Lucian finally meets the kings, although his plans don't go as he hoped they would. This chapter is probably the longest I've ever written, over 3,300 words! Although, I did go off the movie script so that the chapter could flow smoother. There are some points that I don't really like, but eh.
Dearest Cousin
Well, it appears we've found you once again. How's Australia, my dear?
Lucian
"Oh for fuck's sake- can't you see that I'm in a hurry here? Move your arses, I have somewhere to be!" The chime of the clock rang through the square, eliciting cheers from the crowd and a groan from Lucian.
"Shit! That's it; I'm teleporting there!" He takes out a knife and nicks one of his fingertips gently, disappearing soon after he had chanted a few words in an ancient tongue. Those surrounding him looked at the spot where he had been with confusion and dawning horror. Before they could begin to panic, their eyes glazed over. Turning away, they forgot what they had witnessed just moments ago.
Lucian appeared by Edward just in time to see Bella fling herself at him, knocking him slightly back, but not out of the light.
" Don't!" Bella breathed out heavily, exhausted from running so fast.
" Heaven," Edward muttered, not yet realizing that she wasn't a figure of his imagination. Lucian rolled his eyes, wanting to shove them into the shade so that they wouldn't be seen.
' Save the clinging until you are safe in the shadows!' He thought to himself.
" You have to move! Open your eyes, look at me. I'm alive, you have to move!" Edward slowly opened his eyes muttering a soft 'Bella' as they sank into the shadows, holding on to each other. Lucian breathed out a sigh of relief.
" You're here." Lucian tuned out their conversation at that point, more worried by the fact that he could sense two rapidly approaching vampires. And he knew exactly who they were.
" Great, sparkle boys all fine. Now, can we please go? I really don't want to hang around here any longer. My vampire senses are tingling, they're warning me about bloodsuckers with red eyes approaching very soon, like right aboutttt now!" Of course, he knew that they wouldn't ever be able to outrun them, but he wasn't supposed to know about the Volturi all that much. It's best to seem oblivious of those he meets.
A door further down the hallway swings open abruptly, two figures draped in grey robes stepping out.
" Of course, they come immediately after I announce their impending arrival," Lucian muttered under his breath. " Good afternoon my good sirs, what a pleasant day we are having." Demetri and Felix don't even get a chance to respond before Edward is cutting in.
" I won't be needing your services after all gentlemen."
After a short glance towards Lucian, the scene continues as if he had never even spoken. "Aro wants to speak with you again," Felix told Edward, trying hard not to look at the human boy next to him. He just can't shrug off the feeling that he isn't what he seems.
" No rules were broken." He argued.
" Nonetheless, we should take this conversation to a more appropriate venue." Demetri drawled back.
" Fine, Bella why don't you go enjoy the rest of the festival," Edward suggested, turning Bella in the direction of the door.
" The girl comes with us," Felix demanded, a smirk still present on his features.
" No, you can go to hell." Edward hissed out through clenched teeth.
The door slammed open as Alice strolled through, drawing a grin from an onlooking Lucian. Oh, how he loves Alice and her theatrics.
" Come on guys, its a festival, you wouldn't want to make a scene."
" Hm, you wouldn't."
The door down the hall once again opens, revealing a blonde-haired girl this time, draped in an even darker cloak than the other two, walking determinedly down the hall at a brisk pace.
" Enough" She commanded in a sharp tone, stealing everyone's attention.
" Jane." Edward respectfully nods his head in her direction as she surveys her surroundings.
" Aro sent me to see what was taking so long." She looked at them all with a disapproving gaze, turning on her heel to walk back.
" Just do as she says," Alice whispered to the two humans of the group as they followed her down the hallways, Felix and Demitri Trailing them from behind. Felix threw a red cloak at Edward, which he caught and put on with a subtle nod of thanks.
" Go ahead," Jane said as she stepped through a door that leads into a stone stairwell, waiting expectantly.
" Ah, just what I'd expect from a vampire coven, living in an old building filled with creepy stairways," Lucian commented, running his hand along the jagged walls. " Not that it isn't cool, because living in a castle in really fucking awesome!"
" Don't be scared of them," Edward whispered to Bella as he guides her down the steps.
" Are you?" She asked back softly.
" No." Jane huffed behind them in disbelief, causing Lucian to snort. He stilled when he received a glare.
" Sorry, sorry." He apologises quickly, not wanting to be on the receiving end of her ire.
At the bottom, Felix presses a button on the wall, revealing an elevator with a dull interior. Lucian is disappointed. He expected more from Millenium old vampires. He doesn't make his thoughts known, because that would result in a fate worse than death. Plus, he doesn't exactly want to be on the Volturi's bad side.
They step into the elevator, the ride up filled with awkward tension, classical music and Lucian trying not to die of laughter in the corner. Felix also looked rather amused, a smile twitching on his lips as he stared down the uncomfortable-looking lovers he had been silently tormenting with just his gaze.
They both nearly sprinted out of the elevator once it had stopped, stepping into a grand receptionist area.
' Now, this is more like it." He thinks.
" Buon pomeriggio." Welcomed the pretty woman at the desk, looking far too happy doing such a menial task. Lucian grimaced as he looked at her, knowing all too well that sooner or later, she would become the meal of one of the vampires living here.
" Is she human?" Bella wondered to Edward, looking confused. His eyes glanced towards her form briefly, before going back to watching the vampires surrounding them.
" Yes," Edward responded shortly, on edge from being enclosed by the Volturi guard. That, and he could hear every thought they were having about that human, unwillingly listening in on their desires to drink her dry.
" Does she know?" Bella persisted with her questioning.
He hesitated for a moment, before answering, disgust filling his voice as he and Alice sneer in the woman's direction. " Yes."
" Then why would-she wants to be-" Realisation dawned on her as she looked to the woman with understanding eyes. She too wished to be a vampire, so that she could spend eternity with the one she loves.
" And so she will be," Demitri added strongly.
" Or dessert," Jane said as she marched ahead, gracefully pushing open the doors to the throne room, revealing the grandeur behind them.
" Sister, send you out to get one and you bring back two...and two halves," Alec uttered out sarcastically, disinteresting glancing over the new arrivals.
" That's three genius," Lucian muttered under his breath, knowing that he was heard by the way Alec's head had twitched slightly in his direction. " Such a clever girl." He continued on as if he'd never been interrupted.
" What a happy surprise." Aro startled them as he stood abruptly, holding out his arms. He walked leisurely down the steps and towards their group, a feral smile adorning his aristocratic features.
" Bella is alive after all, isn't that wonderful? I love a happy ending! And it looks like you've brought along a friend." Aro's predatorial smile grew genuine as he looked towards Lucian, earning a suspicious and confused stare back. Aro ignored his questioning gaze momentarily to take Edward's hand in his own. " They are so rare." His eyes flicker towards him again, savouring his features. Yes, his mate is quite a beautiful person.
Aro once again focused on the task at hand, breath hitching as he replayed the scenes of Lucian's abilities in his mind. " La tua cantante. Her blood appeals to you so much, it makes me thirsty. How can you stand to be so close to her?"
" It's not without difficulty," Edward replied, looking quite ill as he reads Aro's thoughts. He snuck a glance at an oblivious looking Lucian, his dislike of him now set in stone. To be mated to the Volturi kings, how revolting. They may be the foundation of peace and civilization in the vampire community, but they had done many atrocities in their long lives that made them all monsters in his eyes.
" Yes, I can see that." He chuckled, eyes still flickering occasionally towards where his mate stood. They harden as he heard Edward's thoughts on his mate, revelling in the fear he could feel from his as he projected his murderous thoughts.
" Aro can read every thought I've ever had, with one touch. And now you know everything. So get on with it." Edward explained for Bella, putting on his best stony expression to not seem afraid.
" You are quite a soul reader yourself, Edward." His eyes flickered back and forth between him and Bella. " No, you can't read Bella's thoughts. Fascinating!" He let go of Edward's hands, stepping back. " I would love to see if you are an exception to my gift as well." He held out a hand eagerly, offering it to her. " Would you do me the honour?"
Bella stepped forwards, hesitating before gently placing her hand on Aro's. Caius and Marcus sat up on their thrones straighter, watching their mate's every move as he looked just about ready to stop Aro. Caius smirked at the sight, quickly covering it back up with an icy facade.
" Interesting, hm, I see nothing." He stepped further away, looking slightly nauseated at that fact. " I wonder," He looked to his guard. "Let us see if she is immune to all of our powers, shall we Jane?"
" No!"
" No!"
Both Edward and Lucian ran forwards simultaneously, Lucian casting a shield over Bella before remembering that she is not the one to be hit.
" Pain." Edward began to convulse in agony as he stands, the three of them looking on in horror as he falls to the ground in suffering.
" Stop! Don't, please stop!" Bella tried to run to him, only to be stopped by Alec. Alice instead goes to comfort him, while Lucian stood frozen. He can't stop her. Jane's powers are too strong for a baby witch like him to stop.
" Stop! just stop hurting him, please! Please!" Lucian winced at his cousin's shrill cries, heart hurting at the sight of her in anguish.
" Jane," Aro ordered her softly, eyes transfixed on his slightly trembling mate. He didn't ever want him to be afraid.
Jane stopped, her head turning towards him. " Master."
" Go ahead, my dear."
She and Bella looked at one another. " This may hurt just a little," She said, slightly smiling. That smile dropped once she realised her powers were having no effect.
" Hahahahaha." Aro clapped, startling Jane out of her growing anger. " Remarkable. She confounds us all. So, what do we do with you now?"
" You already know what we are going to do, Aro," Marcus spoke up for the first time, causing the room's attention to turn on him.
" She knows too much," Caius added coldly. " She's a liability."
" Hm, that's true. Felix." Aro drawls out, sad at having to lose such a valuable gift.
Bella is turned to face Felix by Alec, Edward cutting in and charging at him, Alice being caught by Demitri on her way to help, leaving both Lucian and Bella to the mercy of the others.
A soft hand wraps around Lucian's wrist and he is whisked away to the side of the room by Jane as a fight breaks out between Felix and Edward. Edward ends up slammed to the ground, overpowered by Felix's superior physical prowess.
Lucian fought against his captor's tight grip, turning his head to curse at her. He halted in surprise at seeing the look on Jane's face, one that had turned her usually stony expression soft. He stopped his struggle, focusing on the strange sight.
Felix turned to the now alone Bella as she watched Edward in fear. He shot up, once again tackling his opponent, only to be flung away and held up in the air by the neck.
Their fight continued in a flurry of unrecognisable shapes and blurs until Edward is left kneeling in front of the kings at the foot of the now broken stairs.
Before Bella could utter anything stupid about dying in Edward's place, Lucian wrenched himself from Jane's lax grip, running for Edward. Hey, it may have been stupid, but to save his cousin, he would do anything.
" Stop!" He managed to yell before Jane's arms wrapped around his waist once again, halting his sprint. " Please stop! Don't kill him!"
The kings look toward their distressed mate as he struggled, wanting to rid him of his anxiety.
" Alec, Jane, Felix," Aro ordered them all to let go of their captives. Edward collapsed to the floor as Lucian ran for him, hands already glowing with a healing spell even though he knew he would heal almost instantly. Bella's sobs of relief could be heard throughout the almost silent hall as Edward quickly regained his strength. He shoved Lucian away, running to Bella to capture her in his arms, leaving Lucian alone to sit on the floor by the dais.
He huffed out a frustrated sigh, startling when a hand invaded his vision. He followed the arm to look up at the owner, surprised to see that it was Caius. He hesitantly took it, knowing full well that rejecting it could lead to bad consequences.
' Doesn't mean that your safe from dying even if you take it though.' His brain helpfully offered him. ' Isn't it a bit stupid to take the hand of a know bloodsucker?' He internally told it to shut up, focusing on the way Caius's eyes dilated as he continued to hold onto Lucian.
" How beautiful." Caius softly breathed out, loving the way Lucian's hand entwined perfectly with his own. He was hit with an insatiable urge to pull his mate in closer and wrap him in his arms to keep him safe. Yet, he resisted, too afraid that it would startle him. Only once all the outsiders had gone, then Caius could let his desires run loose. He reluctantly relented his grasp as Lucian began to struggle, letting him stumble back a few uncertain steps. " What is your name, young one."
Lucian didn't know how to react in a situation such as this one. None of his actions here had gone to plan, he'd only meant to draw the attention of Marcus so that he could reveal the true nature of Edward and Bella's relationship. He did not even think for one second that Caius would be the one intrigued by him, let alone voluntarily be closer to him than necessary.
He gulped, knowing that it was best to answer him, lest he loses his temper for being ignored. " Lucian Swan."
" You are Bella's younger cousin, correct?" Aro cut in, also wanting his mates attention.
" Yes, I am."
" So, say if we killed your cousin and her little boyfriend here-"
" I won't let you. Bella is under my protection, and by default, everyone she cares about. Even if I do not like them." As he said that, he looked at Edward with a sneer, hating how he was clinging to Bella. At least that kept her safe.
" You do not like him, you say?" A satisfied glint entered Caius' eyes, looking smugly towards Edward. " Hmm, then if getting rid of him only causes a little inconvenience to you, I'm still all for killing him. He's been annoying me for too long now, disobeying even the simplest of rules that we set many times over." He snarled towards him aggressively, smirking when Edward minutely flinched away in fear. He looked to Lucian, seeing that his only reaction to this was a raise of an eyebrow in amusement. He took that as a go-ahead.
He signalled from his throne for Felix to once again charge at Edward, ending with him once again kneeling at the mercy of this kings.
'It seems as though fate is really against me today. My interruption changed nothing at all.' Lucian solemnly thought, watching on as the scene progressed as it should have before.
" Please! No, no please, please!" Aro makes a halting movement to Felix, who stops putting as much pressure as he had before. He's intrigued as to how young Bella will try to persuade him. "Kill me, kill me! Not him." Aro looks dumbfounded at her declaration, tilting his head to the side and walking forward in curiosity.
"How extraordinary. You would give up your life, for someone like us. A vampire, a soulless monster."
" Just get away from him!" Edward chokes out frantically. Aro looks back to Bella, tilting his head once more.
" You don't know a thing...about his soul," Bella mumbles out, glaring into Aro's eyes. Lucian would facepalm if he had the guts to interrupt a moment as intense as this one.
" Forse il Vostro Uno l'altro. This is a sadness. If only it be your intention to give her immortality." He lunged for her, startling Lucian enough that he nearly stopped him, yet he resisted.
'If staying out of the way means that we can get out of here alive, then so be it.'
" Wait!" Alice yelled, halting Aro in his tracks. "Bella will be one of us. I've seen it, I'll change her myself."
Aro holds his hand out for her to take, which she accepts. He watches the scene where Edward and Bella are running in the woods, spotting Lucian lurking in the background. " Mesmerising! To see what you have seen. Before it has happened." He looks to Bella, approaching her as she looks away. " Your gifts, they will make for an intriguing immortal." He whispers as he cups her face. " Isabella."
" Go now. Make your preparations." Felix lets go of Edward, who runs for Bella.
" Let's be done with this." Marcus drawls out, his eyes attaching to his mate. "We have much more important matters to attend too. Heidi will arrive for you three at any moment. Thank you for your visit."
" We will return the favour. I would advise that you follow through on your promise soon. We do not offer second chances." Caius adds, rising from his throne once more to walk down the steps, stopping before Lucian and holding out his hand to him. He takes it warily, being yanked into his chest. He gasps out in surprise, turning his head to the side to watch as the Cullen's and his cousin are unwillingly ushered out of the hall
" Wait, what? Lucian!" Ignoring Bella's cries, Edward yanks her out of the hall, expression stony. Alice looks hesitant to follow along, but she knows, Lucian will be safer here than he would anywhere else in the world. She reluctantly follows the retreating pair as Aro's last words meet their ears.
" Goodbye...my young friends. I thank you greatly for what you have done."
The doors slammed shut behind them, leaving Lucian alone with some of the most powerful vampires in the world.
Well fuck, he really didn't plan for things to end like this.
Thank you for reading! The next chapter will hopefully be up quicker, but don't hold me to that. I'm still trying to update my other two stories. I appear to have hit a block in my planning. Please point out any mistakes :) I edited this on zero sleep so there's bound to be a few.