Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 15
Nerves were high on the way to Volterra. Edward and Bella managed to focus on one another in the private bedroom for most of the flight, but once they touched down, the task at hand occupied all of their thoughts.
"Remember, when you meet Aro, don't think about your mother or what's to come or-"
"I've got it," Bella interrupted, smiling at her mate. Though her mother had been on her mind constantly since Edward's revelation of her vampire nature, she knew what she had to focus on. "I am also here to marry my incredible fiancée," she reminded him. "I think I can manage to think a pleasant thought or two about you to pass the time."
He chuckled and kissed her knuckles. "Sorry, love. I'm nervous." And that was a new feeling for him.
"And that you can play off on wedding jitters as well," she told him, while Emmett snorted.
"As if. That possessive fucker can't wait until you're bearing his name."
Edward flipped him off but grinned. It was true, after all. "I'll do my best to get Aro alone as soon as possible. Demetri should have Chelsea occupied by now."
"We got Phil," Jasper added. "It's been a while since we've seen our good brother, hasn't it, Emmett?"
"Oh yes, I think we should take him for a night on the town, to celebrate his mating since we've seen him last." Emmett's smile was feral.
"Just remember, we're not killing anybody today," Edward reminded them. "Tempting though it may be." The urge to kill his father was always present, but none more so than now that he knew his mate's mother was bound to him, against her will. Anything that made his Bella unhappy made him very unhappy.
"And I'll try to find a way to talk to my mother." Bella had no idea how that was going to go, or if Edward could even get Aro to step away from his guard, but she had to try.
"You'll have some help." At Edward's words, they all turned to him. "I told you there were others helping us. I've kept their names to myself until I was sure they were completely committed. Some will wait until I've spoken to them here so I can hear what they're not saying. But Gianna will help."
He squeezed Bella's hand. "Gianna is going to take Mother for an emergency dress fitting. It seems that there was a mix-up with the fabric of her dress." He smirked. "That'll keep her occupied for a while."
Jasper whistled. "She's going to be pissed."
"Yeah, but fortunately, her dressmaker is in Rome. Gianna won't let her get that far, and she won't have the chance to kill her before-"
"I do," Bella finished. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, all of you, for what you're doing for me."
"I was always going to do this, love," Edward said, wanting to assure her that this wasn't all on her.
"But the timing is because of me. If you'd had more time to prepare, it would be better."
"I've had a century to prepare, my beauty. I'm ready. We're ready. It is I who should be thanking you." He laughed when she shook her head. "Yes, love. You've given me a true purpose in life. Once, I just wanted to take his place-for revenge, for power. I don't care about that at all now. I could be the new leader, or Marcus or Demetri or whoever wants it can have it. All I care about is freeing your mother and seeing you happy."
"Even if my mother weren't involved, I would want this for you." Bella smiled over at Emmett and Jasper. "For all of you. I'm so glad you had each other, but I'm so sorry that you lost your families and your lives on one crazy vampire's whim and her mate's thirst for power. You deserve this moment far more than I do."
"This is our family now," Emmett told her, gesturing to Jasper, Edward, and Bella. "We'd do anything for you, and we're honored to be a part of this."
"We are," Jasper echoed. "Freeing your mother, and yes, freeing ourselves, feels like we're finally doing something worthwhile with our lives. So, thank you, both, for that."
Edward nodded at them as their car pulled up in front of the castle that had been their prison for far too many years. "Here we go."
Bella had only seen such grandeur on TV specials that showed inside the White House or Buckingham Palace. She openly gaped at the high cathedral ceilings, the gold crown molding, and the priceless artwork and artifacts. The dark, dank dungeon she'd imagined, despite Edward's description, was nowhere to be found as they walked over immaculate marble floors. She'd missed the name of the vampire who'd greeted them at the door, so enraptured by the view.
"Do you like it, love?" Edward asked, swinging their joined hands up to his lips to brush them over her knuckles as he loved to do.
"It's beautiful. I feel like I walked into a fairy tale."
"Just wait until you see the ballroom once it's decorated for your wedding," a high, excited voice intoned. Sulpicia ran from the end of the grand hallway and threw her arms around the mates. "It's so good to have you home!"
"Mother, it's good to be home," Edward lied smoothly. "Would you like to meet my Bella, before you hug her to death?" he asked with a laugh.
She chuckled as she pulled back to beam at them. "I'm sorry. I'm just so excited. It's been too long since I've seen you." And indeed, she only had eyes for him, taking his face in her hands and looking at him as if she'd never seen anything more beautiful. "I missed you, sweet son."
He brushed a kiss over her cheek, squeezing Bella's hand as he did so. Take control, love. She'll never let me alone if we don't shift her focus.
"I can't wait to see the ballroom and the rest of your plans for the wedding. I can't thank you enough for all you've done to welcome me to the family," Bella told her.
The red eyes that had been assessing Edward so lovingly shifted to her. "As if I could do anything else! You're marrying my son! And look at you. You're such a beauty! I knew, of course-you'd have to be to catch my son's eye-but really, pictures don't do you justice." You have to be more than pretty to be worthy of my son.
Bella smiled sweetly, ignoring the jab and taking in the beautiful woman before her. Her auburn hair was straight, and her eyes had an exotic tilt to them, making them more feline in shape. Her eyes, though, her eyes were just wrong. There was something slightly wild about them, as if her pupils were always moving, the red swirling around them. Her madness was right there, easy to see if you looked for it.
"Thank you. He is by far the most handsome, wonderful person I've ever met." It killed Bella to say the next part, but she knew she had to play the game. "You did a wonderful job raising him."
Sulpicia laughed, those strange eyes of hers lighting up. Yes, it had been exactly the right thing. "He made it easy. Such a good boy." She ran her fingers through his hair, which was indeed quite similar in coloring to her own. Bella could see why she'd likely seen her lost son in Edward.
What are we? Chopped liver? Emmett thought sourly, making Bella muffle a laugh and Edward smirk, despite his discomfort with Sulpicia's over-attentiveness.
"Hi, Mom! We've missed you, too!" Emmett boomed loudly, dragging her attention away for the time being.
"Boys!" They were enveloped in hugs and kissed in greeting as well. "Oh, it's going to be so wonderful to have everyone home again! I've been pestering your father about making you all return, but he insisted that we needed to interact with the humans." She frowned. "Really, you belong here with me." Again, her eyes landed on Edward.
"We're always with you in our hearts, Mother." On top of being her favorite for being so like her lost son, and her first stolen boy, he always knew what to say to her thanks to his gift. It only endeared him to her all the more.
"But I can't hug and kiss you with my heart," she reminded him, setting off another round of those very hugs and kisses.
Bella wondered idly if she should be jealous. This felt and sounded like a lot more than motherly love to her.
It's been like this since I hit manhood, love. I know; it's weird and uncomfortable for me more than anyone.
Has she touched you? Did she… Bella couldn't even finish the thought. She was ready to kill the woman right now if she got the wrong response.
God no! She's mated to Aro and loves him as a mate should. There's just always been this slight undercurrent. She doesn't speak of it or act on it; she's just touchy feely and too attentive. Trust me, Aro would have had me killed if she'd ever taken it beyond the smothering fixation she has for me.
Good. Whatever little small conflict she'd felt over killing Sulpicia was now gone, however. The bond she had with Edward bristled at the way the woman touched, talked to, and thought about her mate. Bella was going to enjoy killing her and was rather sorry that she wouldn't be able to take her time with it.
Edward bit back a laugh at his mate's thoughts. "Mother, perhaps we should take Bella to meet Father and the rest of the family?"
"Yeah!" Emmett threw an arm around Sulpicia, nearly knocking her over in his boisterousness. "It's been too long since I've seen my brothers. Are they ready for a night out on the town?"
"Of course, dears. Let's go to your father." Sulpicia shot a lingering look at Edward as Emmett steered her down the hallway. He, however, slipped his arm around his mate and followed behind, just out of reach. Jasper smirked at the pair as he hurried ahead of them, linking his arm with his mother's on the other side.
She's certifiable, Edward.
I know, my love. But her attachment to me has kept me safe all these years. There are quite a few who would have been happy to kill me to usurp my position here, but they didn't dare because she'd go crazy and Aro would be displeased.
I'll try to look at it that way, as long as she doesn't try anything with you.
She won't. She never has taken it any further than what you just observed.
Ahh, but you've never been mated before either. Now she has competition for your love, doesn't she?
Disgusting. Don't give me something extra to worry about, my beauty.
I'll be worrying for the both of us.
You have nothing to worry about. I am yours, always. She knows that, even if she has trouble dealing with it. Now, clear your beautiful head of negative thoughts about her before you get greeted by Aro.
I'm working on it.
Well, work faster, because we're here.
They turned the corner, and Bella gaped again at the splendor around her. They were in some kind of parlor, complete with ornate red-and-gold furniture that looked too expensive and lovely to be more than decoration. Straight ahead, up against the wall, sat a line of thrones, the biggest in the center occupied by a raven-haired vampire, with skin so pale it was almost translucent. Bella had seen him before, of course, on television a time or two as the vampires made themselves public, but in person, he was somehow less imposing. Although she thought perhaps that was because she herself was a vampire, and a powerful one at that.
She felt the familiar tingle that she got when she was exposed to new powers, something she hadn't recognized until Eleazar explained what she was and she took in his gift of seeing and understanding powers.
"Edward, my son, welcome home!" Aro stood and wrapped Edward in his arms, closing his eyes and listening to his son's happiness to be home and his excitement to introduce Bella to his family.
"And Bella, my dear. Come, let me get a look at you." He released Edward and held out a hand to Bella.
She settled her thoughts before taking his hand in hers. When he touched her, he saw her delight in the surroundings and her excitement over her wedding, as well as her nerves over meeting Edward's parents.
"She is as beautiful as her name, Edward." He smiled at the brunette beauty that had captured his son's heart. "We are delighted to have you here, Bella, and to welcome you to our family."
"It's an honor. You have a beautiful home. I can't believe I'm getting married here. I feel like a princess," she told him.
You're a queen, my love. Never a useless princess.
Bella's love for Edward burst through her at his thoughts, and Aro heard the way she felt about his son as he still had her hand. It made him smile even brighter.
"You are very fortunate in her, my son. She loves you completely."
"As I love her, Father," Edward assured him.
Aro released Bella's hand to Edward, and he linked his fingers with her again, treasuring the comfort of touching her.
"That bodes well for your union! Come, let us celebrate as…ahh! There you are!"
They turned to see what had captured Aro's attention. Several other vampires walked into the room, one of whom had Bella stiffening. Edward's grip on her hand tightened, and he mentally willed her not to react too strongly to her mother's presence.
Edward! she cried, every fiber in her being wanting to run across the room and grab the black-robed brunette.
Not yet, my love. This is the hardest thing I will ever ask of you. You cannot react to her. Not until you get your chance to speak to her alone, and even then, you have to be very careful.
I know. She dug deep inside herself and smiled at the extra wave of calm she felt coming from Jasper. I won't let you down.
You could never, he assured her.
"Bella, darling, I'd like to introduce you to my brothers. This is Caius and Marcus. Brothers, this is Bella, Edward's mate and intended."
Though it was hard, she focused on the two vampires in front of the group as they made their way to her. Like Aro, they were dressed in red cloaks, while the rest wore black. Caius had long white hair, while Marcus's was black like Aro's.
Bella felt the tingle again as her body absorbed Marcus's gift for reading emotions. He gasped when he looked between Bella and Edward.
"The connection!" he cried, his hands closing over their joined ones. "It's so strong. It's rare that I've seen any to rival it." His mind flashed to his dearly departed mate, Didyme. Their love had been comparable to that of Edward and Bella.
Edward wondered how he could possibly have continued to live if they were as attached as he and his Bella were. He knew he could not go on if anything happened to her. He'd elect to die himself if he couldn't be with his Bella.
The mates felt a pang of annoyance from Sulpicia that she quickly masked behind thoughts of being happy that her beloved son had found his one true love. Bella wanted to react, but knew that now was not the time. She glanced over to where her mother stood with a few other black-robed vampires.
"I am Caius." Her vision was cut off by the white-haired vampire, who looked at her with barely disguised dislike. Thanks to Jasper's gift, she wasn't fooled by the bow and smile he gave her.
"It's nice to meet you," she told him, smiling despite his feelings.
"Uncle," Edward said, giving him a bow in return.
I am no uncle to you, boy. But his smile stayed in place as he nodded.
"Come say hello to your brother," Aro called, and the black-robed vampires moved as one to join the rest of the group.
"Bella, this is Alistair and Stefan," Edward told her.
She shook hands politely with the two older vampires, who hadn't been turned until they were in their fifties.
"And this is James."
Bella heard the tightness in Edward's tone and wanted to avoid the hand he held out, but she knew she had to be polite. James's red eyes moved over her form, and his tongue darted out quickly to wet his lips.
You've done well, haven't you, Edward? What I wouldn't give for a taste of that.
Edward growled softly, and Bella quickly released his grip. She wanted to slap the vampire for his disgusting thought but knew she couldn't make a scene. Instead, she tapped into one of her new powers and sent him an image of his headless corpse being tossed into a fire. She would have liked to have jolted him with Jane's power, but she wasn't around to be blamed, nor did she want to call attention to herself in any way.
James gasped at the image, and his eyes got very wide. He glanced around the room, looking for an explanation, but couldn't find one. He shook his head and hurried away from the pair.
Every time I think I couldn't love you more, you prove me wrong, my angel.
Bella smiled at Edward's thought. He's lucky I'm not able to unleash all my talents on him right now. I'd love to see him thrashing in pain.
Soon, my love, he promised.
Edward tensed again as he looked at the next in line. "Bella, this is my brother Phillip. Phillip, the love of my life, Bella."
All amusement at James's retreat fled as Bella focused on the man who had stolen her mother away. He was handsome, as most vampires tended to be, with blond hair, a defined jaw, and smooth features. His red eyes showed no fear or discomfort as he shook Bella's offered hand.
Edward slipped his arm around her, gently rubbing her side as she maintained outward control. She wanted to fry him with Kate's power, jolt him with Jane's, and just crush him to dust with her own strength and fury. Only her mate's touch and loving thoughts kept her grounded. They had a plan. She was going to stick to it.
"It's nice to meet you. This is my mate, Renata. I don't believe you've met her, Edward."
"No, I haven't had that honor." Because you robbed my mate of her mother. Edward took her hand and got no reaction from Renee except for a nod of the head.
Bella followed suit, every part of her longing to throw her arms around her mother, to shake her and scream, "Remember me!" but it had been too many years and her bond with the Volturi was too strong. She could only hope that once Chelsea was removed from this earth-and she was very much looking forward to being the one to destroy her-that her mother would remember her then.
Renee, or Renata as she was now called, looked very much as she had in the locket that was around Bella's neck. She was a beautiful woman, much like her daughter, and now that Edward saw them together, he could see the resemblance, although thankfully it wasn't overt if one wasn't looking for it.
The small part of Bella that hoped her mother would take one look at her and remember was disappointed when Renee released her hand quickly and linked her fingers with Phillip's. The tingle that remained indicated to Bella that her mother's shielding gift was now her own. This was another power she was anxious to use. Edward's protection was paramount to her. If she did nothing else, she would ensure that he survived.
Emmett broke the tension as only he could. "I can't believe you found someone to love your ugly mug, Phil."
Edward snickered, and Bella started to laugh, and soon, most of the room was doing so, as Jasper's mirth and delight in the comment spread to the rest of them.
"I don't know what's so funny. Of course I was bound to find my mate. Where's yours, Emmett?"
He winced at the direct hit to his heart at the reminder of Rosalie. But Jasper sent him a wave of support, and he smiled. "I'm still playing the field, my man. There's too much of me for just one woman. I'm surprised there's enough of you to satisfy one."
"Why, I oughta…"
"Boys!" Aro interrupted, shaking his head and laughing. "It's so good to have the family home, isn't it, Sulpicia?"
"It's like old times, my love," she said, beaming at the big group.
"I think we should go out, just us boys, have a little bonding time. A bachelor party for our boy. What do you say, Father?"
Edward took Jasper's queue. "I'd love that. The girls can talk wedding, and we can talk about old times."
"It is a good idea," Aro said, thinking of all his sons and brothers out on one of the secret hunts that they indulged in from time to time.
"Great." Edward turned to Bella. "Will you be okay with Mother, love?"
"Of course," Bella said, smiling over at Sulpicia. "I can't wait to get to know her and hear stories about you growing up."
Sulpicia, who hadn't been as enamored of the idea as the rest were, perked up at the idea of talking about her son when he was younger. "Oh, that'll be fun!"
"What do you say we head out in about an hour? I'd like to show Bella the rest of the castle and our room, so she knows where everything is," Edward suggested. His original plan had been to get Aro alone in the castle, but he assumed that he wouldn't want to bring Renee on a boy's night out. He'd have plenty of protection without her. If he protested, he'd think of something.
"Perfect. I can't wait to spend time with my sons." Aro was aglow with happiness. His wife had her favorite child back, and having Edward around served him well. His son's talent kept any treachery at bay, and he liked having him close by to keep him in check.
"It's good to be with you, Father. I feel whole now that my family is together." Nobody knew that he was referring to Bella and her mother except, of course, Jasper, Emmett, and Bella herself. "This is going to be one hell of a wedding." And several demons will be returning to hell where they belong.