Disclaimer: If I was Stephenie Meyer I would have updated, or would I have? Or did I?
Disclaimer Deuce: I missed my deadline of Spring break, yet I still get a chapter out the next week. Considering how crazy my life is right now ye reviewers should be very happy.
Zuri's POV
"Mommy?" Mystearica asked coming in to my room.
"Yes hun?" I responded with a smile. She was only a couple months old and she was already walking around and talking clearly. She was growing much faster than the lions, twice as fast as normal, she already looked like she could be two years old... but Dr. Cullen told me not to worry that he had a granddaughter who was a half mortal... everything would be fine. Even the Lions grew fast... Faster than the wolves. Lions first shift usually happened when they were nine years old... which was really when they were five. Males grew faster than females, and shifted earlier... then their bodies would catch up as they grew. Males were considered an adult after their first hunt... which never happened until they'd mastered shifting... most times kids were six or seven years old before that happened... at the rate Tear was growing she could probably shift inside of four years instead of eight... like the average female. I watched Tear... she looked sad... yes... that was why she was sad.
"Mommy... they don't like me... they say I'm a monster... a halfbreed. What's half breed mean?" she asked me. I smiled.
"It means your father was a very special man." I said with a strong smile trying to hide the pain of missing him, the pain of not telling him about Mystearica... trying to let go of the anger of the racism of the lions... they'd never understand Michael Iverson... they didn't care, they saw vampires as enemies... but not Mike... he'd never be my enemy... he'd be my love.
"He wasn't a monster?" She asked me innocently. I laughed at the question that stabbed at me. No hun... your father was the most caring, loving man I've ever known.
"No... he wasn't Tear..."
"Can you tell me about him?" she said looking at me with his eyes. I couldn't say no to his eyes... and here I found myself submitting under the pressure of them again.
"Yes hun, of course I can." She smiled and sat on my lap. I pulled her close realizing she was growing up so fast I might not have long to keep doing this.
"Your mother went with auntie Themba to Italy."
"Really? Why?"
"It was a deal we made."
"Themba went to find a suitable mate." I said trying to sensitize what happened for my daughter.
"Eww!" she said understanding what I meant. She's too smart... eww was my response too.
"Well on the trip I told your auntie I couldn't fall in love with one of those "murderers" how wrong I was... how much my eyes were opened."
"What do you mean momma?"
"I mean don't judge a book by it's cover... don't believe something because everyone around you says it... sometimes you need to look for yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"I said I'd never love a vampire... oh how fate loves it's games." I said more to myself than to her. Michael... how you proved me wrong... I thought looking back.
"What do you mean?"
"I fell in love with your father... he was quite something..."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I know I won't ever meet another man like him." I said trying to stay level voiced, but struggling.
"Then why aren't we with him?" she asked honestly.
"Because... your momma made him pick between me and being loyal to his only friend... your your Momma made the wrong decision." I said out loud for the first time.
Mike's POV
Zuri... where are you now? Would you hate me if you could see me? Good. You made me this. You gave me hope then left me. No... she gave me a choice and I didn't choose her. Why did she make me choose? I couldn't abandon Embry. I stopped the thought process short. Zuri... I love you... I miss you. I concluded. It hurt to think about it so I put it out of mind.
I stared across the room at my opponent, he wasn't wearing his red Volturi robe... he was in black atheltic pants, and a sleeveless black shirt that clung to his body. He was seven feet tall and looked like he was carved in mable. He was everything you expected the greatest vampire warrior should be. He was Hercules, Samson, and Goliath.
If that were all he was he would be a difficult foe. But it wasn't. He wasn't driven by power, or the need to show his strength, his fighting style wasn't based on power at all. It was based on centuries of battles. Thousands of kills, thousands of vampires and werewolves, and who knows what else falling to him. He moved with a speed that betrayed his own size. He wasn't the fastest vampire, not even close, Demetri had a large speed advantage on him, but he made up for it with leg and arm length, experience and hard work. No... he was the master of his weaponized body. He didn't hold the scars Jasper had, but not for lack of fights, but for lack of people getting close enough. He had his scars though.
No... Felix was this most powerful dangerous Vampire in the world... and he didn't even have a power. Maybe that's why he's so dangerous... among a guard of extraordinary vampires he stands above them all, with no powers. His position gave meaning to his power, and the hard truth had slapped me in the face.
Without my powers I couldn't so much as touch him. Without my powers I was neither stronger nor faster than him. He was a beast, engineered to be the most effective and efficient killing machine born.
He wore a smirk. Confidence... but it there was something else too. Pride. He'd watched me come up from being an angry new born to the second most powerful member of the Volturi...
"So it comes down to this... You've finally made it to me." He said.
"Yes... and when I beat you I will finally earn my robe as a Volturi member." he laughed.
"Mike, you've already earned it, you're just too stubborn to accept it."
"Maybe... Let's skip the warm up shall we?" I asked throwing my sweat shirt to the side leaving me in white martial arts pants and a sleeveless shirt.
"Sounds good to me." He said charging.
This is it.
Ivan's POV
"He will be well worth the effort."
"Interesting prospect."
"If we move on him now I can't have him back here in a day with Connor's help." I pressed.
"I will approve of this, he can be your second, but you will take the time to plan this out." I growled but nodded.
"Of course... you won't regret it... he will be a great addition to us."
Ulrich's POV
I couldn't believe I was doing this. I had prepared everything perfectly. We sat in an Irish pub. Her favorite, "O'Hara's" I suggested this trip last week and Aro heartily agreed after I showed him my intentions. One of her favorite bands were playing but their name I could never remember. She'd never let go of my hand the entire performance and I hope she never does.
"The waves crash in and the tide pulls out
It's an angry sea but there is no doubt
That the lighthouse will keep shining in the night
To warn the lonely sailor
The lightning strikes and the wind cuts cold
Through the sailor's bones, to the sailor's soul
'Till there's nothing left that he can hold
Except the roaring ocean
But I am ready for the storm, yes oh ready I'm
I'm ready for the storm, I'm ready for the storm
Give me mercy for my dreams, 'cause every confrontaion
Seems to tell me what it really means to be a lonely sailor
But when the sky begins to clear and the sun it melts away my fear
I cry a silent, weary tear at those that mean to love me
And I am ready for the storm, yes oh ready I'm
I'm ready for the storm, I'm ready for the storm
Distance it is no real friend, and time will take its time
And you will find that in the end it brings you near a lonely sailor
But when you take me by your side, you love me warm, you love me
And I should've realized I had no reason to be frightened
And I am ready for the storm, yes oh ready I'm
I'm ready for the storm, I'm ready for the storm." I smiled and gently escaped Alexis' grip. I turned to face her, she seemed sad for a moment before I dropped to one knee.
"Alexis, McManis, you've changed my life in ways I never imagined possible and I can't see myself ever being happier with anyone so long as I exist... Will you marry me?" I said opening the ring box. She smiled bigger than I've ever seen her smile before and restrained herself nodding.
"Yes... of course Ulrich! Yes I'll marry you!" she said before jumping in to my arms. I heard cheering erupt.
Mike's POV
I opened the doors slowly and stepped in. I scanned the large audience chamber. It was filled around the edges with vampires. Every one I'd seen, and a couple I hadn't since joining the Volturi were gathered. There wasn't a spot of wall left for leaning anywhere. This is a show to them... all of them. This is proof of my worth to them. Part of me took pride in this achievement. Part of me was sick. Has it only been Three months Zuri? Three months until I'm exactly what they wanted me to become. The idea made my stomach turn. She left you. I told myself. I had nothing to prove to her. This was for me just as much as this was for the Volturi. I wanted to know how I stacked up against the greatest fighter the world had seen. He'd never lost... never, in his hundreds of years of service never once had he been beaten in a fight. His body wasn't adorned with scars to remember his losses, but with small scars to highlight his victories. I on the other hand had a giant X across my front and back along with other scars to show my failures. I removed my hooded sweatshirt and sweat pants leaving me in a sleeveless shirt and athletic shorts. Felix stood in his long heavy Volturi robe. I heard whispering across the room. Betting. Everyone wanted their money on Felix.
"Felix... how about we skip the preliminaries and get right to the fight, no holding back. He smiled tossing his robe to the side. He was left in only black plain MMA shorts.
"Temper, don't you think that's jumping the gun? Can you really do that?" he asked trying to get me to bite. I sighed removing my shirt displaying my scars for the world to see. I heard hushed whispers.
"Shut the hell up all of you, I can hear you clearly." I growled and all whispering stopped.
"No Felix, I've finally mastered it." I said breathing in deeply. I felt my body relax by command.
Adrian's POV
I could hear Mike calming down. He closed his eyes for a moment. What does he mean he mastered it? I felt it before I saw it. A small burst of energy with enough force to push me up against the wall. My eyes returned to Mike... his whole body was glowing... not just his arms, but his whole body glowed with a blue hue.
"So... you can finally do it without anger?" Felix said obviously impressed.
"Yes."
"So you've finally mastered all your abilities." Felix said still impressed.
"Oh no... I've still got so much more I can do. And so much I can do better... I can feel it." Mike said making fists.
"Let's start this then." Felix charged and Mike stood still blocking away three punches, a haymaker then countered with a spin kick that Felix was too far away to get hit by without dodging.
"Why do you have to have so much reach on me?" Mike grumbled. Felix laughed. Mike charged after Felix who back pedaled left and right blocking Mike's attacks, every time Mike pressed Felix would gently change directions, every time keeping his body out of Mike's attack reach. Mike was backing Felix in to a large pillar hoping to catch him out of his step. Felix dropped his weight clawing one hand in to the pillar behind him and the other in ground using both legs to kick at Mikes legs. Mikes legs flew out from under him. As he was falling he arched his back and caught the ground with his hands and sprang backwards as Felix pursued. Mike continued to back-spring three more times as Felix chased Then he stopped mid spring and kicked Felix in the gut throwing him backward.
Felix got to his feet wondering what happened until he saw Mike floating in the air. I heard snickering from around the room. Mike's landed softly on the ground.
"I see how this is going to be." Felix commented.
"What, you keep running away from me, how am I supposed to hit you if you're scared of me." Mike taunt. I heard oohs, and ahhs, from the viewing audience.
They both attacked at each other, neither backing away. Mike worked his way inside Felix's kicks, then blocking and taking attacked from the punches he worked his way inside his punches to where he could finally strike back. Felix was striking with knees connecting with Mike's thigh and ribs but he ignored the strikes and took two quick shots at Felix's gut. Mike took the opening to uppercut at his chin which Felix moved his head out of the way. Felix responded with a elbow to Mikes shoulder then head. Mike dropped and rolled out of the way and back to his feet gathering himself. He managed to get two good hits on Felix's stomach while Felix managed to get two on his legs one on his ribs, shoulder, and head.
Mike's POV
I wasn't fast enough to get inside his range without getting hurt. I could move faster... but I'd grow tired faster. It was that or lose very slowly. Felix knew it too. I could see it in his smile. He knew he'd won.
"You haven't won yet... I just will need to try a little harder." I exhaled loudly.
Adrian's POV
Mike exhaled audibly and and clenched his body as his aura changed from blue to red. His presence creating a pulsating blast of energy. Like a heartbeat it continued at a constant rate. His energy had been simmering before like a constant feeling knowing it was under the surface. Now it was boiling over. He opened his eyes. I couldn't place what it was but I couldn't shake the idea that he was different. He wasn't Michael... he was angry... he was aggression.
He charged at Felix. So fast my eyes could barely follow it. Felix stumbled backward trying to compensate for Mike's speed which was much faster than before. Mike was faster than anyone else I'd ever seen fight before, now he was unimaginably fast. Felix threw reckless attacks with his arms, Mike batted them away easily before landing three lightning fast strikes to Felix's ribs. Each followed by a cracking noise.
He lifted Felix with a strike to the chin that I couldn't make out. Felix lifted off three feet from the air before falling to the ground face down. I heard him groan. Mike stalked over to him, it wasn't like him at all. Mike grabbed Felix by the back of his neck and lifted him in to the air. He drove his hand in to the back of Felix's spine then lifted him well over his own head.
"Mike! You won... put Felix down." Evelyn called.
"Mike! Calm down!" Embry yelled I moved in front of him and looked him in the eye. His eyes met mine before going back to Embry's.
"Come on Mike. You got this." he couched. Mike breathed loudly out of his mouth like a beast his whole body started shaking then this aura disappeared, his body stopped shaking, it stopped moving all together, his grip on Felix faltered, then he fell to the ground face first.
Felix caught him before he landed. He was out cold... but that's not what left the entire room with an eerie silence. It was the sound that accompanied him. His heartbeat. Most of them didn't know he did this. When he used all his energy, when exhaustion overtook him like it never overtook us his heart started beating again, his hair started growing... I didn't want to believe it but I had to, he started aging again.
No one said it, no one believed it, but I knew it. His hair... it was the measure of his age, it grew a week's length in a day... that's how I measure his time... by now he has to be at least twenty from all the time he's spent as a human... he's supposed to be seventeen. Then I realize the other thought going through everyone's mind.
He is dangerous, he must be killed.
I wasn't the only one who realized this, Felix had moved him to a corner where he could stand in front of him, as a message. He was safe... for now.
Mike's POV
"Ugh... wha... umm... wait..." I said trying to sit up. I heard snickering.
"Two days sleeping, yes, you did beat Felix, and no I will not make out with you." I groaned.
"I wasn't going to ask that."
"Well wake up, it's time for three to officially become Volturi." I shook my head trying to shake away the blurred vision. I force myself to stand helping myself support my own weight with the bed.
"Wait... Three of us?" I asked realizing twenty seconds later he said three and not two.
"Yeah... Adrian's finally being inducted, since we are." I nodded.
"Now put some frickin' pants on." Embry called. I groaned throwing on clothing as I fast as I could without falling.
"Come on, the ceremony is waiting on you." I made my way to the room, I noticed quickly everyone else was dressed professionally, even Embry and Adrian where it nice clothing, everyone... but me. I looked down. I guess my pants could be considered professional. I was wearing black pants, but something felt wrong. I touched my face and realized what it was. I needed to shave badly, and my obnoxiously long hair had started growing again. I had thrown on a white undershirt and made my way in. Aro greeted me with a smile as I took my spot between Embry and Adrian.
"And today we recognize the three newest members of our Volturi Coven. The Alpha of all shifters Embry Black-Call, the unstoppable force, Adrian Miles, and the defiant champion of fighters, Michael Iversion." he said finishing with me and smiling. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to some pride at his words, but I earned it. I fought through the ranks of Volturi until I'd bested all of them, including the Captain of the guard Felix the Reaper. I deserved this rank that Alec and Jane had denied me. For all their brash arrogance they were killed by the shifter... all their powers didn't amount to enough to stop him from snapping both their necks. And all my powers will not save me from a similar fate. I thought as a cautionary tale. Aro was droning on about history and pride of the Volturi, nothing I needed to listen to so I thought my thoughts back inward.
Felix was amazing. He was an artisan of death. He didn't stop fighting or stop practicing when he became the best warrior, he picked up weapons and learned them, how to use them, their strength's their weaknesses, never stopping studying. He is a professor of battle. He understood perfectly how he moved, what his strengths and weaknesses are. I looked in to his eyes as he stared back at us. Is he angry I beat him? After his thousand years of battle that some kid with barely two years as a vampire beat him in hand to hand combat? No. I saw something very different in his eyes. Pride. Pride in Adrian for becoming a Volturi Member. Pride in Embry for overcoming all his tribulations, and most of all, pride in me for becoming his equal on the battlefield...
Even to myself I couldn't think I was his better. It seemed like a slight against him and I respected him too much to slight him, even in my mind. I may have bested him this time, but he bested me repeatedly before. Didn't I cheat? Didn't I use my powers just to get on level with him? My powers are a part of me just as much as my arm is. I thought to myself. I gave one errant thought to Zuri.
Look at me now Zuri. Look at what you made. You never wanted me to be this, but you could have had it all... You asked me to leave behind everything for you. I couldn't. I wouldn't. Look at what you've made me. I thought.
"Michael Iverson, please step forward." I heard Aro call. I took a couple steps forward. Felix stepped up and threw the heavy Volturi robe around my shoulders. I slid my arms in to it almost bubbling with pride. It felt right. It felt good... it fit perfectly.
"In times of our past we have tattooed or branded our insignia in to us, but for you three we thought something else might suit you better." Aro produced a small box from his pocket and handed it to me. I tentatively grabbed it not touching Aro's skin. He smiled as I opened it. It was a black ring, simple in design, in the middle the ring disappeared in to a V, Red, outlined in black. I pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on to my right hand middle finger. Aro smiled. I smiled not knowing what to say or how to say it. I looked to my left and right to see Adrian and Embry had the same response.
"Welcome, Embry Black-Call, Adrian Miles, and Michael Iverson to the Volturi." Applause broke out through out the hall, most of all Felix. I turned to Embry.
"And the Volturi liked it, so they put a ring on it." I muttered. Embry groaned next to me and Adrian snickered.
"Okay Beyoncé."
Wow that took me a while. Well over a month in fact... really? Did it? Wow time flies when you're too busy to breathe. For a while people have been asking "what's happening with the Cullens" well next chapter will be exclusively about the Cullens, I hope you enjoy it. I took a lot of time out of my very busy days to write this so I hope you decide to Review. Remember high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and ideas. Catch you on the Flipside, Fireproof