness that makes me exist."
"But I want to be with you! I'm not afraid. I swear I'm not afraid of becoming one of you!"
What a fool she was; trying to prove her worth, pretending to be brave even though she was terrified. She believed in his every word, yet didn't believe anything he said. She thought he was trying to make her disgusted, trying to make her to change her mind, because he was trying to protect her.
But he told the truth and she finally understood it... she had seen it with her own eyes.
"What is your name?" An emotionless yet velvety voice shattered the painful flow of her miserable memories, ordering her silently to open her eyes.
They were still at the clearing; maimed bodies and organs were lying everywhere, painting the green grass to scarlet and the sight itself made her stomach to churn with disgust and horror. Then she turned to the source of the slightly familiar voice and immediately lost in the most captivating and hypnotic green orbs she'd ever seen.
She felt vulnerable and helpless under the scrutinizing gaze of the boy, but no matter how much she wanted to break the eye contact she was unable to turn her eyes away from the slightly glowing and swirling ringlets.
'Where is Jacob?' she thought suddenly, remembering the werewolf's soothing presence that embraced and shielded her during the fight.
"Answer me, girl. What is your name?" Again that voice, demanding an answer from her. But her mind was so foggy and dizzy. Nonetheless she had to answer the question. No she needed to answer the question. But why? Why was it so important?
"Have you lost your mind? Were you broken by the massacre you had to endure?"
Was she? She didn't know. But she really had to answer now. That voice was so mesmerising, like those eyes. She never wanted to turn away again. She would give up anything to feel those orbs at her for an eternity. Yes, she would be important then. Yes important, not like with... with who? She couldn't remember, the power of those eyes were enormous.
"You are my Destined, Bella. You are my Mate..."
Bella. Yes it was her name. Now she had to tell it to those eyes. Maybe then they would embrace her, make her feel safe and important. Important...
"Bella," she whispered softly, her gaze never leaving those eyes.
"Princeling, you're doing it again!" A new, not even pleasant voice spoke and the next moment her whole world shattered leaving her in a confused state.
"Wh... What happened?" she asked, blinking slowly. "What... are you?"
"It's none of your concern, Isabella," came the stoic reply, and she flinched back from the creature that was sitting on his heels before her. "Stand up and do as I say if you want to have a chance to live."
She was taken aback by the uncaring tone in the boy's voice. No one had ever spoken to her like that, not even Rosalie, and for some unknown reason the heartless attitude of this... being hurt more than it should have. She didn't understand why this boy didn't like her. Everybody liked her despite her clumsiness and awkward personality... Even Rosalie started to warm up to her before... before they left...
"What?" she gasped after processing the meaning of the last part of the order. "B... But... Why?"
"You! Help her! We don't have time for this," the boy turned away from her and looked at Jacob... a very naked Jacob, who was standing not far from them, watching the whole scene warily.
"Princeling, I don't think this is a good idea..." Bella looked at the second unknown figure, a male vampire with smouldering burgundy eyes and a very handsome face.
Could it be? Could it be that the strange creature before her was a vampire too? But surely it wasn't possible. He said that the vampires' are always had red or gold eyes, but this boy had green eyes or more likely countless ringlets of greens with a black and silver ring framing the swirling cavalcade. But the boy had certainly perfect features, silky hair and marble like skin that indicated he was indeed a vampire.
"I said, you, wolf-boy, help the girl up!" the strange vampire demanded again and Jacob – with a growl – immediately moved next to her, his face turning red in embarrassment as he hunched down to help her standing up.
"It will be all right, Bella. I'll protect you, no matter what," Jacob whispered and she had never been more grateful to him than at that moment.
"Th... Thank... you," she whispered back with a small smile, but she felt as tears started to slide down her face again. "What... will happen?" she asked, turning back to the "princeling".
"You have only one chance to live, Isabella. Only one..."
"Jane, my dear, I think you have the right to be the first," Aro's smile was excited and absolutely devious.
"I would be honoured, Master," a little girl, no more than fifteen, bowed to the Leader's direction and stepped forward. "Why don't we burn you alive, you traitor?" she asked sweetly, sadism shining in her blood coloured eyes.
A piercing cream rang through the chamber as Edward fell to the floor once more. He had never felt such an agony, the Rebirth was nothing compared to the agony he felt at that moment. His whole body was burning, invisible flames engulfed him mercilessly and he wanted to claw his eyes out in anguish.
"Do you like it? I'm sure you do; your screams are so pretty!" Jane mocked him in a sing-song voice. "But they are too soft... Scream, little traitor! Scream and beg for mercy. Beg for forgiveness for breaking our law!"
And he did. The excruciating pain become more severe even though Edward believed there was nothing that could enhance his torture. He was wrong. Imaginary claws tore into his flesh, ripping him apart inch by inch and his screams become a constant, never ending echo in the throne chamber.
He wanted to die, he wanted this inhuman terror to end, yet he was denied of the relief of death. The Volturi wanted him to lose his mind and everything but his sorry excuse of a life, because he shared his secret with his Mate! It was ridiculous and he would have laughed out loud of the absurdity of his punishment if his mind hadn't had been devoured by white, incredibly hot pain.
They mocked him, ridiculed him, but they didn't feel what he had felt for Bella. She was the only one for him, but they couldn't understand. How could they? They didn't have a heart to understand the greatness of a true Mate. But it didn't matter anymore, because Bella was dead, he lost her forever.
'What a pathetic boy, after a hundred years of living as a vampire and he still believed in fairy tales.' Edward fingers shattered the marble tiles under his hands, as this thought slipped through his pain.
'Destined Mate? Who would want such a hindrance?' Edward scream turned into a roar for a moment.
'We should just destroy this thing, he is useless to us.' Edward felt as despair filled him at this thought.
'Jane will never break the boy which is disappointing a little. I had so much fate in her. But maybe our little Prince will have better luck with him.' Edward knew this mind and his hopelessness enhanced at Aro's thoughts.
"It will be enough Jane," Aro said in a soft tone and the next moment everything stopped around Edward.
He felt empty, worn out by the remembrance of his torture, but there was no pain anymore, it just disappeared without a trace. He forced himself to breath regularly, even though he didn't need to breath at all. It always gave him the illusion he was still human in some way, no matter how big lie it was. Yes he deluded himself, he always did, because he just couldn't bear the truth. The truth of being a monster.
"Stand up, Edward, it is very unbecoming of Carlisle's heir to lie on the floor like some worthless trash even if you are one." He tried not to wince at the blatant insult that came from the black haired bastard.
He wanted to rebel against the order, yet he couldn't something forced his body into moving, an invisible power controlled his limbs and he was standing before his mind could even register what had happened. He felt humiliated by this, like a puppet that was dragged by its strings and he hated this feeling.
"Open your eyes and look at us!" The next command was just as unavoidable as the first. What was happening with him?
"You seem surprised, boy," Caius said, a smirk playing on his lips. "You have broken the most important law of the Volturi which means you are under my mercy."
Edward didn't understand. What the hell was happening in this blasted castle? What kind of twisted world had he entered? Carlisle had never mentioned any of this madness to him, when he spoke about his time with the three brothers. Why was they acting like they lived in the archaic ages? This was pure craziness!
"Bella was my Mate–" he started defiantly, ignoring the confusing and infuriating comment.
"Aren't you a stubborn Childe?" Aro chided with a sarcastic smile. "The human was no such a thing to you even if you had chosen her. The mortal was a mere substitute, nothing more,"
No! It wasn't true! Bella was his everything; he gave her his heart and his tainted soul. They just wanted to break him. Yes, Aro just toyed with him, ridiculed his emotions. Yet the thoughts around him told otherwise.
'Loyalty and mislead devotion. Obsession, how amusing. The Childe is just like Aro,' this one was full of some kind of affection toward Aro and Edward was taken aback by the sincerity in those imagined words.
'It is a pity this human girl is dead, she would have been interesting to study. An ordinary human with a special ability, how intriguing,' Aro was just as selfish as always. 'Perhaps we should teach the boy...'
'A Mate indeed,' this mental voice was clearly disgusted with him. 'Only a clueless infant would believe in something like Destined Mates. There is no such a thing as love at first sight, because love is something you have to earn then destroy with your own hands to see its real power.'
Edward turned to Caius, but neither the white haired man's face nor his eyes betrayed any of his feelings. Those ruby orbs were unfeeling and cold, while the marble face was void of any emotion. But he wasn't mistaken, he knew. There was no other voice that could sound as icily as the youngest Leader's could.
"She was my everything," he repeated his mantra, but it sounded uncertain even to his own ears.
"I think I will punish your Sire when he arrives," Aro said thoughtfully, ignoring his words. "His and his wife's coddling caused more harm than good to you, and we can not have that, can we?"
"Carlisle was the most perfect father a child could ever wish for!" Edward snapped, feeling the need of defending his father's honour.
"Coddling indeed," Caius intervened dryly. "You may have a different diet, but calling your Sire such a degrading name is more than infuriating!"
"What are you talking about?" the bronze haired boy asked with confusion.
"Be quiet, Childe!" Caius hissed and his lips crashed shut with that invisible force. "You are not allowed to utter any word until you learn some respect!"
"My, my, brother, don't be so harsh on the poor boy," Aro said in fake joviality. "Our dear Carlisle has lived among humans for far too long to teach his Childes about our traditions," the black haired vampire raised his hand when Caius wanted to interrupt, "nonetheless he will be punished for his mistakes."
Edward wanted to protest, but he couldn't open his mouth. It wasn't Carlisle fault; his father was the greatest man and vampire he'd ever known and he wouldn't allow these pompous assholes to punish him for their accusations. He prevent the Volturi from hurt his family even if it was the last thing he did. However before he could even move his fingers, the huge door of the throne chamber opened and the air was filled with the scent of human blood.
He turned around without a second thought and saw a young woman with brown hair and green eyes bowing deeply to the Leaders. She didn't raised up from her position, obviously waiting for a permission to do so, and her thoughts were full of satisfaction and self-confidence upon feeling the vampires' gazes on her.
"Ms Gianna, what can we do for you?" Aro asked silkily, nevertheless the woman tensed up in slight fear.
"I'm deeply sorry, Lord Aro, but Prince Harry just arrived and asked for audience. He said it's urgent," she replied, struggling to keep her voice as natural as she could.
"How delightful! Send him in, send him in! We were waiting for him, were we not, my brothers?" Aro said in genuine delight which surprised Edward to his core. Who was this mysterious prince?
"Lord Aro... I must confess... Prince Harry isn't alone. He brought back a young girl and two men with him..." Gianna stuttered nervously, her heart was almost broke out of her chest.
"Alec, Jane, Felix, accompany our Prince and his guest in their way to here!" came the suddenly sharp comment. 'A young girl and two men? I wonder– No, our Harry would not let such a hindrance alive... We'll see."
"I hope you know what are you doing, Princeling, because I really don't want to die by Lord Caius' hand!" Demetri muttered under his nose as he watched the young vampire next to him.
The Princeling had surely lost his mind if he thought Caius will not cause a rampage and slaughter all of them the moment he sees the doggies. The white haired Leader's hate for werewolves were legendary and Demetri was sure, the man would be royally pissed. After all the Princeling brought the enemy into their haven, hell, he couldn't chose better way to declare a war than this.
"We will have some chance if you shut up!" the boy growled in warning.
"I still think we should have just killed the girl," Demetri murmured, but the two dogs immediately started to growl while the girl gasped.
"Will you shut up?!" the Prince hissed in an utterly terrifying voice. "They are coming. Isabella, don't do anything rash."
"I... I won't," she whispered and Demetri had to shake his head at her uselessness. He really didn't like humans.
"Our Prince." Naturally it was Jane who welcomed them back and the Tracker rolled his eyes at her antics, before he turned to Alec, who only smiled slightly. "Werewolves?!"
"Silence, Jane!" Harry commanded in a cold tone. "Use your nose before opening your mouth and do not dare to question my actions, do you understand me?"
"But you betrayed us, you bas–" Oh yes, Demetri now knew why he was obsessed with the elder twin. Alec had always more common sense than his sister. And although his burgundy eyes were uncertain and questioning him silently, his lips remained sealed just like Felix's.
"My actions are my own, Jane and I don't want to repeat myself once more," the Princeling started to lose his patience which was never a good thing. "Alec shut your sister up. Felix, lead our way."
He really learnt to appreciate the Childe who was the biggest anomaly of the entire vampire species. He was enticed by the strength and power the boy possessed and sometimes toyed with the possibility of joining the Courtship Ritual, because at that moment there was no better or stronger candidate than the Prince, but he hadn't waited for two centuries for Alec to just throw it out of the window for a chance that would certainly kill him.
Oh yes, he was sure Lord Caius would destroy every other candidate who dared to ask for the Prince's hand. Their little game was an open secret since Lady Athendora's unfortunate scheme to destroy the Princeling. It was a really nasty game, one which he didn't wanted to be part of, because Demetri was many things, but a fool he was not.
The walk to the throne hall was full of tension and only the two doggies' awed gasps and little sounds broke it a little. It was a really bad idea, bringing two shape-shifters to their home only to ensure one human's life... Yet Demetri knew it was more than that. The Prince was a soldier, the Royal Executioner, and he knew what he was doing even if it looked totally crazy.
Sadly knowing something and fearing your own life was two entirely different things which usually clashed with the Leaders of the Volturi.
'I start to regret not believing in any Deity...'
After Notes:
So here is the new chapter. For those who hate Bella, I hate her too, but for some unfathomable reason my fingers decided to work on their own and wrote the first part of the chapter from her POV. But I like seeing her in misery.
And as you've seen Harry's power is working on her to some extent which has nothing to do with his super powers ( I think possessing three power which can be only used if he looks someone in the eye isn't that super, but whatever. Actually I like super!Harry, but I'm not that great writing one. He has too much flaws in my stories...) but with the fact he is a wizard turned vampire. Sanguini's and Marcus' powers will also work on her so nothing exceptionable in here.
Then there is the part wit Edward. He is devastated and broken over Bella which makes him quite pathetic too, but he won't die and will certainly learn some things about being a vampire. Which is something I detest Carlisle a little. In my opinion it was his fault Edward could expose them to any human, not mentioning falling for one... But this is off topic.
However I loved writing Caius in this part even if he hadn't said much. And his thoughts about love... it just came to me from out of nowhere, but I've found it quite fitting...
Okay there are so many things I want to write about but maybe it would be longer than the chapter so I shut up for now.
Take care,
Lilith
Next Prompt: The song of blood