Guest: Thank you for reading! It's great you're enjoying this story and thanks for point that out. It doesn't appear that way on my end but is it still like that?
TwilightCullenLove: Iknowiknow! There's not a lot of those floating around anymore...there was this Aro story I had in mind based in Voltera where the OC successfully infiltrates the Volturi with malicious intent but didn't expect to find love along the way. *looks right and left* lol
Guest: Happy belated birthday!
Only three updates left :') *sniff*
Aro basked in the flow of the waterfall several kilometers west, only for his focus to circle around the wails from behind him. For once, they didn't comfort him. He wanted to bash his head in
"Creating a newborn army does not go against the rules! They're all over the south and you let them—" another piercing scream.
"Dear Jane," Aro held his hand up, "Do let our guest speak."
"No. Her head should already have met the flames."
Aro paid no mind to his bloodthirsty brother, and instead smiled half heartedly at the female vampire wailing on the ground.
"I'm pleading my innocence," Victoria whispered.
"How can you prove innocence with this magnitude of evidence against you?" Marcus croaned.
"My mate was killed by the Cullens over the life of a human," she hissed, meeting his eye. "I have been barred from taking my revenge. The justice I deserve!"
Their guard members watched the fiery woman in amusement as they knew full well their eldest master was intolerant of such childish behavior.
"Yet, what you fail to realize is that your form of divine justice became a liability to our secret," Caius insisted.
"Have you ever felt the agony of losing your mate? The loneliness?" Marcus looked away. "The misery? The pain?"
"I think that's enough," Aro commanded.
He gently held Victoria's face between his hands, she looked up at him in pure horror, but little did she know that was unnecessary. There was something about the feline woman which intrigued him, and this wasn't the first time she had caught his interest either. It was, however, the first it became in any way useful to him. Purposely searching through her farther human memories made him falter.
"You have experienced so much grief," he smoothed his thumb over her cheek then pouted. "So much pain. In vain."
A hiss sheathed past her lips, "You think I don't remember you?"
Aro lifted a single brow.
"You killed my coven. My sister. And now you're protecting those freaks for your own little pet—"
"Shh," Aro cooed, muffling her condemning words with a hand over her lips.
"What is she talking about, Aro?"
"Oh my," he giggled, pointedly ignoring the question from Caius. "I suppose her fire does not burn out with her hair."
Goodness, did they always laugh with his pointless commentary? Aro fought the urge to roll his eyes. He needed to find some way to get Victoria away from here without arousing suspicion…if only she hadn't dug such a large hole for herself.
Aro stood to face Demetri and Felix, Alec and Jane, along with his brothers.
"It appears we have been miss lead," Aro began.
"Explain," Caius demanded.
"While Victoria most certainly wished harm upon the Cullens, her newborn army was not sired by her." Victoria stared at him with wide eyes. "Nor was it organized by her, or overlooked by her." Aro sighed, conjuring the most sympathetic expression he could, while maintaining a spit of rage in his eyes—wouldn't want either of his brothers to catch on to his sham now would he.
"It appears the clemency we offered the covens in the southern states has been violated. Would any of you say the same?"
"Yes, Master. I have noticed their increased activity in the last decade. It appears they've become emboldened by our kindness," Demetri tilted his head.
"Well then we should make an example of her!" Caius barked at the twitching red-head. "Send a message that depicts exactly what happens when our good graces are taken for granted."
"Not exactly." Aro stood behind Victoria and grasped her trembling shoulders. "If it were not for our lovely Victoria, this treason would be left unchecked. Their manipulation of her emotional state was meant to mislead us to ignore them as we focused on this conflict."
Jane had not lifted her eager gaze from the accused until his words registered. They would not be disposing of this one.
"An example should be made of both!" his eldest brother maintained. "We do not give second chances! Manipulated or not!"
It would appear Caius' malicious rhetoric was holding more weight than his merciful one, and that just wouldn't do.
They all looked to Marcus who's attention span had wilted away the moment Victoria began to speak. His nose was facing the sky, almost as if the possibility of reaching the heavens was in his grasp.
Aro starred at his brother intently, more intently than he ever had before. He was aware that Marcus knew the truth behind his desire to remain here; his mate, Kalani. Sparring Victoria was a part of that in some way, and if he could shift his coven's focus away from the Olympic Peninsula.
"This child was led astray. Are quarrels lie with her manipulators. They have not only crossed her," Marcus met his eye, "but us."
"Then that is the deciding vote," Aro smiled.
"I want them hunted and executed at once. Do you understand me?" Caius easily accepted this new increase in body count.
"Please excuse us," Aro complained the accused to her feet. "I must have a word with the accused."
Victoria hissed in his face after they travelled far enough where privacy was granted. She began to circle him, which he moved along with her. They remained between the trees, a soft drizzle dampening both their attires.
"Now, now. That is no way to treat the person who just saved you from certain death," Aro tsked.
"What do you want."
"I wasn't lying, you know? You were manipulated, by your dear James."
"Everything you say is a lie."
"Not always," Aro sighed. "You see, sweet Victoria, there is something I need your particular assistance with."
They continued to circle one another, both their gazes never wavering. He smiled.
"What makes you think I would ever help you?" Her childlike voice became hard, "You are the reason my sister is gone. Your precious Cullens killed my James. I have no one, and nothing to lose."
"See that is where you're wrong. You're far from alone, Victoria."
She paused, "How?"
"Your talent for evasion, is it expandable by chance?"
"No."
He already knew this of course but was curious to see what her answer might be.
"I see as a young girl, you became rather talented at hide and seek?"
Victoria scowled, "Is there anything else you learned from devouring my mind?"
"Why yes, you yearn for companionship. Your loss of James has made you remember the true reason you joined him in the first place, the safety of it."
Every time his name slipped past his lips her eyes would twitch.
"What do you want?" She frowned.
"In exchange for preventing my brother from making a well deserved example of you, I demand your silence."
"It seems I have to repeat myself. Why would I help you?"
"Well, there it is! I am aware of who your true mate is," the momentary falter in her hard facade almost made him giggle, "And oh no. It was not James. Not in the slightest."
When Alice plucked Lani from the driver's seat after finishing another torturous day of school, she honestly thought that meant taking a swing out of town in her new bumblebee Porsche. Instead, the vampire in question was propped behind her desktop, clicking away at something while Lani stood expectantly across from her.
"Velvet is your personal bread and butter I'm guessing?"
"My plan is to bring velvet back into the fold."
"And I have to be your hot mannequin toy because…"
Lani went to school in a black turtleneck and cargo pants, simple right? Now she wore her same shirt, but her cargos were replaced with dark velvet, along with a cropped jacket of the same textile.
"You love this suit," Alice quipped. "Don't bother denying it either." Of course she did, she loved everything about it. "Would you rather play dress up with me, or grease up with Emmett and Rosalie?"
Despite Rosalie offering to let her take a peek underneath Emmett's jeep, car girl wasn't a part of her bio, and she didn't plan on trading.
"Exactly," the spiky haired girl laughed.
"Honestly, I might have to insist on keeping this one," Lani examined herself in the mirror. "I don't know where the hell I'd wear it, but it'd be a nice souvenir."
"Wear it to my party on Monday."
"The one Bella threw a fit about?"
Alice hummed, "Bummer, right?"
"I can't believe Esme's letting you throw a whole party! Do you really want a bunch of delinquents trashing your house?"
"The only delinquent I see here is you."
It took a moment for her to catch on to what she was implying, "Hey!" Light chimes of laughter echoed inside the large room. "I probably won't be wearing this to your party, Alice." The vampire pouted then began singing please which prompted Lani to whine back in response. Alice quieted down. "After graduation, I'm going out for dinner with my Mom. I want to get us much time in with her before she thinks—before..I'm on some never ending road trip with my Italian lover."
"Understandable…" Alice sighed.
Now it was Lani's turn to pout, "Cheer up, girlie. We'll have all the time in the world to party it up. I heard the balls in Volterra go bananas." Which Alice would surely be invited to.
Alice only hummed, "The suits yours after fashion week. I'd give it to you now but these garments aren't going to make themselves!"
"Fashion week?"
"This summer in New York Fashion Week, Mary Brandon's collection will be decked in unashamed velvet."
"Hold up. You're the Mary Brandon?"
Alice only smiled brighter.
"Oh my god! Your pants are amazing!"
"Why thank you!" She beamed.
"You're a whole fashion designer Alice! Why are you going to high school?"
"Well, it's no fun sticking to one thing!" She giggled.
"God, you all are so cool—wait! Can we like...go to fashion week together?" Lani did a little jump. "I mean this right here," she indicated to the suit, "I'd love to see it walk. I just—" her lips rapidly opened and closed in astonishment, still coming to terms with the fact Alice was a literal fashion designer.
Joy split over the other girls' features, she was practically bouncing in her seat, in a weirdly, yet fittingly, graceful way.
"Oh! I wish we met so much sooner! I feel like you've spoiled me rotten." Alice clapped her hands together, "Aro might have to fight me to take you away."
Leaving for Italy, whenever that would happen, seemed light years away, but she was still curious.
"Can you see that far? Whenever I end up there?" Lani wondered.
Alice nodded.
"How's my Mom doing?"
"She'll be fine."
"Will she think I'm...dead? Alive?"
"She'll think you're happy."
"Will I be happy?" Lani twiddled with the velvet hemline, an emotion closely related to dread began creeping over her. "Alice, I don't feel like I'm cut out for all this." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I don't feel like I'm...queen enough."
It was straight up insecurity, nothing more nothing less, but often her mind would drift to the night she met Sulpicia and make a checklist of all their similarities and differences. One outweighed the other.
"Lani, sweetie. Listen to this." Alice said. "If the Volturi need someone, it's you."
"But I'm unqualified."
"What qualifications do you need?"
She shrugged.
"We all started out somewhere, we were all human once." Alice danced in front of her, they held hands. "You might not be able to see it, but I can. You're going to change things, for the better, Lani. You just don't know it yet."
The way she spoke, it was so sure of herself, like there was nothing in the world which could sway her opinion. Lani sure hoped so.
"I agree with the psychic," Renata's light voice filtered into the room. "Master Aro is so spirited now that he's found you, Mistress."
"Wasn't he always like that?"
Her crimson eyes were trained outside, the cloak she wore made her turn her into an anti-ghost.
"Well, he's…" Alice began.
"Genuinely spirited," Renata cut her off.
"Aro seems to be at a crossroads," Alice said.
"What do you mean?"
"He can't choose between what he wants to do and what he's required to do."
Turning her into a mosquito most likely. Apparently, the longer her heart beats the more hypocritical he was being about his own rule.
"Which one is he leaning towards more?"
Renata continued to face outside, her reflection presented a small smile.
"I can't say...I've never been able to." Lani lifted her brow at the pixie. "I would hate to inherit the way his mind works—" Renata let out a warning hiss. "Calm down you attic hermit. What I'm trying to say is his mind changes continuously. I get overwhelmed whenever I try to keep up."
"He is a complex guy," Lani supplied.
"Very true," Renata agreed.
"You're the constant though! Lani, you're always there," Alice lifted her hands to her face, practically gushing. "Ah! Just adorable!"
Lani wondered what she could see, she wanted to spend at least most of the summer with her heart still beating, then after obligations could hit.
"What were you guys like when you were human?"
She looked between the two very different vampires, a true introvert and extrovert. Alice expectantly turned to Renata, encouraging her to share.
"That was so long ago," Renata had a faraway look in her eyes. "All I remember of that time, all that really mattered quite frankly, was my marriage to God. Funny how such things become so insignificant as a vampire."
Imagining Renata as a nun took her off guard. They were so close in age and—if you spend enough time around her at least—both childish to an extent. Then she realized, all she knew was the twenty-first century. Vowing to a life of prayer and abstinence could have been her reality if she were born seven hundred years ago like Renata, well, relatively at least.
They focused on Alice next who without a thought, the small girl twirled around her swivel chair several times. Her loose violet skirt fluttered all while an infectious smile came and went. When she settled down, Alice tilted her head to the side.
"I don't remember anything other than being a vampire," Alice revealed.
"Really?" Lani pondered. "But I thought you guys couldn't have kids—"
"Oh no. I wasn't born a vampire, but it kinda feels like that in a way," she shrugged then, indifferently. "After I woke up all my human memories were gone. If they ever existed, I don't know. I don't remember them and I might never will."
"Wow." Now it wasn't just a disintegrated personality, but also wiped memories too?
Becoming a mosquito just seemed increasingly more like clicking control alt delete on your life, so much to give up.
"Is forgetting your human life...normal?" She asked them worriedly.
"Don't worry, Lani. My case was very unique. I'm sure after your change you'll remember everything; even this conversation," Alice comforted.
"Maybe not exactly this conversation, but do not fret, Mistress. Complete memory loss is very rare."
Lani didn't want to forget who she was, or where she came from.
"Is that the reason why you're not all that interested in becoming a vampire?" Alice propped her chin on her hands, "You're afraid that you might forget your life here in Forks?"
"It's not that—I mean, yeah it's a part of it but," Lani shook her head. "It feels...unnecessary?" They stared at her. "I'm already happy with the way that I am. I don't want to change that. I genuinely feel like becoming a vampire wouldn't drastically improve anything in my life." Other than appeasing the powers that be.
"Don't think of it as changing yourself. Try thinking that it more enhances what's already there," Alice supplied. "You'll still be yourself, just magnified times a few hundred."
"I guess so…" Lani tugged on the velvet jacket before her hands fell limp. "At the same time though, I'd love to stay human and go to college, all while being with Aro. But," she looked at Renata, "I know the Volturi don't give second chances." The guard member nodded in agreement. "I know that I'm aware of something top secret which means I either need to join in on the secret or die with it, and I'm not a quitter." Lani could hear her voice becoming harder. "There are times when we have to face tough realities, you know? And keep on. If I need to become a mosquito, then I'm becoming a damn mosquito." Even if she really didn't want to.
"Well, there it is folks! The mate bond in action," Alice sighed, then focused back on her computer.
"Don't say it like that," Renata frowned.
"Excuse me?"
"You're saying that as if the bond is one sided, when we both know Master Aro has changed as well," Renata remarked.
Alice blinked at the long haired girl in a daze, her fingers frozen above the keyboard in motion.
"Have you ever thought about who your mate might be?" Lani asked after Alice continued to look off into space.
"Oh course, Mistress," Renata replied. "Of course."
Alice protruded her lip, "Victoria doesn't seem keen on budging, but it's only a matter of time."
