Survive For Me
Chapter 9: Bit of History
I looked up, irritated when I heard a knock on my, well, technically it was his door... fuck it – our door. I leaning against Aro, still on the couch after finishing my breakfast, and of course someone has to interrupt don't they?
Aro sighed, seemingly just as annoyed as I was, "It appears life has caught up with us," he murmured sadly before pressing a kiss on the top of my head and gracefully lifting me off of him only to put me on my feet. I frowned, a little irritated, I didn't like being picked up like I was some little kid.
"Come," he cheered, "I shall take you to Marcus. He's currently enjoying our gardens. Would you care to join him?" he asked me as we reached the door.
"It beats sitting here all day," I shrugged my shoulders, grabbing his hand as he pulled me outside my, his, our room and guided me down the long hall. There were so many twists and turns... I was starting to get very dizzy when we finally came across a set of dark oak wood doors.
"Here we are," he pecked me on the cheek, "Marcus is wondering around somewhere, but I'm sure you'll find him. And don't worry about your safety mia cara," he gestured towards something, or someone behind me, "Felix here will make sure you will never be in any danger. I have assigned him to be your bodyguard."
Bodyguard?
If I didn't know any better I probably would've protested at having someone follow me around all day, every day, but I wisely kept my trap shut. I was in a dungeon type thing with vampires crawling all around here. As much as I hated to admit it, I was weak and vulnerable and all it took was one lapse of self control and I would be dead. I was a human. I know I couldn't possibly even take on a vampire's severed arm for god's sake. So I needed Felix to keep my safe and I would not argue about it... until he started to annoy me, then Aro and I would be having words.
"Alright, I won't say a word... for now," I warned him. I wasn't happy having someone follow me around but I'll suck it up and ignore my pride that was screaming at me to tell him to fuck off with Felix.
"Thank you my darling. It's only for your protection. It won't be forever," he assured me before he leaned in and kissed my cheek, before striding off.
I shook my head, trying to ignore the way my heart sped up when he kissed me, before opening the door and stepping outside into their massive garden.
~SFM~
"Getting bored yet?" I asked Felix, turning another corner of the garden.
"Of course not my lady," he deadpanned. I let out a little giggle at his sarcastic tone.
I was completely lost. But I didn't actually mind as I wandered around the garden, gazing at all the flowers and marble statues and a stone fountain. It was just amazing and peaceful here. Whenever I breathed in all I could smell was the scent of a thousand flowers all mixed together perfectly to give it a wonderfully unique smell that I had never come across before.
I hummed to myself as I wandered aimlessly. I looked up only to freeze in slight alarm. There was someone here, standing with their back to me talking to a woman. The woman glanced at my direction with red, narrowed eyes. She sized me up before sniffing and walking away. The man turned around and I relaxed slightly seeing as it was only Marcus.
He gave me a breathtaking smile before he raised his hand to me, a silent invitation to join him.
I nervously walked over to him. I hadn't realized it before, but I had grown comfortable in Aro's presence since we had cleared up the little mishap with my lack of self control. I had officially only met Marcus twice, and I had no idea how different he was to his brother.
"How are you my darling?" he asked as we walked side by side, with our hands still entwined.
"Struggling," I answered honestly as we wandered aimlessly. "Sometimes I just want to run away, sometimes I just want to end it... and other times I just want my heart to stop telling me to just trust you, because it's that easy."
"I have faith that we will all get through this eventually. You're stronger than you think you are."
I scoffed when he said that, "Strong? Me? I'm not strong, I'm am a coward. That's how I've survived all these years... hiding. I was never brave enough to face him head on."
Let go of your guilt Leonora.
How could I possibly do that? How could I ever let this guilt go? I was the fucking monster. I didn't fight against him hard enough. I claimed to love my mom and I did nothing to save her. I deserved everything my father ever inflicted upon me and so much more.
Just one chance.
Their chance. Just give them one chance. This is what I have to do. And when they realize I wasn't worth it then they would throw me back out on the streets and I'll wait for my father to come find me and kill me off. At least then I'll see momma again. But I will give them their chance. They deserve one... it's me that doesn't.
I sighed dropping the conversation, instead choosing to change the subject onto a lighter note.
"So... how old are you guys exactly?"
"I believe I was turned around 1350 BC in Greece," he murmured to me while my mouth dropped open. "But I do not know of the exact date of which I was born."
"Holy shit you guys are old." I muttered in shock, "Have you ever been married?" I tried to keep the jealously out of my voice. It shouldn't concern me if they had a wife or lover before I was even born, it wasn't like they were mine. But it still hurt to think about it.
"No neither I nor my brothers have been married as a man or monster. Though we have had our lovers in the past, few and far in between."
I winced when a painful stab ran through my heart. I knew, logically speaking, that they most definitely aren't virgins, I mean Aro proved that to me last night. But it still hurt to even imagine women draped over their laps, pleasuring them to an extent I don't think I ever could, at least not now.
We spent the rest of the day talking, about random things. I even learned about his ability to see the bonds between people which I thought was the coolest thing. He told me of their history, how he was turned and how he had met Aro and formed a coven together. They traveled together for a while before Caius came along and joined them as well.
He told me of the 'supposed wives' of the leaders. Sulpicia and Athenodora. A lot of vampires assumed Sulpicia was Aro's mate and Athenodora was Caius' but it wasn't the case. They were just there as a pretense, to make other vampires believe they had already been mated to avoid complications with succubus and other single vampires. They didn't want any of their enemies knowing that they haven't found their mates yet as they would probably attempt to find her... well me, and use me against them.
Marcus expressed his concern about me meeting them, saying that they had become quite attached to the power they thought they had. He warned me to try and do my best to steer clear of them, as the years have flown by he wasn't sure of their sanity anymore.
He told me about Didyme, Aro's sister who was, unfortunately, murdered millenniums ago.
"A lot of people assumed Didyme and I were mates, but we were just very good friends. We understood each other," Marcus explained to me as I laid in his lap, resting on the stone bench, staring at his face as he looked down on me.
"This is what happens when people assume things," I grumbled before quieting down to listen to the rest of the story.
"Unfortunately while we were busy fighting off another coven to gain their territory, she was murdered by a werewolf behind our backs." Marcus said gravely, twirling a bit of my hair between his index finger and thumb.
"Wait," I said excitedly, sitting up, "Werewolves actually exist as well?"
He hummed in agreement, stroking my cheek. "Oh yes, werewolves are real. Their transformations are ruled by the moon. They are completely insane and will kill or infect anything they come across in their path. Caius almost lost to one of them a long, long time ago. He grew to fear them so he hunted them down to near extinction. Only less than a hundred still wonder this earth and Caius is quite determined to lower the number until they are no more and Aro is content to let him in revenge for their kind murdering his only sister."
"Wow," I whispered in shock laying back down on Marcus' lap, missing the feeling of his hands combing through my hair.
He told me of their encounter of a certain blond haired vegetarian named Carlisle Cullen. Marcus said Carlisle was perhaps the most civilized vampire he had ever met. Carlisle had a very strong sense of compassion for vampires and humans and it was that compassion that held him back from ever drinking human blood. Instead he lived off of animal blood, which Aro had described as tasting like dirt. Marcus and Aro like Carlisle very much but eventually after a few decades he left to go to America to offer his services from his being a doctor. I was flabbergasted.
"A vampire as a doctor? That is probably the most ironic thing I have ever said in my life," I laughed as Marcus escorted me back to my room.
As we reached my temporary room, or at least I assumed considering it was theirs, Marcus raised my hand and pressed a kiss on the back.
"Goodnight my sweet Leonora,"
"Night Marcus," I whispered, before bravely reaching up and kissing his cheek. I quickly escaped into the room before he could react. My cheeks heated up in embarrassment when I realized what I just did. These vampires were affecting me in a very bad and good way.
I went into the bathroom and turned the water on, hoping they wouldn't mind me taking a break to clean myself in their bath. I stripped naked and quickly stepped into the streaming hot bath. I sighed as the hot water started to relax my tightened muscles.
I was honestly trying to open up my heart and give them a chance but it was so hard. I've never let myself become emotionally compromised, let alone willingly. I was trying to give them a fair shot but tearing down these walls I have were just so difficult for me. To go from having no one to count on and almost dieing by my father's hands to having three vampire kings doing their best to take care of me... it was a lot.
I knew time would do me no favors. Some people needed so much time to figure out what to do, but no matter how much time I have, be it five minutes or five years, I was always, without fail, make the wrong bloody decision every time. No matter what happens I'm going to do something to fuck it up soon and I really hope I don't hurt them when I do.
My thoughts and feelings were completely scrambled but I knew I already cared for them on some level and it will hurt me more to hurt them, on accident of god forbid on purpose.
Sinking below the water I stayed there for as long as I could, just focusing on my heart and head. Letting them battle with each other while I just watched from the sidelines.
My heart yelled at me to go find all three of them and fuck them all to oblivion and back, while my head was still screaming at me to run.
But run where? They will find me no matter what I do, and despite what my head is thinking, I don't want to run anymore. I would take these vampires over my father any fucking day. I gasped for breath as I resurfaced, brushing my wet hair away from my face.
Might as fucking well enjoy the life I have here then.
A/N: So Leo's finally coming to terms with her new and permanent living arrangements and she is going to try and tear down her walls for them and give them the proper chance they deserve. I know Caius had barely been in this story but don't worry, he's coming up next.
Thank you for your reviews my darlings!
