I wanted to give a small insight into Zio's thoughts so I added this small scene at the start of this chapter instead of making it an extra.
Apologise for the lateness, I've had a long few weeks. I uploaded 2 in one to try and make up for it.
Pancrazio Cullen
Late September, 2260
"Pancrazio. Stop pacing"
"Pancrazio"
I looked down at the tiny woman who stepped in the path of my movement. Alice Cullen. My mother.
Alice Cullen. The woman who helped raise me.
Alice.
Mom.
"You can do this. I believe in you" she said lifting her tiny hand to rest on my jaw line. Her short pixie hair cut bounced as she leant onto her tip toes to place a kiss on my cheek opposite her hand.
"they've just landed. They'll be here within the hour" my father said putting the phone down and turning to me across the room. His eyes moved to his wife at my side and back up.
He was over by me in a second. I had barely blinked, and his hand was on my shoulder.
"You are my son. Our son. You have been for two hundred years. Whatever she says, what ever she wants, what ever she thinks or does, that will never change."
"She can't stay here. I can't have her under this roof. This complicates everything. How can we help the boy if I can't even be hospitable to his mother?" I asked Jasper.
"Sulpicia has never wronged you. You used to tell us yourself as a child. She was as kind as a psychotic ancient vampire could be to a small child. There is no need to kick her on the street. Just hear her out." Alice said running her hand over my arm in comfort.
"She can't stay here. You must understand the political message that sends" I said with a small shake of my head. It didn't matter what my view was on my biological fathers widowed wife. Welcoming someone so close to Aro, welcoming a symbol of the old Volturi, of the old ways to live and stay under the roof of my Volturi, was not a good thing for my reputation and could cause disruption and break the peace myself, my son and his children had fought for for centuries.
"Let's just talk to her. Let's help her son. And go from there" Jasper said giving me a soft smile and handing me the dark red and black cloak from the chair next to me.
I stared at the two vampires before me. They didn't create me, they didn't teach me to walk or raise me on their own. But they were my parents. The only two in the entire world I looked up to. We'd had an unusual start to our family relationship but I wouldn't change it for the world.
"Zio, I love you." Alice said realising there was a hurricane of thoughts going on inside my head. I smiled down at her and reached down to rest my forehead on hers for just a moment.
"Thank you for being my mother" I told her and she let out a small smile as she kissed my cheek and stepped away to hand me the Volturi leader cloak.
"We're so proud of you Zio." Jasper said as I pulled it on, a motion so familiar and normal to me now. This time it felt like a weight being thrown on my shoulders as I left that room with my parents to face the widow of my dead tyrant father.
Alicia Cullen
Tonight was my date with Gabriel. I wasn't really sure how I felt. In fact, I hadn't let myself think about it. Especially with the revelation of the Volturi.
I had been in Chicago when the news broke to my father. I had been visiting my grandmother Alice to get a dress for my date when my father, as white as a ghost charged into my grandparents' house on the Volturi grounds. My parents told me what my brother was doing the day he left but none of us ever really expected this to come out of it.
I wanted to be there, not just for my dad but also because I was incredibly curious what my biological grandfathers wife was like. Plus how many chances did someone get to meet an ancient vampire?
"Levi will be taking you home as soon as the court is over, do you understand me?" my father asked when I expressed my wish. I gave him a swift nod of understanding and he sighed as he turned to my mother. "I have some work to do, ill be in my office until they land. We're going to have to stay here for a few days until I work out what the hell I'm going to do about this." My father was manic. Id never quite seen him like this before. He eyed my grandparents, and they gave him a small nod in return. I had no idea what that meant.
"You? just you?" my mother spoke back.
"you know what I mean Chanti" he sighed as he turned to leave the house, Jasper and Alice following him. I turned to my mother who had a strange expression on his face as she stared after my father.
"momma are you okay?" I asked her. She seemed to shake out of her mood. "yes" she said quickly and reached for my hand. "now, are you going to tell me what you need such a nice dress for from your grandmother on a Thursday?" she asked with raised eyebrows.
Shit.
I was hoping to avoid this.
"I have a date tomorrow" I told her, knowing I couldn't lie to my mind controlling mother.
"With?" she asked.
I hoped she wasn't about to pry.
"Can I tell you after the date? If it goes well? I don't want to have to tell you exactly who I'm dating if they're not even going to make it past the first date, can you imagine how tiresome that will be with the amount of boys in school" I said with an eyeroll trying to play off the sassiness I inherited from her. She gave me a smirk and shook her head.
"you're lucky your father is distracted right now" she said giving me a kiss on the forehead. "I won't pry, just follow your dads rules" she warned me.
"I will" I said with a nervous swallow. I was already breaking the main rule. No supernaturals.
"Come on, let's get the guard rounded up. The plane will be landing in an hour" she said and took my hand to leave my grandparents' house.
I had never attended court before. Not in this capacity. The entire room was lined with guard. I wasn't even sure it was all of it. My parents stood on the stage. My grandparents Jasper and Alice behind them. My brother Matthew, sister-in-law Lidiya and her twin Anelie were also there. Asta and Allesandra, Lidiya's daughters, too. Edward and Bella were even here, talking to Eddie off to the side. Ophelia was waiting at the edge of the stage for the door to swing open and her wife and child to return home. There was so much power in this room. The whole cavalry.
For one ancient vampire.
Axton and Alena entered first, immediately taking their positions on the stage.
"Where is your daughter?" my father asked Alena and she looked at him uncomfortable as the doors swung open and in walked Esther at the front holding hands with Athena a few steps to Athena's left were my brother, looking rather dishevelled if you asked me. And behind them. Behind them was a teenage boy, and a youthful yet ancient looking vampire at his side.
As Esther reached the stage, she tugged Athena with her but the girl stood still, snatching her hand out of her aunts and taking a step back towards the teenager I assumed was the Nephilim they'd gone to find.
"I will stand with him, since his fate is my own." The girl said and I watched as my brother's face dropped in shock at the words coming from his crushes mouth.
"Masen" my father said tensely and as if he was a puppet on strings he ascended the stage and came to stand next to me.
My eyes finally fell on the ancient vampire in the room. She stared at my father like a prisoner seeing the sun for the first time.
"Panc-" she began to speak, her tone wistful and nostalgic.
"Sulpicia, Aurelio. I welcome you to my home and thank you for making the journey." He interrupted her.
"Athena, Aurelio is not on trial, nor do I wish to question him for any crimes he has or hasn't committed. Your fates are not tied, and I know you are well aware that I invited him here on the pretence of education and training. You do not need to fear for any mistreatment of your kind. There is much to be done to determine his similarities to you and why your powers are so similar. You needn't be so protective" my father said turning to the girl looking between the powerful members on the stage staring the guests down.
"Then why is every powerful member of the guard in this very room?" she asked.
"Precaution" he answered tightly, and his eyes fell on Sulpicia. She was still staring at him. Still fascinated by my father.
"It has been a long time, my son" she said giving a soft smile. I saw my dad hide his need to flinch at the words.
"I am not your son. I never was." He answered her. "I have no hate for you, but as my deceased father's wife, you have to understand you cannot stay here." He said strongly. The woman before him immediately turned and looked at Esther. A flash of betrayal showed on her face.
"Perhaps we should discuss this-" Esther immediately countered but my fathers head span to look at her.
"There is no discussion to be had. I cannot have a symbol of the old Volturi under the roof of my new one. The leaders have decided. We are to offer your son a home here, an education and the training and protection he needs. But you cannot stay under this roof. You cannot enter these grounds. You cannot be seen anywhere within this city. Not now, not ever. I will not risk what my descendants and I have built." He answered strongly. There was a soft mumble over the guard, the general consensus was agreement. My father immediately raised his hand to silence the room.
"He needs the Volturi protection. He needs to be here, where those witches can't get to him!" It was Athena that answered back. My father frowned at her in shock of her quick defence of the boy. Honestly, I was a little shocked too.
"I made a deal with a powerful coven of witches, and I broke it. The child is right, my boy needs your protection now. It was promised to me by Esther. You can't go back on your offer." Sulpicia added. It wasn't my father that spoke but Asta.
"We have offered your son that protection. It is you we do not extend it to. If you loved your child and wanted what was best for him you would agree to these terms. You know we are the only ones that can help him, or you wouldn't have come in the first place. Not only do you pose a threat as a symbol of Aro's Volturi, but you also pose a threat bringing a coven of Lilim witches to our doorstep. We are being as reasonable as we can." Asta cut in, stepping forward and standing at my father's side. My brother Matthew was still slightly behind his coleaders at the front of the stage.
Sulpicia's eyes landed on Asta and there was a delight that shone in them at the sight of my niece.
"You are his blood." She said knowingly.
"You mean the sadistic tyrant great-grandfather you called husband?" she snapped back. Sulpicia smiled at Asta's fire. "Yes."
"You cannot separate a mother from their child." It was Lidiya that spoke next. Which shocked me. My father turned to her, a flash of pity and understanding went over his face but it dropped quickly.
"And yet we cannot have her under our roof threatening everything you've ever sacrificed to keep the Volturi strong and at peace" he reminded her. Playing her own emotions back at her.
"I have a suggestion." Esther said and Zio turned to look at her. Esther's eyes fell on Axton's son Levi in the guard room before looking back to Zio. "Help them settle somewhere, it doesn't have to be Chicago, it can be anywhere in the country. It can be a thousand miles away. But give them guards, give them means to adjust and protection from any witches that might come after them. Every weekend, Levi can collect Aurelio and bring him here, alone, to attend the Volturi Academy. Aurelio will receive discrete protection by the Volturi from anyone that wishes to take his power for themselves, whilst still getting to benefit from our training and education programme. With the added bonus of his mother being far away from here."
The room stayed silent, and many eyes were on Zio as he took what Esther said in. He looked to Matthew and then to Asta. Each of them giving him a nod.
"Very well." He said and turned back to Sulpicia. "This is the only offer I can give you. Providing I can find volunteers in my guard willing to accompany you."
Sulpicia turned to her son, who looked very lost I might add.
"It is better than making a deal with the devil witches. I accept." She said in a strange hybrid Italian and English accent.
"Then I shall begin the arrangements immediately." My father announced and immediately dismissed the court. People began shuffling out of the room, leaving a few remaining.
"Pancrazio" Sulpicia said softly and the look on her face made me widely uncomfortable. He ignored her, moving over to Masen at my side to give him a hug.
"Welcome back tesoro, you did great." He praised him and Masen beamed a smile back at our father. Oh, how my brother dreamed of those words. I nearly rolled my eyes.
"Pancrazio" Sulpicia insisted again until finally my father span around, his arm behind his back still in contact with Masen next to me. He was face to face with her now, both his children behind him.
"What is it?" he asked her.
"It's so good to see you. So big and strong." she said with a strange melodic voice.
"I share no such joy Sulpicia. I apologise for my brashness when you have only ever shown me kindness. But you must understand, you being here. It brings up a lot of emotions for me. A lot of confusion and pain that I hoped to never have to face." He explained. I reached to take my fathers hand from behind right as my mother came to stand at his side. Sulpicia's eyes fell on Chantelle and her eyes widened before she beamed a smile.
"They are your children, both of them" she said with certainty looking at me and Masen behind our parents.
"Two of six, yes." My mother beamed proudly. I saw my father huff in response to her revealing how many children they have. I rolled my eyes, Sulpicia could easily find out that information if she wanted, I wasn't sure why my dad was so reluctant to talk to her. I understood his pain, but it wasn't like she had been dead for the last two hundred years, my father was famous in our world, she was bound to hear about him and his life.
"Your father would be so proud of you. You have so much power here, your guard, its a guard he only dreamed of." she said and this time my dad didn't hide his flinch.
"I am nothing like him." He said through gritted teeth.
"Perhaps not. But you have become exactly who he wanted you to be. You have powerful and beautiful children. You have continued his line with his approved bride. Did you know that? That he wanted you to marry into the Cullen's so that their abilities would be his, that they would be at your disposal?" she asked with a slight head tilt. "And you've done so well, your son. He is Aro incarnate" she said giving my brother at my side a creepy grin.
I didn't know how to take this woman but calling Masen 'Aro incarnate' was a big mistake. My parents wouldn't stand for that.
"It doesn't matter what he wanted. What he would and wouldn't be proud of. He is dead. Ashes in the earth. We are still standing." It was my mother that answered for him, her snarkiness returning. A fire was lit in her the second Sulpicia mentioned my mother's children. "You will never mention Aro under this roof or in front of my husband again. You will never look at my children or acknowledge their similarities to their grandfather. Aurelio has a place here, but you do not." She threatened and I knew in that moment that wasn't just a threat. She'd used her ability on her. My mother had mind controlled Sulpicia into doing her command. I rarely got to see my mother use her power. In fact, it had only been a few times in my entire life I had seen the magnitude and power of her ability. But this was the scariest of all those times. This wasn't just her using her ability to help the Volturi or control a subject. This was to protect her family, to protect her children.
Sulpicia barely let out a nod, feeling the weight of Chantelle's ability pressing down on her.
"I thank you greatly for the offer of protection for my son." She said and taking a step back away from my family and down to the centre of the room where Aurelio was speaking to Athena. I could practically feel my brother heat up at my side at the sight.
"You two need to get home. Your mother and I will be staying a few days to sort everything out. Do as your aunt Nessie and uncle Jake say, please." my father said motioning for Levi to come over to us.
"I need to talk to Athena." My brother said immediately walking off.
"Levi" my father said as he reached us. My mother stepped forward and kissed my forehead as Levi held his hand out for me. I took it and before I could blink I was in my bedroom in la push.
"I need a favour" I asked him before he disappeared out of my sight and back to Chicago. The immortal warlock frowned at me.
"What kind of favour?"
"I was in Chicago to collect a dress from my grandmother Alice. Can you bring it back for me? Please" I asked him. He gave me just a nod in return before he was gone from my room and I was alone.
That was yesterday and today I was meeting Gabriel at a little Italian restaurant in Seattle. I had received a text from him last week, reminding me that I'd agreed to a date with him when he was in town. Honestly I hadn't noticed that it was already the last weekend in the month but I had agreed so long ago now. He'd booked an Italian and id rolled my eyes at that but at least it would be good food even if his company fired my emotions up in so many different ways.
I tried to put the events of the day before out of my head but I worried for my father, I worried for my brother and for what all this meant.
I was lucky my parents were out. I told my aunt Nessie that I was meeting a school friend for late night shopping and food and she didn't even blink an eye. It was easy to lie to my aunt and uncle. Its not so easy to lie to the leaders of the Volturi.
I was both nervous and curious as I arrived in Seattle.
I arrived at the meeting place Gabriel had said ten minutes early and he was already there. I straightened my dress as I climbed out the car.
"Hello printsesa" he smirked from where he stood near his flashy expensive car. He was wearing a suit, the business kind with the top button undone and a slightly crinkled shirt underneath his open jacket. It told me he'd been in it all day at whatever meetings he'd had. I hated how handsome I found him. I hadn't seen him in three weeks, I'd barely thought about him at all during that time. All I'd thought about was Azriel. So how did he elicit this reaction from me? What was it that ignited in the pit of my belly at the sight of him? How was it I was so madly in love with Azriel and yet Gabriel could get this kind of reaction out of me?
Lust was infuriatingly inconvenient.
I shook off the thought as I walked up to him.
"Was that supposed to be princess?" I asked him with a scowl.
"Well, you are a Volturi Princess" he said and held his arm out for me to take. I ignored it and walked ahead of him towards the restaurant. I heard him chuckle and caught up to me in seconds.
"The Volturi Princess is my niece, not me." I said folding my arms over my chest as he opened the door for me, and we entered. He greeted the front man, and he immediately led us to a booth in the back of the restaurant.
"Your father is a king. So, it's only fitting" he commented as he took my coat and handed it to the frontman. I sat down and he sat opposite me. The menus were placed in front of us but neither of us looked at them. I was staring him down annoyed he was calling me royalty.
"Says the man with the surname Disney" I scoffed. He grinned widely.
"What would you like to drink printsesa?" he asked taking the drinks menu.
"Something strong if I'm going to get through you calling me that. Are you saying it wrong by accident or just to be annoying?" I said with a sigh.
"it's Bulgarian, an entirely different language" he said with a disapproving look.
"It sounds too much like English. Who swaps between languages mid-sentence?" I asked with a frown.
"I heard your father do it the day we found Emelina. I'm guessing a lot of bilingual people in your family do it. My mother has done it my whole life" he said with a shake of his head.
"Rosé wine" I answered him about the drink.
"How old are you?" he asked sceptically at my answer.
"Old enough for you to take to your bed, so I think I can have a glass of wine" I glared at him. I needed alcohol to get through the next hour with him. I wasn't sure I'd make it without kicking him at least once under the table. He smirked and it both equally made me want to puke and swoon at the same time.
He raised his hand, calling the waiter and ordered my rosé and a red wine for himself. Alcohol was one thing my parents allowed, strangely enough. At least on Volturi grounds anyway. They never had rules against Masen or I drinking under their own roof. I guess this wasn't the same, but what they didn't know wouldn't kill them. I was already on a date with someone they wouldn't approve of, if I was already going to hell I may as well go there happy on alcohol.
"Bad things happen when we're drunk" he winked, and I rolled my eyes and held back the urge to gag.
"I don't remember much of it so if it was bad I'll take your word for it."
"Liar" he remarked as he lifted the menu to look at or hide behind, I wasn't sure. He was right I was lying, and it definitely was not bad. But they were his words. I had no one to compare to after all. It didn't hurt my ego, I wasn't sure he was telling the truth anyway, I remember his pleasure all too well. If that was bad, what was good? I didn't want to think about it.
"I'm changing the subject." I said with a hostile glare. "You said your mother is bilingual, obviously Bulgarian because of her mother and grandfather. Does your father speak it? and your sister?" I asked lifting my own menu to read it. I needed to be civil with him so changing the subject to family was an easy escape.
"My father no, although he has picked up a lot of it. He understands it when we speak it in the house. My parents raised us with two languages. My mother spoke Bulgarian a long side my father as he spoke English to make sure my sister and I learnt both equally. They mostly did it for my sister." He explained. I remembered seeing his sister, knowing instantly she was different to her brother and parents.
"Laureline is human" I said as a fact.
"She is" he answered as he continued to stare at the menu in front of him. I sat back and studied his face.
"Adopted then" I clarified.
"Ten points to the printsesa" he said with a smirk but didn't look over the menu, I rolled my eyes.
"Stop calling me that." I mumbled.
"Kralitsa then? Or do you prefer gospodarka?" he raised his eyebrow as he looked over the menu.
"I don't speak Bulgarian!" I said strongly and I didn't drop eye contact as I showed my annoyance. His smirk grew but the eye contact dropped, and he went back to reading the menu. "you're infuriating" I scowled.
"Do you speak any other languages? I've heard your father speaking Italian. The court is ran in Italian. Does that mean you understand it too?" he asked ignoring my frustration.
"I understand it, but I don't speak it. My father speaks it interchangeably with English around the house but not as strictly as your parents did. My brother took to Italian like a duck to a pond. I wasn't really bothered about learning the family language."
"Learning a second language is good for you" he said patronisingly.
"Is that what your mommy told you?" I asked with an eye roll.
"I want to say it was my great-grandmother Esther when she was teaching me three of the languages I know." He said and his eyes raised to my face to make a point.
"I don't throw around my famous relatives, it's a bit weird to just name drop her whenever you want to one up someone" I said with a sigh, and I dropped the menu back on the table.
"Your famous relatives aren't Esther Josephson though" he smirked again.
"She is my older brother's mother-in-law" I raised my eyebrows at him returning his smirk. His smile dropped instantly.
"That barely makes her a relative" he said as if he was working out in his head if we had somehow broken the laws of incest on our drunken one night together. Thankfully we were only connected through adoption and marriage, no blood.
"Relative of a relative" I nodded in agreement. "So how come with a grandmother like Esther and a grandfather like Carlisle, you are such a royal asshole?" I asked folding my arms across my chest. He genuinely couldn't hide the small shock that appeared on his face at my words. I shrugged away the discomfort I felt at the fact I'd clearly insulted him.
"It's complicated" he responded and pursed his lips.
"The Disney blood really that strong?" I teased.
"My father isn't like that"
"No but your grandfather is" I shrugged. Nicholas Disney may run the Disney empire now, but I had heard stories about the owner before him. I'd heard about the fact Nicholas and Eden didn't let any of Nicholas' family see their children, especially after the drama with their daughter, who after meeting her I had realised she wasn't their biological daughter at all. I wanted the story, but Gabriel didn't seem to want to budge.
"I've never met that grandfather" he said with such distain.
"Did he not approve of your parents adopting? Is that why?" I asked.
"Laureline's story is not mine to tell" he said acid coating his voice.
"it's sweet how much you protect her" I said genuinely.
"she's my sister, she's family, we still share the same blood." He said defensively but he realised after he said it what he'd said.
"so, she's a half-sister then?" I asked wondering if it was possible his parents had somehow had a human child with someone else. My basic understanding of supernatural genetics told me that it wasn't possible though. Shed have at least some amount of supernatural in her but that girl was full blooded human.
"no" he almost growled at me. He slammed the menu down just as the waiter arrived.
"What can I get you both?" she asked staring between us both. We had both moved so we were leaning over the table we were both equally challenging each other. Gabriel immediately sat back; a perfectly sweet expression appeared across his face as he looked to the waiter. He reeled off his order and she turned to look at me then. I told her my order with a slight tension in my voice and she left us alone.
"I'm not trying to piss you off Gabriel. I'm just trying to understand you." I told him truthfully. It was probably the biggest admission I'd ever given him. Whatever expression my face wore convinced him I was telling the truth. Either that or he possessed his mother's ability of seeing emotions.
I wonder what ability he did possess.
"She is my cousin. Genetically. She is my father's sister's child. She was abandoned on my parents' doorstep when I was a year old. My parents took her in, thinking one day my aunt would pull her life together and come back for her child. She never did. My father tried to find her, but she struggles with addictions. He's put her in rehab seven times in the last decade. My aunt signed away her rights the day she abandoned her, and Laureline is legally my parent's daughter. She was raised as their daughter; she calls my mother mama and my father dad. She is my sister through our blood." I realised id struck a nerve. My feelings and thoughts on Gabriel were complex but I definitely didn't mean to anger him like that.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or imply she wasn't your sister. I know how it feels to have a family connection like that" I said and avoided his gaze as I looked down at my drink on the table.
"You live with your cousins, right?" he asked.
"I do but they're practically my siblings" I said with a nod. "We just have two sets of parents" I smirked spinning the glass in my fingers.
"Must be fun to live with that many people" he said with a soft smile.
"It makes for an interesting household" I agreed.
"My great uncle is your grandfather" he said after a moment, and I looked up to see him smirk at me. "Emmett is fun" he remarked. I let out a laugh I couldn't contain.
"don't put those words in a sentence again" I said after a moment.
"Emmett is fun?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"my grandfather is your uncle" I said not being able to control the shiver down my spine.
"I mean neither of us are blood related to the man. Not sure why it matters" he shrugged.
"everything's about blood with you, isn't it?" I asked after a moment of reflection.
"I'm a vampire. Of course, it is." He said with a smirk.
"you're a child of a child of a Luna bambini, there isn't even a name for your classification of the species" I teased him.
"I'm also the child of a vampire" he said cockily with a wink.
"which makes you a barely diluted form of one" I said with a shake of my head.
"more than you hybrid" he remarked.
"I'm stronger than you" I couldn't contain my laugh.
"no you aren't" he said in pure shock.
"yes, yes I am. You might be faster but I'm definitely stronger" I said and turned to glare at him. I remembered our time together very clearly. I had flipped him over on the bed with the ease of a human. I remembered the feeling of his hands on my skin, I remembered his strength. I tried not to blush as I brought up the memories in my head. I was suddenly very glad he wasn't directly related to the mind readers of the family. "I think you and I remember our encounter very differently" I teased him.
"You think our night together was a show of strength? I think we do remember it very differently. Perhaps we need a rematch." he said, his eyes were dancing across my face, his lips were twitching into a smirk. Was he flirting with me?
"I remember it quite clearly" I said defensively and instantly regretted it.
"of course you do" he smiled but it turned into a laugh. He'd caught me admitting my lie from earlier. I couldn't help but laugh with him, I felt the blush fill my cheeks.
"I'm stronger" I said trying to get back on topic.
"Do you not think maybe that I was being gentle? That I wasn't taking charge or using my strength because I knew it was your first time and wanted to let you lead it all for your own comfort? That I was being chivalrous and kind?" he asked as his eyes locked with mine, I felt my blush deepen and a flutter in my stomach at his words. I forced myself to look away from him before I took a sip of my drink and slowly put the glass back on the table before I answered.
"You call that gentle?" I asked as I looked up at him through my eyelashes. The answering smirk turned the flutter in my stomach to full butterflies.
"Maybe next time we run into each other at the Volturi we can use one of those many training rooms to prove who really is the strongest" he propositioned.
"deal" I said instantly to keep him away from suggesting we use the bed again. "what languages do you speak?" I asked trying to swerve the subject away from training and sex. He saw what I was doing but shrugged and answered the question.
"Bulgarian, English, Italian are my main three. I also speak French and Spanish."
"Why Italian?" I asked curious. That was the Volturi language. I guess it made sense since he was a sort of guard member, but he wasn't a typical guard member, he was an emissary. He was sent out around the world to do liaisons for my father. He rarely stood guard or attended court.
"Esther. It's her mother tongue" he said.
"of course," I said feeling stupid. She was just as Italian as my father was. Sometimes I forgot the histories of my family members, I rarely paid attention in school when I was at the Volturi. I'd much rather be in La Push.
"You push away from anything that makes you Volturi, is that why you refuse to learn Italian?" he asked. I looked at him with annoyance at how much he could easily read from me.
"Do you have your mother or grandfather's ability?" I asked avoiding the question.
"you're avoiding the question" he smirked.
"So are you" I responded as the waiter came over with our food. We both accepted but neither of us touched the food as we turned back on each other.
"Well?" we both asked the exact same second.
"I asked you first" he said after. I sighed and reached for my fork to play with my pasta.
"I'm eating pasta, aren't I? I don't completely push away my Italian heritage"
"Eating pasta is hardly an Italian exclusive pass time. You don't like that you're an heiress." He said with surety.
"How much do you know about me?" I asked curiously watching the way he looked at me. Could this man see my soul? The whole idea made me feel extremely naked and exposed.
"No, I can't see your soul" he said softly as if he knew what I was feeling. Did I say it out loud? Or was I that easy to read?
"So, you're just good at reading people?" I asked for clarity. It must be something. He couldn't be this good at people. He was my father's human emissary for a reason, he had the elite of the human world wrapped around his finger, since he began working with his father the Disney industry reputation healed and it was starting to be seen as a good force in the world. A stark contrast to what it was before Nicholas took over. He and his son had a way with people, that much was clear.
Yes, okay I'd been googling. But I wasn't telling Gabriel that.
"Something like that" he said, and he bit his lower lip as he sat back against the booth.
"you're not going to tell me, are you?" I asked as I ate my first bite of pasta.
"Will you tell me what you can do?" he asked inquisitively.
"no" I said after I swallowed. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone what I could do. It was his own great grandmother's rule to protect me. What I could do would make people fear me and I didn't want that. I just wanted to be normal. Plus, if I told him what I could do, he'd never tell me his ability. If I didn't know it, I couldn't use it against him. Not that I had any plans to, but I would lose his trust instantly.
"Then abilities are off the table" he said as he drummed his fingers on the table between us. I smiled at his pun before I ate more food.
He reached forward to grab his own fork and made an effort to eat his own. I could see he was very good at pretending like he was enjoying it. But I could also see how he may as well be eating sand.
"I'm not an heiress by the way. It doesn't really work like that in the Volturi." I said after a few more bites.
"Pray tell." He said.
"First born is the heir" I said with a shrug.
"But the current leaders aren't firstborns." He said. "Except your father" he added after a moment.
"Matthew is the first-born son and Asta is only leader because her two older siblings stood down." I said with another shrug.
"Masen isn't first born either, but he's the next heir, right?" he asked.
"he's… well he's the first born of my generation." I tried to explain it, but I didn't really have much of a solid argument, in reality any descendant of my father had the right to lead the Volturi in some capacity, just most of them weren't fools enough to want it.
"To me it seems that any child of Zio is an heir whether they like it or not. You just get a choice in that decision to fulfil his legacy. Which is good." He said after a moment of thoughtfulness.
"Did you not have a choice?" I asked knowing he played a very big part in his father's leadership of their company. He was clearly being groomed to take over one day.
"Oh, I did. In fact, my parents tried to keep me out of it for years. As a teenager they were insistent that I went to university, that I lived a life, that I experienced other things to find out what I enjoyed. I just idolised my father too much to want anything other than being his legacy" he said with a shrug.
"that's kind of sweet." I said with a smile, and he rolled his eyes. "it's the same with my brother" I said after a moment. "Masen" I clarified. Sometimes I forgot I had two. Matthew tried to be present in mine and my siblings lives but his priority was always the Volturi. Especially because our father spent so little time there now he had us to raise. "My parents are very good at separating the Volturi from the family here. My dad goes to work from 9 to 5 then comes home like any normal dad and leaves work at the office. We go as a family on a Sunday for superschool but other than that, we're kept in the dark, we're kept out of legacies and pressures of heirdom. Superschool prepares us for the possibility and gives us the adequate information to decide about our future for ourselves. Its given to us as a choice only." I explained.
"Superschool?" he smirked.
"it's what me and my siblings call it. We spend the whole day at the Volturi estate every Sunday, self-defence training, ability training, supernatural history lessons, politics. That sort of thing. A balance to our human education."
"that's why I always see you at the estate when I visit my grandmother" he responded with a thoughtful nod.
"You go to see her every weekend?" I asked curiously. I had an hour's training on a Sunday with Esther so I wondered if he was always there waiting for her whilst she was spending time with me. I didn't want to let on his grandmother was my teacher. It would tell him that my ability was more powerful than the average. Or at least more complicated. Esther was only brought in to teach the Cullen children that had more complex abilities relating to the mind.
"Whenever I can work it into my schedule yes. My grandmother Ivana too." He explained with a nod.
"Momma's boy?" I asked with a smirk. He rolled his eyes.
"I spend time with my grandfathers too. Esther just helped raise me, so I have a lot of respect for her." He said. "Your grandfather too, Jasper." He added with a raised eyebrow.
"Ability training" I nodded seducing the reason he spent so much time with Esther and Jasper. He did have an ability similar to his mothers, but I also believed him when he said he couldn't see my soul. So, was it closer to Jasper's ability then?
"There is definitely a unique connection between mentor and student" I agreed as I took another mouthful of pasta so he didn't expect me to elaborate.
"Who teaches you with your ability?" he asked curiously.
"My father" I didn't lie but I also didn't add about my extra lessons with Esther. My father helped me with one part of my ability I inherited from him, Esther helped me with the part I got from my mother.
"Your brother has lessons from Esther, right?" he asked curiously.
"It's no secret what he can do" I said carefully, I wondered if he'd heard the rumours that I knew went around the Volturi about my brother's ability.
"Remind me not to get on the bad side of your brother" he smiled grimly. "He doesn't know about us, right?" he asked after a moment. I ignored his question for a moment.
"What about my bad side?" I asked and I regretted that it came out more flirtatious than it was supposed to be. He smiled back and winked but didn't answer. I paused before I said more seriously. "No, he doesn't know. He thinks I'm in love with his best friend. He wouldn't think I was stupid enough to lose my virginity to a stranger." I answered his question.
"I'm not exactly a stranger. And well? are you in love with his best friend?" he asked with a twitch of his lips.
"yes" I responded not ashamed to admit it.
"Does the best friend know?" he asked, and I couldn't read his face.
"no" I answered snappily.
"So why are you on a date with me?" he asked.
"Because he's in love with my cousin." I answered truthfully.
"I'm sorry" he said softly, and I frowned at the gentleness of his voice. I preferred the snarky arrogant side of him. It was easier to remember who he was when he was that person.
"I don't need your pity." I said defensively. He didn't react to my comment he just went back to eating his food and we sat in silence for several minutes whilst we both ate. I knew he kept looking at me, but I avoided his gaze and focused on my food and downing my drink.
"ako ne te vizhda kato kralitsata, koyato si, toĭ ne te zasluzhava" he said after a while. I committed the phrase to memory in an attempt to translate it later.
"you're not going to tell me what you just said are you?" I asked him. He pursed his lips to stop himself from smiling as he pushed his half-eaten plate to the side of the table to signify he was finished.
"Are you a dessert kind of person?" he asked after a moment, the usual flirtatious arrogance returning.
I answered him and our discussion of food morphed into cooking and family and restaurants and the dozens he's had to endure for business and the art of looking normal as a part vampire heir of a multibillion-dollar dynasty.
We were less hostile as the night went on and I realised that we had spent five hours just talking, even long after the food had left our tables and the glasses of wine turned into bottles.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" I asked after he just asked the waiter to leave the bottle.
"Sweet kralitsa, you're already drunk" he laughed and poured me a drink anyway.
"What does that word mean?" I asked curiously as I took the drink he offered me.
"queen" he said, and I felt his gaze burning through me as he was determined to keep eye contact as he said it. "You don't like printsesa so kralitsa is the only alternative that fits you." he said, and I felt my heart physically miss a beat. "I was raised to treat women with respect. I've watched my father worship the ground my mother walks on my whole life. Calling you queen is something I can't help. You are deserving of the title."
Fuck him and his charming words and piercing stare.
"I'm not sleeping with you" I made it extremely clear as those eyes bore into mine.
"I never expected you to" he said with a small frown.
"Just checking" I responded whilst taking another drink from the glass.
He told me more about his parents and their sickeningly perfect love story. Although he skimmed over the part where my father gave his an ultimatum that cost him his life. I knew from his face that was still a particular sore point in Gabriel's mind. He didn't agree with the decision my father made, that was no secret.
Eden and Nicholas were literally out of a fairy tale, and I teased him a little about the Disney connection to which he grinned widely and said, 'where do you think we get our movie ideas from?'
My younger sister Emelina would adore Gabriel and his family if she knew that the Disney's were connected to the Cullen's. She often spent entire afternoons sitting at the TV watching Disney films on repeat.
After seven hours together Gabriel had a driver come pick me up.
"You don't have to" I said as I concentrated on walking out of the restaurant.
"you're not fit to drive or run home" he said as his arm reached out to steady me as we hit the pavement. I took a step away from his touch and he dropped his arm like he didn't notice.
"Thank you for the food and the wine." I said and turned to genuinely smile at him. It had been fun, getting to know him at least.
"you're welcome, thank you for keeping me company in this city. I only spend two days here a month, I don't know it very well yet" he said with a light smile as he looked up at the lights of the street around us. I knew he was fishing for me to offer him a tour, but I wasn't biting. Luckily the driver pulled up and Gabriel leant forward to open the door for me. I paused and turned to look at him, my head was fuzzy, and I hated how my heart betrayed my attraction to him. Even if he couldn't see my soul, he could probably read every emotion just as his mother could. I hated the thought.
"I had fun. Thank you" I said sincerely, and he gave a small nod and a smile.
"Goodnight, Alicia" he responded, and I turned to climb into the car.
"goodnight" I murmured in response, and he closed the door before leaning over the window of the passenger seat to tell the driver where to go.
He knew exactly where I lived.
Great.
I sat in silence as the car drove away and I daren't look back to see if he watched me leave.
In the back of the car were bottles of water and I gladly downed three of them to keep the headache at bay that I could feel starting to press into my brain.
The car pulled up outside the locked gate and I thanked him and asked for the bill.
"I am contracted to Mr Disney ma'am. It has already been paid." He said. "Have a good evening" he added and waited to see me enter the safety of the grounds before he turned and left. I made sure the gate closed behind me as I made the walk down the drive to the front door. I took a deep sigh before I reached for the door handle and quietly slipped inside. The house was silent. It was one am and I knew everyone would be asleep. I was grateful my parents weren't in town. I imagined my father standing at his bedroom door waiting for me to return.
As I reached my bedroom door, I heard footsteps on the spiral staircase that led to the tower. My head span around to see Azriel walking down. He paused when he saw me. My heart leapt in my chest. The warm feeling I felt when I was around him flooded me like a drug.
"Hey" he said shifting his weight nervously.
"Hey" I responded but wasn't sure what else to say. It was so late. What was he even doing here?
"I went to see the stars." He said awkwardly. I gave him a smile but didn't say anything. We hadn't spoken much since I gave him a tour around the Volturi. That was weeks ago now. He hadn't apologised for his outburst, and I didn't really think he ever would. Stuff like that wasn't easy for him, and it didn't mean I loved him any less for it.
"I was hoping you'd be up there." He said avoiding eye contact.
"I was on a date" I said blankly. His eyes shot up.
"Did it go well?" he asked, and my heart panged at the sound of excitement he had. I knew it was wrong to hope, wrong to want anything, but part of me wanted him to be jealous, to ask who it was and hunt him down and tell him to back down. But there was no jealousy there, just genuine excitement I might have found a boyfriend.
"Not really" I said although I hadn't exactly unpacked the events of the night for myself yet. "Why did stop on this floor?" I asked wondering why he didn't continue down the spiral staircase to the floor that led him home. He had purposely stopped on this floor where me and my siblings slept.
"I wanted to apologise for what I said in the library at the Volturi. It was harsh and I was just upset with myself. We've never really been friends, but I've always felt comfortable around you, safe. Like I could tell you anything. I don't know why. I just..." He said and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I'm sorry."
Ah.
I was surprised I was even hearing the words from him. I never thought he was capable of them. Even if I was touched by his ability to apologise to me, the words stung. He was right, we weren't friends. He didn't really owe me anything.
"Don't worry about it." I gave him a sheepish smile. "I've already forgotten it." I lied. Obviously, I hadn't. It plagued me constantly. The trauma I saw in his eyes, the regret and guilt over the fact he told his mother he hated her before she died. I couldn't imagine living with that pain, the sorrow. I saw it on his face in that moment every time I closed my eyes.
"Thanks" he said softly giving me a knowing smile. He knew I hadn't forgotten but I wouldn't push him to talk about it. Not until he was ready. I gave him a fake smile in return. "Goodnight, Alicia"
"goodnight" I said and walked into my room and closed the door.
I stripped immediately and pulled on my favourite fluffy pyjamas. It was getting cold now in Washington. I loved this time of year, because I got to wear the most ridiculous fluffy pyjamas and onesies, drink hot cocoa and read my books.
I climbed onto my bed and my head was starting to clear as I pulled my laptop onto my lap. I curled into my duvet as I tried my best to type phonetically what Gabriel had said earlier in the night about the fact I was in love with Azriel.
'ako ne te vizhda kato kralitsata, koyato si, toĭ ne te zasluzhava'
'If he doesn't see you as a queen, he doesn't deserve you'
I slammed my laptop lid down angrily.
I hated the thought of him misunderstanding Azriel.
I hated the thought that he thought he was better than him.
I hated that his words made my heart pound in my chest.
I hated that as I curled into my bed and tried my hardest to fall asleep, all I thought about was him.