Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Warnings: Mentions of miscarriages. Death of a child.
.
16:02 p.m., Friday, December 24, 2004, Sinclair Lodge House by Lake Crescent
Bella was huddled in one of the very comfortable armchairs by the cracking fireplace under a brown blanket she'd unearthed from one of the drawers underneath the window seat. Not that she needed it. Or felt cold. It was more of a small creature comfort on a psychological level.
She'd always loved fire. Bonfires. The dancing flames licking over logs of wood. The warmth and light they produced.
Aro and Renata were fighting. Loudly.
It had been two hours since her-
Since her dad had left.
An hour since Aro had taken her back inside the house after sweeping both of them all over the whole lake. The people on the lake had been so happy. So, so happy. Overjoyed. Everyone.
The two vampires were so loud. They reminded her of the times she had overheard Charlie and Renée's shouting matches before their messy divorce. Or the ones after.
Only this time it was in Italian. So she did not understand practically anything that was said.
Aro had taught her something he called a Double Loop jump. Bella had never imagined herself being able to learn or do anything like that. But now she could. Aro was such an amazing teacher-
"-ragazza!"
Bella was starting to think both of them were slimy liars. Because-
"I cannot believe you!" Renata yelled.
-they were fighting like a married couple.
Bella gingerly reached for the large glass of tomato juice on the small coffee table by her right side that Renata had brought her from the kitchen ten minutes ago-
But thought better of it and hid her hand back under the blanket. She had a feeling she would spill the juice all over herself. Better to wait a few more minutes when the world stopped spinning-
"Renata, she is fine-"
"She's too fucking young is what she is, Aro!"
Bella let her heavy head fall against the back of the armchair.
Both of them were such loud liars.
"Ren-"
"Look at her!" They were shouting about her. That much was crystal clear. Ever since Renata went off the ice and came back inside herself about half an hour ago. "She's not Phillippa!"
"Don't be daft, ragazza. Of course she's not Phillippa. I'm not that far gone-"
"Then why on earth would you give her Port Wine!"
"Her nose and hands and feet were cold! She had been outside for too long. And she was still so very upset, darling. Now she's not crying anymore-"
"Because you got her drunk! Three full glasses, Aro?!" Renata yelled. Her voice reminded Bella of those car security alarms that sometimes went off in parking lots for no reason-
"They were not full glasses. Signorina Camilli-"
"Don't you dare bring her into this! That girl had been drinking alcohol for years before you two met down in the kitchen! Be that as it may, I've no idea how that girl is still alive with how much gin and wine both of you are gulping down your gullets at your parties!"
"Renata-"
"No! I'm sick and tired of your alcoholism! You will not make a literal child drink that poison ever again!"
"Renata, she's not a child-"
"She's not an adult either! This is fucking America! It's very possible she's never drunk more than the champagne she snatched from you yesterday!"
"That… cannot be, darling."
"Mon Dieu, Aro! Look at her! You know perfectly well that humans have low tolerance for this shit! Especially children!"
Aro heavily sighed.
"Renata, her father called a minute after we stepped inside. I had to take the phone away from her. The call set her off again-"
"Bella, drink your juice." Renata said even louder, her tone allowing no argument.
Bella moved her head to the right where the glass with the red juice was patiently waiting for her and slowly sneaked a hand from the blanket and carefully wrapped around the smooth glass and slowly lifted it off the table. It was funny how weightless the glass seemed to be.
Bella lifted the glass to her lips and took a small sip of the lukewarm drink. The tomato juice was very tasty … rich and smooth, and thick (well… the Port Wine Aro had made her drink had been very tasty too). She took another sip, fuller this time.
Bella did not even notice how more than half of it was gone in seconds.
Where did Renata even get tomato juice?
Bella did not remember having put it on her list. The one she gave Renata when she left for Port Angeles yesterday after returning from the Cullens. Or seeing it in the bags Renata had brought back. Where did she get it? Where did Renata get tomato juice? It looked awfully red. And weirdly salty. Bella did not remember tomato juice tasting this sweetish-salty though.
…Was this really tomato juice?
"Renata, where did you get tomato juice?" Bella quietly asked.
"From one of our neighbours."
"This is tomato juice, isn't it?" Bella distrustfully asked, "It tastes funny."
"Bella. I would not give you bad …tomato juice."
"Aro? This is tomato juice, right?" Bella fearfully asked. It was a very atypical tomato juice. "Right? Aro?"
"Angel. Finish your glass. You will feel better."
…There was not much left anyway.
Bella lifted the glass up again and drank down all the remaining funny tasting creamy liquid.
"…That wasn't tomato juice, was it?"
Nobody answered her.
The logs were still burning bright red. People were still skating on the ice even though the sun was about to set. And Bella was feeling very full suddenly. The kind of full that she usually felt after eating a whole pizza by herself.
The world had stopped spinning.
Bella looked back to the couple of lying vampires that were having a staring contest until Aro broke away from Renata's furious and accusing eyes and looked to Bella, the hard ruby look in his eyes melting into warm red pools.
They both were… Bella did not even know which word to use. They'd made her drink-
"Have you warmed up, angel?"
"I think so."
"You have something-" Aro said before materialising right in front of her, and leaning forward and licking her face with his cool, wet tongue from her chin to the right corner of her mouth and then across her right cheek, as if this was completely natural behaviour for, well... Anyone. "There. Proper and presentable once again, angel." Aro kindly said, brushing a lock of her hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her left ear. There was such warmth in his eyes… Bella could not remember anyone ever looking at her this way.
How could it be that this insanely gorgeous and slightly mad vampire thought she was worth all this- all this… undivided attention-
One moment she was looking into Aro's crimson eyes, trying to figure him out or at least find some kind of answer there, and the next she was sitting on his lap, still on the same armchair though. Common sense dictated that such a switch from soft and warm cushions to a hard and cool body should feel considerably less comfortable, but it was just the opposite.
Bella turned her head to look where Renata was reclining on the sofa and watching them with a shadow of anger and disapproval still darkening her eyes.
Bella lowered her gaze to the large mug of coffee that Renata had made for Charlie-
"I can't believe you said all that to my dad." Bella whispered and felt Aro's arms wrap around her waist tighter, pulling her flush against his chest.
"…Angel." Aro put his head on her shoulder. "Your father-"
"Charlie's going to figure out you were talking about me." Bella looked up to Renata who broke away from Bella's eyes and diverted her attention to the cracking fire.
"Your father figured out that Renata had killed Thomas Newton, Sr. Not why, or how, but his intuition had him fully convinced." Aro quietly spoke in her ear. "He was absolutely certain I was a threat as soon as he laid his eyes on me. He would have remembered us even if we had never mentioned your name. Now he's going to focus all the resources at his disposal in finding Mr Newton's body. And will leave us be. At least for the time until we will have well and truly left this place."
"I heard you. You were having fun-"
"Bella." Renata said, lifting her gaze from the fire back to Bella, "Your father should have never been able to link me back to The Peppermint Man. Charlie should have never had come here, asking questions. I did not leave any witnesses. There was no one on that intersection who could have seen me. It was a blizzard. The dead of the night. No streetlights. The visibility was shit even for me, to say nothing about some petty human with a grudge against speeding cars." Bella saw Renata's eyes shrewdly shift to Aro.
What? No.
"Renata, you can't mean-" No way. No freaking way-
"The only ones who know I ate The Peppermint Man are the ones which were here yesterday. It would not be hard to find Tommy's car by his scent after a brief scouting of the area surrounding Port Angeles." Renata's calm demeanour gradually darkened until her bright scarlet eyes had bled to bloodthirsty burgundy red. "I'm going to kill that fucking dog, Master."
"Dog?" What were they on about now? "What dog?"
"We had company the other night, Odile. A shape-shifter from a nearby tribe." Aro lazily divulged.
The fuck.
Vampires, werewolves and now shape-shifters? This was becoming a bit too much for Bella's sanity to handle in a span of just forty-eight hours.
"That dog I heard running after the car was a human?"
"Very good, Isabella. These shifters are another species of supernatural beings. An enemy of sorts. Our dear friend Carlisle has formed a treaty with these shifter dogs."
"A treaty. What kind of treaty?" Bella asked, turning her head back to look at Aro questioningly.
"Mmm, yes. The Cullens have agreed to leave the dogs alone and in turn the dogs have agreed to leave the Cullens alone. Roughly speaking."
"…They are the protectors of the Quileute tribe people, who live very near Forks. Protectors from our kind. They hate vampires on a purely instinctual level. Deeply biased beings to boot. Fortunately for us, presently there is only one shifter-dog down at La Pu-"
"That fucking dog had been tailing me all the way from Port Angeles yesterday!" Renata spat.
"I don't-"
"-And apparently went to look for The Peppermint Man's truck!"
"You mean this Quileute... shifter-person heard all that we talked about? Is this the reason you kept calling me anything except my real name yesterday?"
"Yes. I believe he must have." Aro confirmed. "We wanted to make Carlisle squirm a little, my Odile." Aro revealed through a grin. Then he bitterly added, "Carly has not been nearly as honest as he should have been, angel. As a friend of mine and one to my brothers as well, Carly gets some leeway. But… he should never have kept the dogs a secret. Fate only knows how many unsuspecting immortals have been ambushed by these dogs near their lands since Carlisle had conveniently kept mum about them…"
"I don't give a fuck about Carlisle's treaty, Aro!" Renata seethed. "I want him dead!"
"I would have no objections, darling," Aro switched to a lighter tone, which made Renata's head whip sharply at Aro, "had the wolf indeed been the one responsible for the tip to the police."
Bella saw Renata's eyes widen as she realised what it meant half a second before Bella.
Oh, no.
He didn't.
"I'M GOING TO GET THAT STRAYING LATINO RAT FIXED!" Renata screeched, making Bella flinch. Some of the ice-skaters outside on the ice turned their heads towards the house, while Aro was quietly giggling into her shoulder.
Bella did not want to be Eleazar when Renata tracked him down. Bella felt almost sorry for the vampire. Almost. Because-
Fucking Eleazar. If he hadn't ratted on Renata, Charlie would never have come here-
Perhaps Aro would have even allowed Bella to answer her phone when Charlie had called a minute after they had returned to the lodge house after they finished skating on the lake if not for that Spanish fucker-
"It has been a long time coming, Master!" Renata furiously spat.
"Do you think this is why he wasn't at the Cullens today?" Bella cautiously wondered aloud, hoping not to trigger Renata again, who looked ready to make good on her threat.
.
More Than Seven Hours Earlier, The Cullen House
"You have been a busy bee, my dear Carlisle." Aro Volturi brightly stated in Italian from within Carlisle's study, but Rosalie could hear underlying sadness colouring the old vampire's voice. "Thank you for the privilege, my friend."
"Of course, friend. …Aro, about the treaty-"
"Carlisle. Peace. I already knew about the treaty from Miss Young."
"You knew- Miss Young?"
"Yes. Miss Emily Young. Lovely young lady. From the Quileute tribe. She was kind enough to allow me to take a few sips from her the other day, when darlings and I had stopped in Port Angeles to stretch our legs for a moment." Rosalie could perfectly imagine the shit-eating grin that was painted on Aro's face right now.
Well, fuck.
And hadn't that been a shocker when Carlisle had return home this morning and told Rosalie and Emmett what he had learned yesterday night from Aro about vampire venom.
Apparently, Eleazar had been here only for a few brief minutes, after Carlisle had dropped him off before heading to his night shift at the hospital (Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Alice had still not returned from taking Edward to the airport), and then taken off to hunt alone. Had not even asked if Carmen or Esme wanted to join him, according to Esme. And had been gone for hours.
On the other hand? It could be a lot worse-
"I care not about the treaty." Aro's switch to an unamused, bleak tone was jarring, "You can make deals with pixies for all I care, Carly. But to not inform us about a natural enemy of ours? A deadly threat to our kind?" Aro asked with such soul deep disappointment Rosalie felt just as culpable as Carlisle was. Cold, suddenly. Guilty. She felt Emmett take her hand in his and give it a soft squeeze.
"Your loyalty should always lie with our kind. Our people. Not with our enemies. The fact you do not feel thus because you condemn our true nature is a betrayal to all immortals." They were all sitting like stone sculptures around the table in the living room.
Petrified.
Rosalie squeezed her husband's hand back.
"I'm sorry, Aro." To Carlisle's credit, he did sound profoundly sorry and guilty. …Good.
"I know you are." Aro sadly said.
"I should have told you a long time ago."
"Yes. You should have. Does not change a single thing in the end, does it? You being sorry."
"Aro. Friend. The wolves here… they are not the Children of-"
"Carlisle. Have you the littlest inkling of how many unsuspecting immortals, whose only crime had been passing through or too close to these lands, have these shifter-dogs killed before you made that treaty of yours, hmm? Or after?"
Silence.
"You do not know." Aro answered himself when Carlisle kept quiet.
"You are so young, Carly." Aro clicked his tongue. "You know nothing of loss. If you did, perhaps you would understand. And had never kept the tribe a secret. …I cannot believe you kept such a thing a secret." Aro added in a quiet whisper.
"Where has your husband run off to this time, Carmen?" Renata Volturi asked in a pleasantly warm tone. Effectively taking the gloomy atmosphere away and ending their eavesdropping on Carlisle's semi-public shaming.
They – Rosalie and Emmett, Esme and Carmen, and Renata and Bella – were sitting on three sofas around the ornate Italian ivory and glass coffee table Esme had brought down from her studio in the attic as a temporary stand in until the new one was delivered to the house.
Rosalie had been honestly surprised when Esme had brought the thing down. Usually they made do without one until the replacement arrived. It was a well-known fact to any Cullen that Good Things were never placed in the living room. They tended to get… smashed. The table which was killed yesterday had been only one of many in a row of countless others that had suffered a similarly sudden and violent end.
"Eleazar went to Seattle with Alice and Jasper. They're Christmas shopping, you see." Carmen replied with a quick but sweet smile.
"Oh, I do, Carmen! That is so fascinating." Renata cooed at Carmen. "Christmas shopping, I mean. Heidi and I went to get a Christmas present for a friend of ours for the first time in… well, forever, I guess. It was back in November though. Sadly there were no Santas around to sit on their laps." Renata finished in a deeply miserable voice. "Did you know I've never had a Santa before? I always seem to miss them for one reason or another. They are exclusively seasonal in Italy. They appear only for a week or two in December, Carmen."
"That's… good to know, Renata." Carmen gave Renata another smile, a little more hesitant this time.
"I'm sure they are having lots of fun, Carmen." Renata brightly assured, "The three of them. Eleazar was such charming company the other night! It is almost as if he is still the same old Eleazar I knew in Volterra. He hasn't changed one bit, Carmen." Renata gushed, making Carmen shift uncomfortably in her seat.
On Rosalie's immediate right, Bella coughed.
"Sorry." The girl quickly apologised, swiftly running her eyes over all of them, when all their attention jumped to her.
"It's quite alright, Bella." Renata assured the human. "You'll get used to it. The smoke sits quite heavily in the lungs, I know, but it will air out. Our friend had the same reaction."
Oh, yes. The little purple elephant in the living room they had all been courteously ignoring for the past two hours. Because all three of their unexpected guests had turned up on their doorstep reeking of cooked vampire.
Rosalie had not known how burned vampire flesh smelled like before this morning. Nor had Emmett. They'd been told by Jasper that it was a heavy and nauseatingly sweet smell, accompanied by purple smoke. Well, that dramatic Confederate might as well had saved his breath because it was impossible to mistake the smell for anything other than a burned vampire, thank you.
Rosalie glanced at Esme who had a perfectly pleasant look on her face when she surreptitiously poked her elbow into Carmen's side the same exact moment Rosalie nailed Carmen with a Very Meaningful Look.
Good God, but Carmen was utterly useless sometimes.
"Um… Renata?" Carmen broke away from Rosalie's eyes and slowly turned back to Renata.
"Yes? Did you want to ask me something, Carmen?" Renata happily prompted when Carmen hesitated to speak up.
"Well- Uh…" Carmen paused, seemingly attempting to find the right words.
Oh, for the love of God.
"Carmen is quite curious about the smoke, Renata." Rosalie kindly helped Carmen out. Renata's eyes jumped to Rosalie, taking on an amused glint.
Renata was an extraordinary vampire. That much was obvious from the first moments Rosalie and her family had met her. Not that Rosalie had met very many vampires, but she had met quite a few over the years.
For one, while Renata was not as beautiful as Rosalie, she had something Rosalie lacked. Renata was incredibly lovely. Attractive. Rosalie had no doubt that while in the same room, men's eyes would linger far longer on Renata than on Rosalie. …There was this warm aura about her which seemed to just draw people in. Snare them in.
They made for a truly lovely couple, Aro and Renata.
And it seemed Renata, just like her beautiful Master, appreciated someone willing to play games with her.
"Oh! The smoke. Of course." Renata let her smile stretch, showing her teeth. "Last night we had decided to do a little bit of sightseeing around the peninsula, Rosalie. The nature here is spectacular. We went to Ruby Beach to catch the sunrise and take some amazing pictures, do you want to see them?" Renata asked with mirthful eyes.
Rosalie felt her left eyebrow rise whilst she flashed a brilliant smile back. "I'd love to see the pictures, Renata."
Bella fished out a Kodak digital camera from her shoulder bag, turned it on, fiddled with the device for a few seconds, most likely to navigate to a particular frame.
"Here you go, Rosalie." Bella finally looked her real age in a large red sweater which was so obviously not hers and white jeans and she was sporting three perfectly healed, white bite marks on her neck. The sight of them made Rosalie feel strange. On edge, a little. The bite marks were a clear warning to any of them that the girl was taken, off limits, but at the same time the marks kept drawing her eyes to them, to Bella's lovely neck… she could practically see Aro's teeth slowly sinking into that delicate neck, slowly pulling mouthful after mouthful after mouthful of the girl's deliciously sweet blood-
Bella broke the spell by passing the camera to Rosalie with a small but kind smile.
"Thank you, Bella." The girl had guts. Rosalie had to give the kid at least some well-deserved respect.
Rosalie moved the camera closer to Emmett, so that he could see the photographs as well.
The photo that had been left on the screen showed a faint outline of neon red light dawning on the horizon over water. It was undoubtedly a nice picture. Nothing unique, but as a simple holiday souvenir, it was very nice.
The next photo was evidently not the following one but rather a much older one, dated a week back and showed Aro and another to Rosalie unknown vampire of Asian descent… fishing from a yacht in the middle of the sea during a bright, sunny day, sun shining all around them, on them, but they were not- they were not glittering. Aro had the same white skin, the Asian vampire had the universally ordinary pale skin most vampires had, but they were not-
"Oh, that is our good friend Sadami. He had invited Aro to join him for an afternoon of fish hunting." Rosalie felt as if she had swallowed a bushel of Granny Smiths. But now was not the time-
Rosalie quickly navigated back to the picture of Ruby Beach and quickly went through about fifty photos in which the light on the beach was getting more intense, of Renata on the beach, of Aro and Bella on the beach, until there was a photo of three completely foreign vampires.
They looked. Wild… Nomads. Unmistakably. All of them had wicked smiles stretched on their faces.
Well. From this picture alone it was very apparent what fate had befallen the three nomads.
"The one with the dreadlocks is Laurent. Then Victoria and the last one is James." Renata chirped from her seat.
Rosalie switched to the next photo-
Of three large burning piles and five smaller ones which must be what had become of the nomadic coven in - Rosalie checked the timestamps - …less than ten minutes.
The rich purple smoke had a very artistic effect on this one and the next few photos, one of them having captured Aro Volturi embracing the human girl from her back, both of them looking off into the distance over the ocean while their backs were turned to the piles of vampire flesh turning to ash.
"Very romantic." Rosalie dryly commented, shifting her eyes from the screen to Bella and then to Renata, making Bella's strained smile to turn into a cough again and Renata to let out a string of pearly giggles.
"I think so too." Renata flashed Rosalie a devilish grin.
Rosalie rewound back to the first photo of the beach and gave the camera to Emmett who passed it along to Esme.
Rosalie watched as Esme and Carmen went through the pictures of Ruby Beach, their eyes widening when they got to the first purple one.
"What'd they do?" Emmett lightly broke the silence that had fallen over the living room.
"Exist."
"Bella!" Renata chided, which unfortunately did nothing to smother the answering crazed, spontaneous laugh that emerged from Carlisle's study.
"They were very unfriendly. Called us names…" Renata stopped, a crease between her eyebrows, and seemed to try to come up with another, more deserving reason than these-
"The blond one was a tracker, quite good at the craft but nowhere near Demetri's level, the redhead brilliant at evasion. The three of them had been leaving trails of bodies in their wake, barely covering their tracks. In the last one hundred years they had killed sixty-three immortals while playing Games, using their gifts for fun." Aro briefed them from Carlisle's study. "The blond one, James, had killed young Alice's sire, right after her change. She was turned in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her human name was Mary Alice Brandon… if she would wish to know, of course."
"I… thank you, Aro. We will let her know. …Anything else you can tell us?"
Rosalie could hear the sound of a pen scratching against paper for a couple of brief moments.
"Oh… Thank you, Aro."
"Of course, Carly."
So Alice's real first name was Mary. Rosalie found that it suited her just as well as Alice did. If not even more.
"I see you've acquainted yourself with half of the research I sent to you, Carlisle." Aro abruptly changed the topic.
"I have! Yes! …Yes. I only managed to go over half of the files before my shift ended, Aro, but the breakthroughs your company has had in curing human diseases… and the applications of vampire venom! It's brilliant, Aro! Fascinating! I can't thank you enough for sending me the files… I've never dared imagine- This is the best Christmas present I've ever received-"
"I'm glad you enjoyed them Carly." Aro cordially thanked.
"How could I not! The work you do at Valerian Incorporated-" And Carlisle was off fanboying again. Rosalie would feel almost embarrassed by Carlisle, but it was too hilarious, witnessing Carlisle acting in such a way. She'd never seen him lose his prim and proper demeanour like this-
"-I'm particularly curious about the subject BMB99. Those venom resistant cells… their strength is off the charts! And I've never seen DNA act in such a way before- Where did you find-"
"Ah. Bambi… I'm afraid this particular research project won't be developed any further, Carly."
"What? Aro… Why. It's phenomenal- you must realise-"
"Actually, this is the reason we are leaving so soon. Bambi was bitten in her own home minutes after I sent you the files. She is a very dear friend of mine. I wish to be there went she wakes for the last time, old friend, to greet her into her new existence."
Aro Volturi admitting to having human friends? Human friends for which he would cut his vacation short and fly half the world to offer moral support and well wishes? This did not fit into the profile of the Volturi vampires Rosalie had formed in her mind.
Renata and Bella of course looked as if this was nothing new or strange. Esme did not look particularly shocked by this as well, for some mysterious reason.
Carmen, however. She looked very surprised. Incredulous, even.
"I see." Carlisle sounded like a little kid who had been told that he could not have that chocolate pudding before bedtime after all.
"Which reminds me. If you or anyone of your family ever find yourselves in a circumstance where you desire to change another human, give me a call, would you? I do not believe this to be the right time for that particular conversation, but it will shine some light on the grief you have been experiencing for the last ninety years, Carly." Which did not sound ominous at all.
"…What do you mean, Aro?"
"Not right now, Carlisle. You are free to call me in a few days. I will explain then."
"…Alright."
"When are you three leaving, Renata?" Carmen asked.
"Tomorrow morning." Renata didn't look at Carmen, when she answered. Instead, she was looking at the rest of them, letting her eyes slide around the table, as if memorising how every one of them looked, paying closer attention to their eyes, lingering a second longer to Esme until letting her gaze finally set on Carmen, giving her a kind smile.
"Gold suits you, Carmen."
"Thank you, Renata! I was- Haven't you ever tried vegetarian diet yourself?" Carmen asked. Then she enthusiastically added, "I think you would look amazing with golden eyes too, Renata."
Renata's eyebrows shot up and her eyes got huge and she just kept staring at Carmen as if she had uttered the dumbest fucking thing in the universe.
"No, Carmen. I don't want to have the burden of innocent Bambi souls on my conscience."
Emmett snorted. Loudly.
"What about you, Bella?" Rosalie innocently inquired, startling Bella out of her creepy daydreaming. There was definitely something odd about the girl. Normal humans simply did not space out in a room full of vampires.
"Er… What?"
"Have you considered what your diet will be when-"
"Please, dear." Aro congenially interrupted her, having materialised out of thin air behind Renata and Bella. His next words, however, were a clear warning, "You wouldn't want to plant unnatural ideas into children's minds, would you?"
"Wouldn't dream of it, Aro." Rosalie gave the beautiful vampire a sweet smile. It was strange. Surely, they should be able to see him move, shouldn't they?
Carlisle had joined them a bit later and had sat down next to his wife, while Aro gracefully flopped down next to Bella.
"You wouldn't dream of such a thing, would you? Angel?" Aro sweetly asked, taking the girl's hand in his.
"Ah… No." Bella cautiously agreed. "I've no problem with your diet."
"Excellent, angel. Then we won't have anything to worry about in Volterra."
"Why are we even talking about this, Master? All vampires want to eat humans. It is our natural food source, for Circe's sake! The only reasons these three," Renata nodded to Rosalie, Emmett and Esme, "stick to the Bambi diet is, one - out of their loyalty to Carlisle, two - because they were not given a proper meal when they woke up for the last time, and three - because they were more or less forbidden to eat humans if they did not want to get thrown out on the street! The end of it! Edward's screwed in the head because the poor boy has been brainwashed by the Catholic Church, Carmen's acting out because she's secretly depressed because her husband's a cheating slut, dear Eleazar's on the diet because he doesn't want to lose face with the only friends he has still left! Well it's too fucking late for that! The major and the little seer have had their fair share of humans already and they obviously are willing to humour Carlisle for a while in exchange for belonging to a large family! The Denali sisters probably ate a gifted human who gave them indigestion! It. Fucking. Happens! But instead of seeking help, they switched to animal diet which does not make them ill afterwards!" …Renata loudly exclaimed in frustrated indignation.
Rosalie's family was staring at the petite Volturi vampire in shock. Carlisle had frozen, gaping at Renata in horror. Even Emmett had gone completely still by her side. Esme had slapped her right hand over her mouth, the other had grabbed Carmen's hand, but apparently it was not enough because Carmen burst into literal tears, yanked her hand out of Esme's and ran out of the house.
Bella had leaned her elbows on her knees and hidden her face behind her hands while Aro Volturi was giving all of them deeply apologetic eyes.
"What about Carlisle then?" Rosalie asked and felt the exasperated yet amused eyes of Carlisle's very old friend shift to her.
"Carlisle's an unordinary vampire. He probably has some sort of pain numbing gift because he clearly does not understand your suffering."
"Darling, that is enough." Aro said, but his voice was dripping with affection.
"What- Master! She asked."
"This is why Phillippa does not allow you to answer the Castle's phone, darling." Aro shook his head. "However, I believe this is your personal record, darling. Two and a half hours. I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you, Master."
"Carly. We meant no offence." Aro turned back to look at the still frozen Carlisle. "We are clearly biased on the issue."
Carlisle was still yet to say anything or react-
Likely, Aro could tell as much himself because he turned his attention to Esme, who in turn was watching her husband worriedly, "Esme."
Her focus diverted to Aro, "Dear. Would you be so kind and check on dear Carmen? She shouldn't be alone right now. Your husband will be fine with us."
"Alright." Esme said after a brief moment of contemplation, paying one last concerned look Carlisle's way and ran out of the house after Carmen.
And then there was silence.
Renata leaned forward and in one quick move snatched the camera from where Esme had left it on the table and snapped a photo of Carlisle with a loud flash, effectively snapping him out of his shock and making him blink away the blinding aftereffect.
"I'd say at least seventy five thousand- No. A hundred." Renata brightly chirped to herself, looking down at the photo on the camera's display.
"Ah! You've re-joined us, Carly." Aro brightly exclaimed. "Your lovely wife went after dear Carmen. I imagine they should return in-"
"Is this really what you think of me, Aro? Of my family?" Carlisle asked in a raspy voice, unyieldingly staring at the old vampire.
Rosalie's and Emmett's heads whipped to Aro.
"Carly… " the Volturi king's eyes became slightly rounder, which, dammit, made him appear practically innocent, which was infuriatingly baffling because no vampire, especially! no Predynastic-Period-of-Ancient-Egypt-old vampire should be able to pull off this look.
Rosalie mentally sighed. She knew from personal experience that whatever came out of the ancient vampire's mouth would be irrelevant because of those Puss in Boots eyes.
"I have always deeply admired your compassion for food, Carly. And I'm immensely happy you have found so many like-minded souls within your immediate family, my old friend." Aro sincerely voiced.
"…Food, huh?" Carlisle leaned his cheek in the palm of his hand.
…
"…Did I say food?" A confused expression slipped on the old vampire's beautiful face.
…
"Mhm, you did, Aro." Bella confirmed, obviously finding their ceiling very interesting because she had leaned her head on the back of the sofa, staring at the spot above her with unfailing concentration.
Carlisle's lips started twitching.
"Humans. I meant humans, Carly." Aro enthusiastically confirmed, nodding his head and looking at Carlisle with those same huge bottomless cat eyes. Damn.
A deep, warm laugh had her whipping her head to Carlisle. It had been years since Rosalie had heard Carlisle laugh so brightly.
"It had slipped my mind you could never keep them straight." Carlisle said with a warm smile.
"You talk like there is any difference between the two." Renata blinked her eyes at Aro and then at Carlisle, a slight frown on her face.
This is where Rosalie got slightly confused. She could not, for the life of her, tell if Renata was simply acting like a loon or if she really was a loon.
"There is a slight difference, darling. If one does not consume humans as a source of nourishment, then, in theory, it would not be exactly politically correct to use the term 'food' in relation to 'humans'." Amendment to the previous thought: Both of them were total lunatics.
"Oh. I suppose that makes a little bit of sense. But why-"
"Esme and Carmen are back!" Bella shouted, looking over her shoulder.
Esme and Carmen slowly walked back into the room, Esme's arm supportively wrapped around Carmen's shoulders.
"Honey? Carmen and I are going to spend this Christmas at Timberline Lodge." …Qu'est-ce que fuck. "My colleagues are spending the Christmas at the resort with their families and friends and I've been given a standing invitation to join them. I'm sure they will make room for the two of us." Esme smiled and squeezed a teary-eyed Carmen's shoulder.
"I…" Carlisle looked surprised, but oh so very understanding. "Of course, honey. …What about-"
"Eleazar is not invited, dear." Esme brightly stated, but that bright statement held a healthy amount of threat to it. "He should not even call."
"Right. Right. We. Will let him know."
"Thank you, honey." Esme sweetly said, before turning to the Volturis. "It was wonderful to meet you, Aro." Esme said with a genuinely warm expression. "And you, Renata. It's… refreshing to hear someone speak their mind so candidly," there was a truly kind smile on her face, but then she added a bit more darkly, "… for a change."
"Thanks, Esme!" Renata chirped in response.
"Oh, and Bella." Bella's eyes snapped from the sniffling Carmen to Esme, "I'm sure Aro and Renata will take very good care of you, sweetheart. You'll be a wonderful vampire."
"Er. Thank you, Esme." It was clear Bella had not expected any such thing to come out of any of their mouths. Honestly? Neither had Rosalie.
Esme gave the room one last polite smile, turning around-
-only for Aro to suddenly materialise (again!) out of thin air before Carmen and Esme, startling both of them.
"Carmen." The old vampire lightly grasped Carmen's elbows and slowly slid his hands down, until finally reaching her bare hands and took both of them in his own. Carmen started sobbing again. God, but Rosalie had never seen a vampire actually cry. She'd thought it was impossible. The venom simply did not escape their eyes. She'd never seen any of her family cry. Or Anyone. Before now.
"Shhh, cariño." Aro drew her in a hug, one of his hands on the back of Carmen's head. Jesus. Rosalie would probably start screaming her head off if the ancient vampire got anywhere that near to her-
"You should not believe all the rumours you've heard travel around the Castle, cariño," Aro whispered in Carmen's ear. "Yes, that particular lie cost him his ring and his place in the Guard."
"Some of the other rumours are true, I'm afraid." Honestly, it was painful to listen to her. Eleazar was one giant son of a bitch.
"Shhh. It is what it is, cariño. He will never change. You either accept it and turn a blind eye, or you accept it and move on. Both options are painful, but… trust me, choosing the first one won't make you happy again, Carmen."
It was probably for the best that Jasper was not here. Or it was a damn shame. He could have at least done something to help poor Carmen-
"Sleep, child."
Carmen immediately ceased her hysterical crying, her eyes fell shut and she sagged in the old vampire's arms. The only indication she was 'okay' was her deep, even breathing.
For all intents and purposes, Carmen had lost consciousness.
The old vampire had knocked her out with two words. ...Fuck.
Aro unhappily sighed, leaned down and kissed Carmen's hair, before straightening and passing Carmen's limp body (how could she be so fucking limp) to Esme.
"She will awaken at nightfall." Aro let Esme know, "Around the time you will reach Portland, dear."
He'd put a vampire to sleep. Howthehellcouldhedothat!
"I… Thank you, Aro. Really." Esme sincerely said and reached out to quickly squeeze Aro's hand for a brief second in thanks with her right one which was not currently busy supporting Carmen. Rosalie felt her eyes widen, but it was such an honestly impulsive move. Esme did this with everyone she met. Even humans. She was simply a tactile person.
It seemed it finally registered to Esme what she had done because she went perfectly still and a truly spooked look appeared on her face.
The old vampire started quietly giggling.
As if he had heard the best joke of the last century.
He sounded so fucking entertained.
Had Esme's memories really been that funny?
A few moments later Aro bit his lip, forcibly silencing his giggles, "I see Sadami's porcelain vases have been given a proper burial. With a wake and everything. Almost makes me glad they got smashed, dear girl." The old vampire airily said, smiling, his eyes gaining a somewhat glazed, faraway look to them.
Esme had taken on a bashful expression, and surely, she would be blushing, is she could, "I'm so incredibly sorry about the vases, Aro. It was such invaluable art-"
"Do not be upset, dear. Ultimately, they were perfectly unimportant. Nothing more than pretty yet replaceable trinkets. Take care of your friend, dear Esme."
"I will." Esme promised, gently slipped her right hand under Carmen's knees, lifted her up fully and carried her up to the second floor. The sound of a suitcase being thrown on a bed and a zipper being loudly opened was followed by the unmistakeable sound of clothes being harshly yanked from hangers, easily flowed down to the living room.
It looked like there will be only five of them home this Christmas. …And Eleazar.
Carlisle's old friend turned back to Rosalie, and Emmett and Carlisle, both of whom were staring at him with disbelief. Rosalie was sure she wasn't far off herself.
"Unfortunately, I believe it is time for us to take our leave as well, Carly."
Then Aro's attention shifted solely to Emmett and her, "I cannot wait to have you as guests at the Castle, my new friends!" The demented old vampire spread his arms wide, a wicked mask slipping on the vampire king's face, and maniacally exclaimed with a gleeful smile full of brilliant, pointy teeth, giving Rosalie the shudders, "We are all going to have so much fun!"
For the first time in what seemed like forever, she was terrified.
Rosalie hooked her nails into her husband's hand.
Carlisle could not make her go.
Could he?
…
…
…
They were all going to die there.
.
"Perhaps." Aro hummed.
"However. I believe you did more damage to him at the Cullens this morning than he did with that naughty neighbourhood watch tip to the police, darling." Aro mused causing Renata to let out a low hiss.
"That's so sad. Eleazar cheating on Carmen, I mean." Bella quietly said. "She seemed like a really sweet person."
"It is sad. Eleazar loves Carmen. He truly does. But he is also incredibly attracted to gifted individuals. The more powerful or unique the gift, or gifts, the more drawn to these immortals he is. Every gift has a drawback, angel. This one is his."
"You make him sound like a victim, Aro. He's a conniving viper. Spreading all those rumours and lies about- He got kicked out because of it!" Renata fumed, full of controlled rage.
"Rumours? What rumours?"
"Renat-"
"After I beat him up outside Aro's chambers in 1947, he conveniently let slip to Demetri, Santiago, Emil, Felix and Alec that Master had slept with him."
"What… he didn't." The fuck would you do that for, Eleazar. "And they believed him?" On one hand, it was not very hard for Bella to imagine Aro with a guy. He was so eccentric and… and… Bella tried to find the right word, her eyes falling on her Harry Potter book- …flamboyant, at times. And charming and so, so incredibly pretty… and he wore diamond hairclips, for fuck's sake.
But on the other hand, Bella had not gotten the impression yesterday that Aro had actually meant any of the innuendos he'd shot back at Eleazar. It had been only playful bantering 'among old friends'.
Renata looked at Aro, but he still did not elaborate, only watched the flames with a neutral expression, as if he did not care at all what was discussed around him, but suddenly also unwilling to involve himself in the conversation.
"Emil did not believe him. He's one of the few who has got a brain. You'll like him, Bella. Felix and Santiago believed him. I think Demetri was not fully convinced. Master?"
Bella felt Aro let out a heavy sigh, "He was reluctant to believe Eleazar, but there was still a shadow of a doubt before Alec erased any suspicion from his mind."
"The word still got out."
"Yes… it did. So did Eleazar, darling. However unwillingly." Aro patiently reminded.
This seemed to finally do the trick in appeasing Renata because she closed her eyes and drew in a slow, satisfied breath, "Yes. Yes, he did."
"Renata?" Renata opened her eyes and tilted her had to the side in askance. "Is my dad going to find Mr Newton? He's not swimming with the fishes under the ice out there," Bella nodded to the view of the lake through the large window, "is he?"
Renata bit her lip, thoroughly entertained.
"It's what your father was guessing as well, angel." Bella could hear the grin on Aro's lips.
"Oh? What- what else did he think about?"
"It's rather odd," Aro huffed, "I could witness all your father's memories, and sense the emotions he felt when he lived through those memories. But his thoughts? Narrative? No. I could not. How very intriguing, angel. Sometimes it is so… similar gifts running in family lines."
"…You wanted to know if I'm an only child. Back in San Francisco." Bella hesitantly spoke.
"Small talk, angel." Aro said in a pleasantly smooth tone, "You were so skittish, child. Like a shy but curious kitten. I had to break the ice somehow, didn't I?" Bella had not been skittish. Dumb. That was the right word. Dumb. Who else got themselves kidnapped from an airport by vampires?
"So you wouldn't have… wouldn't have… I don't know… tracked them down or anything? If they existed."
"Of course not, angel." Aro purred in her ear.
Yeah. That's what she thought.
"Well, Renata? Is Mr Newton swimming with the fishes as we speak?" Aro curiously asked his Alluring Accomplice who had crossed one leg over the other and were leaning her side against the sofa, her hand resting on the back of the sofa, her chin pressed in her palm, watching them with satisfied, smiling eyes. She looked-
"Charlie would have a dead body to work with right now, if dear Eleazar had managed to find it." Aro smirked.
"You know, I had planned on sinking Tommy somewhere in this lake to be found once the diving season started in early summer." Renata confessed. "But. It was such poor weather the other night… " Renata heavily sighed, before she continued with an animated recount of the other night-
"Just as I was about to stuff the body inside the Maserati's trunk, I noticed four pairs of hungry olive eyes observing me from the bushes a hundred metres into the treeline. With the intense blizzard masking any and all hoof-prints..." Renata's face became so sad, the corners of Renata's lips turning down, "those poor panthers would have gone without dinner!"
Bella should not have asked.
"I could not have that." Renata shook her head, "I simply could not have that. They were very grateful, did you know? The panther and her three cubs…"
Bella could not decide which fate was worse. Your body being eaten by fish or by panthers.
"I dearly hope they will steer far, far away from the Cullens." Renata pinched her lips in a tight line. "I do wonder though…" Renata pensively mused, twirling one of her long locks of hair around her fingers, "Would the Cullens care about consuming the blood of someone who had feasted on human flesh before becoming a meal themselves… how do you think, Master? Would they mind?"
"Such a complicated moral dilemma. We shall ask them, darling, when they finally deign to show their unnatural eyes in Volterra."
Then Aro delightedly added, "Brother would love to hear that conversation, darling. Personally, I would say they would not mind overly much. …Some more so than others."
There it was again. That same hysterically entertained giggle as before.
"I give up. What's so fucking funny, Aro?"
"Nothing." Aro pressed a kiss to her temple.
…Liar, Bella thought fondly.
.
18:48 p.m., December 24, 2004, Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Port Angeles, Washington
Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Port Angeles was a modest red brick building which had seen better times.
It was designed in a very, very simplified romanticism style with one bell tower on the right side from the portal, which, Aro supposed, may have been white, once, in days of long past. The church incorporated a few gothic elements, namely, a painfully reduced rose window above the portal and sparse gothic stained glass windows, which adorned the church's walls (if he was completely honest this church reminded Aro of a large barn).
Admittedly, it could have been a lot worse, for he did not exactly have the feeling that the roof would collapse on their heads in the middle of the children singing their carols but-
Flash.
"Oh, this one is an amazing pic, Master. Worth one point five million at the least. I can practically feel the anticipation of attending the evening vesper flowing off of you just by setting my eyes on this magnificent photograph. Now, show the camera your pretty face a little more, turn your head to the left-"
"I will do no such thing, you brat," Aro crankily refused, "angel, come," Aro pulled Isabella behind him and walked up to the entrance doors, his angel's hand clasped in his left one.
Admittedly, the interior was slightly more pleasing to the eye. Warm, amber colour light from the low hanging lamps reflected off the white-ish walls and ceiling.
As he moved further inside the church he could feel the gradual change in the surrounding energetic background shift from more or less neutral to increasingly more potent with every step he took closer to the apse of the church.
However, this here was nothing compared to the feeling of the raw power high he could get simply by standing under the dome in St Peter's Basilica.
There were already one hundred and seven people waiting for the performance to begin, most occupying the front pews, the rest had dispersed themselves haphazardly around the remaining open space. Old humans, young couples with young children, humans of indiscernible age.
Aro reached into his coat's breast pocket and flicked a few Benjamins from his diamond-studded money clip and let the notes drop into one of the offering boxes placed near the nave before the first pews closest to the exit, his mind catching the action only after the green paper pieces had disappeared into the box.
Aro closed his eyes and sighed.
This is what he deserved for slipping into Bambi's mind every chance he could get away with-
"Where do you want to sit, Aro?" Isabella asked from his left.
"I have no preference, angel."
"Okay." His angel happily replied and pulled him further down the nave to the middle benches and into a still empty pew to the left. Renata immediately slipped after him and settled down on his right.
"Master-"
"Not in here, darling. Only if the need arises."
"…Bene allora." Renata huffed but did not protest further.
Aro saw the priest at the front of the church, chatting with a man who must be the choir conductor, his alert eyes taking in the gathered, murmuring crowd, finding old, familiar faces belonging to his parishioners, people he recognised meeting or passing by in the city, perhaps even one of his atheist neighbours who had wandered inside solely for the promise of live a cappella singing, and wanting to convert all of these unbelievers to the faith of his God-
Aro diverted his eyes from the priest before the man's travelling eyes met his. He could, however, feel those eyes on his person the next second and hear the sound of the priest's heartbeat quickening among the one hundred and thirty seven other humans under this debatable-quality roof-
Two rows of pews in front of them a couple with a little dark haired girl sitting between them were debating whether the right time for opening the presents Santa had already left under their Christmas tree was this evening or rather tomorrow morning-
Only a few minutes left before the singing was scheduled to start-
The church doors opened and three humans walked in.
A second later they were opened again and a group of five entered this time.
One by one the church began filling with people at absurd speed.
Aro grit his teeth together.
The food just kept coming in. Three, five, thirty-five, eighty-eight, two hundred, three-
"Huh. This can't be normal. You were totally not kidding." His angel said with barely suppressed delight, "They are staring at you, Ar-"
"Be quiet."
"Who knew we should have sent you to fish instead of Heidi, M-"
"Quiet."
Yes, unfortunately, he could feel the weight of at least thirty pairs of eyes on the back of his head. Wishing for him to turn around and look at them.
Finally, the choir began singing the first song and one by one those bewitched stares switched to the singing children at the front.
Thank Fate.
Aro sneaked a look to his angel who was listening to the carol with great rapture, her enhanced hearing allowing her to enjoy the music so much better. It made him smile. He hoped she will not be completely overwhelmed by the difference in her perception of the world immediately after her transformation. It could be quite disorienting. Frightening, even.
It was always better to prepare Newborns of what to expect beforehand, lest they did something rash in their fright. Even so… Isabella will be such a spectacular vampire, she will, she w-
"Mommy, are they angels?"
...
18:? p.m., July ?, 1888, St Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria
"Mami, sind sie Engel?"
A little blond child's, who was adorned in a blue summer dress, tinny voice loudly sounded in the high vaulted Stephansdom four rows of pews in front of them.
"Nicht so laut, mein Kind!" The young mother shushed her daughter, before looking over her shoulder to find out for herself whatever it was her daughter was staring at with pure wonder.
"Anja, natürlich sind sie nicht-" the words dying on her lips when she saw Aro and His Darling herself.
Sulpicia quietly giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Aro, look! She is so adorable." His Darling quietly cooed, warmly smiling at the blond child who kept sneaking glances over her shoulder at them even after her mother had swiftly turned both of them around, as soon as she had remembered herself, of course.
"Of course she is." Aro indulged his queen.
"Oh, don't be like that, My Heart." Sulpicia knowingly grinned up at him, "I know you love children."
"I do not."
"You do. I've never seen you eat a single one, Love." His Darling was lovingly staring in his eyes with her sparkling burgundy ones, a challenge in them. "Admit it, My Heart. You would love to have one of our own."
Aro broke away from Sulpicia's twinkling eyes and felt his own be pulled back to the little angel patiently listening to the priest up in the pulpit delivering the sermon.
"We already have our own." Aro replied, shifting his eyes to His Darling. "Two, in fact."
"They would be beyond appalled, if they knew where we are right now." Sulpicia whispered with a straight face.
"The betrayal in their eyes." Aro added, equally serious.
"They would refuse to talk to us for a month."
"Attempt to usurp the throne."
"Torch another church."
Aro's lips twitched.
"They would, wouldn't they?"
"Naturally. And let everyone know it was them." Sulpicia acknowledged, grinning. "I miss their mischief, husband. They were so adorable, full of surprises. I miss that." His Darling wistfully sighed, and leaned her head back against his shoulder. "They are so serious now. All of the time. Our twins are all grown up... They grew up, Aro."
"Children tend to do that, Beloved."
The little girl sneaked another peak at them, smiling at Sulpicia and then at him, her smile missing her two front teeth.
"Do you not want our own little bundle of joy, running around the Castle?" His Darling pleaded, watching the sweet child with longing eyes.
Aro had considered it. Having another child. Jane and Alec had become so mature. They'd grown so much since 778. They were adults now. Sulpicia and he loved their twins every inch as much as they ever had, but it was not the same as having a young child once more would be.
He knew His Darling had wanted another one for a while now.
…A small one.
"Beloved. We cannot have anyone like sweet little Anja. You know this." Aro exasperatedly replied. He should not even be saying this. Sulpicia should be the sensible one. "A teenager. At least eighteen years-"
"You could." His Darling interrupted him and gave his gloved hand a firm squeeze.
"You could have someone like Anja, My Heart."
The little angel was still smiling at him.
"…Darling, no."
"I would love that child as my own, Aro." His Darling fiercely vowed without any doubt or hesitation. Aro felt His Darling's intense stare on the side of his face until she frustratingly sighed and turned away, lifting her right hand to wiggle her fingers at the girl.
Aro loved this cathedral.
It was a true architectural masterpiece.
It was so peaceful in here.
Even in the middle of the Mass.
Even while the priest was reciting passages in mispronounced Latin.
His Darling was a devious creature.
Trapping him in here.
When he could not find a fickle excuse and slither away.
Without disturbing everyone around them, as well as the evening sermon.
Such unpredictably devious creature His Darling had become.
"Even if I agreed to this…" His Darling's hopeful face turned to look up at him with lightning speed, "Which I have not!" Aro heard himself laugh as he felt his hair being mock-angrily pulled on, in response.
"Those children… they are so, so very rare, My Darling." Aro sighed, crushing despair licking at his soul. "They are true Miracles. You know I've only ever sired three of my own. They were all miscarried. Weeks before being born. …It is a marvel any of our children are ever born at all."
"Not the third one." Sulpicia quietly said.
Aro sucked in a sharp breath. She should not know that. He had never told her that.
"They all died."
"I'm so sorry, Love. For bringing this up." His Darling apologetically said. "Dora told me a few days ago."
Why would-
"Why would Sister speak of such a thing?"
"Dora and I were talking about children. She was fairly certain I could convince you."
"Was she now?" Aro asked in a sickly sweet voice. Sometimes he truly wanted to wring his Sister's neck. The only problem was that she gave as good as she got. Aro did not want to have to grow back broken nails or his hair. Again. Or listen to Cai bitch about Aro abusing his poor, innocent wife, who still had not learned when to keep her fucking mouth shut.
"Mmm. Brother heard us talking. He said you will fall in love with a Catholic girl." Aro laughed. He couldn't not. His queen gifted him with a sharp, devilishly teasing grin, "Not the when though."
"That is the single most ridiculous premonition Cai has made this side of the century!" The child was watching them with great interest, and pressed one little finger to her lips, indicating that he should not laugh so loud. His queen was right (as she was often wont to be), for the child was indeed adorable.
"I don't know." His Darling dramatically stretched her words. For some reason she found this inordinately funny. "He was quite convinced, My Heart."
Correction. Sometimes he wanted to wring both his Sister's and his Brother's necks.
Truthfully, he was not at all certain Caius was not purposely messing with Sulpicia, because this hunch was truly an absurd one. His heart already belonged to someone, and she - Aro glanced into his queen's radiant eyes - was no Christian.
"Darling. You cannot take for granted anything that comes out of Caius' mouth. Surely, you now this by now? He is wrong half the time."
"Perhaps."
There were not many people in the cathedral. Most likely because it was fantastic weather outside. Sun shining, heat filling the streets even though the evening was upon them already.
Little Anja had turned around and was leaning her chin on the back of the church bench. Looking at him sadly. The epitome of misery.
Aro imagined all her friends were playing outside. Without her.
He decided to have mercy on the forlorn creature.
A snowflake drifted down and landed on the back of her little hand. Stayed there for a moment, before melting. She looked up to the sky but there was just the same old ceiling hiding the blue sky from view. Her little blond head shot back down as she felt another snowflake land on her other hand. The child looked to her left to her mother, but the woman was diligently listening to the priest, paying no attention to anything around her-
Finally the little child looked back at him with her wide green eyes as if asking if he had seen what just happened.
"Husband." Sulpicia suspiciously spoke from his right, her intuition warning her of impending disorder- "What are you up to?"
Aro gave the sweet child a conspiratory smile and, mimicking her earlier warning to him, pressed his left index finger against his lips.
The third snowflake to land on the tip of her nose was followed by thousands, millions, billions of others, snow falling in spirals at high speed inside the pleasantly warm church, while covering everything and everyone inside under a blanket of snow and rapidly cooling the air to freezing temperature.
"Mama, schau! Es schneit!" The child cried and shook her mother, and looked up at the ceiling which had become invisible behind the deluge of snow.
She whipped back to look at Aro in childlike delight and winked at him. His secret will be kept.
The priest had stopped his sermon. Fate only knows what kind of meaning he will attribute to such 'Act of God' when preaching about Galatians 5:22-23 verse.
The humans in the cathedral leapt to their feet, some excited, some fearful.
The frightened half ran out of the church, two of the herd slipping and falling down on the nave.
The other half stretched out their palms or turned up their faces towards the falling snow, letting it settle on their warm skin and then turn to water.
It just kept on snowing.
"Husband!" Sulpicia hissed, out of her depth. "What has gotten into you!"
Aro turned to his exasperated wife, who in turn had taken to watching the little girl spin around, trying to catch as many snowflakes as possible with her little palms. His Darling shifted her warm eyes back to him, the beginnings of a sweet, adoring smile playing on her lips, "And you want me to believe you don't like children, My Heart?"
Aro snorted. And rolled his eyes. His Darling knew full well he would never harm a child - not if he could help it.
He was not that kind of a monster.
"Aro." Sulpicia leaned on her tiptoes and brushed the snow off the top of his head, touching his cheek to ask why he had not made the snow stop snowing yet.
"I'm not doing anything anymore, Darling." Aro confessed, abashed, "it should have stopped by now." But the snow was still falling.
"Then it's the church at blame, Love." Sulpicia resignedly concluded. "You should know better by now. Which one is it already? The seventh?"
"Sixth."
"Anja! Komm," Anja's mother caught her daughter by her wrist and hurriedly pulled the child behind her, "wir verlassen."
"Aber, Mama-" and the little angel was pulled past where His Darling and he were standing, flashed him one last awed, wide-eyed look before she was pulled outside, where real fun was awaiting her.
"We should be leaving as well. Perhaps it will stop, after you left." His Darling kindly offered, looping her arm around his waist and began steering them to the doors.
They had gotten almost to the open entrance doors, the snow already half a metre deep, when he slowed down, stopping just inside the doors.
He looked down at his Beloved.
"I promise to think about your wish." Aro said and felt the immediate joy radiating from her, enveloping them, almost illuminating their surroundings with the force of it.
"Good. Don't take too long, My Heart."
"We have time."
"I do not wish to wait any longer, Love. Gods only know how long it will be before-"
"I haven't even agreed to anything yet!" Aro protested, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"You will. I have a feeling."
"Have it all planned out, have you? You are one formidable creature, Sulpicia."
"You love me."
"I adore you. I would burn down the world for you."
"I want this, Aro."
"I know, Beloved."
"I don't think I've ever wanted anything so much in my life."
"I know, Beloved."
"I love you. So much, My Heart. Never doubt that."
Aro leaned down and captured her mouth in a fierce kiss.
He would give His Darling everything she desired.
Even if that meant feeling like his shattered heart had been ripped out of his chest.
…
Renata's shoulder made for a wonderful pillow.
The children were singing so beautifully.
Aro will have to get darling Renata a new coat because this one was damaged beyond saving from the rivulets of his tears which had burned deep holes into the soft cashmere.
Renata was tenderly petting his hair.
The children's choir was singing in perfect pitch… their soul-soothing tones a balm to his ears.
Aro became aware of his angel holding his hand in her warm one.
The little dark haired child two rows ahead who had spoken earlier had wrapped her small arms around her father's neck and was peering at Aro over her father's shoulder with troubled blue eyes.
His Darling would have loved her.
The song ended.
Another began.
'Carol of the Bells'.
Renata was such a good person. His person. The depth of her love for him endless.
He could not imagine a reality in which Renata would ever hurt him in such a way.
Not in a million years.
The tears would not stop flowing.
"Inħobbok ħafna, Renata."
Her hand stilled on his hair, before resuming her tender petting.
"Inħobbok ukoll, Aro."
The carol ended.
Another began.
He could not stop weeping.
Lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Renata was still lovingly petting his hair.
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
His angel was still tightly holding his hand.
Lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
The dark haired child was still looking at him worriedly.
Herod, the king, in his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight
All children young, to slay
Until her tiny button nose started to bleed.
Lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
She unhooked one of her small arms from her father's neck and lifted her tiny hand to her nose. Her blue eyes widened when the hand came back red.
For thy parting neither say nor sing
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Her tiny ears started to bleed. Her innocent pebble blue eyes drowsily rose up to meet his, the light in them rapidly dimming.
That woe is me, poor child for thee!
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed not unlike a puppet whose strings had been cut.
"Amanda?"
Little Amanda stopped breathing.
"Amanda!"
Little Amanda's tiny heart stopped beating.
The 'Coventry Carol' had ended.
And just like that… little tiny Amanda had been lulled into eternal sleep for all of time.
Little Amanda's mother started screaming.
Aro stopped crying.
He felt a kiss being placed on his hair.
"Are you feeling better, Master?"
"A little."
"I'm glad."
"Amanda!"
People were loudly whispering.
"Someone call 911!
Girls were crying.
"My baby!" Amanda's mother was wailing.
"…wake up, sweetie. Please wake up, baby. Can you hear Daddy? Please, baby. Open your eyes…" Amanda's father begged to the tiny corpse.
Aro lifted his head from Renata's shoulder, inhaled a deep breath of air which was scented with the dead child's sweet blood and dried his face of venom in a red Egyptian cotton handkerchief he had retrieved from his suit's breast pocket, and stuffed the ruined square inside his coat's pocket, and turned left to give his angel a cheery smile.
His angel had a strange look about her. She appeared to have gained chalk white pallor to her skin since the last time Aro had laid his eyes on her.
It was quite late, was it not? Growing children needed plenty of rest. Sleep. At least eight hours. Nine or ten would be ideal. Plus, his angel had had quite the eventful day. Lots of excitement.
Isabella should get another good night's sleep before they had to spend two hours driving to Seattle and then half a day trapped in a jet tomorrow.
"…Amanda!"
"It seems the concert has come to an end. Shall we depart, darlings?"
.
21:30 p.m., December 24, 2004, Port Angeles Police Department, Port Angeles, Washington
Undersheriff Brady Fitzsimmons had been one of the unlucky few who had been scheduled with the graveyard shift this Christmas Eve. Nothing to be done about that, except to grit his teeth and accept the harsh reality of police work. His girlfriend had not been happy, but the fact that he had the next two days off had placated her somewhat.
They had heard back from Forks Chief of Police Charlie Swan with whom they were collaborating in the investigation of the missing Forks resident Thomas Newton. Swan had called the Department around two in the afternoon and been quite adamant that search parties should be called in to sweep the surrounding area for Mr Newton's body. It was clear that Chief Swan thought the missing person was dead. Brady could only speculate that one of the leads, particularly the one of Renata Volturi, had given him the impression that they would not be finding Thomas Newton alive.
Hence Brady had been tasked with going back further than yesterday and collecting street video footage of the vehicle belonging to Ms Volturi arriving in Port Angeles as well as mapping out the route she had taken.
This was not how he had planned on spending Christmas Eve, but the compilation of the videos proved to be unexpectedly interesting.
Because. It was not Ms Renata Volturi, who had been behind the wheel of the Maserati when it drove into the city.
Rather it had been her sister Isabella (supposedly, a seventeen year old kid, according to the brief but succinct update from Charlie Swan, which meant she should not have been the one driving because the minimum driving age in most of Europe was eighteen (Italy not being one of the few exceptions), which meant she did not have a license). Chief Swan had revealed that Ms Renata Volturi was here with her uncle Aro Volturi and her younger sister Isabella. No surname. That had been interesting.
Perhaps it was nothing, but this small detail had ruffled Brady's metaphorical feathers at the time.
Now, having seen the girl himself, that slight ticklish feeling had intensified tenfold.
Chief Swan had told them that he had not met the kid himself as she had been skating somewhere on the mysteriously iced over Crescent. Perhaps this is why he'd never asked.
Because. The kid did not look related to the two Volturis. One single bit.
Sure, Brady knew that genetics were tricky, but even discounting the unnaturally pale skin that the two Volturis had but the kid lacked, sisters tended to look at least somewhat similar. Usually. Even half-sisters, which according to Chief Swan's account of Ms Volturi's interrogation had been implied.
It was possible, Brady supposed, but the kid really did not look anything like her supposed sister.
For one, she was much taller, almost as tall as Mr Volturi. And if she really was one of their family, she sure had not lucked out in the genes lottery. No offence to the girl, she was a very pretty kid, but nowhere near the bombshell that was her sister. Additionally, none of their features matched. Not their eyes, not their lips, not the shape of their noses or eyebrows. Nor did they match Mr Volturi's. Brady had an eye for this kind of thing.
On a slightly different note?
The Volturis looked loaded. The clothes, the car. The way they walked… as if other people were below them. Brady had no trouble believing they were the owners of Valerian Inc.
The kid though? There was not a pinch of that radiant arrogance to her. And while her clothing was nice, it was not that nice. The girl looked… the most appropriate word that came to Brady's mind watching the footage of them exiting the blood red Italian car by 'Port Book and News' bookshop was… shy. The kid was shy. Flustered. Especially after Mr Volturi kissed her cheek.
Brady would bet everything on his bank account that the kid was not related to them at all.
Mr Volturi left.
The girls went into the bookshop.
Fast forward ten minutes and an ambulance arrived. Three minutes later, the girl was rolled out on a stretcher, her neck in a cervical collar. Ms Volturi got into the ambulance with her 'sister' and it drove off.
The ambulance drove off to…? Olympic Medical Center. Logical.
Forty minutes later, Mr Volturi walked inside the hospital.
Another forty minutes later Ms Volturi exited the hospital and returned with the Maserati six minutes later.
Immediately after, Mr Volturi led out the kid whose left arm was in a cast and who was heavily leaning on the man and taking unsteady steps until both of them got into the back of the car and it drove out of the city in the direction of Forks, most probably to the holiday house by Lake Crescent they were staying at currently.
Chief Swan had said he had not asked to meet the younger sister himself because she had been ice-skating on the lake together with half of the peninsula's population this afternoon. While Brady could understand that Swan had not exactly had any reason for asking to speak with the kid today, it was a damn shame Swan hadn't met her.
The whole thing was very strange. Who the hell stepped on the ice with a broken arm? Brady did not believe Swan would have forgotten to mention such a detail. No freaking way. Perhaps she had been too far away? Or maybe Swan had not seen the kid himself at all.
Or had the kid simply taken it off? Perhaps it had been only a sprain? Nothing serious after all?
They should definitely check in with the hospital. Something did not add up there. (The girl had looked positively drugged when she had walked out of the hospital. They did not give you the good drugs for no reason).
Brady was fully aware that he should be focusing on spotting anything relating to Thomas Newton's disappearance, not a kid who might or might not be Ms Volturi's sister, but-
The lights in the station went off.
The screen of his computer turned black.
The dull emergency lights flickered on a second later.
Only the receptionist Gwen was at the station right now, apart from himself.
Deputies Maya, William and Jose had been called to the Queen of Angels Church around two hours ago and they had yet to return. They'd called with a short update and said a little kid had unexpectedly died in the middle of Christmas caroling there. Inside the church. The sad news made for a sobering Christmas Eve. Those poor parents.
The fuse boxes were located in the basement of the station.
The deputies were interviewing anyone who had been in the church (apparently there had been hundreds of people there this evening, when usually it was only about a hundred) at the time of the tragedy, that is, those who had not left. Taking statements. Making a list of names of everyone who had attended the concert.
Gwen did not have the keys to the basement.
They did not know the cause of death yet, the preliminary autopsy results won't come in until tomorrow, but Maya had said the whole thing looked extremely shady.
It was possible they will have to track down every person that had been present inside the church and had left as soon as-
Brady sighed.
First, the disappearance of Thomas Newton, then a dead kid and now-
Perhaps this was the reason he had become so fixated on this Isabella kid.
Either way, Brady knew something was very wrong with the Volturis.
Brady got up from the desk and left his office.
He threw a look outside as he passed one of the windows, but it looked like none of the other buildings had suffered from any power outage. Only the station. Odd.
Brady walked past Gwen's desk, down the hallway to the lower level where the fuse boxes and the backup generator was kept, fished out the keys for the basement door, unlocked it and climbed down the stairs to check on the fuses.
All the circuit breakers were tripped.
Brady flopped all of them back up, immediately renewing the power to the whole building.
"THANKS, BRADY!" Gwen shouted from above.
Brady went back up the basement stairs, locked the door, went past Gwen's desk where her computer was taking its sweet time turning back on and walked thought the station back to his office.
He had almost gotten to the door when he was overwhelmed by a sudden sensation of avoiding his office by any means necessary.
His eyes travelled around, avoiding the direction of the open door, until they fell on the coffee machine. If he was going to spend the rest of the night here, might as well make himself a cup of the awful station coffee.
Brady had drunk almost the entire contents of the cup when the sensation suddenly lifted and his eyes switched back to the door to his office.
There was a faint light coming from it- odd. His computer should not have switched back on by itself.
Brady hurriedly entered the room to find-
Non-System disk or disk error
replace and strike any key when ready
-two lines of white text on the monitor's blue screen.
The security footage they had gathered from the street surveillance cameras, missing.
Brady threw a quick look outside his office door-
The Department's own security cameras, offline.
The disk containing a copy of the footage of the two Volturis and the girl he had made for Chief Swan, nowhere to be seen.
.
Call Declined [21:55 p.m.]
[21:55 p.m.] Hey mom! Cant talk rn. Listening to carol s at church
[21:55 p.m.] Merry christmas to you! Phil too.
Oh! SORRY! [21:56 p.m.]
That's wonderful! Merry Christmas to you too Sweetie! Phil says hi! [21:57 p.m.]
[21:57 p.m.] Hi phil. ;)
How was the trip? AndCharlie? Was he surprised to see you? [21:58 p.m.]
[21:58 p.m.] It was cool. Lots of excitement. Charlie looks good. He was very surprised.
[21:58 p.m.] I have to go now
OK! Tell Charlie I said hi! [21:59 p.m.]
[21:59 p.m.] Sure. I ll tell him
I love you, Bella. [21:59 p.m.]
[22:00 p.m.] I love you too mom.
.
Notes:
Bene allora. (Italian) – Alright then.
Mami, sind sie Engel? (German) – Mommy, are they angels?
Nicht so laut, mein Kind! (German) – Not so loud, my child!
Anja, natürlich sind sie nicht- (German) – Anja, of course, they are not-
Mama, schau! Es schneit! (German) – Mommy, look! It's snowing!
Anja! Komm, wir verlassen. (German) – Anja! Come, we're leaving.
Aber, Mama- (German) – But, Mom-
Inħobbok ħafna, Renata. (Maltese) – I love you so much, Renata.
Inħobbok ukoll, Aro." (Maltese) – I love you too, Aro.
.
Thank you for coming back to this story! :) And for your reviews! Those too. ;)