Hello, again, and a big, grateful salute to all who are now following this. Here comes another chapter!

Enjoy!

LookAliveSunshine03

Chapter 21:

A magic touch of Marcus Part II

Everything happened incredibly quickly then. With a strangled cry, Beth landed just a few inches short of the benches, cracking the cobbles instead. The breath was slammed out of her body in a violent exhale.

"No!" Anna cried, shocked, just as Sulpicia stepped into view.

There was suddenly a deadly rushing in Anna's ears. She gave a roar – a real carnal roar of outrage – and descended upon her friend, like a female bird of prey protecting her chick from a predator.

Aro was stunned. He thought he had seen her angry before, back when he had felt the first jolts of attraction towards her – but this was something else entirely.

Nevertheless, she was terribly quiet. "You will not touch her again."

Sulpicia flinched when the temperature plummeted around them. It was becoming instinctual, using Darius' power, and for once, Anna was terribly relieved to have it on her side.

Because Beth had no part in this - this triangle. She was innocent, and Sulpicia's eyes had been ablaze with malice that was not meant for her.

This is my fault.

Now, Sulpicia froze, blinking in confusion when she no longer felt the need to move. She saw that her husband was regarding this with great interest, and that rage threatened to crest inside her again. Him and his obsession with gifted vampires…!

"Why do you stand there, husband? You dare let this girl speak to me like this?"

His reply was cool and calm. Detached, even. "I'm surprised at you, Sulpicia. It is not like you to harass my guests."

She opened her mouth, but his betrayal had stolen her voice from his box.

Where has my husband gone?

The Aro she knew and loved would have torn these two women limb-from-limb for treating her like this. Especially the dark-haired one, with the sad eyes. What had she done to her? Sulpicia's head felt thick and…cold, and when she tried to move, nothing happened. She was paralysed.

Struggling up into a sitting position, Beth tore off her mask. "You can say that again!"

She was pretty sure Sulpicia had ripped her dress when she'd tackled her. This annoyed her...but if anything, she was in a state of shock.

Where the fuck had that come from anyway?

The reason why she had tried to stop Sulpicia from coming here seemed so small and pointless now, so she didn't say anything else, and let Anna gently pull her to her feet.

"Are you alright?"

Beth nodded, shakily. "Yeah. Thanks."

She wondered if Anna had hurt her throat, making that noise. It had scared her half to death; it was unlike Anna to shout, let alone roar! Still, she didn't know what would have happened if Anna hadn't intervened. The look on Sulpicia's face had frightened her, and she felt no shame in admitting that.

If looks could kill. Beth allowed herself a smile. How very apt.

Satisfied her friend was unhurt, Anna turned her gaze upon Sulpicia once more. Her voice was unfeasibly steady.

"It is me you should be getting hysterical over, not her."

Sulpicia stared at her. Then she hissed. "Is that a confession?"

A blast of air tickled the back of Beth's head, and she knew without looking, that Aro had come to stand beside his wife.

"I believe it will be best if we spoke about this inside." His eyes were hard, the Volturi leader in his element. "Demetri?"

Oh, hello. All the while, Demetri was just standing there with them, not saying a word. Beth had forgotten he was there.

He was looking troubled and uncertain of what to do with himself, but at the sound of his Master's voice, he snapped to customary attention. "Master?"

"Inform Marcus that tonight's festivities are to finish a little… earlier than planned, please."

He just looked glad to get out of here. "Yes, Master."

When Demetri was gone, Beth suddenly realised something. He knew more about what was happening here than anyone else. He had seen Aro and Anna together – like together, together – hadn't he? Moreover, he had witnessed the subtle changes that had occurred in his Master, since she and Anna had come asking for their help all those months ago.

He knew the whole story.

Poor kid, she thought, with a sympathy that surprised her.

"We will discuss this later," Aro was murmuring. "I must say goodnight to our guests. Sulpicia?"

His wife looked at him, the jewels on her mask sparkling in the dark. "Yes, husband."

But that triumphant glance she spared Anna said everything. Beth snorted quietly. While you're at it, why don't you just piss on him to further mark your territory?

"We shall meet you in the library in ten minutes," Aro said.

He slid on his mask, the real and most definitely the mental one, took his wife's hand, and then they disappeared into the darkness.

The silence that followed felt almost like a heavy physical weight; thick enough to mould and sculpt, and Beth shuffled uncomfortably.

"Um, I guess we'd better go to the library…"

Anna swallowed, saying nothing, but there was so much she wanted to say. Her mouth tasted sour, sick with misery. The truth was finally out. Sulpicia knew about them, and that bright fire in her eye still shrieked volumes to her.

You shall not have my husband. He is mine.

Her head thudded, dull and weary.

There is no going back.

"Hey," Beth said, quietly. "Let's go."

She put a gentle arm around her, and Anna gave a trembling sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Beth."

She frowned. "Why? It's not your fault." When Anna made to protest, she interrupted. "No. It isn't. It's his fault, you hear me? He's the one breaking hearts, not you. Come on. Let's go."

Her tone snapped no arguments, and Anna had to smile. Beth was always the resilient one, even with a torn dress and a wounded ego.

She let her the way, back through the passage she had obviously taken to get out here. No back-handed comments from Demetri this time, though.

Anna did not speak much, unsurprisingly, lost in her thoughts, but Beth found it was a comfortable silence. Well, as comfortable as it could be when it was, potentially, the calm before the storm.

They walked straight past the hall where they could hear the disappointed, but nonetheless very merry babble of the guests, as they were told to go home. Beth distantly found herself wondering where home was for them, like the man and the two women she and Anna had crossed paths with on arriving. How long ago it now seemed…

Anna's palms were prickling urgently by they time they reached the library. Her insides tightened in anticipation, thinking Aro had got out of dismissing his guests and had arrived early – but it was not Aro looking at a book about plants, when they went in.

"Hello, Marcus," Beth said, cheerily, apparently unsurprised. "Long time no see."

The large vampire smiled at them, clearly expecting them. "Good evening, Beth. It is lovely to see you are not wearing your contact lenses. They did not suit you."

Surprised, she laughed. "Um, thanks."

He placed his book on the table in front of him, and moved aside to give them room. "Come, sit."

They did, both wondering where this was going…though Beth had a pretty good idea. She let Anna sit closer to Marcus.

Will he let her see his power? She tried not to snigger at how wrong that sounded in her head.

"So, what brings you here?"

Marcus' reply was instant. "I was waiting for you."

He was smiling at her with such warmth, Anna looked at him curiously. "How much has Aro told you?"

"You mean about his infidelity?" He paused, bowing his head slightly in contemplation. "Very little. But, fortunately, I have the ability to see how much he truly loves you, without asking."

If Anna still had a pulse it would have skipped a mile. She had been worrying over this for so long now – the confusion, the forbidden desire, and the guilt – she hadn't thought to consider what was really going on with Aro.

Astonished was rarely a word Beth would use to describe anything to do with her impassive friend…but at that moment, it was perfect.

"Marcus, show her," she whispered. She was practically squirming in her seat. "Show her what you told me."

Anna looked at her. Intrigue danced behind her eyes. "Show me what?"

Beth held her breath, while Marcus explained. Suddenly, the significance of this moment descended over her, and she held back a strange, little shiver. This would be the turning point. Anna would see real, solid proof that she was Aro's true mate.

But will she accept that? Even then? She didn't know. And, come to think of it, she didn't know if Anna knew either.

"So, would you like to see, my dear?" Marcus asked.

Beth waited for the pause, and the anxious gulp. But they did not come.

"Yes," Anna said instead. She looked quite excited. "But only for a moment," she added, and gave him a grim smile which asked I don't need to tell you why, do I?

When he offered her hand, she hesitated. "This will feel a little strange."

"I expect it will."

He was looking at her expectantly, and she felt the need to explain her sudden fear. "It has been a while since I've used my power, I'm sorry."

"You'll be fine," Beth murmured beside her. "Go on. You can do it."

Anna took a deep breath. Mercifully, it relaxed her, helping her with her courage, which was what she really needed right now. "I know."

She carefully easing the icy shield off, like a plaster of a healing wound. Then she took Marcus' hand, shuddering, feeling her power surge to the surface of her palm to lock onto his gift.

It took its effect immediately. Cobweb-like threads of gold and silver materialised everywhere. Looking down, she saw five beams radiated out of her in all directions. One strand stretched out of the room, thick and pulsing with soft, golden light. She saw that three silver threads of were shorter than the others, with frayed ends that suggested some damage had been done. Beth had the same, as well as a brighter strand that connected the two of them together, amidst the duller three. To her untrained eye, it looked incredibly sturdy.

ur bond.

"You see this…all the time?" she whispered to Marcus. She was aware she had a stupid grin on her face, but she did not try to hide it.

"Yes." A mess of bonds pulsed through him, like veins of ice and sunlight – but she noticed the one thread that seemed to pierce through his heart was a thick stump, like a rod or iron. Broken beyond repair. It filled her with a strange sadness that she didn't understand.

To Beth, she looked slightly ridiculous, staring around at nothing in wonder, and she wished she could see it all too.

"What's it like?"

Anna glanced at her. Her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears, but the smile on her face was utterly serene. "It's beautiful."

She longed to see more, but knew she couldn't. She had held on long enough, and her power was already gorging itself.

"Marcus, thank you," she said, letting go of his hand. She blinked to clear her watery vision. She suddenly felt more alive, if that were possible for a vampire. There was no question. She couldn't see it anymore, but she knew the bond was still there, invisible, yet as bright and bold as a ray of sunshine.

But for now, that didn't matter, because Sulpicia wasn't going to give Aro up without a fight.

He loves me. He loves me.

And she realised now, with a jolt of a surprise, neither was she.

Love is making Anna brave, eh? What do you think? R&R!