It wasn't all they could do.
Astrid was thrown back by a punch, rolling to a stop on the curb. She scrambled to her feet only to be slammed back down. She fell into the ground and snarled, looking up through her hair. A smirking, pale face leered over her, unfamiliar yet a threat.
Astrid shook and the vampire lost his balance. She spun and grabbed his ankle, twisting it off like Maria had done to her before. She stood and smacked the vampire, sending him sprawling on the floor. Astrid wasted no time and crouched on his back, yanking his head off. It flew through in the air, the enraged face snarling as it spun. Astrid enjoyed the view, loving that the end result was rolling towards the standing vampire.
Jasper's opponent fell to his knees, one arm torn and Jasper grabbing the roof of his mouth to tear his face in half. It was a vision, to see Jasper standing over a split body, eyes bright as he stared the Volturi down. He didn't back up to meet where Maria stood, twenty feet away with half her army around her. Astrid had drifted to the side and returned to stand in the center, flexing her hand as she stared the last Volturi member down.
There were more. Where were they?
"Ah, you are well trained."
The man strode forward, dramatically pushing his hood off. He reminded Astrid of the French paintings father had in his study, with a pinched expression and the stark black bowl cut. He looked upon the southern vampires like they were scum beneath his feet, something disgusting that had missed the trash bin.
"It only took my men killing two of yours for you to realize that? Who are you to come into my territory like this?" Maria snarled.
Astrid yearned for a school on how to be a vampire. From the tidbits that she had gathered from Heidi and Corin, an old vampire named Aro didn't like that there was a war going in Texas and bringing too much human attention. Were they the vampire police? Was all of what she was, what she's done, illegal? Astrid had thought this was the way all vampires lived, that they all fought for food and territory, running like refugees to get out of it. Was there really a life that frowned on Maria?
"Your territory? Don't make me laugh. You have nothing. You are living in an old world, one that has been long since forgotten." The French vampire began to walk back and forth, clasping his hands behind his back. He eyed them, respecting that they weren't foolish children ripping heads off.
Maria was confident now, striding past Astrid and Jasper to approach the man. He wasn't the least bit nervous, keeping his composure and grinning down when the petite woman stood before him.
"This is my world," Maria snarled, her hands darting to grab him. He backed away, tutting and shaking his finger. "We do what we like and no Volturi will have a say in it."
"On the contrary, my dear Maria. We have been watching you for quite a while. It was no secret what was happening down here, Master Aro actually found it amusing and let you all have your fun. Now you have gotten out of hand," The man's face closed off with every word, looking more like a monster with every word he spoke. His tone deepened, his shoulders raised, and he had Maria backing away as he strode forward. "You've been making such a mess, slaughtering towns and leaving destruction and hysteria after every battle. In fact, we're all a little tired with this. It's the end, now."
Astrid had never felt so little in her life. She had been created to fight in a war, had thought that this is all that vampires were made for, and now, to know that a higher power had been watching and finding her torture amusing this entire time - it was time stopping. Her whole existence was nothing but a joke.
These wars, these battles that had meant everything, that she had put her life on the line for, was just a silly disruption to the Volturi. They were making bets on to see who would win, Maria or Benito, and laughing when they saw newborns shredding each other. It was sickening.
"It's the end when I say it is. And I am far from done," Maria snarled. She'd stopped moving and now stood toe-to-toe with the man, not faltering as he gave her a look that could burn. "End him."
Jasper charged. The man leaped back, holding on the brick of the building to avoid being grabbed. He climbed to the roof and with a flick of his cloak, he had disappeared from view. Jasper was quick to follow. Maria snarled and turned to look at the rest.
"There are more, finish them!" Maria grabbed Astrid, yanking her in the opposite direction of the town. "You're with me, darling. No way in hell are you going out there with him, the monster can hold his own."
Astrid and Maria ran the perimeter of the town before Maria decided to enter it again. Astrid was getting antsy, trying to urge Maria to run faster or go further into town. Where was Jasper? She could hear screams and clash of vampire skin, and each time it made her imagine Jasper in battle. Deflecting a hit, jumping to avoid being bit, the Volturi member who had the power to make you scream in pain. She needed to know what he was doing.
But he would be mad if she left Maria. Maria, who was now gaining enough courage to dart into an alley and peer through the empty street. They could hear the fighting, congested somewhere, the smell of decaying bodies over lapping any scent that Astrid tried to get. She prayed that Maria would just hop another fence, tip-toe a little closer so Astrid could see who was there.
Maria hesitated in the street. Astrid looked between her and the fence, walking forward. When Maria didn't follow she turned to look at her master, begging her to just move.
"Maria, what's the plan?" Astrid finally asked.
Maria didn't look at her, "My monster will handle it. He always does."
"But it's the Volturi- Maria, please, let me go help."
"He has the whole army, they'll be defeated. My army can defeat anyone." She was resolute.
Astrid heard a scream, long and painful. There was crashing and stomping, grunts and thuds. On the other side of the fence her comrades were fighting the Volturi, and she stood over here watching Maria, the last one who would be caught in a battle. If Nettie had been here, the bitch couldn't fight but she'd still be in there.
Footsteps approached fast from their right. Maria stood her ground and Astrid rolled her shoulders, hearing more than one approaching. They leaped down from a roof, landing directly in front of Astrid. She saw a toothy wide smile and light hair before Astrid ducked the fist flying at her face. She pushed herself back, avoiding punches and quick grabs. One of Corin's arms finally came too close and Astrid tucked it in her arm pit, grabbing her by the neck and tossing her to the ground. This was no time to run and handle this later, she put her bare foot underneath Corin's jaw and pushed.
Corin's head popped off and rolled away. Astrid allowed her that one look before she turned at the other intruder. He was standing against Maria, licking his lips as he felt Maria's waist. She snarled and lunged at him, mouth open to bite, but he grabbed her easily and twisted her arm.
And by God if Astrid wasn't the one to kill the bitch.
She darted forward, bulldozing into Dimitri. The two rolled, hissing and spitting. He clawed her on the eye, she felt the venom sting down to her cheek, but she got a deep bite into his arm for that. They broke apart only to return, ducking and dodging the other attacks. Astrid tried to jump over him but he grabbed her ankle, slamming her into the street and breaking the cement. He easily straddled her, holding her hands over her head and looking down at her, elated at subduing her.
"Oh my little Cherry, how I've missed you," She buckled and twisted her hips trying to dislodge him. "None of the others put up a fight like you do."
She snarled and snapped her teeth, feeling a dark hysteria rise in her chest. She could smell Maria standing only a few feet away and she knew the bitch wasn't going to help her. Why would she?
"There's still time for you to change your mind. Come live with us in Volterra," Dimitri leaned down, inhaling her neck. She bit his ear off only to be smacked in the face. "A feisty girl like you would do well with me, and I must know what you smell like."
"Over my dead body." Astrid spat.
"That can be arranged."
Dimitri lowered his head and tore into her neck. She screamed, the pain like no other she'd experienced. She'd had her legs and arms torn her off, had quick bites in battles, but never had her neck been torn by teeth. It was brutal and her whole body shot forward, practically bucking Dimitri off in shock. She broke her wrist to yank her hand of his grasp and grabbed the back of his hair, yanking until she rolled on top. She dug her fingers into his eyes, his scream music to her ears, before ripping his head off.
She didn't have the energy to move. His head, eyes blinking and teeth snapping, laid by her thigh and his body continued to twitch beneath her. Astrid heaved herself to her feet, her fingers daintily touching the torn flesh. It was jagged and deep, she knew without talking that it was damaged enough.
Maria scoffed, "You couldn't have done that sooner?"
Astrid growled but it was gurgled and hurt. She cupped her throat, glowering at the woman. She led a newborn army and didn't have enough balls to jump into her own battle, and here Maria was judging Astrid?
More screams from over the fence. Maria sighed and headed to the other street, having no rush to get between the fences. Astrid, throat burning as it healed, was more than ready for round two. Anything to catch a glimpse of Jasper.
Astrid hopped the fence first, landing easily on her feet as she took in the flame lit street. A bonfire, the one from before, had been fed venom and raged high in the sky, stinking the whole town. Shadows darted under the moon, fast and vicious in their attacks. Astrid could spot some torn limbs on the street, cloaked figures and scrappy wildings brawling in yards and on roofs. She strode forward, ignoring Maria's hissing of her name. She had no fear walking into the street, easily dodging fists and duels. Where was he?
She looked through the cloaks. A man was thrown through a window and slid in front of her, snarling and grabbing at her ankle when he stopped. Astrid had no problem with stomping on his head, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. There were screams, loud and close. Just through the moving figures she could see someone on their knees, shaking as they held their head. A teenager stood just two feet away smirking as she stared him down. His screams reached an octave that wasn't natural and a man appeared beside the girl, swiping his head off.
She was the one with the pain.
A beautiful face blocked her view, "I thought Dimitri and Corin dealt with you."
Astrid looked Heidi up and down, someone jostling her from behind as they fought. Heidi stayed back and Astrid knew why, she wasn't a fighter. This should be the easiest of them all.
Astrid jumped on her shoulders, snapping the woman's wrist when her hands had flown up. She cried out in shock and fell to her knees, Astrid grabbing her chin and yanking the granite head off. The body fell and Astrid walked forward, tossing the head to her side, eyes focused for curly hair. She spun in a circle but only was noticing how there were all the sudden more cloaks than before. The street was full of bodies and it wasn't in their favor.
Maria was standing behind a newborn, directing fighters from afar. It was when Astrid looked at Maria that she saw Jasper, holding a guy by the shirt as he punched him in the face. He twisted his neck and the body fell, allowing Jasper to step over and grab another one, slamming them to the ground. Astrid darted, eager to see him again.
And then blinding pain. Pain that had her on her knees. She knew where she was but she couldn't see any more - she didn't know if her eyes were closed or if the pain had just snapped all her nerves. It was like fingers dragging down her insides, an ice pick stabbing into her brain over and over and over and when would the pain stop?
She couldn't hear anymore. Just herself. It was her and the pain, forever it felt like.
Then it was gone. As quick as it had came it was gone and she was kneeling in the street, fighting continuing around her. She spun to see the girl, smirking and waving her fingers at Astrid. The man, tall but not much bigger, stood close and eyed Astrid. So, they want to play a game?
Astrid darted, moving as fast as she could. If the girl caught sight of Astrid it was all over. She moved between the fighters, using them like shadows to get a smidge closer to the bitch. The Volturi member was wide eyed, peering over and under bodies to catch a glimpse, only for Astrid to dart from her right.
Astrid slid to the floor, missing the girl's eye sight and sending her flying to her ass. Astrid grabbed her guard, tossing him into a house. The railing fell of the porch and the wood tumbled on him, covering him with dirt and debris. Astrid turned to look back at the blonde, knowing that a second was all it would take for her to end Astrid.
She shoved the blonde face down, yanking one arm out of the socket. She screamed and kicked her legs, thrashing to get free. Astrid bent, her hand already caught under her chin, when she was shoved off. Astrid caught herself only one roll in, already storming forward. But it was too late, and the last thing she saw was Maria over the blonde, hands out from her push.
The blonde wasn't too nice to her savior. She glanced at Maria and the woman fell, screaming and clutching her head. Astrid went to stand before she was knocked back down by a punch to the back. Her leg was grabbed and pulled off, and Astrid screeched. She spun and clawed at the man over her, trying to get his eyes like Dimitri. But then he was looking at her, just holding her, with such a focus that she thought he was looking at something in her.
He frowned when she continued to thrash in his hold, "I can't get you?"
He was thrown off. Jasper grabbed Astrid's good leg and dragged her to his left, tossing her in the yard. She landed perfectly next to her leg, hissing as she reattached it. She looked up to see Jasper kicking the man further down the street before the blonde caught sight of him. She snarled and turned from Maria, who took a relieved breath when the pain disappeared. Jasper growled and crouched, ready to lunge at the blonde.
She smirked and leveled him with a look, "Let's see how well the monster does with my trick, eh?"
Astrid tried to stand but it was too soon, she crumpled to her side. There was no way she could get up. She snarled and looked at Jasper's back, not wanting him to face it alone.
Maria seemed to remember she was a vampire and lunged forward, ripping the blondes head off. It rolled, wide eyed and shocked down the street. The man yelled, rushing forward, no plan with his attack. Jasper met him halfway and slammed him to the ground, hand raised to take his head. But then they fell silent, hearing the patter of more steps approaching. Jasper pushed off of the man and landed beside Astrid, grabbing her to help her stand.
"Major, with me!" Maria snarled, already meeting the survivors. "Let's get out of here!"
Jasper wrapped one arm around Astrid's waist and dashed forward, easily catching up with the others. Maria led the way as they ran and Astrid knew without words to cover their scents. it was hard, being tired and injured like she was, but she focused and knew that she had done well. The power swirled on her finger tips, a light feeling to the stinging happening in the rest of her body.
Maria stopped at the farm. She didn't enter it, only stopped on the dirt trail outside. Astrid was the last to stop, taking in the survivors. Only twenty of them. How had so many perished? It seemed Maria had the same question.
"What the fuck happened?" She roared, not facing anyone in particular. Perhaps she wanted the universe to answer why things hadn't gone her way.
There was only silence in her wake. Jasper crossed his arms, stoic. Maria looked back at him, dress torn, "Well?"
"The blonde bitch with the power had about half of them taken out. They were older and more experienced and half of them had powers," His tone was thinly covering the anger beneath it. "It's the fucking Volturi. You never thought they'd come?"
"It is none of their concern what I do! I am Maria, I am the owner of Texas, and no fucking prissy ass club is going to tell me other wise!" Maria screamed, meeting Jasper head on. Their noses brushed with every word, her body expressing just how angry Maria was. "If only they had been trained enough-"
"Trained enough? Astrid told you months ago that the Volturi was here and you had her almost killed over it!" Jasper's voice thundered in the night. The rest of the army stood, defeated and wide eyed, as it all crumpled before them. "You've been slacking, Maria, you've been losing your mind and have a hallucination of what your army looks like but look-" Jasper gestured to the ragged group. "-this is what you have left! You've killed the rest! There is no more!"
"We'll create more, that's all, then we'll attack Benito!" Maria shoved Jasper away, stepping back and holding her chest. She took them in, wide eyed and crazy. "It's not over until I say it is!"
Jasper fell silent. The others were hushed, not daring to look at the fallen monarch. Just an hour ago she had an army, and now there was not a body on that street that was going to walk further. Astrid knew that this was the end, she could feel the desperation and anxiety in the air. What now? The Volturi had taken half the army and they were on their way to fight Benito - who was already on his way to fight Maria if Jasper had sent the patrol he had spoken about.
If they stayed, they would be killed with the rest. There would be no way to sneak out of a battle like that - twenty against seventy or so vampires. Astrid stared at Jasper, hoping he was doing the math like she was. There was no point in staying anymore, Maria was dead.
"What do we do now?"
Astrid knew what she was doing.