Chapter Five: Ichor

The sun sank below the horizon, casting golden-blue hues over the sky, outshining the natural violet tones of the sky. Another morning succumbed tonight and with each passing day, the Volturi grew closer to their encounter with the moon children. Yet that thought hadn't crossed Aro's mind. Rather, he tended to his wife's needs, listening to her thoughts with every brush of their skin.

Sulpicia was the only person he allowed himself to be so intimate with. Many of their kind didn't realize that Aro's gift of tactile telepathy resonated through his entire body; not only his hands.

He enjoyed his personal space and thus there were very few he allowed access to more than his hands. Caius, Marcus, Jane, and Renata had signals, if they took his hand, their thoughts were meant to be known. If they grabbed his arm, they were worried and if they touched his neck or face their worries were urgent. None of the remaining guards touched more than his hands.

Athenodora used to be more touchy-feely with him, but, after Didyme's death, she grew distant. He'd read her mind thousands of times, wondering if she suspected he or Caius to be Didyme's killers yet, he never found a single thought which explained her drifting. He'd given up on finding a reason years ago and assumed her instincts warned her in a similar way humans can sense the danger that vampires possess, yet, they remained oblivious to what is triggering their fight or flight response. A few decades passed since he last came in contact with her, he mainly watched Caius' thoughts to make sure Athenodora remained complacent with her life.

"Is there a chance Marcus could recover from his lethargy?" Aro heard his mate mentally question, as she traced his collarbone with a finger.

He'd been excited about the arrival of his newest coven member and felt the urge to tell someone about it. Who better to tell than the woman who'd loved him for centuries? Caius certainly didn't care for Marcus' new friend. That was evident by the scowl worn on his face as Marcus took the girl's hand, leading her to safety.

Aro moved away from Sulpicia, retrieving a new dress shirt from the wardrobe after his wife had disposed of the previous. "His recovery is subtle but improving. I'm not sure when they formed an attachment to one another, nevertheless, she helps him."

Sulpicia smiled, happy that her dear friend was finally attempting to pull himself from his self-loathing. "I'm elated. Marcus has spent far too many years alone. I can't fathom the depths of his pain."

A frown etched itself onto Aro's face.

As Athenodora and he once held a naturally strong bond, so did Sulpicia and Marcus. Now, most of Marcus' connections were artificially crafted by Chelsea. The only remaining attachments he held were splintered. He still cared for his coven mates and there was a fragment of gratitude towards Corrin. The rest of the guard, he cared nothing for.

"Aro?" The brunette called softly, her palm reaching up and caressing his cheek. She noticed the change in his eyes and silently wondered what was on his mind.

He placed a hand over hers, giving her a reassuring smile. "I've been watching Marcus' thoughts closely while he's courted young Linnea and he can't help but remember moments he had with Didyme."

His lie was smooth. Aro hadn't been watching Marcus as closely as he should've, that was one of the downsides of his gift; hearing a persons every thought the second they came in contact meant that Aro relived Marcus' anguishment over Didyme's loss each time, regardless of how hard he tried blocking that memory out.

He'd never forgotten the look of betrayal in his sister's eyes. He was supposed to keep her safe, that was his role as an elder brother. To protect those who come after.

"You're going to leave?" The Volturi leader questioned, withdrawing his hand from his sister's.

She glanced to the ground, her eyes fixated on the patterns of the stone path, a bashful smile played along her lips. "Yes. I've seen so much of the world that I would not have as a human, but, most of that world has been fighting on a battlefield. I want to see the world outside of conflict."

Aro was left aghast and conflicted. Both Marcus' gift and her own served as a key attribute to developing their coven's guard. He couldn't lose them. "Do you understand how much I need you and Marcus? How important you both are to me?" He hoped to reason with his younger sister, convince her that they needed to stay within Volterra.

A lighthearted laugh left her lips, "It's not as if I'll never see you again. We'll visit and if a time comes where you need our help, you know we would return to your side without hesitation." Didyme promised, reaching out for Aro, who pulled her close to him, embracing her tightly.

But, Aro needed more than that. He needed Marcus at his side so that when a vampire committed crimes against their kind, Aro would have the guarantee that the guard would not stage a coup in retaliation to his rule. Marcus could see if their relationship strained and if it were those members could be eliminated before they posed a threat.

"Is there no way I can convince you to stay?" He futilely questioned, reading her thoughts

She'd known his approval would not come easily, but her decision was firm and her mental voice begged him not to dwell on the subject.

"Well," Aro began, "The world is only so big, perhaps after a few decades you'll decide to return?" False eagerness made its way into his tone. "You have convinced me. The both of you have my blessing. However, I require both your assistance before you take your leave."

Didyme smiled, "I'm not going to leave you with a battle on our doorstep."

"When you asked to meet with me, I never imagined you were asking for my assistance with the murder of your sister." The blond vampire replied smugly.

Aro glare at his co-leader callously. "This is not something I take joy in. I love Didyme, yet I cannot help but believe her transformation was a mistake. Her ability was not as useful as I hoped. Marcus, however, his gift has helped us win countless wars."

Caius didn't realize Aro's true intentions. His tactile telepathy had many uses, whether he pried information from their enemies, used it to scout for humans with unnatural talents, or to take advantage of his allies' greatest fears made no difference.

It was hard to be the only of the three Volturi leaders who weren't gifted and Caius' biggest fear was Aro finding a replacement. Someone whose talent would aid the coven greatly. Athenodora was suitable enough as a replacement, she was ungifted just as he, but she was stronger, capable of going toe to toe with the moon children, while Caius was bested by them. If Aro decided that Caius would have an unfortunate accident on the battlefield, Athenodora could take his place. He made sure that fear was present, reminding his co-leader that Marcus was a linchpin in Aro's ideals.

Caius believed he'd become just as important if he shared this dark secret with Aro. His mind had always been self-absorbed and at times Aro questioned if Caius remembered that Aro heard his every thought, that Aro knew how he believed he could use this to secure his place as a Volturi leader.

The blond shrugged pretending not to care what the reasoning was behind Aro's decision. He'd never interacted much with Didyme and her departure would not be a loss to him. The only pain he'd feel is Athenodora's heartache, the wives had all grown close to one another.

But, he would offer to comfort Aro as well.

"If she will not reconsider, the only way to keep Marcus loyal will be removing Didyme from the equation." He agreed, reassuring Aro that he was making the right choice. "Give her one more chance to change her mind."

The brunette paced around the halls of a ruined chapel. The church was well hidden and currently served as an imitation Volturi capital. There were underground paths that lead to their true home, but they were difficult to locate.

While members of the guard fought against their rival coven's newborns, Caius and their wives waited at the church, prepared for the newborn army to break through, while Aro and Marcus were following threads of connections straight to their leader to eliminate the threat after Aro examined his thoughts, searching for any useful talents.

Didyme hated that Aro had separated them for this battle. Usually, they fought together, it was rare when Aro called for a tactic that split them into teams. Now, she was worried, not for her sisters of Caius, but, Aro and Marcus. They were alone, if they ran into an ambush, what would happen?

Would she lose them?

The both of them had seen many battles prior, they had the scars to prove it, and still, Didyme couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"Dyme," The eldest of the wives called, "You needn't worry. I know Sulpicia and you are still new to this life, but we've all fought alongside them. They can handle themselves."

Didyme managed to muster a smile as she turned to the Athenodora, "I know. There is not much I can recall from my human life, though I have managed to hold onto one memory; Aro, getting in a fight with men from our village after they taunted our mother about our father's death. There's no way he should have won that fight, yet somehow, he did. My brother has always been a protector… Still, I feel- strange."

"I know my husband asked us all to stay put," Sulpicia began, placing a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "But, if it offers you any repose you could speak to Caius, ask if he could send a scout to check on our husbands, make sure everything is alright.

Aro and Marcus would be upset that she ventured into the battle, she could already hear the irritation in their voices. Caius wasn't far from the cathedral, he was overlooking the battle, putting himself in a vulnerable spot. Newborns could reach him easily if he wasn't already fighting them off and Didyme was going to put herself in that same danger.

Yet, she wasn't worried about her well-being, she could handle any fight that came her way and Aro knew that. He'd be angry about her disobedience, but it was insipid that he even asked the wives not to participate in the fight unless necessary. All because of an ambush the enemy had planned that he overheard in a newborn's thoughts. If they knew about the ambush, they could fight against it.

"They'll disapprove, but when haven't I caused them trouble?" Didyme chuckled, "They should be used to that by now. I think I'll talk to Caius."

Caius wasn't surprised when Didyme approached him. She never listened. No matter how many times Aro commanded her to stay in one area, she left. They planned this and it would be her downfall.

He let out a sigh, "You're worried." He guessed, rolling his eyes as he watched over the palisade, towards the field where the territory war was taking place.

"Are you not?" Didyme half-asked, assuming he wasn't since he'd been through just as many battles.

He turned towards her, showing no emotion in his expression, he hated the way her aura made him feel. Always excited, happy to be around her. He felt it was vain, to have everyone you'd ever met fall in love with your presence. "Aro and Marcus are powerful in their own right. With their gifts combined, there is no stopping them. They could rule this world with or with the aid of the guard." His blank face didn't do much to hide the seething rage dripping from his tongue. He hated that Didyme wanted to leave, wanted to endanger his comfortable life of dominionship.

Aro may've regretted her untimely demise, but Caius didn't.

His rage hadn't gone unnoticed by Didyme, but it was normal. She knew he'd never felt comfortable around her, regardless of her gift, and she'd never felt truly comfortable around him either. He and Athendora were the oldest vampires she'd ever met and she couldn't help but feel as if vampires started to lose their sanity after they reached a certain millennium. "I'm certain they can handle themselves, yet there's a certain dread in the air. I know I'm asking a lot, but could you send a messenger to check on them?"

Caius scoffed at her obliviousness; she claimed to be worried about her brother and somehow Aro's arrival had gone unnoticed. "Are you truly so unaware of your surroundings? Aro returned moments before you approached me. And I imagine Marcus will not be far behind, so we really need to move this along."

Didyme noticed Caius' gaze focus past her, she turned, following his line of vision to see Aro standing mere steps behind her, wearing a solemn expression. A newer guard member stood next to him, seemingly nervous.

Immediately, her body froze. Aro has always been joyous whenever he approached her, and it hadn't been solely because of her gift. He'd felt the same when they were both humans.

He was at her side in an instant, her instincts wanted to flinch at his hasted movements but, she forced herself to remain still. If he were angry with her, she didn't want to irritate him any further.

Aro held a hand out and she reached for him. He gently held her hand between both of his, smiling softly. "Why are you so insistent on leaving?" He questioned, seeing that her mind was filled with thoughts of Marcus, the desire for this battle to be over as quickly as possible so they could begin their travels. The sorrow within him grew, pain beginning to tug at his dead, un-beating heart. "You've forced my hand. I never wanted this."

Before Didyme had time to question his motives, Caius harshly grabbed her free arm, wrapping the other around her shoulders, making sure she couldn't slip from his grip. Aro turned, incapacitating the newborn behind him before he could register the betrayal.

If what she felt earlier in the church was anxiety, Didyme wasn't sure what she was feeling now. There was a weight in her chest, an urge to fight against Caius and Aro. She wished she could just disappear, that she wouldn't have to witness this moment.

But, Aro was her comfort, he wouldn't do anything to harm her, right? That wasn't in his nature, he was a good person!

He faced his sister again, despondent. "There are no words to tell you how sorry I am, Didyme."

Dread filled her body, weighing down her legs, she tensed as she attempted to find the will to back away from Aro, though her movements were halted by Caius. She wanted to speak out; if he truly desired them to stay, for her to live as his prisoner, she would. He didn't have to kill her over it.

Why hadn't he spoken to her about his strifes? She would've understood!

If he had only told her the reason he wanted her to stay rather than lying and telling her that he would miss them, worry about them…

Did he believe that she wouldn't listen? That her rebellious nature would brush him off?

She no longer had the need to breathe, yet her lungs were on fire, the venom stung the brims of her eyes as if she could cry. The words she wanted to say never came.

Aro prepared himself, he didn't want to hear her final thoughts, but knew it was inevitable. Regardless, he attempted to shut off his mind, to focus on something, anything else. There were thousands of lifetimes worth of memories he could recall, he could delay her thoughts if only temporarily, long enough to commit this sin.

Didyme wanted to convince him to allow her to continue living. She'd agree to stay. She would promise Aro that she would never speak a word about this altercation to Marcus.

Her husband wouldn't question a sudden change of heart. Aro was all she knew. He was her family. She'd agree to anything as long as it meant she could live happily with Marcus. All she wanted was to have a life with him, to love him, just a little longer.

She wished that if she were to die, it would've been by anyone else's hands. Didyme didn't understand why Aro had confronted her, she didn't understand why she had to know that her own brother was her killer.

Aro regretted his decision. He didn't want this. He should've found another way to convince them to stay. It was strange to think that an immortal man had run out of time, out of solutions…

He gingerly placed his hand on either side of her face, giving her a remorseful smile before severing her head from her body in a swift motion, dropping her skull in the same movement as he turned from the scene, allowing Caius to light her body ablaze.

Aro hadn't expected how harshly grief would hit him when her jovial aura faded. He stared across the battlefield, his vision unfocused as he concentrated on not recalling her last thought. But, it was to no avail, he'd heard everything. Her silent pleading, the sorrow in the tenor of her mind, the torrent of emotions swirling through her mind, the fear keeping her frozen in place.

Caius hadn't expected the agonizing scream that left Aro's lips as he fell to his knees in despair.

He didn't have to kill her…

There was an infuriating lack of light in the halls of Volterra that lead to the coven's living quarters. No gothic sconces holding eerily flickering candles, like in the movies, no electricity, and absolutely no windows. Whenever Linnea's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she still couldn't see anything.

The only thing more aggravating than her lack of vision was that Marcus had not muttered a word since she took hold of his hand, he led her blindly through the blackness.

And then the temperature dropped from a mild autumn chill to a winter freeze. The coolness of Marcus' skin against her own now seemed warm in comparison.

Linnea didn't want to break the silence between them, but being dragged through corridor after corridor with no idea where they were heading was a little terrifying.

"Sooo where exactly are you taking me?" Her voice was quiet, unsure if she should've spoken.

Marcus' mind was elsewhere. He'd tried to keep her safe by telling her that he would never see her again, but that hadn't gone as planned. He knew it wouldn't. She had too much knowledge about his universe, if he would've abandoned her, Aro would've sent Demetri to quietly dispose of the girl. There was no universe where Aro would make an exception to their laws.

Even now Marcus thought about leaving the compound, taking her somewhere far across the world, but, Demetri was still an issue. Demetri would find them and if he came alone, Marcus would easily be able to handle him. But, with what was at stake, he knew that Jane would be in Demetri's flanks, preventing him from making any movements against the Volturi.

It was strange. Whenever Linnea was around, Marcus felt more bound to her, than to Aro. Chelsea's gift felt strangling, forcefully keeping him at Aro's side, occasionally influencing his thoughts, yet, with Linnea he fought through it.

There were so many thoughts going through his mind that he barely heard the human's soft voice as she called his name.

He came to an abrupt stop, causing Linnea to walk into him. Which didn't feel good, to her he was an unmovable force, she might as well of walked into a brick wall.

"I'm escorting you to my chamber," Marcus replied, recalling what she'd asked earlier.

"Wow, you didn't even take me to dinner first?" She nervously joked. Though she couldn't see him, she could only imagine the scowl across Marcus' face a he looked at her. Eyebrows furrowed, mouth frowning more than usual, the same glare a disappointed parent would give.

"My dear, you almost were someone's dinner."

She hadn't expected that remark. But, at least he seemed to be in a lighthearted mood.

"Why did we stop? Is this where your room is?" She questioned, squinting as if that would somehow make her see better.

"There's a ledge here. I thought you'd appreciate some warning before we drop."

Linnea clung to his arm a bit tighter, her fear of heights kicking in. She wasn't sure exactly how far the 'drop' would be but guessed that for Marcus to offer a warning beforehand, it must be quite the fall. "Oh, well, that's kind of you-" Linnea took a step forward, feeling her heel hit the jagged stone of the ledge. Her body froze in place, trying to forcefully move her backward, away from the ridges. Marcus let go of her hand, his palm moving to rest on the center of her back, nudging her forward before he stepped off the edge, keeping her close to him as they fell to the path below.

She clung desperately onto his jacket, her heart pounding while she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for impact. But Marcus' 6' frame kept her from slamming into the concrete.

"Do I need to carry you the rest of the way, or are you planning to extend your legs?"

Slowly her eyes opened as she released the death grip she held on his cloak. Carefully, she lowered one of her legs, satisfied when the tips of her toe came in contact with solid ground. Marcus kept her steady as she regained her balance. "So, is there any reason why you didn't build any stairs? Or maybe a ramp?"

"There are no species which possess a scotopic vision stronger than ours. Humans and the children of the moon have difficulty navigating through areas this dark. In order to reach us, or to escape, they would be forced to make a mistake, which would ultimately lead to their demise." He explained, keeping a calm composure as if he'd described this scenario hundreds of times to the transient guards.

Linnea kept quiet, wondering exactly how many people had died in Volterra at the hands of the Volturi. She was lucky to have Marcus. She didn't know every secret Aro kept, but she knew being bound to one of the three co-leaders granted her immunity. Because of their attachment to one another, she would not be thrown away when Aro deemed her useless.

There were likely hundreds of vampires who met their end once Aro collected someone with abilities and talents stronger than they could hope to gain. Perhaps a few of them were disposed of simply because one of the leaders didn't care for their personality. Linnea could see that coming from Caius.

Marcus tugged on the back of her shirt, signaling her to stop as he opened the door leading to his chamber. The wood creaked and cracked as he held the door open, pulling her through. From the sound of it, the door must've been ancient, older than the ones used to reach the turret room.

Not-so-surprisingly, Marcus' room was just as dark as the hallways they'd taken to get there. He guided her through to what felt like an overstuffed chair, where she sat. He relapsed back into silence, and while Linnea could sense he was there, the fact that she couldn't even hear him breathing was weirding her out.

"I, um, I assume you plan on turning me?" Her shaky voice didn't hide her nervousness. There was a part of her that believes he'd refuse to do so. He wanted her to choose this life for herself and she hadn't gotten the chance to do so. Maybe he'd kill her as an act of mercy?

"Yes." His reply was flat, emotionless. Linnea couldn't help but feel relieved at his decision. She was fully prepared to abandon her old life. To cut ties with her friends and family. Part of her wanted to disappear, to vanish as if she'd never existed.

Linnea sucked in a deep breath, standing to face him, "Alright, I'm ready." She replied, her voice louder, confident.

"None can prepare for the pain brought by transformation." He spoke in a dull tone, running his thumb over her collarbone.

His eyes currently shone a dark scarlet, brought by the lack of fresh blood within his system. It was dangerous to attempt to change Linnea, he could easily get tempted by her blood and drain every drop of it. For most vampires, they would do exactly that, but, Marcus was old. Older than most of his associates in the Volturi. He had experience, control. The girl would not be harmed by his hands. He was certain of that.

She laid a hand over his, tracing a scar he must've obtained centuries ago. "I trust you." Linnea cooed, sensing the hesitation. For a human to notice the delay in his movements, there must've been some nervousness deep in his core.

Marcus leaned into her, taking in her scent, her fragrant perfume that he enjoyed.

No.

He would not hurt her.

Moving his hand, Marcus unzipped her jacket, pushing the material off her left shoulder. She'd only worn a dark-colored tank top underneath, which, made it easier for her transformation. He moved the thin strap off her shoulder as well.

His lips brushed against her soft skin, sending cold shivers down her spine before he grasped her firmly, making sure to keep her in place as his teeth shredded her skin, biting straight through to the bone which fracture under the pressure.

Linnea believed she could control the pain, act as if it hadn't been the worst she'd felt, but her resolve quickly crumbled. Her knees buckled from under her, she tightly gripped the material of Marcus' shirt, trying to keep herself standing. But he'd finished the transfusion, his venom was coursing through her system, which meant he was able to coddle her, cradle her in his arms to keep her from writhing in pain from the burn traversing through her veins.

She wasn't the only one suffering;

The dull ache in Marcus' throat had been ignited and his instincts screamed at him to find more blood to satiate his thirst.

Would Aro have been thoughtful enough to send Heidi out for another victim? Perhaps he'd have to break one of their most ancient laws and hunt within the city… Would Aro allow that? Or would he expect Marcus to suffer?

Could this be some kind of test?

To Be Continued…

The earth soaks up the water left behind after the rain, but as the droplets concentrate they pierce even the mightiest stone. Not through force, but persistence.