The brown haired man continued, reaching his hand out for Aro to take. The action was casual, as if it was rather routine. Aro did so, only for a moment, before looking to me, eyes wide with curiosity and surprise.
"What a wonder." He half whispered, his eyes searing into mine, causing me to tuck further behind Carlisle who now reached back for my hand. I took it and he pulled me closer to his back.
"Edward, what did Marcus see?" Carlisle asked, his voice still steady, but urgent.
Edward's eyes were locked on Marcus who was now smirking, his hand having been released and his arms crossed.
"Aro and Annabelle have a bond. A strong one." He said flatly causing Caius to snap his head to look at the black haired brother and Carlisle to do the same.
My eyes flashed from the royal men that stood before me to the vampires who had been gathered in the room. Mixed emotions of shock, confusion, and in some cases, anger, were plastered on their faces.
"What does that mean?" I finally piped up, finding my voice, directing my question at Bella who was staring at me.
"Um." Bella managed out but Marcus put up his hand.
"It means" he said amused "That you have been saved for today. Though I do not envy you." He said looking as if he had just told a joke he found far too funny.
I stood, looking around me, Carlisle had released my hand and allowed me to step out from behind him, now standing a little more forward.
"I have barely spoken to him. How can we have a bond?" I asked. I could feel tears prickling behind my eyes. I was sick of being out of the loop...but also afraid of the answers.
I was so confused. What did the bond mean? A friendship? A like mind? I suppose that made sense since we had discussed books and been on the same wave length.
"That's not what it means." Edward said sharply receiving a look from the other men. "She's trying time figure out what 'bond' means and she's thinking friendship or similarity." He explained.
A part of me was irritated that he was speaking for me but the other part was relieved I didn't have to out myself as ignorant.
"My dear, it isn't something so simple." Marcus spoke up. His voice was almost calming, softer than the others. His kind eyes met mine and he continued
"You see, my dear. And it is hard to explain to a human. But bonds form between people and especially our kind quickly, usually upon their first interaction. There are many different kinds of bonds that connect different people. I am gifted, like your friends, Edward and Bella here." He gestured to them.
I remembered being told about Bella's shield when Carlisle was explaining how exactly Edward's gift worked.
Now that I thought of this, it seemed like maybe Carlisle did collect vampires with gifts.
"I see the bonds between people kind of like lines with different colors and thicknesses that mean different kinds of relationships. The bond between you and Aro seems to be one I only see when soulmates come in contact."
My throat felt tight and my eyes snapped to Aro who was looking at me with fascination.
"But..but...what?" I stuttered looking to Carlisle then Edward then Bella all of whom were looking at me with new expressions of bewilderment and worry.
"No, forgive me, but that can't be right. I've only talked to him twice." I explained and looked to Marcus in a panic.
In return he shook his head slowly.
"Forgive me, my dear, but I have been alive a very long time and I have never been wrong. It only takes once. Especially with someone as familiar with themselves as Aro. You may not feel the bond in the same way as you are not only human, but rather young. Aro, however, more than likely has already felt it which is why you are alive before us today rather than dead in the Americas."
I could feel my eyes widen as I looked once again to the man who not even two days ago was a stranger to me. How could someone be my soulmate without my even knowing it? We had one short interaction about a book and he looked over me while interacting with Carlisle. How could it have led to a bond like this?
"That still leaves the matter of the exposure." Caius snapped, pulling my attention from Aro who looked slightly irritated at the outburst.
"Brother, can you not go even five minutes without demanding action?" He asked, still kind but with an underlying tone of warning.
"I believe, as Carlisle has stated that young Isabella meant no harm and in fact was rather controlled as she did not kill our darling Annabelle. And for that self control, I owe her a debt it seems as Miss Annabelle has become a subject of great importance to me."
I could feel my cheeks get hot and I was sure I was blushing.
"Are you going to ignore the law because you are suddenly smitten with some human?" Caius snapped.
"Oh, Caius, enough. It seems Aro has already made up his mind and frankly I am rather fond of Isabella as is Annabelle. It seems Annabelle sees her as a very close friend and if you kill her Aro will have to seek revenge for hurting his love's dearest companions ." Marcus countered, his voice sounding truly like a brother teasing the others.
