Previous chapter: Demetri - DPOV
"Sleep well, my Bella. I will still be here when you wake up. I promise. Ti amo."
Demetri - DPOV
It doesn't take Bella long to fall asleep. She looks like an angel with her hair spread out around her. I take out my phone and select Master Aro's number. There is no reason to postpone this call any further. Her father would be home around seven a.m., and we can't be here anymore when he arrives. The phone rings three times before I hear Aro say, "Ah, Demetri! Tell me, son! What did you find?"
It doesn't surprise me that Aro is his usual energetic and happy self. His eyes are probably shining with anticipation. I bet he looks like a kid in a candy store right now, and I chuckle as I picture him before saying, "Master Aro, I found the Cullen residence, only to find out that six coven members have recently left the state. They are in Alaska as we speak. The eldest son Edward, however, was still here when I arrived. His essence led me to the woods behind a random house in Forks. It was there that I found evidence of him meeting a human. Edward left the woods after that meeting and followed his family north. The human, however, traveled further into the forest. I followed the trail until I found a human girl. She was lying on the forest floor begging Edward Cullen not to leave her."
I pause for a second, knowing that Aro is dying to intervene. I smile as he says, "And does this human girl know what we are?" I gently caress Bella's cheek as I say, "Yes, Master. She looked straight into my red eyes and said 'Just my luck, another vampire'." I find myself smiling at the memory because it was right then I realized she was my mate. I bite back a low growl as Caius says, "So I can assume you dealt with the matter accordingly?" Oh great, I must be on speaker.
I shake my head as I move to the rocking chair by the window and say, "No, Master Caius. The human showed no fear towards me, so I took the liberty of listening to her story. I have discovered a few things that will please all three of you." It doesn't take much imagination to picture the scowl Caius must be sporting now as he scoffs before saying, "This better be good, Demetri. We don't have time to play around."
I smile as Aro interrupts his brother and says, "Oh hush, Caius. We have plenty of time to listen to Demetri's findings. You know he never disappoints. Please, Demetri, continue." Okay, this is good. The Masters aren't mad Bella is still alive. Well, maybe Caius is, but Aro is keeping him in check. Now it's time to sell the story so that all three kings have a reason for wanting me to bring her back to Volterra. I take another deep breath as quickly gather my thoughts and say, "Master Caius, the human told me how Edward saved her life by stopping a van from crashing into her at school in brought daylight. He was lucky not to expose himself that day. A few days later, he intervened when she got attacked by human men and told her he could read minds. An old legend told by a friend, a book she found, and her observations of the family made her conclude that they are vampires.
But it was not only the mind reader that opened up to this human. The whole family took her in. Carlisle thought of her as his daughter, and she spent months with them, acting like they were an actual family. In an encounter with nomads, the human got bitten. The mind reader sucked the venom out of her body and stopped the change from happening.
The human admitted she had been asking Edward to change her for some time, but he refused her several times because he didn't want to damn her soul. They kept her human, which is against our laws, and left her behind when they moved to Alaska. After hearing her story, I thought it might be beneficial to bring her to Volterra to be changed so that she can tell her side of the story during a trial against the Cullens."
I know this information is enough to convince Caius, and he sure as hell doesn't disappoint me with his answer as he yells, "That's it! Carlisle has finally lost his marbles. The bunnies must have gone straight to his head. Entertaining a human and then leaving it behind alive?! That's just outrageous. It goes against everything we stand for." I can hardly suppress a smile when Aro interrupts him by saying, "Calm down, Caius. If you had a heart, you'd give yourself a heart attack. I mean it! Calm down! I'm pretty sure Demetri hadn't finished talking."
I smile as I say, "Indeed, Master Aro, there is more. The girl joined the family as a girlfriend to Edward. Carlisle told her that he was delighted that his eldest son had finally found his mate. I dare say that's impossible, seeing Edward was very capable of leaving her behind in a forest. That would have been impossible if they had been mates. He would have felt the mating pull, seeing the girl knows that Edward truly believed Carlisle to be right, even though she doesn't feel the mating pull herself. However, my concern is why Carlisle would falsely state that they were mates. Was he perhaps trying to keep her from her real mate?"
I stop for a second to give Marcus time to react, and with what I just told them, he surely will. When he lost his true mate Didyme, he lost his will to live. He knows the importance of having your true mate close and can't stand people that keep true mates apart. His gift enables him to read the emotional bonds between others, and he will confirm the bond between Bella and me when we return to Volterra.
I smile as he growls lowly and says, "Carlisle said what? Surely he must have known better. Oh, this is so disappointing. I would need to check the bonds to make sure. But as you state correctly, Demetri, if they were mates, he wouldn't have left her. He would have changed her without regretting it for a second." Marcus lets out a heavy sigh, and I imagine him staring at the wall as Aro says, "That is very true indeed, Marcus! Carlisle is digging his own grave quite thoroughly by making mistakes like that. Is there more, Demetri?"
And now the big finale, time to get Aro excited. The prospect of a powerful gift would surely do the trick. I nod even though Aro can't see me and say, "Yes, there is one more thing. The mind reader was unable to read her mind. Carlisle proclaimed the girl was already a strong shield in her human form. I was certain you would want to know of such a find, Master."
There you have it, the ultimate lure for Aro: a powerful shield to strengthen our ranks. If her gift is still active after the change, she will become a member of the guard. We will be together forever. Nothing would make me more complete than to have my mate by my side every day for the rest of eternity. It would make the 1000 years I had spent alone fade into nothingness.
I smile brightly as Aro says, "Demetri, why didn't you lead with that information? The gift of a shield, already present in a human, not dormant, but active, is the most remarkable find in decades. Let us discuss this for a minute. Please hold."
I listen in silence as the brother each give their opinion on the matter and smile as I hear Caius say, "It's an excellent idea to get her testimony when we the Cullens." That's one.
Marcus sighs once more and says, "I need to check her bonds. She is gifted, so she must be meant to mate a vampire." And that's two.
I wait as Aro claps his hands, and I can't help but grin as Aro says, "I agree, brothers, we need to see this human in person. If she is truly gifted, we need to change her. I will not have a shield slipping out of our hands. A true shield would make a wonderful addition to our guard."
I hit a fucking home run! I convinced all three kings to let me bring Bella to Volterra! I almost punch a hole in Bella's wall from sheer joy. I'm on the verge of doing a victory dance as Aro says, "Demetri, my son, you must bring this human to us. We trust you to handle the matter with care. Explain to her that we mean her no harm. Make sure that no one will ever want to look for her. As of today, that human is dead for the world she lived in. She will be a Volturi. Make haste. I haven't been this excited to meet someone in centuries."
"Of course, Master, I will take the necessary steps to ensure everything goes smoothly. I expect to be home in less than 48 hours." With that said, I end the call and start planning our journey to Italy. I call the airport to make sure the private jet is ready when we arrive. I have them stock some human food and drinks on board, so Bella can eat if she is hungry.
I also need to feed before we leave for a twelve-hour flight across the Atlantic. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I would harm Bella, but it will make the flight more comfortable for us. I'm not the most pleasant vampire when I'm thirsty, and I want to spend my time on that damned plane enjoying the presence of my mate instead of focusing on my thirst. So feeding is a must. I decide to feed in Seattle. It won't take long there; more than enough people and many ways to cover up my tracks.
After ensuring our flight, I start to pack Bella's things. I assume that she wants to take certain items with us to Italy. I quickly scan the room and find a large stack of books next to her bed. They all look thoroughly read, so I pack them all. I smile as I read the titles: Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and Romeo and Juliet. It looks like my Bella has a real romantic streak and a clear preference for the classics. Let's hope she takes the same amount of interest in a 1000-year-old Greek romantic.
I notice a scrapbook and a camera on her desk. The scrapbook holds a few pictures of her parents and friends. It looks like she started it only a few days ago. I put it in the box with the books. I can imagine that she will want some memories of her human life. If not, she can throw them out later.
I open her closet and quickly pack her clothes at vampire speed. They will only be good until the change. After that, she'll need an entirely new wardrobe due to the changes to her body. Maybe I can get Heidi to fix that for her. I have a feeling Bella isn't the kind of girl who loves to shop. She probably would rather spend her time crawling up on the couch with a book. I smile as I imagine both of us in my room. I'm sitting on the couch with Bella leaning against me with a book in her hand. My hand is slowly streaking her hair, and the lovely smile on her face takes my breath away. The thought of it alone brings me a calm that I have rarely felt in my existence. She is truly going to change my life for the better.
I snap myself out of my daydreams. With everything packed, it's time to think of a plan to make everyone believe Bella is no longer alive. It has to be plausible and well-executed. If the Cullens come back for her in the next few days, there can't be the tiniest trace that would let them suspect our interference. I don't want them snooping around Volterra, upsetting Bella, or worse, doing something to make her doubt the love I feel for her. Our bond isn't strong enough yet. It will be strong after her change when we claim each other as mates, but we're not there yet. If that moron returns now, she will most likely take him back. Hell no, that is not going to happen. She's mine!
I take a look downstairs and conclude that the house is old. It's not in bad shape, but the age of the house gives me several options to work with, the best being a gas explosion followed by an all-consuming fire that costs Bella her life. I don't know how Bella will react to my plan to set her house on fire. I look at the clock and notice we have about four hours until her dad comes home. It's time to wake my mate and tell her what the Masters decided. Just as I rush up the stairs, I hear Bella scream, "No!" She scans the room with a terrified look on her face until her eyes find mine, and she lets out a sigh of relief before whispering, "You didn't leave me."
I smile softly as I take her in my arms and place a kiss on her hair. She smells like oregano and basil, like the spices from the street markets in Greece. She is my home now in every way imaginable. I gently stroke her hair as I say, "I can never leave you, cara mia. It would kill me to do so."
She shakes her head as she pulls herself closer to me and sighs, "Crazy vampire".
I can feel her smiling against my chest before turning around again and noticing the packing I did while she was asleep. She raises her brow questioningly as she looks at me and says, "Do you have something you need to tell me, or do you like packing stuff?"
I nod as I put her down on the bed again and say, "I reported back to my Masters, tesoro. I told them your story, and they want to meet you. I am to take you to Volterra as soon as possible. I already arranged our flight and packed most of your stuff. You can add things if you want. I selected the things I thought you would like to take with you, but maybe I forgot something.
I'll put everything in the car. I only need to pick it up real quick. I left it outside of town, but I didn't want to get it while you were asleep because I promised you I would be here when you woke up. I suggest you shower and get ready to leave while I run to get the car. Now, there's one more thing, Bella. It will upset you, but I will try never to keep things from you. Before we leave for Italy, I need to fake your death. The Masters were very clear about that. I need to make sure that no one will want to come and look for you. They must believe that you died today. That way, you are free to live your life as the vampire you are supposed to be, with the Volturi as your coven."
'And me, as your mate, for eternity.' Oh, I want to say that out loud so much. Soon, Demetri, soon. Patience truly is a virtue that I'm lacking at the moment. You would think that after 1000 years, it wouldn't come to one or two days, but it does. I smile as she nods and says, "So, how are you going to do that? I mean, there won't be a body to be found."
I can't believe how clever my mate is. She is already thinking like a guard. She will be a natural. God, I love her so much already. I turn to look out of the window to keep myself from kissing her as I say, "You're quite right there, cara mia. We will induce a gas explosion in the kitchen. The fire that follows will burn down the house and take your life. There will be nothing left to find. Your dad will have to start over, but it will be easier for him to move on if he isn't living in the house he shared with you. I know it sounds excessive, but it is a better solution for everyone in the long run."
She takes my hand while she thinks about the things I said and surprises me as she says, "You're right. Let's do it."
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