Chapter 14- Undisclosed Desires
XXX
Aro-
I laid with Isabella wrapped in my embrace for the remainder of the night, happy to simply hold her. It was early the next morning, pre-dawn, when my cellular began ringing. I reached out and grabbed it from the bedside table, before it had a chance of waking the sleeping girl that I held so closely. I quickly glanced at the incoming number before answering, "Hello, Jane."
"Master." she replied, in greeting. "You were correct in your assumption, Master Aro. There is definitely something illegal happening here."
"What have you discovered?"
"The disappearances are random. They are not tied together in any way that Alec and I can find...except that they are occurring in the slums and ghetto's of each city, where the homeless and poor humans reside." she explained.
"The members of the population that shall not be missed." I stated.
"Yes, master, but the stories are spreading very quickly throughout the public media. Apparently, this has been occurring for several weeks now and, along with the missing, there have been a number of homicides as well. Bodies have been discovered by the human police force, drained entirely of blood."
"This is troubling news, Jane." I sighed. "Try to discover if it is Stefan and Vladimir behind this plot or if it is connected to the two of them in some way. If they have anything to do with this, there shall and will be Hell to pay for the both of them." I growled, momentarily forgetting that Isabella was still sleeping in close proximity.
"Aro? What's wrong?" she asked, groggily.
"Judging by the evidence that Alec and I have already collected, Master, we are certain that they are the culprits behind it all." said Jane.
In my sudden rage, I almost crushed my phone in my hand,"Very well. The two of you report back here as soon as possible."
"Yes, Master. Goodbye." With that said, the line went dead.
"Aro?" Isabella questioned again, one of her dark brows raised.
"Do forgive me, my dear, but I fear that I must leave you. I need to speak with my brothers." I bit out, rising from the bed, my mood darkening considerably by the second.
"I'm coming with you." she said, swinging her long, lithe legs over the bedside and standing.
"Isabella..." I began my denial.
"Aro, please don't start. I want to know what's going on! I absolutely hate being kept out of the loop in situations like this." she said, as she tugged a robe over her pajamas.
"Very well." I finally gave in to her pleas. The Romanians had threatened her after all, I supposed that she did have a right to know what it was that was occurring. I lifted her into my arms and ran to the throne room.
I had thought that I would have to call my brothers, but thankfully they were already there speaking with Demetri and Felix, who stood in front of the dais, their expressions crest fallen.
"Bella, you're up early, are you not?" asked Athenodora from behind Caius' throne, where she stood alongside Didyme, as we flitted into the room.
"Early? What time is it?" Isabella asked, from the cradle of my arms.
"About 4:30 in the morning." Didyme replied.
Isabella groaned, as Athenodora and Didyme laughed quietly.
"Aro, we have news." said Caius, ignoring the little exchange.
"As do I, brothers." I replied, as I sat Isabella down beside my throne and took my seat. "Jane called me a few moments ago, she and Alec have discovered some evidence naming Vladimir and Stefan responsible for the numerous disappearances in Romania. There have also been a number of murders within their proximity as well, blatant evidence of our kind, left behind for the humans to discover."
I heard Caius growl, if anyone hated the duo more than I, it was he.
"What of your mission? Did you find and destroy Victoria?" I asked Demetri.
"Master...I..." he began, but seemed uncertain as to how he should continue.
"She has vanished, Aro. Demetri cannot find a trace of her." Marcus informed me, speaking for the guard member.
"Do you believe that she has been destroyed?" I asked.
"It is a possibility." Caius said, "But she also could have found a way to cloak herself, to halt any efforts to track her."
"But how would she be capable of that?" I asked, thinking aloud.
"A vampire with a cloaking capability...one that is able to manipulate the mind. Demetri, did you not say that you were on her trail and then suddenly your mind went completely blank and you lost her?" asked Marcus.
"Yes. I was getting close to her location and then everything went blank. Felix told me afterward that it was almost as if I blacked out, as the humans say."
Silence reigned for several moments, as we lost ourselves within our own thoughts.
XXX
Bella-
I sat cross legged on the floor, alongside Aro's throne. My mind raced, nagging at me continuously. I felt that we was missing something and I knew what that something was, if I could simply remember. I wracked my brain, trying to awake the smallest bit of information that could be useful.
We now officially had two enemies at our doorstep: Victoria and her vendetta against me and the Romanian coven and their hatred of the Volturi.
'Wait!' my thoughts screeched to a halt, as I replayed the scene with Victoria in my head.
"Edward doesn't care about me anymore...it wouldn't be revenge if you kill me."
"Oh, I know that they threw you away like the human trash you are. But I'm certain that you have heard of the old anecdote...'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth'...blood for blood." she added. "You are the reason my James is dead, so I demand your life in return."
'Okay, fast forward...' I told myself. It was then, as I recalled the next line that she had spoken, that an icy shiver shot down my spine. The revelation of what she had meant finally dawned on me.
"My new friends are willing to help me end you and the Volturi, then perhaps even the Cullen's."
Victoria had joined the Romanians.
"Oh my God!" I mumbled, every vampire in the room turned toward me, as I continued to stare at the far wall in utter shock.
"What is the matter, Isabella?" Aro asked, in earnest concern.
"Victoria isn't working alone." I muttered, quietly, hoping that one of my companions could prove my assumption incorrect, "She has joined ranks with the Romanian coven."
"How could you be certain, Bella?" Caius asked, disbelievingly.
"When she attacked me yesterday, she told me, taunted me really, that she had some 'new friends' that would help her end me and the Volturi...and eventually the Cullen's." I explained.
"Why ever did we not see this before?" asked Marcus. "With Victoria's motives, it makes perfect sense that she would align herself with other like-minded vampires."
"That it does." Caius agreed. "And if Jane and Alec's evidence against the coven is correct...then we know the reason behind all of the disappearances. They could be doing only one thing."
"Raising a newborn army." Aro whispered, his grip upon the arm of his chair tightening until the wood began to protest. "Something that is entirely illegal."
"An army of new vampires?" I questioned in confusion.
"Yes, Bella, when we are new to this life, within the first year or so, we are the strongest and the most blood thirsty." Marcus explained.
I hesitated, then turned toward Aro, catching his attention, "I think that you should change me now. I'm nothing but a liability as a human, I could be a potential asset if I were a vampire."
"Though I would much prefer for you to be less...breakable, mia stella, I do not wish to change you under such dire circumstances as these...especially if you are not ready."
"It's going to happen regardless!" I protested. "I would rather be able to help all of you, then stand back and watch you fight and potentially die."
"She does make an intelligent point, Aro." Caius supplied. "Her gift, whatever it may be, could be useful in its more potent form."
Aro sighed, he knew that we were right, "I want you to really think about your decision, Isabella. You cannot go back once this threat is dealt with and you do not have to undergo the transformation now, if you truly are not ready." I bit my lip, considering his words, as he continued, "But if this is what you truly desire, then I will turn you, you have my word. 'It may not mean much, but I never break a promise.'"
In truth, I would have liked to have waited until I was a little older before jumping head first into eternity. But with such a dire situation laid before me and in retrospect of the bad luck that littered my past, I wasn't sure if I could afford to wait.
"I need to think." I said, as I rose from my position on the floor and walked out of the throne room.
XXX
Aro-
I watched as Isabella strolled from the chamber. I was aching to follow her, to take her in my embrace and help her make her decision, but I knew that what she truly needed was to be alone so that she might think. So, with that in mind, I remained seated, digesting the information that she had provided to us. If Victoria had joined the Romanians, and all of the information pointed to the affirmative on that account, then there was no doubt that other nomads might very well have as well.
"Have the lot of you not heard? Our number has increased substantially." Victor's words replayed through my memory and my body shook in silent rage. How could we, as the Volturi- the most powerful coven in the world, have allowed this to happen right under our noses?
"What are we going to do?" asked Didyme, in quiet consternation.
"What do you believe would be the best plan of action, Caius?" I asked, he had much more military experience than either Marcus or I.
"I think it best to wait. Allow them to make the first move against us, see if we can figure out exactly what their plan consist of and then we will strike." he paused. "We will perhaps need assistance, however, if their number is very large."
"We could call upon our allies, the covens and nomads that are willing to stand with us." suggested Marcus.
"The twins should be able to provide us with more details upon their return...which should be soon." I said.
"What if it all comes to a battle?" asked Didyme, her mood somber for once.
"Then you, Athenodora, and Isabella will stay in a safe place and far away from any danger." I said.
"You really expect us, especially Bella, to be so complacent?" asked Athenodora.
"The two of you are not fighters, Athenodora," I began. "and Isabella is human. If she does not decide to be transformed, then she will not be going near a newborn army."
"And if she does decide to become one of us?" Didyme asked.
"Even so, I will not have her in any danger, nor either of you."
"And I believe that I speak for Dora, Bella, and I when I say that we will not sit idly by as the three of you go off to battle and potentially get yourselves destroyed." said my stubborn little sister, stomping her foot.
"Brothers, could you two talk some form of reason into them, please?" I sighed, rubbing my brow, trying to allow my anger to dissipate.
Marcus and Caius tried to make them see sense, but they would have none of it. The four of them were in the middle of such a discussion, as I sat quietly by, when the doors opened to reveal Jane and Alec. They walked forward, their faces grim with the news they bared, as it weighed upon their young shoulders.
"Jane, Alec, it is certainly good to see that the both of you are back safely." I greeted. "What evidence and news do you bring us?"
Jane silently took a small step forward, holding out her small, seemingly delicate hand for me to take. I rose from my seat and stepped down in front of her, taking her proffered appendage. I was swept immediately into her newest memories and, as I watched them unfold before my minds eye, I was sincerely disturbed at what I witnessed.
A group of human police officers stood above a mingled and drained human body.
A small group of newborns caused a automobile accident and seizing the mortal victims for themselves. A young man, also a vampire, appeared before them, chastising them for their work..."What did I say about a low profile?" he screamed. "The masters will not be pleased!"
The memory morphed into a scene where the young man was meeting with Victoria..."We have twenty two newborns, milady." he said, with a bow.
"Good, Vladimir and Stefan will be pleased to hear such news!" she said, in giddy, childlike cheer. They have managed to rally several vampires to our cause, so officially we have a coven of sixteen. That number plus your newborns should overwhelm the Volturi." she sneered the name.
The scene changed once again and it was Victoria meeting with those dastardly Romanians, "Riley has managed to keep twenty two newborns, my friends. We will soon be ready." she told them.
"I think that we need more." said Vladimir.
"I agree, brother, we want to have enough to wipe our enemy from the face of the earth..." Stefan began.
"Erase them from existence, entirely." Vladimir finished.
"Very well, I will give the order to Riley." Victoria grinned.
I released Jane's hand with a low growl.
"Well?" Caius asked.
"They have sixteen members in their coven and, at the last count, twenty two newborn vampires." I ground out.
"Thirty eight vampires to contend with." said Marcus.
"They is probably a more substantial number now. According to Jane's memories, they were going to transform more humans." I said, as I once again sat down, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.
"What are we to do, Masters?" asked Alec.
"We wait," Caius said. "when they make another move against us, we will make the call to our allies."
"I agree." Marcus said.
"As do I." I muttered, rising from my throne to go and search for Isabella.
XXX
Bella-
After leaving the throne room, I walked a short distance down the hall and found the set of stairs that Aro had shown me a few days prior. The steps were ancient, stone that led in a spiral up to what they called the tower, the top of which was open to the fresh air.
I slowly climbed the staircase, until I found myself at the door leading outside. I pushed it open and stepped outside, wincing as my bare feet hit the cold stone of the floor and wrapping my arms around myself to try and shield away some of the cool breeze that blew.
The western sky was still bathed in the darkness of night, but the eastern horizon was beginning to lighten with shades of pink and purple, painting the sky into a natural masterpiece. I took a deep breath and rested my arms on the ancient banisters, this was as good a place as any to think.
'I am ready for this?' I asked myself. 'I've always wanted it, ever since I found out about what the Cullen's really were.'
There is nothing that I could want more. Except one thing. The one thing that had I hoped that Edward would take from me, before making me his forever...my innocence. Now, looking back, I was glad that Edward and I had never been together, in that way, because I realized that I wanted Aro to do it.
I wanted him to love me in every way possible and then change me, so that we might spend eternity in each others arms. I was so lost in such thoughts, that I didn't hear Aro arrive behind me. I jumped, startled, when he wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Penny for your thoughts, amore mio?" he whispered in my ear.
At that question, I blushed scarlet, "Aro, I've been thinking." I said, trying to put a voice to my thoughts.
"And?" he questioned.
"I do want to be like you," I began. "but there is one thing that I want more."
"What would that be, Isabella?"
I nervously bit my lip and stared unblinkingly into his ruby eyes. Then, in a sudden bout of confidence, I pulled his lips to mine in a searing kiss. I crushed our bodies together with all of my meager amount of strength that I could muster and silently explained to him what it was that I wanted.
He pulled away from me when my need for oxygen became too much, "Isabella, we cannot do this. I might harm you and I simply could not bear to do so." his voice shook, revealing to me that his resolve was not set in stone, as Edward's had been.
"Aro, I want this. You won't hurt me, I know you won't. Please?" I begged, kissing him again.
He returned the kiss, tangling his cool fingers into my hair. I suddenly felt my back hit against something hard and realized that I was leaning against the door of the tower. He pulled away once again, "Are you certain?" he asked, looking deeply into my eyes.
I paused, "Yes." I breathed.
"So be it then." he said, his voice husky, as he lifted me into his arms. He carried me, bridal style, back to my room and we kissed as we crossed the threshold. The door closed firmly behind us.
XXX
Re-edited- 4/29/13
Chapter 14! I know you all will probably hate me for leaving it right there, but this fic is rated T so I couldn't really go into very much detail. (I'm not really one to change the rating right in the middle of a story.) I might write an M rated outtake eventually that goes along with this...but I have yet to decide. Oh, and, even with the above scene, I've decided that there will be no hybrids in this...I have an idea for what happens next that they don't really fit into, plus there is already a lot going on within the plot...I feel that I don't need to complicate it further by giving them a child. Anyway, now that that is hopefully clear, onto the Thank yous...
THANK YOU- XxPink-PrincessxX, Sunshine, EmpressHimiko, Alimor The Crazy Bitch, Speedyraider, SupportTheArts, kouga's older woman, Alunabelle Night Shadow, weeloren, reddog25770, melanieintn, Isarma, I-love-reading-the-cullens, My Desk's Name is Alfred, natashar, heathermea, vampirefairy09, IHeartICandy, Saissister, Molz, seza3175, and A-VampyGirl-In-A-WolfyWorld, for your wonderful reviews and encouragement! More to come soon!