Well, my brain refuses to leave this story for now, so no sleep for me I guess. Enjoy!
Warning; Aro is not pleasant in this story! Non-consenting kissing ahead! Read with care!
Aro sat waiting in his study. He had not been of much use since she had been there, his mind constantly lingering on her. So he had retired and decided to wait it out in peace until she decided to return. He knew she would return eventually. Edward was not the right man for her. He was barely a man at all. Aro sneered. She needed more than a mere boy. That thought comforted him, and so, he settled in for a long wait. It might take her days or weeks, but he knew she would return to him. She simply had to.
It wasn't long at all.
The Cullen's had left a couple of days ago, and already Aro's ears pricked up with the sound of mortal footsteps.
She had arrived.
He remained in his seat for now, casually looking at the door as it swung inwards. Jane led the way, the human girl in tow.
"Master, I bring you Isabella Swan," Jane said, casting a neutral glance at the girl before bowing out of the room. This was one of the many reasons she was such a good guard. She never lingered longer than necessary.
Aro turned his attention to the human.
A long silence stretched between the two as he considered her presence. Her long silky hair hung around her shoulders, her eyes heavy with the last days events. Dark circles hung like dark purple curtains beneath her eyes. He could see she had been crying. She was breathing in bursts, as if she had been running, but in reality she might just be questioning her own decisions.
He stood up, peering intently at his guest. She had not moved from beside the door, and she was watching him with slightly wider eyes than the first time she had met him.
"Welcome back, my dear," he said softly, walking around his desk to get to her. As he approached, she gulped and backed up hastily, hitting the door with a thump. Aro stepped right up to her, looming over her.
"I knew you would be back." He leaned in and took a deep breath, the scent of her hair filling his nostrils. His mouth practically watered.
She said nothing, merely waiting in tense silence, only her breathing giving away how scared she suddenly felt.
"Are you frightened of me?" He asked, taking in her petrified stance. He knew the answer already. Fear had quite a distinct smell in every human.
"Yes," she said instantly, her voice breathless.
He could see tears glistening in her eyes.
"How is that possible?" He asked quietly, allowing a finger to trace her jaw. She gasped at his icy touch, closing her eyes tightly.
"Why did you return to me, Isabella?" He inquired sternly.
She licked her lips, squeezing her eyes together even tighter.
"I don't know."
He regarded her for a long time. He knew his proximity unsettled her, but he could not help himself. He wanted to be so close he could feel the warmth of her body prickle his skin.
"You must have a reason," he said quietly. "Tell me," he ordered.
She took a few deep breaths, apparently trying to settle something within herself.
"I can't explain it. It was just the thought of leaving, to be back home with Edward. It was unbearable to me."
Aro bared his teeth. This was not the answer he had hoped for. Edward should not be at the centre of her thoughts.
"Isabella, look at me," he ordered firmly.
Her eyebrows tugged together in consternation, but eventually she opened her eyes, looking up at him. He was so close she had to tilt her head back to get a better look at him.
He searched her face for a long time, probing her eyes until she had to blink. He placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting her head from side to side, examining the skin around her neck and throat.
"You, my dear, are lying," he concluded.
He could not read her mind directly, but he could still see the signs of lies in her physical reaction. Her pupils had dilated marginally, her pulse increasing even more than it already was. He could smell the sweat on the palms of her hands, and he distinctly noticed the slight flush around her ears as she lied. A shocked breath escaped her as she looked into his face. She shook her head futilely.
"Listen carefully, my dear, I will not be repeating myself," he said.
He spoke softly, but the tone of his voice was stern. He needed her to understand something.
"I do not tolerate lying. You will tell me the truth, or I will have to make... other arrangements for you. I am an impatient man, and I am used to getting truthful answers, and swiftly. If you wish to join us, I expect your obedience in everything. Is that understood?"
The threat underlying his words was clearly reflected in her eyes. He could see tears pressing in as doubt and regrets surfaced within her.
He had not planned on actually harming her, but she needed to understand who he was and what he was capable of.
She closed her eyes, and a single tear fell from between her lashes. He heard it, as it crashed onto the carpet between their feet. He kept his gaze on her, waiting silently.
"Can I go now?" She finally asked, her voice shaking somewhat.
He snorted softly, feeling disappointed. She was not what he had expected.
"Go?" He repeated in a low voice.
"I wanna go home," she said, another tear falling from her, as she realised her predicament.
"I am afraid it is too late for that, my dear."
Her eyes fixed on the carpet at his feet.
"I can't leave?" She asked, fear entering her voice.
"No," he confirmed.
"Why?" He could feel her beginning to tremble.
"Because, I said so. You are in the Volturi now." She gave a strangled sob.
"But, you were kind to me, you put Edward in his place. I don't-" she was sobbing hysterically now.
"You do not what, Miss Swan?" Aro interrupted her abruptly.
She gave a rasping breath, her wet eyes pleading with him.
"I don't understand!" She finally said.
He gazed down at her.
"There is only one thing you need to understand, my dear," he said softly.
He leaned in close, their noses nearly touching, his lips hovering over hers as he spoke.
"You are mine now." He watched as hope left her eyes. He nearly kissed her, she was so beautiful in her despair. How lucky he was, that she had come back. She gave a grieved sob and sank to the floor at his feet, grabbing her head fiercely.
He considered her for a long moment. Then he knelt down in front of her.
"If you give in to me at this instant, Isabella, your stay here will be much more comfortable. I can make you happy, amore."
She did not answer.
"I saw your dreams of me, little one. I know how you feel towards me."
Her eyes finally snapped open, and he paused.
"You know nothing!" She spat angrily.
She swung a fist at his face, but he caught her hand long before she could make contact, holding onto it in a firm grip.
"You should not hit me," he warned her in a low voice.
"Let me go!"
"I do not think that is wise at the moment, do you?" He hissed darkly.
"I love Edward, okay?!" She said through gritted teeth.
"I told you not to lie to me." He retorted angrily.
"I'm not!" She said in a low voice.
He knew she was not telling the truth.
"Lie to me one more time, and the consequences will be severe, miss Swan. I told you the rules already."
"What rules?! Rules only apply to those who agree and I don't want to be here!" She screamed, her voice cracking with the strain.
"Why did you come back then?" He demanded angrily, finally losing his patience.
She grew silent then.
"Please, Aro, let me go." She pleaded finally.
He gave a deep sigh.
"Tell me how you feel about me." He ordered.
She frowned, and that did not sit well with him. What was going on? She was destined to be his. She must be!
"I don't feel anything," she managed weakly.
He felt a desperate anger rise within him. He grabbed her chin, and fixing his red eyes on her lips, he leaned in and kissed her none too gently. He tried to convey every ounce of his 300 year old frustration. He had waited so long for her.
She remained silent and she did not respond to him as he had wished. He kept kissing her, fiercely hoping she would see sense. Her mouth remained closed and unresponsive. However, he could not ignore the intoxicating scent of her and the taste of her lips as he tried to make her let him in. He was possessed with need, almost overpowered by it, a painful urge exploding forth like a bursting dam..
He growled deeply.
He would make her see. He grabbed her shoulders fiercely, and she whimpered in fear, cowering back against the wall, as far as she could go. The sound made him snap out of it. Eventually he had to relent. He released her lips, his breath coming in sharp pants, his eyes roaming her scared figure. He let her go and stood up swiftly. She sank, if possible, even further onto the floor, sobbing and hugging herself. He could not bring himself to feel pity for her just then. His own feelings were too much of a turmoil.
"Jane." He spoke decisively.
The girl looked up at him with wide, red eyes.
"Aro, no!" She whispered, even as the blonde guard appeared.
"You may refer to me as master, Isabella," Aro corrected her coldly, dismissing them both.
"Take her to the dungeon. I will tend to her presently." He said in a stern voice. Then he went to his desk, the girl's screams resonating in his ears as she was forcibly removed.
He knew he was a monster. However, it wasn't as if she wasn't warned. He had told her so, two days ago. All vampires were.
Even so, he could not quite quench that nagging sense of guilt that had made its way into his mind. Despite his nature, despite his coldness, once the seed was planted, it would not leave. Every thought he spared her, was like nourishment to that seed, and it began to slowly blossom.
I love hearing your thoughts! Thank you! Let me know what you think on this. Too dark?
-Pancakes