Chapter 27

The Sword of Damocles

Willow

Aro looked like an onion.

Not his complete appearance. Like he wasn't Mr Potato Head or anything, but his skin had a fragility to it that reminded her of the vegetable. His eyes were cloudy, the main pigment of his iris was there, but it seemed like his cornea had grown a protective film.

Had it been a form of Darwinism, for that to have happened? She wasn't born over fifteen hundred years ago so vampires could have changed from then.

Willow absently tucked that little thought away as Felix brought in the other two kings. If she thought that Caius was pale in the painting, fuck, seeing the male in real life just screamed 'snow'. A part of her wanted to suggest some lowlights in that hair of his, maybe some darker tones just to give him more depth in there. And really, he was just too pale for that colour of black.

It worked on humans because they weren't walking corpses and make-up was, in fact, a thing. But someone really needed a stylist in to work something out. Willow got that he wanted some form of 'Fear me, I'm Scary' but the black really was not a good look.

Marcus was another story. That wasn't boredom on his face, not entirely. There was a pain in that red gaze of his that Willow could see as it took in both her and Jasper and then strangely, her and Scott before he moved to the thrones. He stopped briefly at Aro's side – memories – before floating to his seat to the right.

She wondered what it was like, his power. How did he see the bonds between people? Was it like strings? Like the Fates. Did they have different colours? Were they like yarn? Or was it like the String of Fate theory, where people had matching red strings tied around a finger and connected to others?

Jasper squeezed her hand and Willow blinked back to see Aro fluttering around Forks' Romeo and Juliet to settle in front of her, Jasper and Scott. He was taller than her and Scott, maybe by an inch for him but she knew that that meant nothing for vampire strength.

His eyes flicked to Jasper. 'Our welcome and deepest congratulations to the both of you. My dearest brother has clarified that the bond which you two share is true and undeniable. May I, Miss Crawford?'

Encouragement, just a smidge, nudged at her like a playful little bird and she smiled. 'Certainly.'

Her hand connected with the opened palm, and it wasn't like she could truly feel him in her mind, rifling around there like a filing cabinet, but it wasn't exactly comfortable. It took barely a minute, but he patted her hand gently when he was done and there was intrigue, and maybe a little bit of worry in those eyes of his.

'You have quite an eye for colour, my dear.'

'And you for architecture.' She threw back, causing him to laugh gently. Jasper smoothed the back of her hand and she let the calm he was letting roll out, sink into her.

'And I saw that you found out by yourself?'

Willow nodded. 'It wasn't by fault of the Cullens,' she soothed, well versed in fragile minded people, 'my father is a doctor and, I'm sure you've seen what I grew up around?' he nodded, 'One picks up the little things to limit a negative outcome. I waited till I had completely come around to the idea and then until Jasper and I were away from other humans before I brought it up and he quietly confirmed it. About their Turnings, I waited till each of them were comfortable enough to come and talk to me about it and I haven't told a soul. Not even Scott.'

'Quite the bond you share. Marcus has never truly seen such a strong platonic soul bond between two humans. It is rather refreshing. Mayhaps that will only become stronger when you are immortal, my dear.' He mused, floating to her best friend and he held out a hand. 'I am a telepath, like our dear Edward here, but I require touch for it to work. May I?'

Scott caught her eye and she smiled at him, and he took the hand. What would they do about the Wolves? Carlisle had thrown about the Children of the Moon, which were probably the like 'classic' werewolves but how would the Volturi feel about the La Push Wolves? They weren't locked in by the moon so did they not count?

Oh, she was going to get a headache.

'My,' Aro sighed, his face troubled, 'you have not had the best introduction to our kind, dear boy.'

Scott scratched at the healed scars on his throat with a death-touched grin. 'If you asked me if I would do it again, I don't know what I would say.'

'And this Laurent,' Aro moved to the front, eyes serious, flicking between Edward, Alice and Jasper, 'you have met with him before?'

Jasper spoke then. 'Once. We were having a game of baseball, on the 13th of January last year.' Vampires were fucking weird. 'He was originally from a trio, another male, not unlike Demetri and another female. They had asked if they could play with us and as Edward was about to leave with Bella, the tracker became aware of her scent and his reaction caused the tracker to see it as a challenge as well as a meal. We ended him in Phoenix, not three days later. Laurent took the out we gave him up North, to meet and try the lifestyle with Tanya and her coven. Victoria escaped barely.'

'But I think she's got something on her mind,' Willow admitted. Thinking back before the baseball match, she wet her lips. 'Before that, for about a week or so, bodies began to pop up, down in Portland, Boise, San Francisco and San Jose. Multiple at time. All drained, with an acidic film around a bite mark. Usually, this would have just been thrown to a serial killer but then they started to pop up again a few weeks ago.'

Scott continued, 'They're coming closer to Seattle. It's a mix of dead bodies and missing people. None under the age of fifteen.'

Caius spoke up then, tone abrasive. 'And this involves us how?'

Jasper raised an eyebrow. 'She's getting too careless the closer she gets to Seattle. We'll keep an eye on things, as is our job with an anchor in that area.'

'You think she has a gift.' Marcus declared.

Jasper nodded. 'I think they all did. When Scott came to Vancouver, told us what happened, Rosalie, Emmett and I headed to Denali where the rest of the coven is and Irina, who had become increasingly close with Laurent shows signs, not unlike a human going through a withdrawal. Her emotions fluctuated on too-wide a scale too quickly for him to not have one.'

Aro flitted over and hummed contemplatively as Jasper offered his hand. Caius spoke then, words sharp. It seemed all that male ever said came out bitter and biting. 'Why did Eleazar not tell us of this?'

'Because Irina was happy for the first time in a long time, I would suspect.' Willow cocked her head, eyes going to the pale King. 'And the Denalis may not have wanted to ruin that for her, even if it meant protecting her.'

Aro moved like a demented hummingbird back to his seat, twirling and sitting gracefully. 'I do think dear Miss Crawford is correct. My, that is disappointing.' His eyes distanced themselves as he sorted through his thoughts and Willow resisted the urge to play with her sunflower, instead, pushing the little daffodil signet ring that Richard had given her when she was twelve that had belonged to his mother. He had gone to give it to Genevieve when she was that age, but she'd turned her nose up at it.

Of course, her opinions changed when it was time for Richard to give it to Willow, but Richard had denied her, tucking it into Willow's jewellery box that night with a wink and a forehead kiss.

He sighed. It was strange, Willow mused, watching the tactile telepath. Aro was ancient and yet acted like a Renaissance lover, or what she assumed Puck would be like in A Midsummer's Night Dream.

Marcus moved his hand then, touching the back of Aro's briefly and the frustration vanished from his gaze, turning to the Dramatic Duo, and the main reason they were there in Volterra. It was eerie, watching it from the outside.

'Fascinating.' Apparently Aro was a Vulcan now. 'Absolutely fascinating.'

Willow wondered once again how Marcus saw the bonds between people.

Aro continued, 'So convenient. It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus; I can assure you.'

'It's just so difficult to understand, even now.' Aro continued, his eyes trained on the arm that Edward had around Bella's waist. 'How can you stand so close to her like that?'

Because of self-flagellation?

Because he was an absolute weirdo?

Because he had a pain kink?

Willow didn't know, the list could go on for miles, to be honest. Jasper looked down at her, eyebrow creeping up his face and she just gave a mixed cocktail of confusion, boredom, and utter disregard to Edward's 'woe-is-me' spiel. She pressed into his side, nose tucking itself into the notch of his shoulder and over it, she took in the throne room from behind them.

Felix, Demetri, Alec, and Jane were at the very edges of her perception, in a semi-circle around the main dais. Wasn't there supposed to be more to the Guard? Where was Chelsea? Or did she need to be there constantly? Willow found her gaze scanning the walls surreptitiously, listening with an absent ear as the conversation shifted to Carlisle. Jasper dropped her hand and slid his palm under her shirt against her spine, smoothing the skin there, soothing the fatigue that had begun to settle in her system. She didn't particularly sleep well on planes now, with her leg and the air pressure. Didn't help with the Sword of Damocles standing in front of them either.

Her eyes took one more sweep of the room, clocked the stare that Demetri had on Scott before awareness washed over her and Willow looped her fingers into the loops of Jasper's jeans. 'Just remembering how she appeals to you…' Aro's chuckle edged between humorous and unsettling. 'It makes me thirsty.'

At that, Willow took his eyes. They had shifted, from the crimson and scarlet blend to one of a garnet and wine-red mix. But going by the true lack of bruising under his wafer-thin skin, it was most likely a bleed-off from whatever memories that he had taken from Edward's head.

'Don't be disturbed.' He soothed, head tipping down. 'I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular.'

Oh right, the realisation hit her, Edward couldn't read Bella's mind so did that mean that Aro couldn't. Did that mean that Jane couldn't affect her either? Or Alec?

Going by the black look that Edward sent her as he turned towards Bella, someone didn't want to find out either.

Though Aro did. Jasper clamped a hand onto Edward's shoulder in a second as a snarl built in his chest, when Aro summoned Jane and flooded him with so much tranquillity, by the looks of it, that it caused the telepath's knees to weaken just for a second. Willow stepped forward and smiled. 'Forgive him, it has been more than a little tremulous and strained, as you are aware, tensions are high for Edward.'

'Of course, my dear.' Aro rocked on his toes, eyes bright, 'I am merely satiating a curiosity.'

Willow nodded and moved back to Scott, blinking and Edward was in a hold by Jasper. Her Mate had a hand clamped to the scruff of his neck and his hands chained behind him. It was a hold that also had Edward on his knees, held in place as to not cause any additional damage.

It also showed to the Volturi that, whilst Jasper had left the Wars behind him, he still had more than enough skill to handle his own.

There was a glint in that topaz and oche stare that was furious at the telepath as Jane pouted in frustration on Bella, and it was clear with a warning when he spoke, words like cold death, as he locked onto her through the hair that had fallen across his face. 'Jane, unless you want to be torn apart, I wouldn't.'

And that was a tiny spec in her brain that found that just a little bit attractive.

Christ, this was why she went to therapy.

'He's fine.' Alice soothed Bella as Jane snarled wordlessly in frustration, moving back to Alec, and Jasper released him. Jasper lifted a hand and ran it through his hair, resettling the curls and there was a different level of tension that settled in the room as Edward righted his threadbare dark shirt.

'So, what do we do with you now?' his hands came up to clap once, resting under his chin. 'Now, Major, I will not even dare to ask you if you and your mate would care to join us. I feel like our way here in Volterra may hinder you in ways that I deign to think of. Miss Crawford has a view of this world that needs to see more than just our castle walls, I suspect. But dear,' she caught his eye, 'when you do get a chance to paint those images, do send a few our way.'

Willow tipped her head. 'It would be an honour to have my creations on your walls.'

His eyes flicked to Edward, who denied him stilted, and then Alice who shook her head with an added 'no' before landing on Bella. Who, going by the fact that Edward, nor Aro, nor Jane had any effect on her, Willow mused, probably had some form of shielding capabilities even as a human?

'What?' Caius demanded, moving from the lounge he was into sitting as straight as a pin, even going as far as to lean in like he hadn't heard properly.

Aro spun to the side. 'Caius,' he tutted, the words coming next warm with affection. 'surely you can see the potential. I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane, and Alec Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?'

That sounded just a smidge too fanatic there, Willow couldn't help but muse. She blinked and it wasn't Aro standing there but a weird caricature of Darth Sidious.

Except as an onion.

With a dark wig.

And going by the fact that Jane looked like she wanted to set the girl on fire for that connection, well, Willow doubted she took that as a compliment. The little demented doll. Christ, she could give Annabelle a run for her money, honestly.

Bella spoke then, words quiet in the cavernous room. 'No, thank you.'

'That's unfortunate. Such a waste.'

Edward decided that the calmness that the room had settled into was too calm and dragged his drama into centre stage. 'So, it's either join us or die. I suspected as much when we were being brought to this room. So much for your laws.'

She and Scott looked at him like they hadn't just had to drag his ass out of the sunlight less than an hour. And that Bella wasn't the only human in the room. What the fuck?

Aro blinked, pulling his head back a bit, astonished at where Edward had taken the conversation. 'Of course not. We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you.'

Caius shifted and hissed from his seat. 'Aro. The law claims them.'

'How so?' Edward fought back.

His white head rolled on his shoulders, gesturing mainly to Bella, but his finger moved to Scott too. 'They know too much. You have exposed our secrets.'

Edward reminded him, words like a knife. 'There are a few humans in your charade here, as well.'

That smile was a trap, slimy and fake. 'Yes, but when they are no longer of use to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one,' his finger went to Bella, 'If they betray our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not.'

'I wouldn't—' unlike before, Caius cut Bella off before she could finish, turning that rageful glare to the telepath once more.

'Nor do you intend to make her one of us. Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish.' He received teeth in return. 'That's what I thought.'

'Unless…' Aro mused, head tipping like scales, back and forth for a second or two. 'You do intend to give her immortality?'

Edward looked like he'd rather eat a rotten corpse than accept that option, truthfully. 'And if I do?'

Aro brightened like a candle. 'Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle. But...' everyone froze when he turned hesitant. 'I am afraid, dear friend, that you would have to mean it.'

There was a hesitant moment between the star-crossed lovers in front of her before Alice broke it and moved deliberately towards Aro, hand out. Aro waved the Guard that had gone to intercept her away and took it eagerly. A wave of deliberate calm washed over the room as Willow heard Bella begin to hyperventilate as the seconds ticked by.

Then Aro's eyes snapped open and his laugh echoed throughout. 'Ha, ha, ha. That was fascinating.'

'I'm glad you enjoyed it.'

'To see things you've seen – especially the ones that haven't happened yet!' Aro looked like he was going to bounce on the spot like an excited two-year-old.

Alice was the opposite, a tranquil stream. 'But that will.'

'Yes, yes,' he nodded, 'it's quite determined. Certainly, there's no problem.'

There was a moment that bitter disappointment twisted the air, thrown out between Caius, Felix, and Jane, all of whom had that annoyed expression. 'Aro.'

'Dear Caius' Aro soothed once more, a smile on his face. 'Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring our little household. Besides, I am so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out!'

'What about the boy?'

Her heart turned to stone in her chest. And as the vampires deliberated over them, Willow locked eyes with her best friend.

They hadn't needed Marcus to declare what they had already decided. They knew from the time that their souls were the same. Not in a romantic way that Jasper held her heart, but in a way that instinct simply recognised part of their own. They would recognise each other time and time again and she could see that decision in his eyes.

She took the daffodil ring off her pinkie finger and slid it into his pocket, swallowing as her throat grew tight and stepped back towards Jasper.

Scott Forrester needed to be on his own for this chapter of his story.

And she would give him that.

'What if,' Scott spoke, words firm and strong even as he flexed his fingers to steady the tremor, 'to affirm the relationship between the Cullen Coven and the Volturi, you change me?'

Time stopped.

Everything stilled.

Willow kept her gaze locked on her best friend as even Marcus straightened. 'The only reason I know about your kind is that the Fates decided to throw me into the ring. I have six months where I'm not expected to interact with my family apart from email and text, which I can do here, with help, I'm sure. That way, it gives Bella time to start distancing from her father, who, like Dr Crawford, plays a prominent role in our town. And gives you solid proof that the Cullens do intend to keep their word.'

Marcus spoke then. 'And your stance, Miss Crawford?'

'Scott Forrester maybe my platonic soul mate,' she declared, her words strong as her heart raced, 'but that does not mean that he is without autonomy. He was nearly killed because of this secret and we both knew that he could never go back to being unaware so if this is his plan, then he has my blessing.'

Even if it broke her own heart to say those words.

Marcus moved then, a wraith in his black ensemble as he stepped down from the dais, and went straight for Scott. 'Never before have I seen such loyalty in a human in all my years. Never have I seen such a strong bond built on trust and faith alone. Your loyalty to some is woefully misplaced, child, but we will not destroy what is the very core of you. With that, I will be the one to change you, teach you our rules and how to navigate our world. In six months' time, should you be ready for it, I will test you to see if you may start integrating back into the human world. Until then, say your goodbyes.'

The two of them crashed together, hugging briefly but tightly. She tapped three times on the side of his ribs – I love you. I'll miss you. Be safe. Don't worry. – before pulling back and locking eyes with those brown ones. 'Kick immortality in the ass, Scotty.'

He knocked their fists together, winked back. 'Only if you will.'

Jasper moved then, hugging him as well. She couldn't hear what she said over her own heart breaking in her chest but it was quick before Bella hugged him tightly too. Edward shook his hand and Alice simply gave a melancholic wave before Marcus gestured for him to follow and took him out the back.

She watched him go and those golden gilded doors shut tight on Scott's time as a human with her. And turned the page to his first steps into immortality.

'Heidi will be here at any moment,' Aro declared, and time restarted.

'Then we'd best be goin'.' Jasper nodded; his voice nearly too loud in her head.

Willow cleared her throat. 'Scott has his things in the back of Alice's car that he'll want.'

Demetri stepped forwards, gesturing for the doors. 'I will be directing you to the outskirts of the city after dark, I will bring them back to him.'

Willow nodded, not hearing much from that point on as they moved out of the throne room. She didn't know how she was feeling. Numb. Like the shock of the fact that her best friend was going to be dead in the next twenty-four hours hadn't hit her yet. Adrenalin warred with fatigue as they made their way back to the reception area.

It was like through warped glasses that she watched as forty or more people were led to their deaths like lambs to slaughter, Aro's voice grating on her ears.

They stepped into the reception and Willow blinked owlishly through her glasses at the tall brunette that leant against the reception desk. Like the tonal opposite of Rosalie, she was proud of her sexuality and physique, dressed in a tight red, turtle neck, denim miniskirt and tights but Willow could pick out a huntress when she saw one.

'Welcome home, Heidi.' Demetri greeted, voice warm with familial affection as Jasper scooped her up and flashed through the doorway, sitting in one of the seats where he could see every exit and entrance.

The sight of the flowers – ice and pearl roses, a shade of red so dark they seemed black at a glance and red chrysanthemums – caused her to turn her face into Jasper's neck. She already knew her best friend was dead; she hadn't wanted the reminder of it once more.

Willow doubted she'd crack until she got back where it was safe. It had been a safety mechanism that her brain had worked out after years of trauma from her mother. She never broke down in New Hampshire, too aware of where her mother was, of where her sister was, that she simply just shoved everything into a box and waited till she was in Forks.

Jasper tugged her hood up over her ears, well aware of how heightened things got for her when her anxiety kicked up and slid his hand into cup her cheek and the back of her neck. He didn't say anything, at this point, there was no need.

He tugged her glasses off, tucked them into his breast pocket, shifted her legs so they weren't so tight, and nudged her gently to sleep. It would be a while till sundown and a part of her knew, deep down, it was only the beginning.

This shit Hurt.

For the past few months, I had had a different plan in mind for Scott. He was still supposed to die in Volterra, still supposed to stay there and Willow was supposed to stay in Vancouver and find out when they got to Forks to do the Vote. Then plans change. As a writer, as I've become more intertwined with how these two worked both as a singular and as a unit, it made no sense deep down for Willow to let him go into the Lion's Den with no backup. It wouldn't have worked with who the two were as people and as friends. Their bond is so strong that Marcus of the fucking Volturi pointed it out.

So I shifted the direction of things, and had Jasper and her go to Volterra. Because over the months that the Cullens have been away, distance has made things become clearer. Where loyalty lies for some it does not lie for others and that will come into play later on.

Also before you all go 'but we wanted Willow to break down' let me point out. This girl has been through nearly two decades of emotional and mental abuse from a mother that deeply cares for what others think of her. She will break down when she feels safe to do so. Jasper may be her safe harbour but she knows that she is not in a physically safe space right now and then you will have your tears, snot and sobs, don't worry.

Anyway, let me know what you think and I'll see you next Willow Wednesday,

Enjoy,

K x