TWILIGHT : THE BLOOD INSIDE YOU IS THE BLOOD INSIDE ME
Chapter Seventeen
This is a fictional story based on the Twilight Series, of which I own neither part nor parcel. Just borrowing the Volturi temporarily. No references to the Cullen family, sorry. (I'm late to this fandom. I do research online since I haven't committed the films to memory, and hardly recall the books. So I'm sorry if canon is upended a little.)
Some fluff (Aro is a romantic, and Charlotte confronts Jane) some sex (twice), and some Alice.
Aro/OC, Jane, Alice Cullen
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Charlotte was on her official chair that sat just below Marcus, watching the proceedings in the Throne room. This was a trial pertaining to disobedience of the rule of exposure. Unlike Sarah's case, she felt this was a crime warranting punishment. She observed with pride the execution of the accusations, defense, and judgement. Volturi justice was swift when warranted, but as she had seen, Aro could be merciful as well. At least things moved quickly here, unlike the human justice system in the United States, where the guilty may not even face a court.
The accused vampire had been found guilty and was hastily dispatched. After speaking briefly with Marcus and Caius, Aro stepped down from his chair and went over to speak with Charlotte. All but two of the vampire guard were filing out of the room. Charlotte saw Jane lingering behind, talking with her brother Alec. She whispered in Aro's ear, asking him for some time and telling him she would meet him in the garden. He nodded, and giving his mate a quick kiss, left the room. Charlotte waited in the middle of the room, smiling at Jane, but the smile was not returned. Alec saw Charlotte waiting and spoke to his sister, who merely gave him a nod, their hands touching briefly before he left her.
The young vampire turned to Aro's mate, still unable to understand why her master had chosen this female. "You went to see the Cullens," Jane said in an accusing tone, if not an emotional one.
"Yes, I did, with Master Aro's permission. I would never do anything behind his back, unlike some," Charlotte replied, leveling an accusation of her own at the blonde vampire. "Master Marcus and Felix were with me, but I expect you know that already."
Jane glared at the newborn who had stolen Master Aro's attentions and sought to sway his decisions with her influence.
Charlotte was not impressed. "Aro knows my reasoning for visiting the Cullens, Jane. If he wishes to share that with the coven, that's his choice. If he doesn't, that is also his choice. None of it is your business." She turned on her heel to leave the room. Before she reached the door, she felt a burning pain in her stomach that would have taken her breath away had she been human. The pain was gone in a micro second. She didn't bother looking back at the perpetrator. Instead, she whispered, "Your power means nothing to me, Jane, ", then she left the Throne room.
Charlotte headed for the garden where she and Aro had agreed to meet. Charlotte was furious, but knew she had to release that anger, or Aro might question her. She was not going to tell her mate that Jane had once again used her power on her. This was between her and the insolent Volturi guard member. Charlotte had tried to reach out to Jane, with no success. If Jane wanted war, then war it would be.
She had reached the garden to find Aro walking around, touching the flowers while inhaling their fragrance. Coming up behind him, Charlotte slipped her arms around his waist. "They are beautiful, are they not?"
Aro turned and embraced his mate, kissing her forehead. "Indeed. I see why you like it here so much. So what had you to say to Jane?"
Charlotte smiled, saying, "You think you're so smart."
"I do and I am, my dear," he replied, laughing.
"Well, Aro, this time, I'm not talking. And no, you may not have my hand. This is between Jane and me. I'll handle it. Let it rest, love."
Aro cupped her cheek, then holding her chin, he bent to kiss her deeply. Charlotte's arms wound more tightly around his waist, hands sliding up his back, pulling him as close as possible. She rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. Charlotte wondered how life could be so good on the one hand, and so frustrating on the other.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Once Aro and Charlotte had returned to their chambers, Aro hung up his jacket in his wardrobe. He kicked off his shoes, eager to relax. Trials could be taxing on one's thoughts. He stretched out on the bed, his arms tucked behind his head.
Charlotte took off her long black dress and hung it up as well. She slipped on jeans and a t-shirt and went to Aro's desk. Picking up her i-pad, Charlotte saw that she had received an email from Alice. She was surprised, but maybe she should not have been. Alice was so bubbly and outgoing, even to the three Volturi who had descended on her family's household without notice.
Hi, Charlotte. It was so nice finally meeting you. I loved your outfit, by the way. You have a true fashion sense, something Bella never understood. I wish you could visit more often. No one here seems to care much about fashion. I hope Aro accepts the fact I'm not ready, if I ever will be, to join the Volturi. Jasper would never agree to it. But I have seen the affect you've had on them already. Watching Master Marcus actually laugh was amazing to say the least. He used to be so disconsolate. I've seen we will end up great friends. Keep in touch-Alice
"Aro, Alice sent me an email!" Charlotte exclaimed. She wasn't expecting anything since many times people say they will write and don't.
Aro rose up on his elbows. "What has she to say, cara?"
"Just girl talk, but she does say she hopes you understand why she can't join the Volturi now, if ever."
Lying back down on the bed, Aro pondered Alice's words. It was an irritation for him, considering what he could offer her, but he would let the friendship between his mate and the Cullen woman move on at its own pace.
Charlotte sat at the desk and began a quick reply.
Hi, Alice. It was good to hear from you. I never know when someone is just being polite, saying they will write. And thanks for noticing my outfit. I loved it too. If you ever want to visit me in Italy, one of the top fashion spots of Europe by the way, let me know. I'm sure it would be fun shopping with you in Rome. I promise, Aro will not kidnap you or I'll give him a big what for. I know he would enjoy entertaining you in any case. Talk to you soon-Charlie (my friends call me that, not Charlotte, so feel free)
PS-if you "see" anything that you feel I should know, please share. The need to meet your family was so strong, it scared me. I'm not sure what is going on, but for now, I can at least reside within my own head again. Thanks.
"What did you say to her, my dear?" Aro asked, when he saw Charlotte set down her i-pad.
"Hmm, I thanked her for her family's hospitality and her compliments on my outfit. Like I said, girl talk. I asked her to come visit if she ever wants to go shopping in Rome. I let her know that you will not kidnap her or in any way force her stay." Charlotte looked at Aro, her expression one of warning. She crooked her eyebrow, to Aro's amusement.
Aro laughed and rose from the bed. He took his mate in his arms and said, "I hope she does come to Volterra. And I promise, no kidnapping or any other form of coercion."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
The next day was a quiet one at the Volturi compound. There were no trials, no visitors, and the guard were pretty much free to do what they wanted.
Charlotte's laptop had arrived, so she began working to get it hooked up to the compound's WiFi. "Aro, why do you have WiFi, if you have nothing to hook up to it?"
"The secretaries need it for their computers. There's your i-pad and a few other assorted devices within the compound. I'm old fashioned. I prefer pen and paper."
Charlotte smiled, wondering about the kind of man to whom she had tied her future. Everything was nearly set. The memory was large and the speed excellent. She tried accessing antiques websites and history banks. "Perfect, I'm all set now, love. I plan to sort through the collection first, dividing them into media. Then check age, artist and region, before reorganizing the cases and shelving."
"I'm happy you're looking forward to your work, my dear. I'm sure you will find it all very fascinating. And of course, if you have any questions about certain pieces and the eras they come from, I'm sure I can assist you. After all, I was there for much of it."
Later that evening, Aro pulled Charlotte away from her pet project. "Let us walk into the village. The sun is near set, and it has been a while." Charlotte agreed, but was surprised when Aro pulled his cloak from his wardrobe. When she asked him why, all he would say is "Wait and see."
The village was lively at night, with restaurants open, music blaring from speakers hung from the sides of buildings, and crowds of locals out enjoying their night, completely unaware the code of the Volturi protected them from attack.
Aro held Charlotte's hand in his, leading her down the main street. She remembered when she had last done this, the smells of cooking food made her mouth water. Now it was the scent of human blood that enticed her. It had been easier to resist than she has anticipated, but occasionally, she felt the lure of the smell and the sounds of their heartbeats. There were so many hearts pumping fresh blood throughout their bodies.
Aro, sensing Charlotte was distracted by the humans surrounding them, steered her down a side walkway lined with a waist-high stone wall guarding people from the rolling cliff below. When Marcus had brought her here before her change, she could not see well in the dark. Now it was all so clear to her, making her able to see the buildings he had pointed out to her in the distance.
Aro stopped by the wall, and noticing no one around, stood behind Charlotte. He pulled her hair aside, baring her throat to his kisses. He felt her lean back against him. Wrapping his cloak around them both, Aro's hands began pulling up Charlotte's dress, smiling when he felt her bare flesh. She had obeyed his request by refraining from wearing undergarments.
Charlotte didn't move. She assumed Aro had wanted to do something pleasing when he had asked her to change into a knee-length dress with no underwear. When she heard the sound of his zipper being lowered, she tilted her head back, letting him continue to lick and nibble her throat.
Aro let his slacks fall enough to expose his hardening manhood, which he pushed against his mate, letting her know how much he wanted her. He used one hand to guide himself into her from behind. The other hand he used to reach around Charlotte, rubbing her clit. The sounds emanating from her parted lips told him he was arousing her. His hips moved against hers with rapid thrusts. When she moved forward, she felt his hand cupping her mound, his fingers dancing within her. He pushed her against the stone wall, the sounds of his own low moans filling her ears.
"Tell me I belong to you, Aro. Tell me. Say it!" Charlotte begged.
"Tu mi appartieni," Aro growled out.
His hand was holding her chin, bending her head back so that he had access to her throat, but he moved his hand over her mouth as her cries became more intense. She couldn't help but call his name. It pleased him to hear her say it, but it wasn't safe for anyone else to overhear them. As the pleasure from her orgasm moved through her body, Aro allowed his body to fill her with his cold seed. He held her while the tremors lessened in intensity.
"Don't leave me yet, Aro. I love the feel of you inside me," Charlotte whispered, her inner body still pulsing around him.
He complied, just holding her, his tongue tasting her skin. Soon he heard voices approaching. "We had better make ourselves decent, cara." He slipped from her and zipped up his slacks, letting her dress fall down her hips. She turned to face Aro, leaning in to kiss him.
"Ti amo tanto," she murmured.
"Anch'io ti amo," Aro whispered, before kissing her ear.
As they walked through the village, Aro excused himself and went over to a flower vendor. He bought one perfect red carnation, handing it to Charlotte. "I know you love these particular flowers."
She looked at the red carnation, bringing it to her nose. The fragrance was strong because of her enhanced senses, but she loved the gesture. "Thank you, Aro. It's perfect."
"When did you first know that you loved me, cara?" Aro asked, his crimson eyes staring at her.
"I was afraid of you at first. But the more arrogant you acted, treating me as if you expected me to obey your every order, you just pissed me off. And when you came into the bathroom when I was at Marcus's apartment, that was the final straw."
He laughed, saying, "I think that was when I first realized I loved you. You were so upset my entire visit, that it actually aroused something in me."
"My feelings began to change that night you took me out for shopping and supper. I first realized I was falling in love with you then. You were so kind and generous, with no superior affectations. Marcus knew though. That first night at his apartment, I was asking questions about you, and he warned me not to get too nosy. Then he asked me if I liked you." Charlotte smiled. "I thought he was crazy at the time."
Aro nodded. Marcus did know. "The more you protested against me, the more I knew I wanted you. We are so alike, yet your differences, your modern views and ideals, intrigued me. I couldn't let you go."
"Would you really have killed me had I said no to your offer?" she asked, knowing the answer.
"I would have had no choice, cara, but I would have kept my promise to make it swift and painless. I'm happy you didn't force me to do that however." Aro kissed his mate, then they returned to the compound, his hand holding onto hers.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Charlotte went over to Malia, who had Sarah at her side. "How have you two been? I see you've gotten some new dresses, Sarah,"
"Malia and Felix took me shopping. They made me buy more than I needed," she said, smiling at Charlotte.
"You deserve it, my dear. If you ever want anything, let Malia know."
Hearing a commotion outside the main doors, Charlotte put her finger to her lips, shushing Sarah, then headed toward Aro as he sat on his throne. She stood at his side, her hand grasping his as they awaited their "guests".
Heidi entered the room, leading her unwitting sheep to the slaughter. Once the main doors had been closed and locked, the vampires savagely fed on the humans. Aro had found one whose blood smelled spicy, yet sweet. He bit into the human's neck, feeling the satisfying sensation of warm blood filling his mouth.
Charlotte stepped up to Aro's victim, her eyes black with hunger. She stood on the opposite side from her mate, and dug her teeth into the soft flesh. Her eyes never left her mate's while the two vampires shared the human between them. When the body had been depleted of blood, Aro let it fall to the floor. Charlotte reached over to wipe some of the red fluid off his lips with her middle finger, then brought it to her mouth, sucking it off. Aro's eyes smoldered with both hunger and passion. He recalled a saying, one lust feeds the other.
He found another human, a young man, and offered him to his mate first. Charlotte sniffed the man's neck, then bit hard. Aro smiled and did likewise. Both vampires fed off the human until Aro could no longer hear the man's heartbeat. He dropped the body, stepping over it to get to his mate, whose eyes were now dark crimson. He leaned in and kissed her, licking the blood from her lips.
"One more, love?" Charlotte asked. How the Cullens could believe animal blood replaced the richness of human blood was absurd.
In response, Aro found a young girl cowering behind a pillar. "Don't be afraid, my dear." He stroked her hair to relax her, while Charlotte circled her, smiling. She reached up to pet the young human, telling her, "You have such pretty hair, has anyone told you that?", while Aro circled behind the girl, taking her chin in his hand and bending aside her head to expose the smooth neck. Charlotte bit into the perfumed flesh, while Aro lifted up her arm to swiftly bite her wrist, the teen too small for both of them to be at her throat. He had to suck harder until the blood flowed free.
"Have you had enough, my sweet?" he asked when finished.
"Of this, yes. I've not had enough of you, Aro. Let's leave the others to their meal."
Aro took Charlotte's hand and led her away from the chaos.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Once within the privacy of their rooms, Charlotte walked into the bedroom, removing her black dress and dropping it on one of the chairs. Fastidiousness was a vampire virtue, and she was learning how to feed without making a mess. Still, she enjoyed a shower after their meal time.
Letting down her hair, she entered the shower and cleaned off the smell of human. She had just about finished, and was surprised Aro had not joined her. Perhaps she had not let him know how badly she wanted him. She exited the shower and toweled off. Her hair took extra time, due to the thickness. Charlotte glanced at herself in the mirror. Even without the human affectation of make-up, she was beautiful. Not one held to vanity, she knew because she saw it in Aro's eyes whenever he looked at her.
Leaving the bathroom, Charlotte went into the bedroom to see Aro sitting up on the bed against the headboard, reading a financial ledger. She stood at his side of the bed, one hand at her waist, tapping her foot. Enough of this, she thought. Snatching the ledger from his hands and tossing it on the floor, she straddled his thighs. When she saw the grin on his face, she knew he was teasing her. "The first time I did this, you refused to let me continue because you were afraid you'd break me. You can't do that now, so here we are."
Aro's hands were on her hips as Charlotte leaned back on his lap, pulling her back and forth against his rising manhood, while he lapped at her bare breasts. When she sat up, she brought her nails down his bare chest as she sidled down his legs. She could not scratch his flesh, but the sensation was still one Aro appreciated. "You are so enticing, cara. And I agree, quid pro quo is a wonderful thing."
Charlotte licked down his chest to his flat belly, moving ever closer to her goal. Her finger nails grazed behind her tongue down his chest. She enveloped his manhood with her mouth, circling her tongue around the head. She sucked hard, before releasing his hardness to hand strokes.
Aro threw his head back, her name on his lips. When he could hold back no longer, he allowed himself to fill her mouth with his cool ejaculate, his hands clutching at the spread covering the bed.
As soon as he had finished, Aro threw Charlotte onto her back, and took her quick and deep, filling her with his hard length. He thrust repeatedly, pulling her legs around to encircle his body. Her nails digging into his back spurred him on until he once again came hard, his essence filling her.
Aro lay next to his mate, one arm above her, playing with her hair, the other lying over her torso. He laughed, disconcerting Charlotte.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Aro smiled. "Nothing. I just find you so delightfully human at times."
"What do you mean, my love?"
"You breathe so hard, panting and moaning all the while, when you have no need to breathe at all."
"I suppose when you do the things you do to me, I react as I would were I a human being made love to by the sexiest man in the universe. I really can't help it," she remarked, her fingertips caressing the arm that held her.
"I adore the sounds you make. It's stimulating to know that you're making them because of the things I'm doing to you." Aro leaned over and kissed Charlotte, she responding by nibbling on his bottom lip. She had to chastise Aro in her mind. No soulless monster could love her as he did.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Charlotte read her most recent email from Alice, her smile broadening. Alice had agreed to visit Volterra, as long as they went to Rome for shopping, and Aro left her alone. Charlotte replied an affirmative to the shopping and the promise in Aro's words verbatim. Her friend would fly to Pisa where Charlotte would meet Alice with a car, whereupon Felix volunteered to be the driver. He discovered since Charlotte had joined the Volturi, he had more opportunities to get out of the compound. Demetri tried to go along as extra protection, but Aro had refused his request. When Charlotte suggested two guards were better than one, he finally relented. Charlotte winked at Demetri, who flashed her a smile and went off to help Felix get the car ready. The four to five hour drive would give Charlotte and Alice time to catch up and enjoy the coastal scenery.
Three days later, Charlotte dressed in black skinny jeans, quickly becoming her favourite day wear, and a cobalt blue cashmere sweater. She donned a black leather jacket, even though she only needed it to hide her arms, not to keep warm. She thought it looked stylish as well. Tucking her sunglasses and black leather gloves into a pocket, she went out to look for Aro.
Finding him in the smaller Throne room, discussing matters with Marcus and Caius, Charlotte crooked a finger at her mate. Aro excused himself and came over to her.
"Ready to leave, cara?" he asked. Aro was actually excited to be hosting Alice here at Volturi headquarters. Secretly, he hoped to impress her enough to make her want to stay. If she knew she had a ready friend in his mate, she might reconsider. What Aro had not considered was the fact Alice had a mate in Jasper, one she would not leave behind. And her love for her family was strong enough to keep her tied to them. "You look wonderful," he remarked, admiring her outfit when she spun around for him.
Charlotte leaned into her mate and kissed him, her hands resting on his waist. "Thank you, my love. And you'll have Alice's room ready?"
"Don't worry, cara. I, too, want Alice to feel comfortable during her stay. Have fun and enjoy your time in the city. We will talk when you all return." He tightened his hold on Charlotte, kissing her deeply, before hugging her. He let her go and stepped back.
"The guard know to leave Alice alone, all of them?" Charlotte gave Aro a look that needed no interpretation.
"Yes, my dear. All of them. Or they know I will be most displeased if any say or do anything to her," Aro reassured her. He nuzzled her neck, then released her.
"Caius, now when our guest arrives, you will behave," Charlotte warned.
"Sister, I take offence at your unspoken accusation..." the vampire leader huffed.
"Yes, yes, just do it." She winked at Caius, laughing. "Goodbye, Uncle Marcus, Caius." Then she blew a kiss to her mate and sped from the room.
Charlotte left out the back door to find Felix and Demetri waiting for her at the car. Felix got into the front driver's seat, while Demetri opened the back passenger seat. "Really, Demetri," she protested. "There is a bench seat up front and lots of room. Besides, I want control of the radio."
He looked to Felix, who just shrugged. "Alright, Charlie, in you go."
"I promise, when we pick up Alice, we girls will sit in the back, and you can control the radio." She hopped in front and settled next to Felix, with Demetri sitting next to her. She reached for the radio and looked for American rock stations, settling on one. "Ok, fellas, let's roll."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Felix parked the car over at the separate arrivals gate reserved for private jets. It was always convenient to have a place apart from general passenger arrivals. Charlotte waited for Demetri to exit the front seat so that she could slide out. "I mean it, guys. You really need to learn the words. "She smiled, then laughed when the two guards looked at her, then at each other, frowning. She gave both a hug, then put on her gloves and sunglasses, just in case any humans were wandering the area. When she saw Felix and Demetri in their sunglasses and black outfits, she immediately thought, 'Secret Service'. How could anyone looking at them not think she was an important person.
"Don't forget your hat, Charlie." Demetri tossed it to her and Charlotte gave him a nod, before putting on the black felt hat. "Keep a look out for Alice, please." She knew the vision of vampires was enhanced so finding Alice should be not trouble with all three looking.
After ten minutes or so, Felix spied the Cullen woman, who also noticed them and waved.
"Be good," Charlotte warned, then headed for her newfound friend. "Alice, I'm so happy to see you!" She hugged her with joy, then stepped back. "You are going to so enjoy Rome's shopping district. We'll go to the Via del Corso first. You will find nothing like it in Leavenworth. So how did you get Jasper to let you come?"
"He wanted to come with me, but getting into a fight with the Volturi would not help things. Carlisle convinced him I'd be fine with you. Carlisle really likes you."
"He's sweet, Alice. And doing what he does, healing humans...I don't know that I would have such self-restraint," Charlotte said, admiration in her voice.
Felix gathered Alice's luggage from the jet, and put everything into the trunk. Demetri held the back door open for the two women.
"Alice, the tall fellow over there is Felix, and this is Demetri." Charlotte smiled up at the two guards, happy they were behaving as she had asked.
"I remember you both. Thank you for picking me up." She smiled at Demetri and Felix, neither seeming like the vicious guards she had encountered years ago when Edward had nearly been executed by the Volturi.
"Are you kidding? No thanks necessary. Felix enjoys outside duties, and Demetri practically begged me to get Aro's permission for him to come with us."
"I did not, Charlie!"
"True!" she said, laughing and nudging her friend.
Alice watched as Charlotte engaged with the Volturi guard. She truly was making waves within the ranks of the coven. Alice had seen this in her visions, but it was better than she had expected, which was why she was willing to visit Volterra in the first place. Alice was very curious to see if her visions were coming true when it came to Charlotte's influence over the coven. They could be so subjective, frustrating her at times.
Once the two women had entered the car, Demetri shut the door and climbed in front with Felix. He reached forward and turned the radio back on, listening to the women chatter happily together in the back.
The coastal route was gorgeous, and Alice admired the view as they headed to Rome. "When we were in Forks, we had the ocean nearby, but in Leavenworth, I miss not having that. The mountains are beautiful though, and the town is very charming." Alice paused. "Charlotte, are you happy with the Volturi? Carlisle knew them a long time ago. I only know them from their, well, I should say Aro in particular, desire to see our coven broken. Aro has wanted me to join him for a while now. I was really hoping you would do something to temper that. You have had such a wonderful influence on them already. Otherwise I would not have accepted your invitation."
The two guards could not help but hear what Alice was saying. "Do you question Master Aro's leadership?" Demetri asked.
Charlotte knew Aro had never discussed the vision he had seen before the expected battle against the Cullens and their allies. "Alice, tell them what Aro saw in your vision, and why he stopped the fighting."
Felix and Demetri looked from each other to Alice.
"I showed Aro the outcome of the battle. Almost all of the Volturi were destroyed, including Aro himself. Many of my family and friends were also destroyed. To fight would have benefited no one. Fortunately, he saw that too." Alice hoped the simple explanation was enough.
"Are you calling Master Aro a coward?" Felix asked, his temper flaring in the moment.
"No!" Charlotte protested. "The opposite. He refused to fight to save all of you. What's happened since is not fair. I know it eats at him constantly. The Volturi are the largest, most powerful coven in the world. To have that power questioned...well, it hurts him. And I don't want either of you to say anything. So now do you understand, guys? The Volturi are being vilified for something no vampire who wasn't there can understand," Charlotte said.
Alice looked over at Charlotte, taking her hand and squeezing. "Hey, look over there. Rome!"
A/N : So Alice will be in Volterra for a few days with the Volturi masters playing host. Will it go well? How will Aro behave with the "daughter" of one his most hated enemies? Maybe he will find out he doesn't hate Carlisle all that much after all.
When the girls go shopping at the most fashionable shopping district in all Rome, my mind will be playing the song, "Girls just want to have fun".