Mood Music:
Complicated- Rihanna
Simon Says-Pharaoh Monch
Nessun Durma- Pavarotti
Note: Sooo much to explain in the footnote. Sorry for the delay guys. Really!
AN: So I wrote most of this last year while listening to that old Simon Says rap song. Something about the beat just completely fleshed out my idea of the Volturi; baddass fly immortals with a mafia mentality. While in Florence I actually leaned a lot about the history of the Mafia in Italy and how they still have their hands in everything in Italy today—even the Vatican. Italy has this rich history of these clannish gangs—and they hate the idea of royalty. I came home with this grand idea in my mind of these immortal mobsters.
~x~
Wow.
Her eyes were wide with awe as she watched the beautiful Florentine city go by in the window. The crystal blue sea constantly peaked at her through wash of sienna stone and red terra cotta roof tops. The car took them up through the ancient narrow streets of the city that seemed to sweep upwards forming a mountain of brick and stone.
By the time they reached to apex of the hill, Blair was swarming around the backseat trying to get a better view out of Alec's window.
Alec chuckled though his sister only growled from the passenger seat. He seemed generally amused by Blair and her antics. She was acting more like an excited tourist than a hostage.
But Blair's mind was not on hostages or danger. She was in Italy. Italy!Italy was for pleasurenot punishment!
Who could think of those things when she was in a beautifully medieval village in sunny Florence, literally overlooking the clear azure coast? Who wouldn't want to be Takenhere? Gah!Looks like she was getting her Spring Break after all.
When the Mercedes pulled into the gated courtyard of a large stone palazzo, Blair swore she heard the dulcet voice of Pavarotti singing Nessun Dormain her head.
The driver let them out and you would think Blair would be staring at the two vampires now glittering like diamonds under the Tuscan sun, but she only had eyes for the palazzo with its archways and crowned widows and the tower at the top. She smiled wistfully.
A girl doesn't get rescued from a place like this…she gets recued toit.
"Buongiorno signorinaWoool-dor-f," a melodic yet heavily accented voice chimed. Blair turned and saw a woman—a human; she had dark olive skin and bright green eyes. She was wearing a grey pant suit with a deep V-neck blazer that accentuated her tall and skinny frame with giant Dolce sunglasses atop her honey colored curls. "My name is Gianna and I will take you to your room. Mio dio,you look hungry and tired! Where are your bags?"
Bags? My room? I have a room here?
"Lets not spare her any luxuries at our expense until she proves herself useful, Gianna," Jane cut in, looking at Gianna as if she were a speck of dirt on her shoe. "She could very well end up as lunch."
Blair was so hungry that the only thing she got from that exchange was "lunch". Yes please!
Gianna stared back at nasty Jane coolly. "My orders come from Aro, not the guard," she told her snootily then spun around on her ridiculously high gladiator heels. "Come signorina.Lets get you nice a cleaned up."
"Um…" Blair was caught in an awkward hostage situation where she didn't have a clear cut view of the pecking order and subsequently didn't know who to listen to. Obviously her gut instincts told her that Jane was the powerful one, yet Gianna carried herself with an air of importance…and she was pretty sure she would at least get some breakfast out of her.
"And let's see about getting you something to eat…"
Yep. Peace out vamps.
Blair was at her heels in an instant, shadowing her into the halls of the palazzo. They walked down a rather long coroner lined with arched windows letting in airy sunlight through the vaulted halls. Their heels clicked and echoed on the marble floor.
Gianna drew a cell phone and started dictating rapidly in Italian.
"Si Vincenzo. Go to that baker down the street and get the girl something to eat. And coffee." She paused and glanced backwards at Blair. "How do you like the coffee?"
"Americano."
Gianna smiled and continued her conversation. Blair did not anticipate there being an elevator at the end of the hall. Who mars a historic palace with a modern eye sore? Then again, when did vampires ever make sense?
They rode the lift to another window lined floor and Gianna paused in front of a glossy wooden door. "I am going to find you something suitable to wear," she glanced over Blair's rumpled Dior dress disapprovingly the opened the heavy door. "Until then, please feel free to bathe and freshen up. I will be back with your breakfast shortly."
With that, she turned on her heels and went clicking down the hall like she was the Secretary of State.
The room was small yet nicely decorated with a freshly made bed and huge window overlooking a massive garden. There was lots of dark wood and deep red fabric against the aged stone walls and it would've looked quite medieval if it wasn't for the sunshine illuminating every inch of the room.
Since she really didn't have any energy to fight, she did exactly what she was told. The bathroom was equally as inviting and it was stocked with every necessary toiletry including clean white robe and a shiny clawfoot tub right in front of a large open window. Since showering in the antique was not an option, she patiently drew a warm bath and settled into the water with a moan of appreciation.
As the light hit the engagement ring on her finger, Blair sighed with determination. She accepted that she had no control over her current situation but what she could change was the way she handled it. She was in Italy, in a beautiful Italian villa overlooking acres of vineyards and the tall spindle shaped cypress trees: the perfect fairytale setting.
She had to believe that somehow Edward would find her; he always did. And when he did… What a freaking amazing place to tell him!
Maybe it was the 9 hour flight, the jetlag, or the fact that all she'd consumed was a mimosa in the past 24 hours, but she was suddenly very excited.
When Gianna did return she found Blair in her robe gazing out of the window.
"You like it here?"
Blair tensed as she startled her then squealed in excitement. A very handsome man in a dark suit was holding what appeared to be coffee and breakfast while Gianna was laying clothing out on the bed.
The man glanced at her and gave a brief smile then he bowed, muttered, "Scusi bella,"and showed himself out. Definitely human.
Forget the clothes. Blair practically threw herself into her trey which contained some array of bread and cured meats.
Gianna appraised the girl merrily then sat beside her on the bed. "Do you know where you are?"
"Florence?"
"Close. You're in a very old village called Volterra."
Okay. Thanks for the geography lesson. Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
"Do you know about the Volturi?"
Blair took a sip of her coffee contemplatively. She did hear their name in conversation.
"They're like vampire royalty?" she guessed.
"Ma no!"She giggled, looking at her like she'd used the wrong fork at dinner. "That's not a very popular word around here," she warned.
"They would rather compare themselves to the mafia than royalty, though they go back several centuries before them—the mafia, that is. No, the Volturi are the oldest vampires on earth."
"Oh." That was pretty interesting.
"The Volturi are a small family. Everyone else is their guard and they maintain order for vampires and only sometimes dabble in human affairs. Do you know there was a vampire pope once?"
Wow. They sure didn't teach her that in her catholic school. Won't Headmistress be surprised?
"Pay no mind to the guard. I work for Aro—and occasionally his brothers Caius and Marcus. Sulpicia and Athenodora are Aro and Caius' mates—but they're likely to be found at a shoe store or art auction than here calling out orders." She smiled. "No one else can touch you without any of their permission."
Blair scooted her tray away from her and tried to process the torrent of information coming at her rapidly. "So…why exactly am I here?"
"You made an impression on Jane and Aro always has intuition for these things," she answered. "Aro has the power to know every thought you've ever had just by touching you."
"Wait!" Something finally clicked. "You guys don't think I'm…special…magical or whatever do you? Because I can assure you I am most certainly not dangerous in any way."
Completely brushing her off, Gianna chimed in with, "I'll tell you a story. You've met Jane and Alec, the twins."
"Twins?" There was no way Alec and Jane were the same age. But anyway, this must be it. Why else would Alec have kept insisting Jane thought she was dangerous? What did they think they saw in her? What was it with vampires thinking she was special? Edward, James, Marc, now them.
Gianna nodded gravely. "They were once orphans in northern England in the early 17th century. Witches well known for their healing; they used herbs and roots to do anything from dulling pain to inducing labor."
"But that's not really magic?" Blair interjected.
Gianna smiled kindly. "Back then it was and when Aro heard a rumor of this, he sent a spy to the village to observe them. But when the spy came back to Italy and told him that the village was planning on burning them at the stake, Aro left Volterra and went there personally—it was his first time leaving in centuries. He got there just as they were shrouded in flames and he rescued them. Then he slaughtered the entire village."
"Wow…"
"He bit them himself and when they awoke, Jane had to power to inflict unimaginable pain to even vampires and Alec can take away pain…and the senses."
Okay then my sudden paralysis makes sense now.
"Do you suppose they could do these things as mere humans, no? They were just children with cheap parlor tricks but Aro saw something more—a rage that grew inside them as he watched them burn. Just as he might see something in you."
"So you think that's the case with me?" Blair eyed the woman warily.
She shrugged. "We shall see."
After that Gianna made her pick one of the 4 dresses laid out for her. Suddenly feeling defiant, Blair chose the designer that wasn't Italian and opted for the blue and white bustier sundress from Louis Vuitton. But she could not escape the Guiseppe strappy heels.
There were three rapt knocks at the heavy door and suddenly Gianna began to move about nervously. She practically hauled Blair towards the door with her as she opened it.
The man standing at the door was neither beautiful nor threatening in appearance, though he was undoubtedly dead. His skin was an almost translucent pale with contrastingly dark curly hair that dusted his narrow shoulders. He must have turned somewhere in his late forties. He had a stylish flair about him that reminded her a bit of a less handsome Armand, her father's boyfriend. He wore a spectacularly tailored Italian suit with a gold chain and small hoop earrings. He wore a crest on his breast pocket of some ancient symbol and satin red tie that matched his wine colored eyes.
"Bonjourno mia bella." His voice was eccentric but kind and his killer eyes danced with mirth as they assessed the dumbstruck socialite. He extended his hand. "So nice to finally meet you."
He has the power to know every thought you've ever had just by touching you.
~x~
It went against her very high bred nature to be impolite and ignore his extended hand though she did for fear alone. Aro appeared to be unshaken by her apparent rudeness and mumbled a few words in Italian to Gianna before motioning for her to join him. There was a power about him that was understated, yet it was exuded and Blair could not ignore his request.
She fell into his side, sauntering down the long corridor. The indirect light through the windows cast a soft glow on his translucent skin though it didn't outright sparkle. Though Blair felt curious about the eccentric stranger walking silently at her side. Aro decided to spark up a conversation that completely threw her.
"If anyone was to mate with and become affianced to a human it would be Edward," he mused aloud and not particularly to her though it succeeded in reaching its target. Blair stumbled forward then looked at him in shock.
How? He didn't touch her…she was sure of it. And she made sure not to let anything slip…How does he know?
"You're wondering of course how I know that that ring on your finger belongs to Carlisle's progeny. You think I've read your mind, I have not," he added in an offhanded manner. "It is perhaps unknown to you that Edward and I are well acquainted. I know his mind and," he turned and looked at her pointedly, "I know his scent as well."
"He'll come for me," she practically stammered out. Her face became flush with embarrassment and dread.
"Yes. Yes." Aro waved a dismissive hand. "But maybe," he stopped walking and extended his hand to her, his eyes gleaming wickedly, "the damsel won't want to be rescued."
He extended his whole sleeved hand to her in dark expectation. "Now if you please."
~x~
She braced herself as her hand timidly grasped his cool and almost fragile flash, anticipating an electric current that never came. It was over before it begun; his hands instantly fell from hers and she opened her eyes, blinking rapidly.
"That's all it takes?"
Aro offered her a very amused chuckle. "Anticlimactic, isn't it?"
Blair had to nod in agreement. "So now that you know I'm not special or gifted, will let me go home? You know, of course, that my fiancé will change me, right?"
"I suppose you are quite regular, indeed." He cast an eye out the window wistfully. "Except of course that little quirk."
His visage suddenly became very grave. "You have a natural talent for manipulating people."
A part of her wanted to preen with pride. Yes, of course; she's always known that. But she was mostly confused. "But that's not a power?"
"Power?" he scoffed. "What power could human possibly posses! Only Gods have power, not mice!"
"But you…Gianna…I thought?"
"What you have is a cheap parlor trick, mia bella" he interrupted abruptly. "When I touch you for a moment and absorb every memory of your life, that is a power, signorina."
Blair was utterly confused. She had never insinuated that she had any sort of power. She was pretty sure she didn't even have any tricks to pull, at that. Was he telling her that her sly craftiness and ability bend people to her will were a magic trick? Was he also insane? Did he think humans were so far beneath him that their ability for artfulness must be a special ability?
"Bella, you look confused," he mused in his quaint Italian accent.
Though he was not handsome, he was exquisitely polished from his Balenciaga suit to his Botegga shoes. He exuded power and danger under his charming Italian veil. Blair had the distinct feeling that he was toying with her and yet… He was fascinating.
He stalked over to an open window and gazed out of it reflectively. He angled towards her as if inviting her to follow suit. She hesitantly stepped beside him and gazed out at the lovely palazzio garden. The spindle cypress trees and carefully manicured bushes formed a patterned walkway.
The first thing Blair noticed was the loud laughter and splashing around a rushing fountain. She had to squint to discern the dancing light were two naked women, playfully kicking and flicking water at each other inside the fountain. They were both tall and pale, save for the prism like texture of their skin reflecting in the light, with red hair that spun in curls down to their knees. The laughter succinctly stopped, and as if they sensed her stare, they stilled and stared unwaveringly in her direction. Blair swallowed her dread and took a careful step away from the window.
"I don't understand why you brought me here." She shot him a fearful side glance, thinking that Jane was right. Maybe she washere for lunch.
His eyes finally broke away from the window and he turned to her. "You're here because you're too valuable not to know your potential, mia bella."
She was getting aggravated. Either she was an insignificant human or she wasn't!
"You are an intelligent girl, I know. Perhaps you can even solve this mystery yourself." He was looking far too amused at her discomfiture for her liking.
Blair attempted to quell the look on her face from morphing into one of annoyance. Obviously Aro was not the kind of person to appreciate any show of insolence from her. She kept picturing herself on his dinner plate.
"A girl who grows up with a silver spoon in her mouth, at four learns that she can pout those little lips of hers and get anything she wants. She learns at thirteen to be a tyrant who uses fear and intimidation," he mused out loud while she listened, partly fascinated by his assessment of her upbringing and outraged at it.
"Several vampires have tried to kill you now, and though I have not seen into all of their minds, I have seen one…Jane's mind was set and then suddenly there was a blip in her thoughts," he flourished his hand theatrically, "And blank. The absence of intention and suddenly, 'no please don't'" His eyes bored into hers unrelentingly until she understood.
"The hospital?" she gasped, barely understanding what she was admonishing. "Are you saying I?"
"You have a way with words, especially when you are in a heightened state of anxiety." His eyes flared.
Blair shook her head. This man is delusional. "No."
Aro shrugged, looking unruffled by her denial. "The Cullens know and of course your Edward has known for some time now as well."
If Aro would've been able to anticipate the look of absolute shock, fear, and disillusionment that crossed her features, he would have gotten to that point sooner. Finding the chink in her armor he added, "That is, of course, why he constantly warned you to be careful with what you say."
"It is," he mused, "Impossible to know for sure without seeing into his mind, but I believe Edward has experienced your influence a number of times, quite recently actually." He suddenly broke out into hysterical laughter. "Blair it must be impossible to argue with you when you're telling him to 'shut up,' 'stop' and 'don't follow'. Like an obedient little lapdog actually."
Blair's wary eyes wavered away as a flicker of doubt blazed through her mind.
"Ahk! This is taking too long," Aro suddenly exclaimed, trolling her thoughts back to the surface. "Let's get to the fun part!"
Aro countenance transformed from stoic and authoritative to a knavish child unable to keep from opening his Christmas present.
"Mio bella,you win!" He giggled hysterically while she wondered what exactly she had just garnered. "You would thinkthat one my age would possess more patience but alas, I admit it; I cannot delay your surprise another minute!"
At this point there was nothing this fabulous yet deranged tyrant could say to surprise her. Thinking her surprise was likely a chalice to pour her own blood into, Blair could hardly supply more than an exhausted, "what surprise?"
"Think of it as a much belated birthday present." His grin was sickening blithe. "To make up for the presents….or lack thereof from Edward. Ahahaha."
Ouch.Just when she thought she had forgiven him. A pang of malice cut into her fast and deep as her mind wondered into the haunted halls of memories of months alone in Forks.
Aro was the only person in the world who knew that Blair spent her birthday parked outside of the abandoned Cullen manner in tears because she foolishly thought that her ex boyfriend would magically reappear for the sake of her 18th birthday.
Mean old bastard.Blair narrowed her eyes at Aro who feigned ignorance of what he was doing to her. Not that Blair blamed him; he just made her realize that perhaps she wasn't ready to forgive and forget after all.
"Bella you will be the absolute death of me, standing here with this reproachful expression." He smiled a bit at his own pun then pouted. "Are you not at least a bit curious to see what Aro has in store for you?"
"Unless your surprise is that you booked Coldplay for my funeral, no."
"Americans have no imagination!" He shook his head in disappointment. "What surprise would there be in killing you mia bella..."
"Now come. If we hurry we won't miss trial."
"Am I on trial?"
"Not today, bella.You look so much more like a Bella, no?" he mused. "Blair is such a harsh name. I think I'll call you Bella from now on."
Blair shrugged off her new nickname like an unwanted Christmas sweater but didn't say anything. It wasn't as if he hadn't been calling her that name all along. From now on?
Bellafollowed the confounding little man to the same elevator she had ridden with Gianna but this time it took them down, way down, to hell perhaps, Blair thought restlessly as she struggled to remind herself that she was not the one on trial.
Aro didn't speak again. He led her through another maze of corridors and then halted outside of a metal double door.
Blair's heart sped up as she waited every muscle tense, but he captured her eyes reassuringly and smiled.
"You are strong, mia bella. Remember that," he said and Blair stared back at him anxiously, silently urging him to open the door already.
"You have been cosseted for far too long, held back by those who claim to know what's best for you Blair, and do you know why?"
His bright red eyes blazed into hers expectantly.
Blair scrambled to piece his words together in a way that made sense in her mind. She was strong and they? Her mother? Her friends…no—clearly he meant the Cullens…Edward, was keeping her under their thumb.
"Um…no?" she squeaked.
"Because you are shark and they are dolphins in an amusement park." He sniggered at his little joke then turned serious again.
"You were always meant to rule, to have power." He stared into her eyes as each word hit their mark somewhere deep inside of her. "And there is a part of you that will never be content until that is realized, that is why they fear you. That is why they keep you caged, and that is why they will never make you happy."
She gasped, feeling affronted and yet wildly taken aback by his heady insight. She processed his words, she processed them over and over in her mind, trying to make sense of why he was telling her this and why it made her feel the strange way it did; miserable, lost, and yet strangely found.
"Now!" He clapped his hands loudly, making her jump a bit. "You are ready for your surprise. Be careful though, I will not protect you from whatever lies behind these doors."
She gasped, her face melting into terror. He had tricked her. He was leading her to her death after all.
"You will have to protect yourself bella, and for the record, I am cheering for you."
Before she could scream he brought his arm around her waist and pulled her through the doors where the first thing that assaulted her ears was a piercing wretched scream.
~x~
The scream was joined by another; Blair screamed as she laid eyes on the feral, dark eyed redhead in front of her. Victoria.
Blair tried to run, but Aro stiffened his hold on her and yanked her forward.
Victoria was barely contained by two vampires in dark robes. Her clothing was torn to the point where half her breasts were exposed and she thrashed and growled like a rabid beast.
Her eyes landed on Blair wildly and she screeched like wretched harpy so loud the men holding her winced. "Her! Let me kill her!" she wailed at the robed strangers around them.
Blair vaguely noticed Jane and Alec standing in the circle of cloaked vampires around her.
"Now now Victoria, you have done quite enough," a man, dressed equally as dapperly as Aro strutted towards Victoria and bend down to her level. His skin was a translucent pale like Aro but his hair tumbled over his shoulders like white fur. He looked at her for a long uncomfortable moment and then turned to Blair who was completely paralyzed.
WTF? WTF? WTF!
"She's almost as wild as the newborns she created, isn't she?" The man looked at Blair but Aro answered him.
"Blair, this is my brother, Caius, and of course you already know Victoria."
Blair moaned something inarticulately.
"Surprise," Aro shouted. He threw her forward and started clapping.
"This pitiful excuse for a vampire is guilty of recklessly siring and abandoning," Aro illuminated. He pointed to Victoria and accused, "Punishable by the true death and yet you ask for my Blair here?"
"Let me kill her please," Victoria grunted in a low demonic voice and Blair swore the room started spinning. She felt her balance sway a bit and she felt suddenly detached from her body.
"My darling Blair, if you faint now you'll probably never awaken," Aro warned, amusement flagrant in his voice. "Now's not the time for theatrics, dolce Blair,surely a shark can face this urchin."
The room wouldn't come into focus.
"Your fear is flagrante Blair; I can smell it on you—delicious. Control it," Aro continued to bark at her while she tottered from side to side on her heels.
When she regained her balance the room seemed to snap in place and she began to view her situation clearer.
She focused on the pale faces around her, all watching her anxiously with curious faces. She noticed the two naked blondes were now cloaked and another younger man who hung back from them regarding her passively along with Jane and Alec. She wondered if this was some sort of vampire coliseum and if she the lowly gladiator facing slaughter for their amusement.
It sickened her. How dare Aro pretend treat her like a guest only to toss her into the ring with this deranged piece of trash? Even Victoria ceased to terrify her as the more she thrashed and screamed, the more it irked Blair's nerves. She had been putting up with Victoria for a whole year and she had had it. She refusedto cower before the mindless monster any longer. If they thought she was going to be their prime time fix for the evening, they were sorely mistaken; if she was going to die tonight, she was going to make sure none of them were entertained.
She pressed her lips together sternly and gave them all a silent, "forget you."
It all happened quite fast. One moment Aro was sniggering at her side like malevolent little creep and the next she was standing at the center of the room alone staring at Victoria who was also suddenly unattended.
Victoria appeared just as shocked as Blair, staring at her hands and flexing limbs as if she didn't believe they were no longer bound.
That shock didn't last long as the very next thing she did was glance over at Blair, her expression morphed into a victorious gleam.
Blair closed her eyes and prayed that Edward would materialize the same time Victoria leaped high into the air. The marble floor in front of Blair made a loud cracking sound and Blair opened her eyes to Victoria staring at her in the face as she unfurled herself from her sinewy crouch.
Victoria's coal black eyes pierced Blair's own calculatingly for a whole minute it seemed before she dipped her head to one side and told her, "Almost a year trying to kill you and here we are at death's doorstep together."
Blair struggled to remain conscious, finding hope in the thought that Victoria might launch into a villainous tirade that would give Edward enough time to find her.
"M-maybe we should team up?" Blair suggested, only keep Victoria talking. "You take all these vampires and I'll take…Gianna?"
"You stupid little girl," Victoria eyed her with disgust and Blair frowned. She took a menacing step forward while Blair staggered back on her ridiculously high heels. "I'm about to fucking rip your little…"
"No," Blair shouted back as a sudden fury swelled inside of her. Victoria fell silent, raising a brow challengingly while the room began to hum with muted chatter.
"You're not going to rip my little anything," Blair continued, giving Victoria an equally murderous glower. "I have had enough of you, you crazy dumb bitch, and your dead biker boyfriend andyour creepy ass henchman, Marc. You are a fucking lunatic!"
Victoria snarled at the mention of James. Her eyes went crazed. "You!"
"Youare not going to make any more threats around here," Blair shrieked, fully aware that she was getting hysterical. Having to face death constantly tended to do that to a person.
She didn't care if Victoria was getting more pissed or that she would likely die a painful death. This madwoman had gotten on her nerves for the last time and if she was going to die this crazy bitch was going to feel her venomous tongue.
"If you had tried to kill Edward, I would've understood, hell I would have probably helped you considering the shit year he put me through."
Yes, Blair's sense of survival along with her brain had checked out for the evening. No, she didn't care one bit. In her fury she did not notice how eerily silent Victoria had gotten.
"He'sthe one who killed your boyfriend!" She continued. "But no, everybodyhas to come after me!"
"You, James," Blair complained, lost in her own misery. "These motherfuckers" She waved her hand in the general direction of the Volturi surrounding them.
Halfway through her spiel she noticed Victoria had become surprisingly inert.
WTF is this bitch mocking me?"Fine, just sit there and take it," Blair snarled at Victoria, expecting her to break her eerie silence. She was nowhere near prepared for what happened next.
In a blink, Victoria was sitting Indian style on the crackled marble floor looking none the wiser. They both stared at each other from their unlevel position, blinking in shared bafflement.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me," she muttered the same time Aro and his vampires clouded around her. Aro loomed at her side, purring to himself like a satisfied kitten.
"Like an obedient puppy." He tossed that comment out to her rather smugly while Blair let the weight of what had transpired settle over her.
"That day at the park, how did you get me to stop?"
Could it be possible? If it's not, then how is this happening right now?
Why else would Aro tell her she was powerful? Why else would Marc have backed off of her? Why else is Victoria sitting on the floor like she was in time out right now?
If she wasn't the one controlling this, then who?
Victoria's mouth popped open loudly and she could tell that there were so many things she was struggling to say but couldn't. She just kept staring at her with confusion and fear. The fear unnerved her more than her threats, because that terror was directed at her. How could Blair terrify Victoria?
How is this happening?
"Very good." Aro clapped loudly and then Jane and Aro materialized menacingly in front of Blair. They immediately hunched down and grabbed a yet stunned Victoria by her elbows, hoisting her up like a limp crash dummy.
Her expression burned into Blair's brain because she never altered it. She looked possessed by fear and at the same time absolutely stunned, as the evil duo dragged her away until the only sound was a door shutting.
"Well done, bella," He put his hand on her shoulder and she flinched. "Don't worry, that nuisance will be disposed of."
Everything condensed quickly after that. Heads were disrobed and probing stares morphed into vague looks of approval. Five vampires surrounded her in the room, the dark shrouded figures stepped forward revealing two beautiful women with snow white hair and ruby eyes, and a young man with ink black hair. His features reminded Blair of Edward, a clash of harsh lines and a softness compromising into beauty. He looked bored, also much like Edward. Marcus stepped in front of her, looking at the spot Victoria had knelt as if a manuscript was written there.
"Wonderful isn't it?" Aro's ghostly breath grazed her cheek, making her thoughts leap.
"She has a gift," Marcus agreed, reluctantly, though he didn't look from the spot. "You were right."
Aro cackled gleefully. "Brother, don't be such a sore loser, as the Americans say."
"But." Marcus finally looked at her, "Can she control it?"
Aro stared at her expectantly and Blair realized that the room was waiting. She shook her head stiffly. "I just found out I had an 'it' to control."
Her words were terse but they were laced with amazement and wonder. Victoria was long forgotten and if were up to her, she would be basking in her powers for hours, throwing on a sexy leather costume and playing a rather sinister version of Simon Says.
Whatever "it" is, she had it and she was starting to feel it pulsing through her hands like liquid electricity and vibrating somewhere in the back of her through like muscle she'd just discovered. Or perhaps these feeling were only a placebo brought on by fear and shock.
That evasive X-factor was finally solved. She realized it was missing all along. There were so many memories that didn't add up, so many conversations that didn't follow the proper course that had always nagged at her silently.
She could control vampires? Yes, she could. She was strong. She was powerful. She was…
"She needs to die, brother." Marcus's words were a ratchet to her thoughts. "As are the rules, she has seen and knows too much."
"She is the Cullen's pet," Aro stated mulishly, interrupting Blair's incoherent sounds of protest. "Our dear friends will not be pleased."
"Then they should have made sure they had their pet fixed long ago."
"Hey!" Blair shouted but one sharp look from Marcus shut her up. She was strong, not stupid. Whatever power she thought she had was likely a card trick compared to these ancient beings.
"They have put us in a foul situation—disregarded our rules and flaunted this human around under our noses. If we make allowances for them we will have to make allowances for everyone tomorrow."
Aro pondered over his brother's words, throwing Blair an apologetic look. "The rules are the rules. Edward has been more than reckless to keep you human as long as he has."
Blair nodded grimly. Fucking Edward."I know but…I'm going be a vampire now. I've made up my mind…please!"
Aro's countenance changed abruptly. "Alright. Mia bellaI have no to wish to end your life so I will give you a choice, an offer than I do not suggest you take lightly." His brother huffed as if disagreeing with him but offered no more. Aro pierced her eyes with his.
"I would not relish taking your life, as you would be paying for the crime of others, for it is indeed others who should be on trial for they have known the rules for centuries. You however are innocent, and though I would not think twice for another human, you have a special talent. It is not a great talent so do not fancy me or anyone here impressed."
Well that was humbling. Blair wondered why he had taken all this time to build her up just to knock her down in the end.
"But it is a talent. You hold it in your feeble hands like an unshaped lump of wet clay. But your human hands are weak; you have not the straight or knowledge of how to shape it. Therefore, I will offer you a kindness. Instead of undeserved death, I offer you eternal life."
Marcus rolled his ruby eyes at Aro's theatrics. "What my long winded brother is saying is that you will not be allowed to leave here alive. Chose us or chose death, and hurry up about it."
Blair's eyes pin ponged between the two of them. She felt like she was having a heart attack. Not now. She wasn't ready. She had to say goodbye. She had to…
"Don't look so upset, child, we are not tossing you to the wolves." A soothing voice spliced her dread. One of the beautiful blondes had been moving her lips and music was coming out.
"You see," the other blonde, chimed. "Volturi venom in your system means we will always we connected—and we will look after you."
"Die now or join us and become powerful. The choice is yours Blair. What will it be?" Aro said, practically tabbing his wristwatch impatiently.
"Now…?" Blair's throat constricted with a mixture of realization and dread.
Though his eyes twinkled with amusement his staid demeanor held no leeway on the matter.
"If you please…" He waved her to come closer and she all out panicked. Her eyes darted around the room. Time for smirking had gone and every face fixed her with a blunt glare of impatience.
Her eyes landed on him pleadingly, her mind searching and grasping for something. All her get out of jail free cards had been used up over the year. "Please…" she whimpered."Will you at least give me time to grow my bangs out?" Her voice lifted imploringly—hoping to at least call to his impeccable sense of fashion, if not kindness.
Suddenly the room erupted with laughter—not cruel laughter either, gales of laughs and merry hoots.
His face split in two, revealing deep set dimples. He turned behind him and nodded at the others, then back to her while shaking his head in astonishment. "Oh, I think we're going to get along very well, Miss Waldorf."
Blair bowed her head low, reminding herself of the great Marie Antoinette bowing her head to the great fury of the masses, and let out a resigned sigh. So be it.
~x~
"Aro what the fuck is this!" That familiar honey voice echoed through the room
There was a sudden flash of flurry inside the room. It evaporated just as quickly as it began and when the dust had settled she saw Emmett and Jasper, each holding Jane and Alec by their neck, and concentrating heavily, Esme and Rosalie with their heels of their boots poised precariously over the necks of two guard vampires, and Alice and Carlisle, their eyes wide and pleading as they appeared to be attempting to diffuse the situation—and Edward, his face inches from Aro's.
His expression was darker than rancid blood.
Her knight, her vampire, her fiancé, was once again ready to save her ass and all she could feel was inexplicable rage.
Esme ran to her side and shoved her behind her, using her own body as a shield and Blair would have been touched, she really would, but it was all too unreal. Where were these people the past 4 months when she needed them? What were they doing here?
Aro rolled his eyes and appeared unruffled by the skirmish or Edward for that matter. He sighed in exhaustion.
"Edward, we have been friends for a time, and I have known Carlisle there longer than you've been alive, and so I will forgive your insolence as well as your hostile entry. You could have called. I do have a cell phone now, you know."
Marcus sniggered.
Carlisle stepped forward. "Aro, Marcus." He also nodded politely at the blonde female vampires who seemed vaguely bemused and altogether unthreatened by the siege. "Forgive my son's anger and forgive our entry, but this human here is our family. I apologize for keeping her alive as long as we have but my daughter Alice can attest that she will be one of us soon."
Aro smiled slowly and his face lit with cheer. "So nice to see you again, old friend. And Esme, you look lovely as ever."
"Cut the crap," Edward snapped.
"Release my children first," Aro suggested calmly.
Carlisle shook his head. "Unfortunately I cannot. The state Jasper has put them in is the only thing keeping their powers at bay. Let Blair go. She was unaware of our laws."
"You gave up all say in this matter in September when you exposed her to all our secrets and then left her alone." Blair winced when he said this. "I don't expect that level of irresponsibility from you Carlisle," he said, his patience waning.
"I accept whatever punishment you feel is fit." Esme tensed at her mate's words. "But let the girl go."
"Perhaps you misheard me, old friend. Release my children now." Aro's eyes darkened into a sickening black, though his expression remained eerily placid.
Blair watched as Carlisle sighed in defeat and waved over at Jasper and Emmett. Jasper breathed out loud as if his burdens had been relieved and the evil duo became animated again. They sprang defensively in front of Aro and sneered evilly.
"I wouldn't try it, Jane. Whatever you give me, I swear Jasper will make this whole room feel it tenfold." Edward spoke quietly; his gaze however remained bored into Aro's face.
Blair did not miss Aro and Marcus share a look of annoyance. Aro nodded at Jane and suddenly Edward crumpled to his knees, releasing a strangled gasp of agony.
"Yes, let's all feel the pain, Jasper," Marcus spoke as everyone tensed as if ready to attack, his voice laced with amusement. "I wonder, do you have to power to exclude dear Blair here."
"Fuck!" Jasper swore just as Edward barely suppressed another groan. The marble crumbled with a sickening sound under his fingers as he dug them into the floor.
Blair's body went rigid as she watched Edward, in what seemed like endless slow motion, hunch over on his knees in pain. That her knees felt loaded with lead and her spine cement had nothing to do with Alec or his powers. She had never everseen Edward in any compromising position of physical vulnerability and the sight of it stung her eyes like pepper spray and burned like injustice.
It wasn't right. It could not stand.
Esme's arms grasped at her and attempted to still her.
How long had she been shrieking at the top of her lungs? How long had she been shaking with tears streaming down her chin?
"Nooo!" Esme pulled her back as she shouted at Aro. The watery image of his stony face never changed as he looked down at Edward like a reluctant father punishing his errant child.
Somehow Blair was strong enough to push through. She battered Esme away and bolted to Aro, crashing into him as he held out his hands to steady her.
"Make her stop!" She stared into his eyes frantically, hoping to channel whatever power she had tapped into earlier.
If he was taken aback, he hid it well as he looked at her with all benevolence and patted her head like a misguided child.
He shifted his gaze to Carlisle. "You have racked up quite the list of grievances against me. It is fitting that you should pay with your first born."
"No!" Esme collapsed on the floor, crying hollow tears as Rosalie and Alice rushed to comfort her. Carlisle closed his eyes in pain.
Alright!Blair was officially certain she had just lost her mind. A mad fury swept over her and for a moment she felt as crazier than Victoria, though a small iota of wisdom told her not to direct it at Aro. She turned and to Jane, threw her hands back and slapped her across the face with an open palm so hard she must have broken every bone in her body.
Jane was so wrapped up in her own masochistic glee in torturing Edward that the slap took her by complete surprise. She tottered back and stared back at Blair as if she had never seen her before.
"Stop!" Blair rasped, breathing heavily and clutching her sore hand. Her eyes wild and red, her voice hoarse with tears and screams. "Don't you touch him, you…you…bitch!"
Jane looked flabbergasted. Not even Alec lifted a finger to quell Blair's assault, he was so shocked. Blair watched as her face slowly rearranged itself into wicked ire before she felt she felt the electrifying touch of Edward. For a brief moment she caught a glimpse of his beautiful face no longer twisted in pain and she knew whatever she had tapped into had worked. He was on his feet and he quickly tugged her behind him, shielding her from whatever Jane was about to do to her.
"Enough, Jane," Aro bellowed.
Blair could not see Jane glare at Aro resentfully. "You're going to let her assault me like this?" she whined.
"Ha! Youdumb bitch." Blair poked her head around Edward's shoulders and stuck her tongue out at her. Even Aro reared his head back in shock. Yes, I'm insane. And?
Aro exhaled theatrically and shook his head. He shared a look with his brother who sighed, "This is getting out of hand. If you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch this melodrama," before strutting out of the room, the silent blondes swaying behind him.
Was it something I said?
Right before exiting the room one of the blondes turned around and wiggled her fingers in the air daintily. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other quite soon, Blair."
"Arrivederci" Blair waved her good hand at her crazily. Again, everyone looked at her strangely. What?
"Well, Blair, I cannot say I'm surprised. You have a talent in controlling the weakminded." He shot Jane a pointed look and she stared back at him like a wounded beast.
Blair was about to say something taunting to Jane again when Edward turned to her sharply and shot her a pleading look.
Don't you try to boss me, Edward. I just saved your ass!
"Carlisle you hurt my feelings today by coming in here like this," Aro suddenly announced which threw Blair into a fit of giggles. More wayward looks.
Mafia vampire over here is talking about feelings and I'm getting crazy looks? Come on!
"You threatened a member of my family, Aro. It is not my intention to end our friendship but so be it," Carlisle confessed, his voice somber.
"You abandon friendships like you abandon children," Aro spat. Ouch!"Your negligence and disobedience led to a mess for me to clean up."
"I take full responsibility for Victoria…and Blair."
"Pah! Don't do me any favors." Edward looked at her strangely. Yeah, I said it!
Aro grinned and said nothing for a moment. Beside her, Blair could see that whatever was going through Aro's mind was getting Edward more and more upset and the two had a silent standoff.
"Bella," he addressed her sweetly and Edward growled. "I have suddenly decided to allow you go home with your handlers." Handlers?"You will become a vampire, sooner than later for I will not be so forgiving next time. That is, of course, if they can manage to keep you this time. For if they are going to expose you to our secrets and abandon you, I'd rather they do it now, so that I am aware of whatever damages are incurred by their negligence."
He batted his lashed sweetly and Edward rolled his eyes. "Your benevolence is astonishing, as always," he muttered. Sarcastic douche.Edward sighed at her thoughts and took her injured hand gently. He seemed to notice the ring there tardily and looked down at it for a good while before staring at her with silent question, and then the slightest of smiles. Oh Edward…
"And Blair," he added, "Do not feel that just because me and Carlisle have fallen out, that this affects our relationship."
"Your what?" Edward demanded, getting all indignant. Blair shot him a look that clearly said, "Shut the fuck up before you get yourself killed."
"No matter what happens, you are always welcome here." He ignored Edward, because everyone should ignore Edward. Blair could not wait to let him have a piece.
"Thank you," she said graciously and meant it, much to the Cullen's' dismay. "For everything. This has been…illuminating."
Aro bowed his head and smiled at her. "My pleasure, mia bella,I do hope you keep me updated on your progress with that little quirk of yours." There was a threat there, even Blair heard it.
"Of course." She nodded, though she had to smile. Little quirk indeed.
"Now get out of my house, the lot of you."
And just like that, the entire nightmarish affair was over.
~x~
"Your hand isn't broken, thank God. It'll just be swollen for a bit." Carlisle announced after checking her hand.
"You're safe now, Blair," Esme cooed and fawned over her.
"That's right B. Aro talks a big game but he knew he couldn't take us all if it was a fight to the death," Emmett boasted.
"Do you really have to say that here?" Carlisle scolded him, shooting a wary eye up at the windows of the palacio.
They were still on the grounds of the impressive estate because Carlisle had immediately sat Blair down upon a bench and gone into doctor mode on her swollen hand.
The sun was high in the sky and bouncing off their skin like sparkling diamonds and if it weren't for the circumstances, Blair would have imagined herself rather content to be enjoying the sun and overlooking the beautiful medieval city. Birds were chirping, fountains were flowing, and she could hear Jasper in the distance trying to make travel arrangements on his cell while Edward stood aloof, looking pensive.
Tired of their fawning, she batted them away and scowled. "May I go home now?"
Esme looked wounded. "Blair, we're just making sure you're okay. You've been though a great ordeal."
"I'm fine," she said, crisply. "I do not need any more vampire handlers, thank you. If I need an undead benefactor I'll call Aro."
She pushed off from the stone bench and trotted away from them. She swung her arms as she walked furiously away from thepalacio and began to follow a trail down the hill. She clearly wasn't going to walkhome but she needed space.
In a flash he was at her side but only silently stalked beside her as she walked, trudging aggressively towards the city.
"Honestly, Edward, were you ever going to tell me?" She asked, irritably.
He felt the briefest wave of relief that it she did not demand the truth out of him. He knew if wouldn't have played out well if she had, not that he could lie to her now. He hesitated.
"Will you leave me if I say no?"
She snorted. "If I planned on leaving you, I would have let Jane have her way with you instead of breaking my hand."
"You didn't have to do that," he said, silently, a part of him refused to find hope in her words.
"Why? Was writhing in pain on the floor your master rescue plan or are you just upset that Isaved your life for once." She wasn't looking at him. She looked down at the city and tried to downplay the tiniest evil smirk forming on her lips.
Edward knew Aro enough to know that he would have used her powers to turn her against him. He was good at finding the root of a person's insecurities and playing it against them. At the root of their relationship was the huge unbalance between powerful and weak.
Edward didn't need anyone to tell him that he had some sort of complex about Blair's inferiority to him. Perhaps it was his upbringing or something he had picked up along the way. He saw her as weak, fragile, in need of protection. He saw her as his entirely.
Clearly he was evolved enough to realize that it was unacceptable for him to see her that way. He needed to shake it off the way he shook off all the other ideologies of his time period; xenophobia, homophobia, and, as much as he hated to admit to anything that besmirched his parents whom he loved so much, mild racism.
In one way or another, throughout the decades, he had been forced to constantly reexamine himself. Do I hate black people? Am I an anti-Semite? Do I think women are inferior? Luckily for him, he had never been firmly entrenched in anything, save for his belief that God hated him.
He was trying. It was a huge step for him to decide to change her, closing the door on the power divide between them forever.
He also knew that whether he told her or not, once she became a vampire, she would likely be more powerful than anyone in the Volturi combined. He wanted her to need him, always. But Edward also knew that he could not afford to be stuck in his ways where Blair was concerned. He loved her and greatest paradox of his life is that her strength is what drew him to her in the first place.
"No, I meant you didn't have to hit her. Your words would have sufficed." He ignored her allusion to her hand. If she wanted him to treat her like big girl he would treat her like a big girl. Nobody told her to go around bitch slapping evil vampires. Crazy girl…
Hey eyes pinned him with astonishment. "So you knew?" He nodded. "How long?"
He measured his words. "It's hard to tell… I suspected but…" He thought of the tape James had left behind and the first time he had felt a force bending his will. It was the argument they had had right before she'd fled Forks with his family. She had somehow gotten him to take her home first to talk to Charlie.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "So has everyone around me been doing what I say because of my powers or…?"
"Or you're just that good at ordering people around and perhaps a bit of both." He spoke evenly. "I don't know, Blair. I know that sometimes there's almost a different presence when you say things and I've felt it a few times. Others have as well."
"And you thought this wouldn't be valuable information to me because?" Blair demanded. She was shouting at him.
He closed his eyes for a moment and just braced himself. "Because, Blair, I wanted to protect you and maybe…"his eyes cast downward so he wouldn't see the disillusionment on her face.
Disappointment rammed into her as she autofilled the rest of his words for him. She thought she couldn't be hurt by Edward more than he already had but no. He was not easy to love at all.
"You lied to me. You lied! You!" Blair began shouting at him suddenly. She looked at him with wide eyes as if they were opened for the first time. "You tried to make me believe I was weak and powerless, you!"
He released a loud grown of fury and pushed the distance away from them with such force she yelped. "That's Aro talking. Not you," he hissed, moving his face low to hers and glowering at her. "That's what he's good at, pinpointing people's weaknesses and using it to manipulate them. I know I…"
"Weakness? I'm every bit as powerful you.Maybe even more."Blair narrowed her dark eyes almost evilly at him and Edward sighed miserably. "Admit it; you hate the thought of it, don't you."
"Jesus, Blair."Edward didn't have time to resist that one. He couldn't stop it and he said, "Yes, Blair. Is that what you want to hear?"
Her eyes were closed. She was astonished and she opened her eyes and gritted her teeth. She didn't know how much of this she could take.
She felt his hands wrap around her. He suddenly cleaved her to him desperately. "Listen to me, Blair," he rasped against her hair. "Whatever comes out of my mouth means nothing. I love you more than anything. What we have is bigger than this."
"What do we have?" She pushed away from him and stared at him in astonishment. "A relationship built on lies and secrets?" She demanded. "It's not like I have any choice in the matter anymore do I?"
He almost staggered backward. Was she implying that the only reason she would stay with him is because she felt her vampire mandate doomed her to him? He winced and he blinked several times but willed himself to stay silent. After all, he brought this on himself.
"I haveto become a vampire! You never told me I had no choice!" She continued to lament until he finally chimed in.
"You don't have to spend an eternity with me, if that's what's worrying you?" He informed her in a voice so carefully devoid of emotion, even the Florentine sun seemed to dim above them.
Her expression never altered. "Then what? I spend eternity alone then?" she demanded.
For a moment he was unable to process the misery cascading over him. He sighed forlornly and dutifully informed her that that was hardly possible since he wasn't the only unmated vampire in existence and she was amazing and thereby attracted men to her like bees to honey, while looking on over the city.
He didn't see her roll her eyes but he heard her release a rapid screech in aggravation. He turned to her; she was looking at him as if he was crazy.
"You're giving up just like that!" she shouted at him, eyes blazing. His mouth fell open and attempted to form words. For once in his life he was unable to form syllables. "You leave, Nate, my dad…Everyone just runs away. Am I the only one left on this earth who actuallybelieves in making things work!"
The swirl of confusion in Edward's brain converged into one profound word. "What?"
"I just want to go home and process everything…." Her voice was subdued.
"Blair," Edward began, when he had finally found his voice. "I'm not giving up on us—ever! But I know that I don't deserve you for all I've done. I deserve to suffer and you deserve more..." He hung his head
Blair released a sound of disbelief and rolled her eyes but he pulled her to him.
"You still don't get it," she muttered bitterly but then her voice changed. "I suffer. I need. I—"
"You don't need me Blair. You have always been stronger than me in one way or another, and very soon you'll see that quite keenly."
Blair pressed her eyes shut in attempt to fight back threatening tears. "And you can only love something weak and precious." She filled in what he couldn't.
Suddenly Blair was in Manhattan. She was sipping coffee with her mother and drilling her about her dating life. This was pre-Cyrus, and her mother only frowned and bitterly imparted Blair with some sobering advice. "Being a successful powerful woman is like waving a double edged sword at groin level—an male deterrent."
Edward seemed at loss for words for a moment. His eyes narrowed as if he were considering his next words carefully. "I know that if I deny that, I don't have a leg to stand on, but I will deny it anyway," his voice was low and measured.
"When saw you in that crowded cafeteria and heard your thoughts that day in Forks, I thought to myself, 'Now there is the fiercest creature I've ever seen.'."
Blair made a mild sound of protest. "And that sure kept you at bay."
Edward frowned. "I kept my distance because I was afraid I would kill you. You know that." He silently begged her to give him somecredit.
She made a vague sound of acknowledgment without approval and proceeded to drop a bomb on him.
"I'm not strong or fierce, just incredibly stupid." She made a face as if she couldn't stand her own self. "Yesterday I gave up everything, my friends, my family, my whole life and yes, Chuck, I let him go."
"And now you want them back?" Edward asked anxiously.
One of her dark brows lifted almost in challenge. "No," She said wondrously. Yesterday seemed like a lifetime away. As if her human world was suddenly no more real to her than the ancient merchants and artists of the city before her. Aro's words suddenly made sense; she had straddled the two worlds for too long.
"No, Edward," she said again, quietly. "Closing that chapter on my life is long overdue."
He didn't know he was actually breathing until it hitched. "And us?" he asked haltingly. "Have I hurt you too much this time? Am I a chapter to be closed as well?"
In response, she flattened her palms on his forearms and pressed her face to his chest, inhaling his spiced scent. Edward. Edward. Edward…He was going to make her say it.
"No Edward, I can't do that." Her voice croaked and was muffled against his shirt. "As terrible as you are."
"I swear I'll be better for you," he pleaded. He pulled his arms around her and allowed himself to hope.
Suddenly a car honked followed by a loud Italian expletive. Blair gasped, realizing they were standing in the narrow road, blocking a black limo and its irate driver.
Edward rolled his eyes at the driver and pulled Blair out of the way, so that he could zoom past them like a maniac.
"Humans" Blair huffed in a superior tone and Edward smiled, grateful for the levity.
"Blair?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry," he pulled her into his arms again.
"I know." She closed her eyes and allowed his arms to comfort her.
He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes." He heard her say against his chest quietly.
Yes... Yes?
He pulled her back and stared at her. "Yes?" he asked in disbelief.
She responded by raising up on the tips of her heels and pressing her lips to his.
~X~
Blair and Edward came strolling up the hill a half an hour later to find the miserable driver and his car perched in the courtyard along with the Cullens. Apparently the driver was in on the vampire secret as well.
The Cullens stared them down anxiously for about ten seconds before bursting out into joyful congratulations.
"Wahoo!" Emmett hooted loudly and fist pumped the air. "Did you hear that?" He called to palacio, "Blair and Edward are gettin' hitched!"
Edward and Carlisle hung their heads in shame. Only Emmett McCarthy would antagonize the Volturi after all this.
Esme looked so glad Edward thought she would actually cry real tears. She touched her heart and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and giving Edward a shaky smile. We can be a family again.
Edward nodded almost imperceptivity and she gasped with excitement.
The girls buzzed around Blair with questions while Carlisle came and hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear, "Thank God." And that's when Edward knew. Losing Blair, their separation, it had not only been Edward suffering.
He nodded when Carlisle released him and saw the guilt burdening him lift away. He knew a part of Carlisle blamed himself. After all, he was the one who convinced Edward to leave Blair in the first place.
"Congrats little Eddie." Emmett slapped him on the back loudly. "I don't know how you pulled this one off or how you got Blair to take you back but this could only mean one thing: you're handling your business in the bedroom. And I respect that." He smirked wolfishly.
Edward tried to glare at his brother but he couldn't. He was on a delirious cloud.
"The girl's crazy about you alright." Jasper patted his back as well, still shaking his head in disbelief.
"Or just crazy! Blair, I can't believe you went psycho on Jane forhis ass," Rosalie exclaimed, clearly not masking her disapproval, only this time it was for Blair's sake. She thought she could do so much better than him and Edward silently agreed. There were no arguments there, but whatever insanity allowed Blair to forgive him and take him back after all this, he hoped she was never cured of it.
Blair only smirked wickedly at her sometimes foe and told her, loudly enough for Jane to probably hear, "Oh it wasn't for Edward. I had been waiting to do that since yesterday."
"Alright now, let's not insult our gracious hosts any more on their front lawn lest they change their minds," Carlisle, ever the voice of reason, reprimanded them all.
"Alright kids, it's been a lovely trip to Italy," Esme practically sang as she pranced towards the limo with purpose. "Now let's go! I can't wait another moment to meet your parents and announce this engagement."
"And don't forget planning!" Alice chimed.
Footnote: Guys I'm so sorry for the delay. Between my new job—which is awesome and cancelling my…our…engagement—which is terrible, my life has just been nonstop hectic. I'm not abandoning these two though. In fact, I can't get them out of my head. Blair and Edward seem to be demanding that their story be finished and finish it I shall. Life has been…all over the place but I appreciate you support.
AN: Aro is extremely deceptive. Everything he says has an underlying motive or outright lie. When he blows off the idea of Blair having powers, he secretly knows that's exactly what she has, but he doesn't want her to know her potential threat to him. He goes out of his way to casualize her ability as a "cheap parlor trick" because he wants her under his control.
Feedback= More Cheer. And oh I need it. How was everyone's Christmas?