Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Mausoleum
The Volturi were not difficult to find. The moment Lena set foot in Volterra, it only took a few seconds of observation to see their mark on the people. They moved like a flock of sheep in one direction, cameras and maps in hand, straight to the slaughterhouse.
Lena followed the crowd to an ancient-looking building in the centre of the town. It, like all the buildings in the area, was made of large slabs of cinnamon brown stone. There were few windows - Lena counted only ten on the front of the building, distributed unevenly across the three floors. There was a tower set in the middle of the structure, home to a large clock but no bell.
The woman - a vampire - at the front of the crowd stood on the steps leading to the main entrance, and addressed the crowd. She spoke briefly of the history of the castle, but her eyes lingered warily on Lena, her gaze warning her not to cause trouble.
She opened the doors, and the group followed her inside. With a flourish, she opened two arched wooden doors in the entrance foyer, revealing a large room made purely of stone.
The crowd rushed forwards, fingers already on the capture buttons of their cameras, eager to take pictures.
Lena understood. Even she marvelled at the room, its high ceiling and sheer enormity. Pillars as thick as her supported the roof. Words were chiseled into the walls, written in English letters, but none of them were words she knew. Opposite the door was a round stage, built into a recess in the wall. Three curved steps lead up to three ornate chairs, one pulled further forward than the other two. Above was a single round window, set high up into the wall. Lena imagined that when someone sat there, in that middle chair, and the sun shone through, it looked like a halo hung above them.
The doors closed behind her loudly, and the room grew dark. Lena expected it, but the group startled. Perhaps they overlooked just how much the room resembled a mausoleum.
All stone.
The people erupted into mindless panic, talking over one another as they questioned what was happening. They weren't supplied an answer. In the next instant, the Volturi was upon them like a pack of dogs. Viciously, they tore into their flesh and fed.
Lena could not resist, though she tried. She knew it was impolite to eat without an invitation, but there was so much blood, so much deliciously sweet blood trickling down fingers and necks and chins. The bitter scent of fear settled beneath it, blended with blood and sweat.
Oh, what was one bite? Just one little bite?
Her eyes zeroed in on a woman standing amidst the chaos. She turned and turned and turned, eyes wide with horror as she sought out an escape, but there were none. She was surrounded by carnage, just as Lena was, but she seemed to enjoy it far less.
She leapt at her.
"I was glad to see you join our festivities," Aro said, "though I don't recall sending invitations."
Lena wiped her face with her sleeve, convinced the remnants of her meal still stained her face. Behind her, a group of what she supposed were human pets rushed to mop the blood from the floors, motivated undoubtedly by some false promise regarding their futures.
"Lena, was it?"
She looked at Aro. He stared at her expectantly from his seat on the podium, in the middle of two other men. She recognised them both from Carlisle's painting, though couldn't recall their names, or if Carlisle had given them at all.
"Yes."
He smiled, but the curve of his mouth was anything but friendly. "Why have you come here, Lena?"
"To take Alice's place."
It was, of course, not her greatest concern. Truthfully, she hadn't thought of Alice in a long time. But it was a lie that served a purpose, and one she hoped Aro wouldn't be able to see through.
Bravery. Selflessness. Doing the right thing.
"Ah, yes." He clapped once. "I forgot about our little arrangement. Shall I send for her? You must be eager to see her after so long apart. Though-" He frowned and leaned in his chair to look past her- "I expected her mate would have come, as well."
Lena didn't like Aro. He was too interested in other people's affairs.
"Yes, please send for her."
The blond man beside him narrowed his eyes at her. Aro, too, seemed surprised, but he waved to one of his guards - a large man, perhaps just as large as Emmett - who left the room without a word. The crowd of humans followed, supposedly dismissed also.
"Felix will fetch Alice," he said. "In the meantime, we could discuss you. Tell me, how are you finding this life I blessed you with?"
"Wonderful."
He smiled, and stood. "You aren't one for words, I see."
She stared at him.
The hem of his black cloak dusted the floor as he swept towards her. "No matter. I, too, find words troublesome at times. It is so easy to misspeak, to say things that are false."
He stopped in front of her.
His blood red eyes seemed to look right through her. The lines of his face were all cruel, all vicious. The curve of his mouth was false, menacing despite the lack of teeth in his smile. But he was soft-looking in spite of it all. His features were too rounded, too gentle for him to look truly terrifying.
"With just one touch, we could sidestep mindless conversation entirely."
He offered her his hand.
Behind her, the door to the throne room opened. Lena turned.
Felix entered the room, Alice in tow. She wore a long grey cloak. Black fabric and the toes of a pair of shiny black heels peeked out from beneath the garment. The colour palette was startling on her.
Horrifically dull.
But her eyes were still like butter, soft and yellow as they looked over Lena.
"I saw you coming," she said.
Lena didn't know what to say to that. She chanced a smile, but it was a small pathetic expression.
She frowned. "Your eyes, Lena. You feed from humans."
Lena nodded.
"Interesting, isn't it? Even staying in the house of the holiest of our kind, she couldn't help but bend to the will of nature," Aro said. He was looking at her as if she were some sort of experiment.
She supposed she was, to be fair. He only turned her to see if she would benefit him.
"Though, I am curious," he said. "Beautiful as they are, we cannot deny your eyes are not quite the shade of gold Carlisle favours. Has he, by chance, seen the errors of his ways?"
"I wouldn't know," she said. "I haven't seen him in six months."
"A pity." He smiled. "You always seem to be making enemies, dear Lena."
"Does it matter?"
"Very much. It shows commitment, a trait I favour greatly."
She forced herself not to snarl. He spoke so lightly of her, of her existence. Last time they were face-to-face he told her he wanted nothing to do with her. His sudden interest in her life was unwelcome. She expected him to be diplomatic, business-like, but he wasn't. He was hunting her, poaching her, trying to force her hand. To think that he was considering inviting her into this coven was sickening.
Sickening and exciting in equal proportions.
Again, he held his hand out to her, palm up. An invitation.
It could be the first of many.
Lena looked over the room. Dozens of vampires were scattered around her. How quickly would it all be over if he disapproved of her thoughts, her history?
She realised now that Alistair had been right. As a newborn, she lacked the ability to reason. Even now, she was slow-witted. When she left, she was overwhelmed with desperation. Not once in the entirety of her second life had she ever thought over this plan clearly.
"Lena," Aro said.
She looked back at him. His eyes were stern.
"Take my hand."
There was only an illusion of a choice. That was all there had ever been.
She slipped her hand into his.
"Good girl." He placed his other hand on top of hers, and brought it close to his mouth.
Lena tensed, worried he would kiss her. She disliked his touch. He made her feel sick, like she was touching a dead bird. She wanted Alistair. Why did she ever leave?
His eyelids fluttered shut, and he stood, frozen.
Nobody spoke, or moved, or so much as breathed. The only sounds came from the street, the town square outside. Water splashing as it cycled through the fountain, footsteps, children singing.
Had he stumbled upon it yet? She watched his face carefully for a sign he found something he disliked, but he was unreactive. His face was slack, his mind somewhere else entirely.
His eyes snapped open, and he took half a step away from her, but seemed to stop himself from retreating entirely. His eyes flickered between hers, and she glimpsed some odd blend of emotion that seemed too taxing to sort through. She saw his fear, though. It stood out the most, impossible not to see, exacerbated by the softness of his appearance.
A little mouse, eager to scurry across the floor and back to safety.
"What is it?" one of the men asked from their throne. The blond one.
"A wonder, Caius," he said.
He didn't sound angered, but rather amazed. A part of her swelled with pride at the thought. He, her creator who had not hesitated to cast her aside, was now in awe.
She hadn't realised how much she craved the feeling. Recognition. Her insides felt like they could burst.
"Do you still wish to switch places with Alice?" Aro's eyes roamed her face. "Do you want to join us?"
Lena nodded. "Yes."
"Very well."
He looked back at his guards, and raised a hand, a flash of white signalling the others to close in. Lena stiffened as two of his guards moved closer, cloaks sweeping over the floor as they rushed forwards.
She dropped her weight instinctively, the reaction to a perceived threat not at all intentional. She was light and heavy at the same time, a solid base that would be difficult to disturb, and yet not one rooted so firmly that she couldn't dodge or run, given the chance.
This was the end, then.
Only the guards passed her.
Lena frowned, and turned. They seized Alice by the arms, and dragged her towards the centre of the room.
"What-" Alice's voice cut out, and her eyes glossed over. Her jaw slackened as her gaze lost focus. A vision.
The two guards forced her to her knees.
"I thought you liked her," Caius said.
"As did I," Aro sighed.
He stepped in front of Alice and stared at her, eyes flickering over her as he waited for her to resurface.
She gasped, and looked up at him. Lena couldn't see her face, but she heard the venom in her voice. "This will not end well for you."
Aro smiled that cold, empty smile. "Mary Alice Cullen, you have been charged with treason and conspiracy to commit murder, the punishment for which is death."
Surprisingly, she did not struggle in her captors' hands, even as Felix stood behind her. She must have known it was fruitless. She saw her fate herself, was granted knowledge most others were never gifted.
Felix placed his hands on either side of her head, fingers splayed. They were so large they nearly held her head in its entirety, as if he were handling little more than a ball.
He brought his hands together, squeezing. Cracks ran along her skin. Lena saw her flesh split down the back of her neck, and along the backs of her hands which peeked out from beneath her robe.
She made the tiniest of squeaks at the back of her throat. It was the only sound she permitted herself to make.
It could have been her, Lena thought. She could have been the one kneeling on the stone floor, Felix squishing her head between his palms. But it wasn't. They switched places, just as they had before.
She wasn't like the Cullens, wasn't noble. There was no way she would interfere.
With a sharp twist, Felix tore her head from her torso.
Jasper would not forgive her for this.
The guards restraining Alice released her and stood. Her body slumped forwards, and hit the floor with a thud.
"Organise the firepit," Aro told them.
They nodded, reached down and picked her remains up off of the floor. One grabbed her ankles, the other her shoulders. They swept out of the room, Felix following merrily, her head tucked under his arm.
Aro turned to Lena. "Welcome to the Guard."
Slowly, her lips curved into a smile. It was just what she wanted.
thanks for reading!
stay safe x