Lucian meets Bree and is surprised by an unexpected visitor
A tiny Halloween special, set in 2021 :)
Dearest Cousin
It has been a long time since I last contacted you in any form, and I apologise for that. I have not had the chance to do so, with Mum and Dad hovering over my shoulders at all times.
How are you? I heard that you have been planning for something big recently. Am I allowed to know what it is?
I will be attending the ball, however, I'm not too sure about mum though, she seems off these days. It getting concerning, Luce. Dad's getting worse as well, he's getting paranoid of every little thing, even snapping at mum for the littlest of things.
It's not how it used to be, not without the others around anymore.
Love from, Renesmee
15th- Aftermath of the Newborn attack
Lucian watched the girl, Bree, with horror as she screamed gutturally, clawing at the ground as she watched his cousin with greedy eyes. She looked half-mad, tormented by the scent of fresh, human blood, so close yet completely off-limits.
He felt nothing but sympathy for the young girl.
Edward and Bella's hushed conversation was easy enough to block out as he watched the fog warp, the dark figures in the midst of it creeping ever closer. Lucian noticed as the Cullens converged around Bella as he stood to the side farthest from the newborn, so obviously isolated from the protective family. His own protectors were nearby, shifting threateningly in the trees as Bree continued to snarl.
" Hmm." The apathetic, childish sound rang in the silent clearing like a tinkling bell, so at odds with the glaring red eyes focused on the group.
" Welcome, Jane." Edward's voice was cool, yet courteous towards the newcomers, but he was all but ignored as the four elite guards laid eyes on Lucian.
" My Prince, it is good to see that you are faring well. Liliya, Mykola and Alois have been protecting you sufficiently, yes?"
" They have been wonderful, Jane. I have yet to even suffer a scratch under their watch."
" Then all is well, and they are doing their job as they should. Now, Cullens, mind telling me why there is still a rabid newborn alive near my very human master?"
" She has surrendered."
" Surrendered?" Jane scrunched her face up. " There is no choice for those who break the rules."
"That's in your hands. As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught." Carlisle's voice was calm in a way he knew his could never be in the face of someone so much stronger. Lucian wondered, absentmindedly, if Carlisle really had a gift, one so subtle that it was unnoticeable to others.
"That is irrelevant," Jane insisted.
"As you wish." He nodded his head slightly.
Jane stared at him for a moment, before turning her gaze once more on her master. Such a dainty, innocent thing, standing in a cloak of pure white, neck adorned with the golden crest of the Volturi. She could hardly understand how such a creature was the mate of her ruthless kings, but bonds always existed for a reason, so she was in no place to judge if he was worthy of being theirs. Or that they were worthy of being his.
She could only hope that when she met hers, her own fated mate wasn't quite so fragile. The deep ache in her chest throbbed at the thought.
" Master, what is to be done about the newborn? The Cullens seem so intent on keeping their newly acquired pet, I'd almost feel sad about taking her away."
" Let her stay, Jane."
" Ah, but then how could I, in good conscience, leave you within the vicinity of such an uncontrolled vampire?" She grinned, the smile all teeth.
Lucian hesitated, sending a nervous glance towards Bree, who was staring harshly at the Volturi. " I will stay with Charlie, for the time being, and not visit the Cullens house until after she can control her thirst. Besides, surely my guard will be enough to protect me from a singular newborn."
Jane looked slightly off-put at his response, as if she had another solution in mind. The kings, mainly Caius, had probably asked her to persuade him to come back early if she came across him, Lucian bet. She recomposed herself, standing straighter to address the Cullens once more.
"How many were there, out of curiosity? They left quite the wake of destruction in Seattle." It didn't sound like a question, more of a demand.
"Eighteen, including this one," Carlisle answered, still sounding as respectful as ever. Lucian watched, amused, as Jane whipped her head towards him for confirmation, eyes wide.
" Eighteen?" She sounded breathless, eyeing the blazing fire in a new light.
"All brand-new. They were unskilled." Carlisle sounded dismissive, trying to downplay how bizarre it sounded, and how it could be perceived as a threat.
"All?" Her voice turned sharp. "Then who was their creator?"
"Her name was Victoria," Edward answered, no emotion in his voice.
"Was?" Jane asked
Edward inclined his head toward the eastern forest. Jane's eyes snapped up and focused on something far in the distance. Lucian didn't dare to turn his head in the direction, not fully trusting Bree not to attack him as soon as his back was turned. She looked like she was a second away from losing herself, and he had no idea if any of the guards would be able to reach him in time.
He began to vision how he would react to an attack, just in case.
Jane stared to the east for a long moment, and then examined the closer bonfire again.
"This Victoria — she was in addition to the eighteen here?" Jane tilted her head, eyes blazing with childlike curiosity.
"Yes. She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year."
"Twenty," Jane breathed. "Who dealt with the creator?"
"I did," Edward told her.
Jane's eyes narrowed, and she turned to Bree, who was still snarling beside the fire.
" And how will you guarantee that there will be no problems with her? You have your own little human to worry about as well, after all. Are you going to change her sooner than planned?"
The Cullens looked uncomfortable, shifting their eyes to one another. " We will ensure that she is kept away from Bella- and Lucian- until she can be trusted around them." Carlisle, ever the diplomat, consoled her.
"I suppose that is acceptable." Her tone was clipped and business-like, turning away from the Cullens to face him. " There was another reason why we were sent here. Prince, would you come with us for a little while. There is something that needs to be shown to you." Lucian nodded and accepted the hand that was held out for him.
There was a rush of wind, strong enough to make his eyes water, and suddenly, they were many miles away from where they had been before.
" Woah, a bit of warning next time, yeah?"
" I thought that I had warned you sufficiently."
" Well, you didn't-"
" Lucian." A body slammed into his back, making him go rigid. He would have reacted violently unless he'd recognised the voice before he could even begin to chant.
" Marcus, why are you here?"
" To see you, of course. Why else would I leave Italy?" His voice was muffled, face lodged in Lucian's hair. He attempted to extract himself from the iron-like grip to turn around, but Marcus wouldn't loosen his hold in the slightest. He sighed, and slumped into the man's arms instead, scowling at the guard who hardly seemed to be trying to hide their grins.
" Why, did ya get worried about me? I'm doing fine, Marcus, like I tell you over the phone every time."
" It doesn't matter, I still wanted to see you in person. This is the best way to ensure your well-being. Besides," His head settled down on Lucian's shoulder, a smirk twisting his lips. " Surely I'm the best person to come here, rather than Caius, who would have stolen you back to Volterra as soon as he laid eyes on you."
" How did you convince him not to come?"
" I didn't tell him I'd be making the trip alongside the guard. I guarantee that he is turning the castle over as we speak." Lucian chuckled at the thought, imagining the way he'd throw a tantrum like a child. A very, very strong and fast child, but a child nonetheless. " Lucian."
" Hm, yeah?" He looked up at his mate's face, searing the image of the handsome face with a gentle smile into his mind.
" Would you mind if we relocate this conversation? I think it would be much better if we sat down."
" Ah, I know of a bench around here somewhere-" Before he could finish the sentence, he was swung into Marcus' arms, clasped tightly to his chest. He looked up at him with a frown. " Oi, what do you think you're doing?"
" Relocating." Was the short answer he received, before being smacked in the face by the wind.
Lucian gritted his teeth, holding on tightly to the man's shirt as his hair flew around wildly. He felt a lurch in his stomach as Marcus jumped, feeling weightless and wrong. He was soon placed upon a soft mattress, but that did nothing for his heaving stomach.
He scrambled off the bed and rushed for the bathroom, kneeling before the toilet. Lucian heard his mate stop at his side, worriedly asking him what was wrong. He waved him off as he clutched on the seat, head spinning.
It finally settled after a minute or two of heavy breathing, and when it did, he shot his head up to glare at Marcus. " Warn. Me. Next. Time. You dolt!"
" I apologise, I did not know that you would have such a violent reaction to me running."
" It wasn't the running, it was the jump that you did at the end that made me feel all funky." He groaned, shivering. " Carry me back in, will you?" Marcus rushed to help him, gently lifting him once more into his arms, and walked slowly back to the room to settle him on the bed. He sat beside him, and the two connected once more, slotting into one another's side like puzzle pieces.
Lucian hummed contentedly, rubbing his face in the junction of Marcus' neck. " I've missed you."
" I have felt your absence most heavily. The whole castle has. It has been quite the chore listening to Caius' rampages and Aro's muttering."
" Hm, what does he mutter about?"
" All sorts of things. I believe the most frequent one is if you will like how we have refurbished your room. Aro has been working on it meticulously." Lucian felt his heart burn with love for the man, a smile working its way onto his face. " And how about you, my dear?"
" Hm?"
" What have you been up to whilst in Forks?"
He hummed, taking a few seconds to answer. " Not much, really. I have been practising some spells though, since I've come to the conclusion that I have a really meagre repertoire."
" Would you mind showing me one of them?"
Lucian grinned excitedly, no longer feeling sluggish. He sat up and opened his pocket-sized 'grimoire' that he carried around. It contained all sorts of odd spells that had caught his fancy, making sure that he wouldn't have to carry around the heavier and more valuable version.
" Hmm, I think I'll show you...this one!" He stood up and walked to the clear space in the room, Marcus following him.
He took a rock from one of his pockets, clasping it between two cupped hands. Marcus tilted his head, listening with awe as a faint humming sound began to bounce around the room. " What are you doing?"
" Just watch."
Marcus stared at the rock, watching as it began to faintly glow a warm golden colour, tiny sparks shooting from it. Suddenly, the rock was gone. He darted his eyes around the room, wondering where it went.
" I split it into many pieces. It currently floating around. Watch." His grin grew sharp. With a snap of his fingers, Marcus felt something wrap around his throat and squeeze. A slight cracking noise reverberated through the room before the rock-dust scattered once more. His eyes widened. " It's something I've been working on. I haven't got enough experience to make it effective yet though, but hopefully, I'll be able to use it by the New Year." Lucian looked proud of himself, grinning up at his lover. " So, what do you think? Cool, huh?"
Marcus blinked. " If it is something that will help keep you alive, then it is very...cool." He blinked once more as he watched Lucian double over with laughter, nearly falling to the floor.
" I never- I never thought that I'd hear you, you of all people, say the word 'cool'!" He tried to stifle it, but snorted instead, which set off another round of giggles.
" I am glad that I was able to make you laugh so easily."
Later that evening
" And this is the best herb ever! Seriously, It makes everything just that much more potent! Its-"
He paused, and his head shot up to look at the clock, the smile on his face dropping drastically, which worried Marcus. " Lucian, are you alright?"
" Oh god, it's so late! Charlie's going to kill me!" He scrambled up from his cross-legged stance, grabbing at his things and shoving them haphazardly into his bag without care.
Lucian hurried to the door, only for his arm to be grabbed. " Stay with me, Lucian."
" But Charlie-" He protested, tugging his arm out of Marcus' grip, which hadn't really been a grip in the first place.
" Phone him. Say you're staying... with a friend. That's what teenagers do nowadays, right?" Marcus looked pleadingly at him, and what could he do but accept his mate's request?
Lucian smiled up at him, dialling Charlie's number with haste. " Hi, Charlie! I was just wondering if-"
Halloween Special- 31st of October 2021
" Trick or treat!"
" And what are you supposed to be?"
" An angel!" It chirped, a wide, toothy grin on display beneath the mounds of white sheets and toilet paper.
Lucian stared down at the tattered mess in front of him, squinting his eyes as if it would help to see better. " You look more like an Egyptian mummy, to be honest."
" I'm an angel!" The child protested, pouting up at him with a scowl. He chuckled, catching a piece of toilet paper that was floating towards the floor.
" Yeah, yeah, here, have some sweets." He chucked a handful into the kid's bucket and shooed them away.
The kid stopped their skipping to turn back to him, staring at him intensely. " And what are you supposed to be?"
" I'm a fairy, kid."
" But, you don't have wings."
" I can't be bothered to have them out a the moment." He deadpanned, much to the child's amusement. Once they were safely out of the gates, he closed the door with a slam.
" I don't understand why you pander to them, darling." Aro stood behind him looking puzzled, having hidden in the shadows out of sight from the child.
" They're children, Aro." He stated as if that explained everything.
" I eat children."
Lucian sighed.
It's two days late, but it's a lot quicker than usual! I had to prioritise schoolwork over the chapter ^-^
This chapter didn't go exactly as I had planned, there was no Marcus originally, and I was instead going to show the fight. But, that felt boring.
In the fight, Lucian stayed up in the tree's, protected by his guard, and tripped the newborns with rock vines to make it easier for the Cullens to incapacitate them.
I have a little of the next chapter written up, but not enough for me to confidently say it'll definitely be posted on the 15th. Idk, I might surprise myself. I did manage to write a third of this chapter today in only an hour or so :)