Chapter 12

An Intriguing Infant

Esme had returned to help the others pull Jane, Alec and I away from the body. In the Olympic National Park, about half an hour later, we still were under the restraint of the Cullens; I saw Jane and Alec's eyes black with hunger but then finally Edward came to us, but neither Sonja nor the child were with him – and the expression on young Edward's face was not at all encouraging.

"Where's Sonja?" I asked, "Where's the baby?"

"Aro, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but I couldn't save her; her heart gave out and there was nothing even Carlisle could do."

I lowered my head, looking down at the red ruby ring in my right hand, "My poor child," the one thing Sonja had left that loved her so much... and I failed both of them.

As I slipped the ring onto the third finger of my right hand; Edward then revealed a container filled with blood.

"Waste not..." He said.

Edward then threw the container and I drank and savoured, finally tasting my singers blood; it was the most delicious, appeasing, and most succulent blood I had ever devoured.

"And the baby, its inside but your far too thirsty to see it," added Edward, "You have to hunt first or you might very well kill it."

So Edward, his wife, and brothers joined us on the hunt, as Esme returned to the house to see to things; so we wouldn't accidentally harm any humans of their importance, we travelled north of Forks and passed the Canadian border because of the treaty the Cullens made with the shape-shifter packs. It took more humans than expected to quench our thirst but we had to stop, I could only imagine the look on Carlisle's face if he saw me behaving like an animal; but I wanted to be ready, I wanted to be fully satisfied so I would not be tempted when my child was in my presence.

We returned to the Cullen residence, and I felt clouded by Sonja's death but by a miracle her sacrifice was not in vain; swiftly striding across the field, the little angle, Renesmee, came running into her father's arms. It was absolutely adorable when she placed her hands on his cheeks – sharing their thoughts with one another.

"Yes, Nessie, he's very special; he is just like you." Said Edward to his dear child,

But my eyes gazed upon Edward for in his conversation I took notice that he used the key word 'he'… had I been blessed with a son?

Edward heard my thoughts as he turned to me. "Yes, Aro, it's a boy."

"My boy…" I never would have thought that I would be this happy to be a father, at last.

Aside from Edward and Bella, the rest of the Cullens rushed into the house; Jane and Alec remained at my arms, and out of the corner of my eye I saw darling Renesmee trying to reach forward to touch me – I half turned to her but then her father stopped her from making the contact.

"No, Nessie. Not this time, it's a surprise." The gorgeous smile on her face widened, obviously the child wanted to show me my son through her thoughts.

We reached the front door, I felt Jane's hand come to mine briefly before taking hold of my arm – she was actually rather nervous herself – I was glad she was, telling me that she cared for the safety of the child; though I'm sure her face told everyone differently. I now understood why everyone had rushed into the house, preparing should the unfortunate happen; this only made me more anxious as I could hear the fast heartbeats coming from the other side of the door.

Finally I took a deep breath to fill my lungs with pine-scented air, noticing two large wolves wading in the underbrush; as we stepped forth into the room.

All the Cullens and the shape-shifter were present in the room, Edward placed his angel down on the ground and she then excitedly ran to her pet shape-shifter; Jacob smiled fondly as he scooped her up in his massive arms. The crowd stood in an uneven line as Edward and Bella joined it, through them I saw standing at the back furthest away from me was Carlisle's most beautiful daughter, Rosalie, and in her arms – very protectively bundled in a soft grey blanket was the baby boy… my baby boy.

Standing beside her was Alice, her eyes waited impatiently as if she had trouble seeing; to her left was Carlisle and Esme, standing in front of Rosalie was Jasper – glaring at me with golden eyes blazing with anticipation – and finally there was Emmett. The shape-shifter stood to the outside of the half circle, close to Emmett, smelling just as appalling as the last I saw him; but my eyes focus completely on the child, I took a small breath in and the taste, breaking through all other scents and smells, was astoundingly, nearly impossibly, beautiful – it was like nothing I had ever smelt in my entire existence.

The aroma was a combination of forget-me-nots, lilacs, citrus and nightshade; but the smell of his natural fragrance was equally matched by the scent of his singing blood. My son's blood was also a singer. As I got used to the fragrance it almost over powered the scent of his blood and the boy's heart rate was like that of a butterfly's wing beat.

"Son." I said to the child. The newborn-boy looked up at me through Rosalie's blond hair.

The child had pale peach skin, short but wispy dark brown hair – the colour was just like his mother's – and his eyes were large and golden brown; though not the bright liquid Topaz of the Cullens but rich golden brown human eyes. They did not look anything like his biological mother's so maybe... maybe they were mine.

I had been a vampire for so long that I had forgotten what I looked like as a human. The little boy tried to raise his head but Rosalie's hand came down as she leaned away, I took two steps too fast and every being in the room leaned forward; each one baring their glistening teeth, Renesmee – now frightened – released herself from the shape-shifter's clutches and fled behind her mother.

"Come now, Aro is behaving very well. I think it's time; Rose, pass him forward." Said Carlisle.

But Rosalie's firm hands only tightened in their grip; though after a moment she slowly walked forward and unwillingly handing him to Esme – I took in another small breath – both tastes had amplified, but Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder. His hand gave me great confidence in my strength; gradually, I took a few more small breaths to familiarise myself with the smell, already I could feel the boy's soothingly warm body temperature, though it was not extremely as an open fire as the shape-shifter's, and at last Esme handed the delicate child to me.

I took him firmly in my arms, being ever so careful not to drop him; the boy appeared so delicate and yet so strong, his face and body looked far more mature than a new born baby – perhaps a two week old – and then the infant smiled at me, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. Something then inside of me was shaken; something so powerful it sealed the hole in my chest – it had been such a long time since the last I felt so complete – my gaze shared between Jane and Alec's, as soft smiles came to their faces.

I grinned widely. "My boy,"

My lips then came down and kissed his forehead, and thoughts were being exchanged… only they were not only the boy's thoughts. From the boy I saw some of Esme's thoughts, and then Rosalie's, then thoughts from Renesmee and even the shape-shifter, Jacob, and then finally mine. After my thoughts had past I removed my lips from the boy's forehead.

"It seems that your son can read minds like we can, very affectively and even more efficiently." Grinned Edward, "From what I've seen he can search through our immediate thoughts from a distance, like me; but, from that distance, he can also search through past memories, just like you..." He explained.

My eyes met the child's once more and his soothing warm hand touched my cheek.

"Father." Came a little voice.

I was astonished.

"And, much like Renesmee, upon physical contact he can project the thoughts he has seen into our minds but also he can extend his mental voice." added Edward. "That's how Sonja heard his voice inside her head, because they were under physical contact."

"Remarkable. Isn't that wonderful. Absolutely astounding." my gaze returned to the boy. "Your gifts will make for a powerful little immortal – and a fine addition to the Volturi."

Then a sense of dismay appeared in the eyes of those surrounding me.

Then the fair Rosalie spoke her mind. "How could you? He's just a little baby!"

"Rose, calm down." said Emmett.

She crossed her arms in frustration and stamped her foot down in blinding anger. My son began to cry, and I not knowing what to do, Esme smiled and took him off my hands, and in the split second our hands touched I could see she was going off to feed him.

"You must remember that your son is half human, so he is quite capable of living off human food but, like Renesmee, he too prefers to drink human blood." Carlisle's voice explained. "Come."

It was difficult to avert my gaze with the baby still in the room but once Esme took him into the kitchen I followed my old friend into the living room; both Rosalie and Alice pursued after Esme, while the rest joined us in the living room.

My fingertips brushed against my lips as my mind re-lived the entire moment perfectly. "He is truly beyond anything I ever thought possible."

Carlisle smiled. "Yes. Your son is quite unique; a little miracle, just like my granddaughter. And he already looks so much like you."

"Hmmm, and Sonja." I grieved.