A/N: Hi there! I'm so happy to find out that there are people who read my story! I love hearing your opinions on this story, so please feel free to comment! In this chapter, be prepared for some romance and fluff 3
I wake up because of my door shutting. When I open my eyes, startled, I relax when Marcus enters the room, carrying a tray that's stacked with food.
"Breakfast in bed." Is all he says with a smile when our eyes meet.
"That's so sweet of you. Thank you, Marcus." I answer, immediately happy. I sit up so my back's resting against the headboard, and Marcus places the tray on my lap before sitting down beside me.
"It's one of the things I miss the most about being human." He says after a moment, as I dig into the pancakes with chocolate sauce and strawberries.
"I would miss this the most as well." I mutter, making him chuckle.
"Where are Caius and Aro?" I ask after a few more bites, having noticed their absence.
"They were doing meetings, last I heard." Marcus explains, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I relax into his hold, happy.
"Are you happy?" I ask him after a moment. When he pauses, I look up at him, and I can see that he's coming to a realization.
"Yes, I am." He eventually pauses, his eyes widening slightly.
"You sound surprised." Is all I say, patiently waiting for him.
"It's just that… I haven't been this happy in a long time. I did not realize I was finally happy again." Marcus admits, and it warms my heart. I put away the tray onto my bedside table, done with my breakfast, before wrapping my arms around him. We move, and he lies down on my chest with his head, curling up against my side, and I hold him as close as I possibly can.
"Ever since I heard your heartbeat out on that battlefield, something changed inside me. You make me the happiest vampire on this earth, Ophelia."
My heart skips a beat at his confession, and I squeeze him tightly, feeling a tear escape from the corner of my eye.
I don't know how long we stay like that, content with the silence, when Aro finally enters the room. There's a frown on his face, however, which worries me. Apparently, Marcus notices it as well, for he stands up quickly, making his way over to Aro.
"Is everything okay?" I ask him, getting up myself. Aro merely takes my hand, pausing for a moment to see into my mind. After that, he relaxes slightly, and pulls me into a hug, as he kisses my forehead.
"There are rumours of a rebellion of vampires that disagree with the fact that their new queen is a human." Is all he says, locking eyes with Marcus.
"It's fate, however. We do not get to choose who our mate is." Marcus argues, sounding worried now too.
"You know how prejudiced some of them are. We were too, remember?" Aro answers, raising an eyebrow at him. I turn to look at both of them, worry growing in my stomach. I remembered all the vampires at the ball who had silently disapproved and even openly questioned my humanity.
If it was such a problem, maybe they should just turn me and get it over with…
"Absolutely not, cara mia." Aro speaks up, sounding angry, his eyes meeting mine.
"We will only turn you when the time is right. We only just found you, darling." Marcus agrees, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Where's Caius?" I ask then, noticing he's not here.
"He got so angry at the informant we had to physically remove him to avoid a fight. He's in his rooms now." Aro explains. When he reads my thoughts, he nods, before speeding off with me.
"Maybe you can talk to him." Is all he says before he leaves, leaving me standing in front of an unfamiliar door.
I'm just about to knock, when the door swings open. Caius appears, a wild look in his eyes. Without saying a word, he grabs my hand and drags me inside, closing the door.
"Insolent, insufferable, filthy traitors! How dare they question our authority and our queen! It's outrageous, I will rip their heads off and put them on spikes, the road to Volterra shall be decorated with them!" Caius curses, and curses some more, as I have a look around the room.
His room had the same vibe as the beach house. There was a loveseat on the left, together with some shelves that had books stacked on them. There was a surfboard on the left wall, but it had been painted as a beautiful sunset. Artwork hung across the entire room, going from scenery to the people of Volterra, to beautiful buildings I had never seen before. The bed was made of light wood, the sheets light blue, white see through curtains hanging from the canopy. And right above it, against the wall, in full display, was…
"Did you make this?" Is all I can bring out, staring at the painting of myself. I don't look like myself, the way that I'm arched in Aro's throne, my body a perfect shape, my hair messy but perfect… he had painted me like Vermeer painted the girl with the pearl earring, like Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, hell, like Jack had painted Rose like one of his French girls. I had never seen myself in such a beautiful way. I remembered the day he must've painted it, for it was when I finally began to accept the bond.
"Marcus told me to ask your permission first, but I just couldn't not paint you, Ophelia. I'm sorry." Caius admits, and when I finally tear my eyes away from the painting, he's looking a bit embarrassed, nervous even.
"It's… beautiful, Caius. You made me look beautiful." I bring out, my throat thick with emotion.
"It's how I see you. I accepted my fate, our bond, the moment I saw you lying on that throne. You've been my muse ever since." He admits, crossing the distance between us.
Before I can react, he kisses me passionately, pulling me close. I move to stand on my tiptoes, eager to meet him halfway, my heart beating faster instantly. His arms wrap around my waist, and then he lifts me up, carrying me into another room. When he puts me down, and I open my eyes, I let out a soft gasp.
I'm everywhere.
Me when I met the guard, clinging onto Marcus with blind faith already. Me, with a look of adoration in my eyes as Aro carries me through a fight of hide and seek. Me, in the ocean, back turned to him, bathing in sunlight. I see myself dancing with Vlad at the ball, me cuddled up with Vladimir and Stefan, me gaming with Felix and Demetri. And me yesterday, cuddled up with Aro and Marcus, painted from his perspective. I look beautiful in each painting, and I tear up at the realisation that that's how he sees me. Caius thinks I'm beautiful.
"Do you… like it?" Caius shakes me from my awe, that vulnerable look in his eyes.
"No one has ever done anything like this for me. Thank you." I whisper, pulling him into a hug.
"That day in the throne room was also the day I accepted the bond." I add, and he swallows harshly at it.
"The reason why I got so mad at the meeting is because I see you like this, and it frustrates me that not everyone does. They're blinded by their prejudice, just like I was in the beginning. If anyone ever hurts you like I did then, I will murder their entire family." Caius vows, and I can tell he's serious.
"Don't worry yourself over things like this. I'm safe here." I answer as I look up at him, just as serious. Then, I smile, and he bends down to kiss me again, sweeping me off my feet.
"I'll take you to the others. Aro and Marcus have had to miss you longer than I have." Caius says after a moment, his whole attitude more laid-back.
We end up spending our day together outside, by the pool. I didn't even know we had one, until Aro suggested it. I put on a sage green bikini I found in my closet, before making my way outside to the gardens.
There, I find my three mates lounging around the pool. Caius is swimming, making lazy strokes, body glistening with water drops. Marcus is sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs in the water, and Aro's lounging on a chair bed in the sun, wearing a pair of sunglasses. They all stop what we're doing when they notice I've arrived, and the looks in their eyes is enough to make me blush. They're all shirtless, only dressed in black swimming trunks, which has me pausing for a moment myself. I had seen Caius shirtless before, and he still looked like the Greek muscled god I imagined him to be. Marcus was by far the leanest, but it suited him and I found it incredibly attractive, whereas Aro had broader shoulders like Caius, but was less muscled. They were all gorgeous. I decide to sit down next to Marcus, who smiles warmly at me.
"You look beautiful, cara mia." Aro calls out, a lazy smile on his face.
"Don't steal my words!" Caius answers, flashing me a wink.
"They're right." Marcus says, placing a cold, wet hand on my upper leg. I don't mind it, though, for it was a bloody hot day today. Suggesting the pool had been a perfect idea from Aro, and I had the hunch that that wasn't a coincidence.
"WATER BOMB INCOMING!" I squeal when someone jumps over me from behind, and makes the biggest splash I'd ever seen, successfully soaking me and Marcus. Of course, it's Felix who resurfaces, a grin on his face.
"You twat!" I shout, still shocked. At that, Marcus laughs, and I can tell it catches Felix off guard. Then, Felix is pulled underwater. Shocked, I now begin to laugh too, as I realize Caius dragged him down without the guard noticing.
"Did someone say pool fight?" Demetri appears beside me, flashing me a grin before jumping in, soaking me and Marcus once again.
"Oh, it's on!" I exclaim, before scrambling up and jumping in myself, landing right in between Felix and Demetri.
"Hey!" They both shout in unison, glaring at me. When another boy jumps in, I'm shocked to find Alec landing right on top of me.
"Ow!" I exclaim, rubbing my head as I push him off of me. Jane, now lounging besides Aro, laughs at that. She's wearing a bright red swimsuit that makes her look even paler, but I decide I like the look. Aro gives her a scolding look, before laughing along himself. Traitor.
"Alec!" Caius scolds, reaching me and checking my head for any injuries.
"Sorry, Ophelia." the boy says, rubbing the back of his neck. Once Caius deems me unharmed, I send a huge splash of water straight at his face. Sputtering and flustered, he looks at me, as Demetri and Felix laugh their asses off.
"Apology accepted, Alec." I say, cheekily winking at him. After that, Felix picks me up and puts me on his shoulders, which makes me scream as he gets up way too fast.
"Felix, put me down!" I scream, which only makes the others laugh.
"Time for a water fight!" Demetri shouts, now carrying Alec in his neck.
"This is not fair!" I shout as Alec pushes me way too hard, sending me bending over backwards, the only thing keeping me in place Felix, who has a death grip on my thighs.
"If you bruise her, I'll bruise you." Caius threatens casually, having joined Marcus on the side. For a moment, I'm distracted by him shaking the water out of his hair, the droplets sliding down his body. It's all Demetri and Alec need to push Felix and I off balance, and I tumble into the water with a scream.
After a few rounds, Alec and I switch teammates, but Demetri is even worse at this than Felix. When I give up and climb out of the water, Jane surprises everyone by jumping in.
"No, no no no!" Felix screams as she joins her brother, the two now sporting identical evil smirks.
"Sucks to be them." I say, chuckling as I lie down on Jane's old seat. Aro turns to look at me, and hands me his sunglasses when he notices me squinting against the sunlight.
"Thank you, my love." I quickly kiss him on the cheek before lying down, but I don't miss the smile that appears on his face at it.
"It was a good idea of you to use the pool today." I add after a moment, settling in the lounge chair.
"I must admit it wasn't entirely out of selflessness. You look amazing, cara mia." He answers casually, but when I glance over at him, there's a hunger in his eyes that has shivers rolling down my spine. I decide to get up, and make my way over to him. Aro sits on the edge of the lounge bed, his feet on the tiled floor. I step in between his knees, now looking down at him.
"How I would worship you, goddess." Aro mutters, and I can feel my cheeks heat up at that. His hands come to rest on my hips, as he caresses my curves.
"Get a room or behave!" Felix shouts from the pool, making Aro chuckle.
"Come, cara mia, sit down." He says gently, leading me as he moves himself. I end up in between his legs, my back touching his chest, his arms wrapped around me, as I'm tucked in tightly against him. Every part where his body touches mine, pleasant sparks race through me, his body temperature keeping me pleasantly cool in the summer heat.
"I must admit it's hard to control myself when you're thinking about me like that." Aro whispers in my ear, making me blush.
"I can't help that I find you three attractive." I whisper back, glancing over my shoulder to look at him. I don't protest when he captures my lips with his own, going for a quick but gentle kiss. When he pulls back, a sigh leaves my lips, making him smile as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
"You're beautiful, Ophelia." Aro says, making my heart warm up.
When the sun is starting to set, the guard decides they're done swimming and playing, and head back inside.
"Do you want to swim with me, Marcus?" I ask, standing up from my seat in between Aro's legs.
"Of course, darling." Marcus agrees, standing up before diving into the pool. He has the cleanest form I'd ever seen, and I find myself still staring when he resurfaces.
"You should close your pretty mouth, honey." Caius notes smugly, passing me on his way out of the pool.
"Mean." I mutter with a glare his way, before taking a dive into the pool myself, be it less graceful. When I resurface, Marcus is waiting for me, a warm look in his eyes. His long hair is wet, resting on his shoulders, his red eyes focused on me. Caius sits down besides Aro, and they begin to hold a conversation. I close the distance between Marcus and I, and wrap my arms around his neck. His arms wrap around my waist in return, but he's surprised when I jump, wrapping my legs around his waist. Our bodies touch, and I can feel sparks coursing through my veins, my heart beating rapidly.
"Oh, darling." Marcus mutters against my cheek, which doesn't help whatsoever, his hands lazily roaming my body. He slowly swims/walks through the pool, carrying me with ease. I enjoy the feeling of his body against mine, of cold against warm, and my heart leaps with joy at the bond being satisfied a bit more.
"Hands above the water, Marcus." Caius notes playfully, making all of us laugh. I didn't know how this worked, for vampires were naturally possessive, but it worked perfectly, like this was how things had always been between us. Maybe it was just the bond, or maybe they had known each other so long they were now very close themselves.
After a lazy but sensual swim, the sun has set, I'm starting to get cold, and we all head back inside.
"Would you like to have dinner with me in town, Ophelia?" Marcus asks, and I nod, happily.
"We'll leave you guys to it. Have fun, cara mia." Aro says, kissing my cheek and grabbing my hand one last time before leaving, a content smile appearing on his face at what he finds inside my head.
"I'll claim you another day. Enjoy, honey." Caius adds, and surprises me with a hug and a kiss on my other cheek, before following Aro.
"This is all working surprisingly well." I note as I make my way into my bedroom, Marcus following.
"I know, darling. I'm pleased to see it." Marcus agrees, as I head to my closet, picking out a sage green summer dress.
"Do you think it's the bond that makes you less jealous of each other, or the fact that you've known each other for so long?" I ask, putting it on. I can hear Marcus sit down on the bed, but can't see him from in here.
"Both, I believe. Though we've never had to share a woman amongst us three before." Marcus admits. I grab a leather black jacket, tugging it on, along with some black Dr. Martens.
"It also helps you're beauty counts for three." He says as I enter the bedroom again, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me.
"You're such a flirt, Marcus." I playfully answer, grabbing his hand to drag him from the bed, into the hall, and out of the castle. I know that that only happens because he allows it, which makes me like it even more.
Marcus takes me all the way to the other side of town, to a square that's surrounded by restaurants. It's so busy that you feel alone, a live band playing music, some people dancing. I like it a lot. He enters what looks like an ice cream parlour with me, sitting us down by the window so I'd be warm, but could still see the people bustling around outside.
"This place has the most desserts I've ever seen. You'll love it." Marcus reassures, a smile on his face. He orders for us, his fluent Italian having me swooning, and I can tell he likes that. When the waiter returns, I'm shocked to find a tray filled with so many desserts I can't even count, going from ice cream to waffles to tiramisu to milkshakes.
"I wish you could eat this too." I say before digging in.
"I'm happy just watching you eat." Marcus answers with a smile.
"Hm, this is delicious!" I moan, the tiramisu tasting heavenly.
"Just eat and enjoy, darling. We can always talk later." Marcus reassures me, making me smile. He was incredibly sweet, which I probably liked most about him. He just had something sweet and calm about him that was different from Aro and Caius. I had always felt safe around Marcus, ever since he had carried me away from the battlefield on his back.
Only when I have the feeling that my stomach will explode, I finish eating. Marcus has been content watching the people on the street, who are now dancing to the live band's music. It was very cheerful, and I enjoyed the atmosphere a lot. When we make our way outside, there's a huge crowd, lanterns that are hanging in the trees casting a lovely warm glow onto them all.
"May I have this dance, darling?" Marcus offers his hand with a charming smile, and all I can do is take it and allow him to lead me onto the dance floor. Currently, a slow song is playing, thankfully, and Marcus wraps his arms around my waist as mine find their way around his neck. We begin to sway, together, and I'm reminded of our dance at the ball. Just like that time, it feels like we're the only ones in the entire world, and I lose myself in his eyes, his scent, the touch of his hands on my body…
Finally, I realize the music has stopped, and we come to a halt.
"Ophelia…" Marcus begins, but I already know what he wants to say. His hand comes up to hold the back of my neck gently, as if he's afraid he'll break me, his other hand resting on my hip. It's then that I notice he's shaking, and it wrecks my last hesitation into pieces, surrendering my heart to him. He leans down, and kisses me.
Marcus' kiss is filled with love, and fireworks spread through my body from my heart. I can feel him smile into the kiss, as I can clearly feel the bond click into place fully, and know he must feel it with his powers. When we finally pull apart, I say the words that I can see so clearly in his eyes.
"I love you."
