Aro shifted in his seat impatiently as he waited for Alec to report to him. Jane had been useless in informing him what all had happened in New York. He wanted to know more about this grouping called the Dhampirs. He looked up when he heard the door slam close and found Alec standing three feet away from the base of the steps that lead to where Aro was sitting at his throne. "You wished to see me, Master?" Alec bowed. Aro smiled invitingly, "Yes, I wanted a full report of your most recent mission. Your sister was unable to provide me with all the details I desire." Aro noted Alec's normal aura of calm and felt it was safe to approach him. He held out his hand, indicating Alec to do so as well. Alec was use to not ever having privacy. It came with being a Guard member. You had nothing to fear, if you had nothing to hide. And he didn't think he did.
Aro's eyes flicked back and forth, reading Alec. The bombing, meeting Donovan, the night they went to the club and how they fed, Harper, the warehouse and how he had orchestrated his ability beyond what he had accomplished before, him blacking out, the underground bunker and the vast intelligence and operation of the dhampirs, the battle in the Central Park, and finally the execution of his son. Aro was shocked at how much watching Jane torture Hadley until he finally died affected him, leaving a sinking feeling in his stomach. But he had what he needed. Through Alec's eyes he knew how the dhampirs operated. But he also say that they were a potential threat. Their larger numbers, camouflaged yet integrated life with the human world, their modern technology, and uneasy feeling towards the Volturi left too many unknown variables. The Dhampirs could attack them at any time and the Volturi might just be at a disadvantage. "Thank you, Alec, for informing me. We will exterminate them at once," Aro said coldly, dismissing Alec. Alec's mouth dropped not understanding what Aro had said. "I beg your pardon?" Alec asked. "You heard me. We must destroy them. Through your thoughts I saw how young some of the vampires were. They were housing children of the moon as well as mingling with humans. Plus many other rules broken. Their unpredictability leaves us as a species vulnerable to exposure. Need I say more?" Aro squinted his eyes at Alec. The twins' new found independent thinking was most annoying. How dare they.
"Sir, I would like to point out that they saved our lives and helped us catch the real killer, which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't fornicated with humans behind everyone's backs. I think they proved to us that they can indeed hide from humans by the very fact that we have not known about their existence for the last several millennia. The New York division is an infant at three hundred years compared to other divisions all over the world. They do not wish exposure as much as we do and work hard to stay secret from the mortal world. They are not a threat, but rather potential allies and even friends. Like us, they work towards the common good, protecting each other and hiding from the mortals. But they also are advantageous of the advances in technology and have established many techniques that even we can learn from them. Part of the reason Donovan came here is to work as an ambassador to the New York division," Alec stood his ground. The dhampirs did not deserve to die. They were doing nothing wrong. Aro looked like he wanted to strangle Alec. "You are to do as you are told. I was the one who gave you life, saving you are your sister from the stake. They only sought to destroy you and still will," Aro sneered. "That is where you are wrong. They only want peace and if you give them the chance to prove themselves, they will. Donovan can arrange a meeting if you would like to speak to General Grisgby. Last I checked we as a Coven stood for Justice and The Law, not pissing contests and arms races," Alec turned and left his Master with his mouth hanging open in shock.
Damien had trouble paying attention during Demetri's lectures on the French Revolution. Today he would be training with Aro. Alone. Whenever he was alone with Aro it always ended badly. It would end badly again today. Since Demetri did not want Damien to miss any school work, he would meet with Aro during combat training. He kept adjusting the heart monitor watching that clung to his arms under a layer of nervous sweat. His throat was killing him even though he had just fed that morning. He couldn't sit still and wait for whatever would happen this afternoon to happen. He prayed the rosary shield would work.
Finally, he made his way to the Throne room after class. He bowed before Aro old him to, hoping to avoid punishment for his 'disrespect'. Aro was waiting there, perched on his throne like a well-fed house cat. Eleazar stood next to him with Joham on the other side, ready to take notes. But there also stood a vampire he didn't recognize. The intense red color of his eyes signified he was a newly turned vampire. He was scrawny, didn't work out much in his human life. He wore cargo shorts, sandles, a Tshirt with a logo Damien didn't recognize, and an oddly expensive jacket that was now stained with blood at his left wrist. A gamer from America who had been on a family vacation before Aro snatched him walking back to his hotel. Damien was snapped out of looking at the newborn by Aro voice, "I would like to begin with a simple exercise. Eleazar had informed me of possible uses of your ability. I want you to tell me everything you can about this newborn." Aro had already read the vampires thoughts and Joham would record everything Subject Two got correct.
Damien nodded, returning his focus to the vampire. "His name is Kyle Smith, age twenty, son of Stacy and Greg Smith and brother of Sarah Smith. He was born in Orlando, Florida, but rarely ever spent time out of the sun. He preferred the safety of his parent's basement after he dropped out of college. Has been afraid of snakes and spiders since first grade when he went on an unfortunate camping trip. He finds it annoying that his parents dragged him to Italy for Christmas and that the Wi-fi wasn't working in his hotel. He went to the local Internet Café, hoping to play online games when he was bitten," Damien paused. He felt very warm suddenly. His left wrist started burning and he looked down to see a fresh bite mark, gushing blood. Screaming he tried to stay on his feet as he covered the wound with his hand. He felt the venom coursing through his veins as Kyle had three days ago. It's not real, he heard a voice call. Didyme watched over Aro's shoulder, waiting for Damien to snap out of it. Taking deep breaths in and out, he tried to focus on something else. It's not real. It's not real. The burning faded away. Looking again, the bite mark was gone. "What did you see?" Aro asked, now interested.
"I felt you bite Kyle. The bite mark appeared on my wrist as if I were him and I experienced the burning of the venom through him. I felt everything," Damien was shaking, but he felt proud of himself for staying on his feet. "Anything else you can read on him?" Aro smiled. Now they were getting somewhere. "Can I see his coat?" Damien asked. It was an odd request. But something about it was calling Damien to touch it. Kyle took it off and handed it to him.
Damien felt the material with his fingers. High quality, dark leather. It had been hand pressed by an artisan not too far from here. The joints in Damien's hands felt funny touching the leather. Her hands had been cramping with arthritis as she made it. Her husband had passed away years ago, leaving her widowed and with little money to afford proper medication. They had owned the business together before he passed away of a heart attack, even though it pained her, she still made leather goods. Damien smelled the intense aroma of the fine leather. That same smell made the old woman smile, thinking of the days of her happy marriage. She sold this jacket for three-hundred and sixty euros to a foolish American man with a bald spot and terrible floral shirt. Kyle had borrowed it, hoping to shield him from the cold of Tuscan nights. He sloppily had spilt coffee on it. Damien tasted the bold, rich drink feeling suddenly jittery. He handed the jacket back to Kyle, who still looked very overwhelmed with his surroundings. As soon as Damien let go of the coat, he felt a wave of exhaustion roll through him. His eyes closed for a couple seconds before called him forward to read what Damien had seen. Feeling heavy and sleepy, Damien walked towards the steps. He forgot about the shield until Aro screeched, "Why can't I read your mind?"
Damien shrugged. His head felt like it was full of warm cotton, making it hard to stay alert. "That damn shield. I bet Subject Zero is responsible for this," Aro muttered to himself. Today had been rather an annoying day. First Alec acting up, now his shield was hiding things from him. "Fine, fine," Aro sighed exasperated, "What can you tell of the newborns future?"
Damien shook his head. With a barely audible voice, he mumbled, "Can I please take a break?" He wanted to lay down for a little bit. Just five minutes. "No. If you want to get stronger, you will have to push yourself out of your comfort zone," Aro declined. The boy was weak. "Sir, I think we should pause for a couple minutes. We have all the time in the world. I don't think he can take much more for right now," Eleazar warned. The boy kept swaying on his legs. The longer he read the newborn and focused on greater details, the higher his heart rate and body temperature spiked. He was now at 238 beats per minute and 40 degrees Celsius for body temperature. His eyes stayed closed for several seconds each time he blinked. "It will be enough, when I say it's enough," Aro growled, "Continue!"
Damien blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog. He clenched his jaw, focusing so hard he felt a migraine start to settle. Kyle wouldn't live much longer. He was a waste of space as a human and even more so as a vampire. He was just a practice dummy for the children to use for training. Aro was still debating whether he should just have Felix get rid of him, or if he should turn the children's combat training up a notch by having them try and kill the vampire. It would be a most entertaining fight since Aro didn't even know himself who would win that battle. In the end he would spring Kyle loose on the children tonight and see which ones survived. Olivia kicked her attacker away after he tackled her to the ground. Tiago rushed to his sister's aid, also avoiding the raging vampire's wild punches and swings. Marina, holding her bow turned and fired. The arrow sailed through the air as-
Damien collapsed on the ground as his head exploded. Something warm and wet dripped from his nose and on to his lips. His now coal black eyes were on fire and blood shot. They stung whenever he tried to open them. He couldn't breathe and fought to regain control of his lungs as he curled on his side, choking on whatever gushed from his nose. Whatever it was, it was making his throat burn as if he had swallowed fire. "Get him out of here," Aro ordered Eleazar as he and Joham held back the newborn. Damien felt weightless as he was lifted up. He was placed on something that felt like cold tile. Eleazar helped Damien kneel in front of the toilet, face down, letting whatever was dripping from his face leak into it. "Keep your eyes closed. It will help with the bloodlust," Eleazar suggested as he went to get a blood bag and a clean shirt. The cold tile below him felt amazing and oddly calmed him down. Eleazar soon came back with not only a clean shirt and blood, but Alec too. "It shouldn't be coming out this thick and dark," Eleazar commented as they both had him sit against the wall. Alec held a rag to his face as Eleazar handed the blood bag to Damien. He opened his eyes, tasting the warm savory liquid. "Should they be dilated like that?" one of them asked. Once he was done, he felt much better. He pulled the rag away to find it stained with dark with blood. Not a healthy, cute bright red type of bleeding colour. But almost black and thick as mud. Looking around, he saw the same gushes of blood trail out the door and out into the hallway. The sight made him dizzy and pale.
Alec helped him change into a fresh shirt after washing away the dried blood on his face. It had slowed to a small trickle. He still felt uneasy on his feet and he leaned against the wall as they made their way to his room. He was sick of people treating him like he was so fragile. It was only a bloody nose. "You lost consciousness and weren't breathing. I don't care of you think you are fine, you are heading straight to bed," Alec lectured. He was surprised how much he sounded like a dad. Damien still stubbornly didn't let him carry him. He kept muttering, "No, Kyle. I can't just leave them alone with Kyle." Alec, very concerned at this pointed, only helped Damien lie down. He still felt feverish and was shaking. Alec remembered when Donovan had been like this. "Just close your eyes," Alec whispered. He knew how to turn everything off. Slowly he spun a small cloud of Mist over his son. Damien breathed a sigh of relief as everything went numb. The world was quiet and still as he slept.
Marina practiced alone downstairs. The satisfying slap of the bow string against her arm guard soothed her. Her father suggested she practice alone. Heidi was bored and wanted to walk around the plaza with someone. Initially Demetri declined, but Marina gave him a death staring. "He would love to escort you," she smiled at Heidi. Her father needed to relax and not only focus on Marina. Even Felix decided to enjoy the late December evening. It was an overcast day and it was rare that the Guards got to enjoy being outside in the human world. "Go have grown up time," she said. She loved her new bow. She had spent the last three days since she got it practicing nonstop. Bull's eyes were getting easier.
"Have you ever tried firing at a vampire with that?" a voice called. She spun to find a Cheshire cat smile. "No, they are only for practice. They obviously would not do much damage against a vampire," Marina scoffed. Donovan watched her fire another arrow. "Well what kills vampires then?" Donovan smirked. Marina rolled her eyes, "Fire."
"Obviously," Donovan laughed, echoing her words. He slowly turned to leave. "Wait," Marina stopped him, "Is there a way to combine fire and arrows?" Just what Donovan was waiting for. "I already took the liberty of 'borrowing' from my dearest friend Joham," Donovan pulled out several vials from his jacket as well as a clip of gun ammunition and the bottle of olive oil from the kitchen. Taking one of the arrows, he unscrewed the head from the shaft like he had practiced several times before. Mixing the powder with the liquids, he reassembled the arrow, and handed it back to her. "Try it," his smirk grew. Notching it, she let it fly. It exploded with green flames on impact lighting the target on fire. Marina ran to get water. The flames only spread when she splashed it on. "What the heck, Donovan!" she screamed, frantic. She couldn't be the one to burn down the building. "Just stand back," he suggested calmly. Eventually the flames died down, leaving everything scorched. Marina was awestruck.
"Can you make more?" she asked. "As many as you need. I'll leave the supplies here for you," Donovan pointed to the supplies. She quickly grabbed every arrow she could find. "The trick with arrows is to aim for the eyes. It will lodge in their brains and explode there, killing from the inside out. Plus everything else is bullet proof," Donovan instructed. "How do you know all of this?" she was now worried. It now occurred to her she could kill someone very easily. "Ever heard of Greek Fire? Dhampir invention. Samuel Colt was a dhampir. We have figured out multiple ways to even the playing field and then some. I could teach you more tricks. That is, if you trust me?" Donovan shrugged, faking apathy in his voice. "Is this us being smart about whatever you and Damien had been up to?" She crossed her arms. "Brilliantly mad," Donovan's eyes reminded her of a fox. "Fine. I trust you. You know more than we do and there is no reason to limit the other," Marina shook his hand, "Just keep me in the loop if you are planning on doing something crazy."
Donovan left to go find Jane. She was curled up in the library reading a dusty novel while glancing out the stain glass window occasionally. "What are you reading?" He asked kissing her on the cheek. Jane laughed, brushing him away teasingly. "Jane Eyre. People tell me I am just like her. She even went to a school in a town called Lowood," Jane set down the book shaking her head. "Small, firey, and shows less skin than a Nun. I fail to see a resemblance," Donovan stroked his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. Jane lightly hit his arm with the paperback, quoting, "Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless?"
Donovan softly kissed the hand that held the weapon-like book, "Poor? No, you have wealth beyond imagining as well as monetary value. Obscure? Yes, most certainly and I wouldn't have it any other way. Plain? Plain girls don't burn down building. And little?" he paused now holding both her hands and staring deep in her eyes, "More room in bed." He jumped away from her as she chased him, "You are an ass! Just when I think you are my glowing Prince Charming discussing British Literature as he romantically kisses my hands. Bam! You ruin it," She laughed. He scoffed, stopping, "Prince Charming? I think you have the wrong guy, Princess." She tackled him to the ground, sitting on top of his chest. It reminded her of their first kiss in the white snow, but instead surrounded by white pages. "Your punishment for such a crass comment is this," She leaned down, capturing his lips. Jane savored the warmth of them, the imperfect chappedness. The way he now rested his hands on her small hips, pulling her closer as she wove her fingers through his blonde hair. Although vampires did not need air, she found it very hard to breathe as she felt Donovan's heart race faster and faster.
"Please do not fornicate in the library," a voice said dryly. Jane looked up to find Marcus smiling at them as he read through a scroll. Laughing, Jane got off of Donovan, helping him up. He was careful to stand behind Jane as he blushed ear to ear. In shame, the snuck out of the library. Once the door closed, they both broke out laughing. "I am so happy he was the one who caught us. Thank God I wasn't Caius or Felix," Jane laughed as Donovan wrapped his arm around her. "You know what? I hate how we seem to be the only couple who has to hide. We should go on a date," Donovan suggested lightly. "Is this you asking me out?" Jane smirked. Donovan got down on one knee in front of her, opening his hands like he had a ring inside them, "Jane Marie Volturi, will you go on a date with me?"
"Maybe. I mean, there are these five other guys who also keep asking me out. Plus I am busy modeling in Paris all this week. Not to mention it's my cats fiftieth birthday," Jane sighed dramatically. Donovan laughed at her sarcasm, "I take that as a yes. Keep New Year's open."
"It's a date," She pecked him on the lips.
"I don't get why you spend so much time with her," Olivia snorted as she followed Tiago down the steps. He wanted to see if Marina wanted to go play outside. Olivia would not leave him alone since the wives and Chelsea were busy. So resorted to tagging along with her brother. When Marina sensed them coming closer, she quickly hid the supplies. She pulled out the throwing knives, pretending to have been using them all along. Tiago stopped when he got to the door. Watching Marina practice always mesmerized him. She looked strong and beautiful. Deadly and captivating. She blushed when she noticed him gazing at her with the wondered expression. "Uh, Hi?" she blushed. Tiago stuttered out that he wanted to see if she wanted to play outside.
She was about to answer when she sensed someone was coming. She didn't recognize the vampire. An Intruder? "Someone's coming," she whispered. Tiago spun on a dime. All three smelled the vampire and got ready to attack. It was a newborn. Olivia, sure she was a better fighter than it, charged towards it. It ran towards her too, much faster than she was anticipating. It snarled smelling blood. Already today the scent of Damien's had driven him crazy and made him uncontrollable. It pinned her down without a second thought. She fought to kick him off of her before he could bite her. Tiago ran to aid her, knocking it to the ground. Quickly he was able to rip off one of the vampire's arms. Roaring, it turning grabbing Tiago and throwing him against the wall. With a loud, wet crunch he crumpled to the ground unmoving. As soon as she saw the vampire, Marina had grabbed her bow. She hoped for better circumstances to try out the now modified arrows. Notching it, she lightly cut her arm, letting the blood flow freely and screamed, "Hey red eyes!" The thing looked up at her, smelling the fresh blood. It was all she needed. Hopefully Donovan was right. She fired as it lunged at her.
Marina covered her eyes at it exploded. She had no idea that vampires burned so easily. Venom squirted from its eyes as the arrow slid cleanly into its brain. It shuddered to the ground, its head a smoldering mess. Finally it was dead. She was the one who killed it. Her first Kill.
Aro walked into the room, clapping slowly while grinning twistedly. "Well done my dear! I had money on Tiago or maybe even Olivia defeating it. But this was an even lovelier surprise," he said as if he was betting on a sports game. "You did this? You sprung a starving new born on us?" Marina couldn't believe it. "A test that you passed," Aro smiled. "And if we had not? What then?" she spat.
"Then you would all be dead," Aro said plainly before leaving.
When Felix and Demetri got home, they were appalled. "Are you completely insane?" Demetri yelled, "They could have died!" Felix helped get ice for Tiago who had woken up with a splitting head ache a couple minutes before they arrived. "They weren't ready for this, Aro," Felix was furious. Aro only looked down at them, "And whose fault is that? I ordered you to make them ready to fight. Your poor training is what put them at risk. I only made them stronger. And they lived didn't they? No harm done."
"No harm done? You have got to be kidding me. It is a miracle the arrow killed the new born," Demetri shook his head. He was happy all of Marina's weapon training had paid off. The wound had healed by the time he had come home, but she was still a shaking mess. It was the first time she had killed a man and wasn't processing it easily. It scared her how easy it was, mindless even.
Donovan was careful to make sure no one heard him as he crept down stairs to the training room. "I'm just going to train for an hour or so. Let some steam out," he had lied to Jane. Lying was something Donovan did effortlessly. He held the top button down on his iPhone as the screen came to life. He scrolled through his contacts until he found the correct name. He strummed his fingers on the wall as it rang twice. "Hello Donovan," a female voice sang into the phone. "Phase two is ready to begin. But there will be some alterations to the original plan," Donovan spoke. "What kind of alterations," the female was angry, "Moira left us with very simple instructions. Everything mapped out perfectly and every outcome taken into consideration. It's bad enough your little bomb mishap and Hadley's daddy issues were nearly the death of us."
"I thought the bomb would kill the twins. Their survival was unplanned, but maybe for the best. My alterations are that I want the twins alive as well as a plus one," Donovan tried to keep his vice even. The girl cackled into the phone, "Don't tell me you are leaving me for that stuck up princess. My little brother doesn't get a free pass for not keeping his emotions in line and neither do you. I want them terminated as well as the rest of the Volturi. Especially Aro, that sick son of a bitch."
"And you say Hadley had daddy issues? I'm not only keeping the twins alive for my own personal pleasure. I have two dear friends who have a strong interest in them," Donovan was entertained by her jealousy. "Just be careful. We don't have any room for mistakes," she grumbled into the phone before hanging up.
The Fox was always careful.