Twilight : Fondness for an Ancient Warrior

This is a fictional story based on the Twilight Series, of which I own neither part nor parcel. Just borrowing the Volturi temporarily. (I'm late to this fandom. I do research online since I haven't committed the films to memory, and hardly recall the books. So I'm sorry if canon is upended a little.)

This is Caius' story, the third of my Volturi Master/OC stories.

His mate, Athenodora, had left the Volturi long ago, throwing Caius into fits of anger. Nothing in the Volturi castle was safe from the destructive rage of the vampire leader. Years later, after it was reported she had been destroyed by an enemy of the ancient coven, taking away any chance of a reconciliation, his mood changed to one of mourning. All at the castle began to tread lightly around him, until Aro decided to send Caius away on sabbatical far away from Volterra.

One day, while he's driving around Italy, Caius sees a woman rider, in his eyes, a warrior on horseback. He has to know more about her. Thus begins the courtship between a vampire who hates humans and a human who loves horses, two people so similar in temperament, why can't they get along?

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Chapter One - Informal Introductions

Aro had decided he had had enough of Caius' temper tantrums and fits of depression. Ever since Athenodora had left him, he was angrier than usual. When he found out about her demise, he went into mourning that included lots of wailing in between fits of anger and bouts of silence. Calling Caius into his office, Aro waited for his brother to sit. He watched as the blonde vampire sat brooding, his elbow resting on the arm of the couch, his fist holding up his chin. He never even gave Aro a glance. Sitting next to Caius, Aro placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Brother, I know how difficult this has been for you, but there is nothing to be done for it. You're in a deeper depression than our brother Marcus. At least he doesn't threaten to destroy the castle's furnishings on a daily basis." In his touch, he sensed conflicting emotions in Caius. Hurt, anger, sorrow, bitterness, and fear. "Perhaps you should go on sabbatical, brother. Leave Volterra. Go far away. Take the time to think and meditate. We will be here when you feel you're ready to return home."

When Aro was told Caius had departed, he gave an unnecessary sigh of relief. At last there would be peace in the castle.

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Caius was in his sports car, typically driving over the local speed limit. Why should he follow human-set speed limits anyway. His enhanced reflexes made it impossible for him to lose control, while not fearing physical damage even if he did crash.

He found the country roads had little traffic until one reached the city limits. Where those cars were outside the city was the mystery. They just seemed to appear out of nowhere, and then you were suddenly in the middle of a traffic jam with no way out. That was why Caius avoided any roads leading directly into larger cities.

While he was driving along one such road, he happened to see on the opposite side, a large field. He glanced over to see a woman riding on horseback. When he slowed down to watch her, it wasn't long before he came to admire her riding skill. She was galloping the length of the field, her dark hair streaming out behind her while her polished chestnut animal raced alongside the wood and wire fence abutting the road.

Intrigued, Caius sped ahead, then pulled a sharp U-turn, parking his car alongside the field. He got out and stood at the fence, watching the human while resting his arms on the top railing. She and her horse were magnificent together. Finally, he shouted to her.

Pulling up, the woman turned her horse in the direction of the voice. She raised her hand over her eyes, even though the sun was far from bright today. She saw a man standing by the fence. A creme-coloured sports car was parked behind him. As she studied him, she noticed he was wearing a pair of black jeans and a button-up black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows.

She kneed her horse as they headed to the fence. She was in no hurry, and it gave her more time to inspect this man who was watching her. His hair was as fair as fresh creme, his face noticeably pale but flawless. When she got closer, she noticed his eyes to be a medium blue. She had never seen a man who looked like him. He was beautiful. She stopped alongside the fence and looked down at him.

"Were you shouting at me?" she asked, one brow raised.

Caius looked around the field. "I see no one else here, so yes, I suppose I was shouting at you." He grinned, his teeth white even under the cloud-covered sun.

The woman laughed at the man's boldness, but she wasn't averse to speaking with him. Curiosity compelled her to know more. "What did you need?"

Caius smirked. If she only knew what he needed, and wanted. "I'm a rider too, and I just had to tell you I think you're very good." A stupid reply, he knew. Why would anyone pull over just to tell a stranger they rode a horse well.

He scanned her mount for a brief moment. "He's not gelded. Stallions are difficult to ride, even for the best of us."

The woman dismounted and moved to the fence, approaching Caius. "Yes, well, Mystique has been with me since he was foaled. He trusts only me, and only I'm able to ride him. No one else has, successfully. They tend to find themselves looking up at him from the ground."

"Oh, I don't know, I ride very well myself," Caius honestly bragged.

The woman laughed heartily, shaking her head. "You'd be lucky to end up with your ass intact, after he threw you." She patted Mystique's cheek, speaking to him as she might a child. "Who loves you the most? Does mama love you the most?"

The horse bounced his head as if in reply. His owner laughed sweetly and kissed the flat cheek of her mount.

"If you ride, as you say, well..."

"Very well," he interjected.

She nodded. "Alright, "very well", then come back tomorrow. I have a small farm at the far end of this field. The gate to the entry road is ahead about 100 meters. We'll ride together. I have an interesting horse that might suit you. I must warn you he's considerably less tame than Mystique. If stallions are to your taste, well, we'll see...uh.."

"Caius," the blonde replied, his eyes boring into hers. He noticed her eyes were a warm chocolate brown, her hair as black as a raven's wing. She was the opposite of Athenodora's fair appearance with her pale blonde hair This woman could be Aro's sister.

She stared back at him, but eventually looked away, mulling the name over in her mind. Unique name for a unique man. Seemed both their parents hated the mundane. Her name was given to only 27 registered births of females last year in 2021. She had no idea how many had been given the name in 1991, the year she was born.

"So I'll see you tomorrow, say, after 3:00 pm?" She mounted up, her horse pawing at the grass, eager to get running again.

"Yes, I would like that...uh...?" he asked, waiting, but he received no answer before she turned and began galloping back the way she came.

"What is your name?" Caius called out to the woman as she rode away and out of earshot. Laughing, she yelled back at him, thinking he wouldn't be able to hear her. But Caius had enhanced hearing, and the name hung in the air even as she rode further away.

Caius heard her say 'It's Illyana'.

He watched her until even he could no longer see her. For the first time since he had heard of Athenodora's demise, he felt an attraction for another woman, but a human? This would not suit. Still, he didn't have to do anything but join her for a ride tomorrow. He would display his riding skills and show her how one tames a wild animal. If she were as wild, perhaps he might feel inclined to tame her as well.

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The next afternoon, Caius drove down the same road he had driven the day before, continuing past the point he had first seen Illyana, where he soon found the gate she had mentioned. Turning his car and entering through the gate, he followed the dirt road until he came to a small farm.

He parked near a stone house, neat in appearance if not large. There was a small barn not far from it, where a smaller wooden cottage sat, probably for hired staff or a groom, if she had one. Caius exited the car, loudly slamming the door, hoping to get Illyana's attention.

He had, but she didn't come from the house, rather she exited through the barn doors, slapping dust from her riding slacks. She saw him waiting beside his car, resplendent in his riding clothes. It was amazing that Monarch was so close in similar colouring as the man who stood beside his car. She wondered if he would notice.

"Caius, you came. And right on time." She walked up to the intriguing man, flashing him a smile. "I was getting everyone saddled, with help from my groom, Pietro. He's working his way through school, so I helped him by hiring him. He's a good kid, so don't be rude, got it?"

Caius held up his hands. "Why do you think I would be rude? Do I look entitled to you?"

"Honestly, yes. Look at the car you're driving. Obvious wealth," she replied, unapologetically judgmental.

"And you are what, an American, a Canadian, living in Italy? So who here has the wealth?"

Illyana laughed, a sound that was music to Caius' ears. He wondered if he would feel as enchanted with her as he had yesterday, or would the feeling be gone over night. He smiled when he realized the feeling was still there.

"Pietro, per favore aiutami con Monarch. Prenderò Mistica." Illyana led Mystique out of the barn, while her groom brought out a beautiful champagne-coloured horse. "Caius, this is your mount, Monarch." She propped a hand on her waist, her other hand still holding Mystique's reins. Smiling in silent challenge, she asked, "Are you ready?" She was actually eager to see if this man was being truthful in his self-assessment of his riding skills. First, he'd have to prove he could sit atop his mount for over a minute without getting thrown.

When Caius walked up to the beast, he let the animal smell his hand, then breathed into his nose before he ran his palm over the fuzzy warmth. The horse snorted and pawed the ground when Caius mounted him. Monarch felt the unusual weight on his back and reared up, attempting to throw his rider off. Caius only tightened his thighs around the beast, enough to warn him but not to harm him. The animal would know this was no ordinary rider on his back.

Illyana watched as Caius controlled his mount. He wasn't half bad, she had to admit. He certainly had no fear of the stallion that he had his legs wrapped around. A wave of heat moved through her body at that thought. Then she decided that was no time for her mind to wander.

"Hey, be careful with my horse. You break him, you buy him!" she called out.

She mounted her own horse and kneed him in the direction of the large field her farm sat upon. "Race you to the grove," she said, admiring the blonde man as he was already heading in that direction.

Illyana leaned low over Mystique's neck while she kneed him to speed up. She was just behind Monarch, who seemed to follow Caius' directions. He truly was a good rider, if not better than he had indicated. Perhaps if he rode Monarch often enough, he might inadvertently tame him to accept other riders. She shook her head, asking herself, did she want him to come back? To be honest with herself, she knew nothing about him.

Once they reached the grove of trees, both dismounted.

"You do ride very well, Caius, so I guess you did give yourself an honest assessment," Illyana commented.

Giving her a crooked smile, Caius suggested they walk back to the farm so they could talk. He wanted to know more about this woman, not knowing she felt the same about him.

They walked the field, each holding the reins of their own horse.

"Where are you from? Your accent isn't Italian," Caius asked.

"Neither is yours," Illyana countered.

Caius gave her a smirk. "You don't like answering questions, do you?"

"I don't see you educating me much about your life. Perhaps we're both just very private people," she countered again.

"Ask me anything. I tell you what. I'll ask you a question, then you may ask me a question. And we both must answer." It was a game he wondered if she'd be willing to play.

"Alright, Caius. You go first."

"Where are you from then?" he asked.

"America, the Midwest, so you see, you were correct in your guess." She thought a moment, then asked him, "How long have you been in Italy?"

Caius stopped walking. He wanted to be honest in this game of Truth or Truth, but her first question threw him. He couldn't tell her he'd been in Italy for several thousands of years. "I've lived here almost my entire life."

"Ah, quindi parli un italiano fluente," she queried, one brow raised.

"Sì, ovviamente," he said, smiling.

They looked at each other, then laughed, walking again.

"How did you come to be here?" he asked, really wanting to know.

"My parents died, leaving behind a generous insurance payout. So I looked for a place to move where I could buy a farmhouse with some land that wasn't actually a farm. I bought Mystique from a nearby stable. I was there when he was born, and as soon as was possible, I brought him home. Monarch was sold at a very good price, probably because he was unrideable. The owner said if no one bought him, he'd have Monarch put down. I couldn't allow that to happen." She looked down at the ground, laughing. "I suppose that was more information than you wanted. Ok, my turn. Where do you live now, Caius?"

"In Volterra," he answered simply.

"I've been there once. Some annual festival they have, St Marcus's Day, I think it's called."

Caius smiled, knowing what that day was all about, and to whom it was dedicated. "Yes, I'm familiar with it. It's my turn now. Will you join me for dinner tomorrow evening?"

Illyana glanced over at Caius. "That's not the kind of question we're asking each other."

"I know, but will you?"

She looked down at the grass-covered ground as she walked on, still holding Mystique's reins. She stopped and turned to Caius. "Yes, I will. We can continue this game then. Shall we ride again?" Not waiting for his reply, she mounted her horse and started back for the farmhouse. She was immediately followed by her riding companion.

When they returned to the barn, Pietro came out and took Mystique inside, then returned to lead in Monarch, taking time to remove their tack and water them. He nodded at Caius. "Signore, lei cavalca molto bene cavalli difficili."

"Grazie. Non è stato così difficile." Caius waited for the young groom to enter the barn, then turned to Illyana. 'Thank you, as well. It was a challenging ride, but you may find him a bit more docile now."

"You're very sure of yourself, but I doubt that. You have a special gift with horses in any case."

The blonde vampire merely glanced at her, his mouth forming a slow smile. It appealed to him hearing she thought him gifted when in fact, he had no gifts. But she did not mean the ones he was thinking about. Riding stallions required no gift for him. Once he had connected with the animal, he had no trouble riding the beast.

Illyana was walking alongside the fence separating her yard from the drive. She lay her hand on the railing, then cried out. "Ouch, damn!"

"What is it?" Caius asked as he moved to her side.

"A splinter. I need to paint that railing one day."

She held up her hand, but Caius gently took it in his own, peering down at the place the splinter had entered. His enhanced vision easily found the offensive piece of wood and pried it out. A bead of blood welled up from the tiny wound. He quickly brought her finger up to his mouth, where he sucked the meager droplet.

Illyana felt her breath quicken when his tongue swirled around her finger. She pulled her hand away from the embrace of his cold ones. "Thank you, Caius. I think it's ok now." When she looked up at him, his blue eyes had taken on a darker hue. "Well, if you ever want to go riding again, you need only call. We'll take a different route up into the hills. If you have a piece of paper and a pencil, I can give you my number."

"No paper, but you can give me the number. I'll remember it," he replied, smirking.

"So you have a photographic memory," she guessed.

"Something like that. I will be back, I promise you, Illyana. I have a hundred questions, if you feel like answering any of them." His gaze was heated, and Illyana's cheeks flushed pink. Caius found it delightfully enticing. He took the damaged hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. He then walked to his car and got in. As he started the car, Caius gave the woman one more glance out the open window. "Will 6:00 pm be alright? I'll pick you up, and we can find some nice quiet restaurant."

"Sounds perfect, Caius. But I pay my own way," she insisted.

"You will not pay for yourself. I asked you to dinner, so I will be paying," Caius argued.

"We'll see," Illyana stepped back from the car. "See you tomorrow then."

"Until then," Caius said, giving her one more smile before leaving.

Illyana watched the car as it drove away down her dirt road toward the main road. She didn't know why he had affected her the way he did. A relationship was not something she was looking for. And this man was a bit...strange? The way he sucked on her finger gave her goosebumps, but he had gotten the splinter out easily. She returned to the barn to check on Pietro and bid her horses good night.

As Caius drove back to the inn where he had taken a room, he remembered the pleasant day he had spent with Illyana, but he was still disturbed by the fact that she was a human. He knew he had two choices. Spend time with her until he inevitably tired of the human female, or if he did not, he would learn more about her, then admit what he was and ask her to join him in his immortal life. Would Aro be surprised.

A/N : Each of my Volturi/OC story pairings have their own theme song. For Caius and Illyana, I found this song someone attached to a youtube video about the Queen of the Damned film version of Lestat under the title "Stargasm-Vampire's kiss. It's a beautiful song, and probably how Caius would want his relationship with Illyana to proceed, with her finally asking him for immortality, as the lyrics suggest. I'm not so sure she will, but Caius needs a challenge, right?

If you love vampires, this song is for you. The lyrics are perfect.

Thanks for reading.