Chapter One: A Job is Never Done
"I've been making shows of trading blows, just hoping no one knows, that I've been going through the motions, walking through the part,
nothing seems to penetrate my heart!"
- Buffy: The Vampire Slayer - "Once More, With Feeling!"
Volterra - November 20th
Hard footfalls echoed off the ancient walls of the hallway that surrounded the main gardens of the Volturi compound, which was a part of a series of buildings surrounding the clock tower in Volterra. They were familiar, sounds that most of the residents had come to fear. The owner of those footsteps had a vicious temper, and more than one member of the guard had lost a limb from one of her outbursts.
Other than the sounds, her appearance made everyone else avoid her completely. Dressed in black from head to toe, a full cloak and hood gave her an impressive silhouette. But it was her posture, the tilt of her shoulders, the aggressive gait of her steps that made it clear she had neither the time nor patience to spend on any daring to intercept her before she reached her intended destination.
The main chamber of the Volturi council was where she was headed, which took her up several flights of stairs, and down a long-curved hallway that ended in a small antechamber dominated by two gothic inspired heavy wooden doors. A small desk was tucked into the corner next to the hallway exit, and a receptionist sat looking poised and perfect. Her entire purpose was an attempt to do the nigh-impossible, prove to the Volturi kings that she was worthy of becoming an immortal.
The black clad figure had seen dozens of others in the position, all but one had proven unworthy. She didn't even acknowledge the woman as she strode by, although she did glance at her once as she pulled back her hood. The exquisitely beautiful, short, raven haired woman stood up respectfully at her passing, bowing slightly. The Volturi princess flinched inwardly, the human looked too much like someone she didn't want to think about from her own distant past, and the passing resemblance made her scowl infinitesimally. She was half tempted to mention her displeasure to Aro, but she had no reason to sentence the poor woman to death on a whim.
Once through the grand doors that led into the Volturi council room, a small man stood to the right of the door and announced her presence. He was a little weasel of a vampire named Collins, his personality and appearance very much reminded her of the oblivious cousin of Elizabeth Bennett, a character she had loved as a human. Long ago when she had first entered this space, begging the Volturi to end her life, she had marveled at the ornate dome of the tower, the architecture was glorious and intricate. Aro had boasted once that it was nearly as ancient as he was, an amount of time that had seemed impossible then, yet now the passage of time held little meaning.
Before her on a dais, raised several steps above the floor were three large ornate chairs. In those overly ostentatious chairs sat the men who acted as the leaders of the Volturi coven. A coven that felt more like a monarchy, with the members of the coven given titles like nobles, the guard acting as their knights, generals, and soldiers. Aro, Caius, and Marcus' ages were completely indeterminate, but their skin betrayed their advanced age. It appeared almost paper thin, even though it was an illusion. Their physical power might've been diminished over time to a degree, but their speed and skill was practically unrivaled. Each of the leaders of the Volturi were formidable, capable of eliminating almost any vampire, or even a small group of vampires single handedly. Perhaps one of the few exceptions to their skill was Isabella herself… and her daughter Eliza.
"I wonder where they are going to send us? I'm hoping for Australia, I'm tired of winter already. Hey, do you wanna place bets on where we're going?" Eliza's familiar voice appeared in Isabella's mind; her playful tone came through their peculiar connection as if she were standing next to her mother.
Isabella had no explanation for why they were connected, but it was a secret they kept from everyone else. What she did know was that they were tethered to one another, a bond that was equal parts a form of telepathy and a shared physicality. Thoughts, memories, emotions, and physical sensations passed effortlessly between them on an ethereal string. To them it was as natural as feeding. Eliza had desperately wanted to go along for the summons, but Isabella had refused since Eliza's mood was bordering on insolent. When she got like that, it was best to keep her away from Caius, who's impatience was legendary.
Back in their shared rooms, Eliza sighed outwardly, resting her chin on her hands which were balanced on the big windowsill overlooking the sharply angled rooftops of Volterra. Although the view was always a welcome sight to her, it had become a tiresome one. She had been staring at the same glorious vista for nearly three-quarters of a century. Isabella tried to ignore her daughter's melancholy mood, and instead focused on the situation ahead of her, but after a second, she realized she had to at least respond.
"Does it matter Eliza? Cold has no effect on us, and I can't see you trying to get a tan on a beach full of humans. So, what's the difference?" Isabella's response came off as more tired than she intended, and internally winced at the indifference she made it seem like she felt. In truth she longed to get away from Volterra again, at least for longer than a typical mission. Isabella could immediately feel the response floating back along the link they shared, but Isabella sent the impression of shaking her head, silencing the response.
"They are sending us away; does it matter where we go?" Isabella continued, placating her daughter to a degree.
"I guess not. Say hi to Pops, Uncle C, and Marcus for me." Eliza had never been able to come up with an appropriate nickname for Marcus, and since he was so nearly dead to the world, she never felt a need for one. Still, she engaged him more than anyone else did, and he responded to her in turn. She wasn't sure if he was fond of her, but he did seem to be slightly less utterly zombie-like around her.
Isabella shrugged, and gave her daughter a mental nod, not bothering to respond with words.
Eliza sighed again, and continued to look out the window, although most of her attention was diverted as she used her connection to look through Isabella's eyes.
Isabella faced the dais, from her position Marcus was on the left, his utterly apathetic expression may have brightened ever so slightly by her appearance. He hadn't changed at all in Isabella's tenure within the Volturi. He had dark hair and a face that would be kind if he was able to convey any kind of emotion. Unfortunately, he was a prisoner of his own misery, trapped in a never-ending monotony in a place that only marginally kept his interest. His eternal torment was having survived the death of his beloved Didyme, Aro's sister, and one of the founding members of the Volturi.
For most of his three thousand years, he passed through life barely aware of what was happening around him. Eliza had once mused that if she set fire to his loose dull hair, he might only react enough to tilt his head and watch it burn rather than do anything to stop it.
Eliza closed her eyes as a memory came up after Isabella glanced at him, of Marcus tending the flowers that had bloomed for as long as the structure had been standing. He kept the private garden in memory of Didyme, and it was the only time of day when he was active. Even with his apathy he was a fount of knowledge, his extensive reading on practically every topic was a source of never-ending interest for Eliza. She went to him practically every day they were home in Volterra, and on every visit he hummed the same melody, and then she would ask questions, and he would answer her without complaint.
He wasn't impassioned like a lecturer, or as dull as a bored professor. His pleasant baritone, although devoid of intonation, had a quality to it that was very easy for Eliza to listen to. It was years before she thought to ask what he hummed when he wasn't explaining the intricacies of physics or philosophy. It was the only time he ever paused from his task. He stood with a blank stare and tilted his head towards the sun, the enclosed garden walls had no roof, so in effect Didyme's garden was the only place real light was allowed to shine in all the houses of the Volturi. Everywhere else was shuttered during the day to keep the humans from discovering the secret.
"It was her favorite, taught to her by her mother. She would sing it to me in the dead of night, when the human world slumbered. She said it was her way of letting the flowers know it was okay to bloom the next day. I do what I can to keep them happy, since they don't have her anymore."
It was the one and only time she had ever seen him express an emotion, it was a smile so vague that it made the Mona Lisa seem like she was grinning ear to ear. Yet it was enough to let Eliza know that the memory of his beloved wife was an ember still burning deep within his dead heart. It gave her hope that her mother might be able to love again someday, because if someone like Marcus had something left inside, maybe she did as well.
"How did she die?" Eliza risked on that day. Marcus turned from his reminiscing, and stared at her, his attention completely focused on her for the first time ever.
"We were at war with another coven, they took Didyme, Sulpicia and Athenodora as leverage. Caius didn't listen to their demands, so they destroyed Didyme. Sulpicia said they took Didyme into a tent, so they wouldn't have to witness her execution. Then they tore my love limb from limb. Athenodora said she could hear her short scream as they removed her head, and then the ripping of stone as they started to tear the rest of her to pieces. Afterwards they burned her remains in a bonfire so hot it left no bones. Aro lost his mind from grief, she was his sister after all. He marched on them, and destroyed every member, save one. That survivor was the first member of our guard." He turned away from her then, a far-off look of longing quickly fading from his features as he went back to tending his garden.
Eliza never brought it up again.
Isabella's gaze shifted past Marcus to Caius, a man whose face was set in a permanent expression of anger or discontentment, and unlike the other two men sitting next to him, his long hair was a very pale blond.
"Caius looks like he's sitting on a pinecone again." Eliza said randomly, forcing Isabella to suppress a grin.
"At least his contempt is universal, or you might be mistaken thinking he disliked us or something." Isabella threw back, making Eliza nearly fall over laughing.
Isabella barely acknowledged Caius most of the time, because they shared an intense mutual dislike of one another. Caius never failed to remind her that he barely tolerated her existence, and she generally ignored him because she thought his hostility was petty and based entirely on wanton ignorance and bigotry.
Eliza held to the belief that he was just a giant asshole that hated pretty much everything and everyone, although she thought much the same, Isabella failed to see the difference between the two definitions. It didn't help that the few times either of them had interacted with Caius outside of formal audiences, he played miserable games of malicious intrigue and made a show of flattering them with backhanded compliments.
Finally, her eyes came to rest on the final member of the coven, Aro. His hair was long and pitch black, and like the other two men, his skin was very pale and an almost chalky white. Unlike the other two men though, his face bore an almost perpetually excited smile. Isabella met his smile with a softening of her own chiseled frown. She didn't reciprocate his affection, but she had to admit he had always been generally good to her.
From the first day she arrived in Volterra, half crazed and totally unable to interact with anyone on a social level, Aro was the one that was initially able to get through to her. Later on he was patient and fascinated by her gift that prevented him from reading her spending years learning her story, building a relationship with her founded on a mutual understanding, and eventual trust. They didn't exactly have a familial bond like he shared with Jane and Alec, but he was very fond of her. It wasn't enough to sponsor her admittance into the Coven, that fell unexpectedly to Marcus, although Aro did not object.
The elevation from a violent, sullen monster to a Volturi princess made many jealous, and even more angry. When Eliza came into her life, she was eventually granted the same status as Isabella. While the titles didn't matter much to either of them, the privileges and luxuries it afforded them made Eliza happy. For Isabella, it meant freedom, which suited Eliza's mercurial nature. Isabella bowed before them in a show of respect, the proper tribute to their position.
"You summoned me?" She said plainly, without intonation. Then she nodded her head towards Marcus, "Father". Although she implied a level of personal affection, she used the paternal address mostly out of respect for him. It was also offered as a perpetual show of gratitude her official adoption into the Volturi coven. Yet even after decades calling him that, she had never gotten used to it. Eventually she had grown accustomed to using the word Father, but it took even longer to say without being obviously uncomfortable.
After recovering from the bow, she made a memory check of her initial survey of the room and frowned slightly as she realized how empty it was. At any given time, there were typically eight to ten of the Volturi guards standing watch, however only four of them were stationed around the room.
"Curiouser and curiouser, where could everyone be?" Eliza sent through the connection, mirroring Isabella's own unspoken question. Yet Isabella responded with the physical sensation of a shrug, it was a curiosity, but not an important one in her eyes.
"Isabella, thank you for joining us!" Aro stood up, sweeping down the stairs to embrace Isabella. A gesture Isabella took in with a measure of good-natured tolerance, since she hated to be touched by anyone except her daughter. Aro was by nature a touchy-feely person, although it was mostly because of his powers of touch telepathy worked through direct physical contact. His nature was infamous, and his power feared throughout the vampire world. None could hide after his touch, because he could discover every thought a person had, and could see their entire life laid out in an instant. If Aro's occasional boasting was to be believed, his gifts were the primary reason that people all over the world shook hands in greeting. Isabella preferred the true story of the simple greeting gesture, as a sign of two warriors sharing a symbol of trust.
Isabella had long since learned to control her shield so that she could let him into her mind, a fact she had never shared with him. It was even more frustrating for Aro when Eliza came into the picture, because Isabella's shield extended to her daughter as well. It afforded them the ability to keep secrets from the Volturi kings. Another perk of their peculiar nature, which no other member enjoyed. After the short contact Aro returned to his chair on the dais, his face settling into an expression of complete seriousness.
"I'm afraid that's all the time we have for pleasantries. We summoned you here because there is an urgent and rather... unique situation we must discuss." Aro seemed genuinely upset that he had to push away the niceties of social grace and get down to business so quickly. Isabella wasn't so sure. Aro was a master of manipulation.
"I see we have sent out most of the guard. What threat could be so great that our defenses need to be thinned by such numbers?" Isabella asked sternly.
"Once more the United States has become a problem. Jane and Alec were just sent to New York again to handle a resurgence of intolerable activity." Caius said with venom, practically spitting out the words.
"Again?" Isabella frowned at that. Eliza joined in her puzzlement through their link. "We were there three months ago. There wasn't a single vampire left, newborn or otherwise." Isabella asked, her tone slightly defensive at the possibility that their performance might be in question. Aro nodded gravely, all traces of humor gone from his face though he held his hands up in a slightly placating motion.
"Peace Isabella, you did a fine job in New York. We have no complaints about your performance there. But to answer your question, yes, again, and that's not the only issue that we're having with the United States. It seems we have a rash of newborn attacks in Los Angeles. News reports of bodies turning up along Venice beach less than two weeks ago, and a massacre of a dozen humans made national headlines out of Pasadena six days ago." Aro's voice remained steady, but Isabella could tell he was both frustrated with the reports and a touch frightened by their implications.
"What's more troubling is that they do not seem to overlap. While we believe it is the same group, we have no definitive proof. We can only examine the aftermath, and that is where it gets interesting. See, when one area dies down, another picks up a few days later. It was systematic, moving in lines across the country. At least that was until this latest one. New York flared up at the same time as the resurgence in Los Angeles." Aro paused for Isabella's reaction after those details.
"It's organized, that much can be sure. Is there anything else? I know Jane and Alec were on the American west coast two months ago." Isabella's reply came as some pieces were falling into place, and she could give a more thoughtful response. Eliza was leaning forwards on her perch, even though she wasn't in the same room, her interest peaked, which made her open the connection a little bit more to catch every detail.
Aro nodded looking serious. "Yes, and now they're in New York. What we cannot tell is if we've got a rash of vampires creating newborns recklessly, or if this is something more organized. Perhaps it is someone trying to challenge our ability to enforce the law." Aro suddenly looked down, as if ashamed of something, a gesture that Caius instantly reacted to.
His head whipped towards Aro and a soft throaty growl proceeded his response. "They do not need to know!" Caius' voice was barely a whisper, filled with the kind of hatred that came from fear more than anger.
"Of course, they do, we have few secrets from our family. Especially given the seriousness of this situation," Aro insisted, then turned back to Isabella. "We lost Mele and Afton yesterday." He paused for a moment and held up a hand in a somewhat theatrical motion, "It was hubris, we underestimated their numbers."
"Shit. Mele. It must be more serious than he is letting on. If Aro's copping to arrogance, what's next Marcus will stand up and dance a jig, or maybe Caius will smile and laugh at one of my jokes?" Eliza quipped, although Isabella could feel the pain and shock of the death of her daughter's friend. To Isabella, the fact that Aro was being even marginally forthcoming about guard losses unsettled her more than the death of two capable fighters.
"So, you want us to take care of Los Angeles?" Isabella asked curiously.
"I think it's bigger than that. I'm getting a vibe, and Pops hardly ever gives off vibes. Maybe we're getting that pony I asked for sixty years ago." Eliza's sarcastic tone echoed through Isabella's head with an accompanying giggle. She managed to keep a straight face though. Eliza's pony plea was legendary, it was also the first time she called Aro "Pops" to his face. It was one of the few memories Isabella found genuinely amusing.
Aro at least had the good humor enough to laugh that first time, since then his amusement with her less than formal address had waned only slightly. Isabella tried not to let on her worry that Eliza was pushing aside emotional pain again. A habit she developed long ago, when she discovered her sense of humor.
Aro nodded his head. "Yes, but there's more than that, the nature of these events has forced us to re-evaluate our methods. We can no longer afford to be reactionary, when our way of life is balanced on the edge of a knife like this. So, as an experiment to quell the tide of these newborn armies we are sending you and your daughter to take care of the immediate problem, and then we would like you to stay in the area. Establish a base of operations so to speak."
Isabella's emotionless mask cracked, as genuine surprise crept into her stony features. Eliza fell off the windowsill melodramatically, her face contorting in exaggerated shock. Isabella pushed her daughter's antics to the back of her mind and paid full attention to Aro who paused for only a second before continuing.
"We have spent the past few years putting out fires, and things haven't gotten any better. It's time we stopped governing from afar. Jane and Alec will be our liaison to the covens on the eastern American coast, Felix and Demetri have been sent to central and South America, and you and Elizabeth will represent us on the western American coast."
Isabella frowned at that, though she could already feel Eliza's building excitement at the idea of such free reign.
"I have a serious objection to that course of action." Isabella said resolutely with cold finality. Eliza and Caius both hissed slightly in response although for very different reasons. Eliza was very excited about the prospect, and Caius always got indignant when anyone even attempted to question orders. Isabella ignored them both and addressed Aro directly. He realized quickly that her objection was in earnest and he made a slight appeasing motion with his hand to calm Caius down.
"I am not… disagreeing with your orders, I just don't understand the need to expand like this. While I agree it's troublesome that we no sooner return from fixing one problem to immediately head out to stamp out another, this might simply be a plot to rouse suspicions regarding our effectiveness. Or maybe it could be random." Isabella explained calmly, "Either way my major concern is that with so many of the guard being gone, Volterra and the council would be left far too exposed, perhaps even vulnerable."
At her explanation Caius seemed to relax slightly, not that his permanent scowl lessened to even a fraction of a degree, but he did seem to be visibly less irritated that her question of his authority was based mostly on a concern for his safety.
Aro nodded and spoke again. "We debated that very thing; however, we have our reserve guard here, and several more are going through training as we speak, and all six of you can be back here in less than twenty-four hours should we discover that we are under any sort of threat. I promise we will watch our borders very carefully, and you'll be among the first to know should Volterra find itself in any sort of real danger."
Isabella nodded slowly, "How long should we plan to be standing guard over these territories?" she asked.
"We know this problem will be eradicated relatively swiftly. After the immediate threat is gone, we believe you should remain there for a decade or two to quash any other challenge to our authority and put to rest any question about our ability to project our subjects. However, if things work out then it's possible for this to become a longer-term prospect." Aro responded, reclining back into his chair slightly.
"Where do you want us to live?" Isabella asked curiously. She didn't really relish the idea, but it was clear that Eliza was excited at the prospect of this new adventure. In truth the idea of being alone was mildly appealing, but it was an indulgence and perhaps a dangerous one. Eliza's nature was curious and explorative, she could easily find herself immersed in dangers she couldn't even begin to imagine. Yet that was hardly the issue at hand, because she already knew exactly where Eliza would want to go. Her only hope was that Aro had somewhere specific in mind.
Aro shrugged negligently, "Establish yourselves wherever you choose, I leave the finer details up to you. You have the full authority of the Volturi. Meld into the herd to hide your identity if you prefer, since I assume you won't want to sit in some apartment just waiting to go deal with any newborn issues that may pop up. Oh, and take Kell and Talia with you." Aro said almost dismissively.
"Cleaners? Do you think we'll be indiscreet?" Isabella said with a mildly indignant sigh.
"I think you'll be in Los Angeles. Better to be safe. Well, fare thee well." His tone made it clear that in his mind the conversation was over.
Isabella nodded slowly and bowed her head in respect once more, before turning on her heels and striding out through the same door she entered through. Normally she'd be beyond irritated at this, but she could feel her daughter's exuberance and it began to affect her opinion. Elizabeth was already thumbing through ideas like a mental picture book. In truth, Isabella may have been wary of this turn of events, but she was itching to leave Volterra.
Isabella made her way quickly back towards her residence, moving through the halls with purpose, until she reached their wing of the coven's main keep. The six rooms they shared were well decorated, mostly by Eliza, and smaller than most of the rest of the coven member's rooms. But they were private, removed almost entirely from the rest of the building by a long hallway. The separation was not lost on either of them.
"I guess I don't have to tell you to pack." Isabella said as she moved into the main living area, she noticed most of their personal possessions were gone. Then she found the bags and raised an eyebrow at her daughter. Eliza shrugged. She had started packing the moment Aro mentioned their new assignment.
"Well, this is kind of a big deal. I grabbed everything though, since we're not coming back anytime soon. Do you think I should leave like a book or two, so it doesn't look like we're moving out entirely? Am I being too excited about this?" Eliza said as she scanned the empty bookcases and shelves. She had been thorough in her whirlwind packing job.
"No, we may not be back on a permanent basis for a long time." Isabella frowned slightly at the thought, she really did think of Volterra as home. Elizabeth moved in close and Isabella wrapped her up in a gentle hug.
"You really want this don't you?" Isabella asked her daughter softly. Even though they didn't need to speak vocally, there was something they both liked about the warm quality of the spoken word. When they were together physically, they rarely used their connection. Elizabeth grinned and nodded, holding the hug for several long seconds before stepping back with a slight bounce.
"Absolutely, I love this idea. You know sometimes this life drives me insane. Mission, boredom, mission, boredom, with nothing else between. About the only thing I'm going to miss is the Marvel movie marathon I had planned on, which I can do anywhere." Her smile was infectious, and Isabella found herself grinning in spite of herself.
Isabella gave Eliza a small nod and held in a sigh of melancholy. It was a strange thing to start a new chapter in life. Especially with what she knew was next. "Well, don't forget Eliza, mission first. We have to quiet the newborn attacks before we consider settling anywhere."
Eliza regarded her mother thoughtfully for a moment, before murmuring, "Well you only have to worry about your clothes, I got everything else." Elizabeth trailed off thoughtfully and returned to her perch overlooking the city. This was different though, it felt like a goodbye, and Eliza wasn't sure how to feel about that.
"What is it?" Isabella asked curiously as she finished stuffing clothing in her duffel, most of it black and generic. It wasn't often that there were any uncomfortable feelings between the two of them, given the connection they had.
"I never really… thought of this place as home you know? I just feel a little conflicted about it for some reason. Also, I know you're not going to like this, but I want to ask, as a favor to me." Elizabeth turned and slowly looked up to meet her mother's curious gaze. Isabella didn't let on that she already knew what Eliza was going to ask, instead she regarded her with a raised eyebrow and didn't say anything.
Eliza finally met her mother's gaze, aware that what she was about to say was going to touch on a very bleak part of her mother's past. "When we settle. I want to go back to where it started for you. I want to see it with my own eyes. I want to go to Forks."
Authors Notes:
Sharp eyed readers will see some minor differences in this version, specifically in the timing of naming Isabella and how early Eliza breaks into the conversation. More to come soon!
11/05 - Made some edits for flow and continuity purposes. One major change, Marcus sponsored Isabella instead of Aro.
