Chapter Ninety Three

Peter

Of course I had to stand and listen to the usual lecture from my dear mate about trying to keep my big mouth closed and my equally big nose out of things that shouldn't concern me and I knew I had to find a way of getting back in her good books so while I healed I thought about it but nothing hit me in the face but once we were alone Charlotte and I got to talking about Darius, we'd known him a long while but had only ever heard about his mate Sara. The incident with Caius and the newborns happened long before we were even changed but I'd heard the horrific story and seen how withdrawn Darius could be as a result. In fact it was his pain filled expression on seeing how happy and relieved Bella was to be back with The Major that had started the conversation we were now having. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to know your mate was alive but lost to you in a world of her own. It must be like torture every hour of every day. How he'd managed to survive it I couldn't begin to imagine but I sure as hell admired him for doing so.

"I asked The Major about Sara once, he told me he'd heard she was beautiful, kind, and gentle, not like most vampires at all. Carlisle had actually met her and he told The Major her story. It had been her beauty that attracted Caius, he had seen her and decided he was going to have her but she wouldn't give him a second glance. Then Darius visited Volterra at Aro's invitation to help with training a batch of newborns, he and Felix had worked together before and were friends. He took Sara with him and it was while they were there that Caius made his move on her.

She was alone at the time and fled from him straight into the batch of newborns and by the time the two Volturi guards could get control it was too late. Of course they couldn't kill her but they scarred her pretty bad. Sulpicia was the one who got to her first and when Darius finally heard and went to find her she had already retreat inside her head. He went crazy apparently, killed every one of the newborns and the two guards then went looking for Caius who had fled.

Every year on the anniversary for about five hundred years Caius received a wreath care of Darius then they just stopped. I think Carlisle spoke to him and persuaded him it was destroying him, that he should concentrate on Sara but she continued to retreat inside herself. Sulpicia had her taken away by an old friend who had a place in San Antonio somewhere and she's been there ever since. She doesn't talk or interact with anyone, just sits and stares day and night, shaking and moaning. they think she's reliving the attack in a kind of closed loop. Can you imagine what that must be like?"

Charlotte

I didn't answer Peter straight away because I wasn't sure what to say. I knew he would be hurt and angry if I answered him truthfully but he had never asked me about my human life and it wasn't something I had ever wanted to discuss with anyone, not even my mate. My human life was something I had much rather forget all about. My home life hadn't been exactly happy, my father was a violent drunk who took out his temper on my brothers and occasionally my mother and I. I'd run away from home to escape him but I'd found myself among a group of homeless guys and when my father found me I needed hospital treatment and I was told the chances of my having a family of my own were almost nil. I guess that's one reason becoming a vampire didn't worry me as much as someone like say Rosalie who again had been through the same kind of ordeal.

I suddenly realised Peter was silent, watching me, I must have been miles away in my thoughts. He pulled me close hugging me and I knew he had guessed at least part of the reason for my silence. We sat like this for some time and then I heard his voice, low and very soft.

"I am so sorry Charlotte, if I'd known I would never have brought the subject up."

Peter could be very sweet and gentle at times like this, it was one of the things I loved most of all about him, this secret side to his nature.

"Its OK, I should have told you really its just that the right time never seemed to crop up. I didn't know her story but it's so tragic, it's blighted both of their lives. I would have thought if anyone could reach her it would have been her mate though."

"The trouble is he blames himself for putting her in danger, taking her to Volterra. When he realized couldn't reach her he almost went mad himself, he tried to get to Caius but that little fucker never left Volterra. He knew exactly what he could expect if he did. Over time Darius threw himself into finding ways to make Caius life a living hell. That's why he got into computers in the first place, it was a way of reaching Caius inside Volterra, something he couldn't do physically. Aro told him that Caius was out of bounds. He wasn't guilty of the attack and therefore Aro couldn't punish him but he would ensure he stayed within the citadel."

"Has anyone else ever tried to reach Sara?"

Peter shrugged,

"No idea but I can't see Darius giving up on her. As far as I know he visits her as often as he can but it distresses her to have a man in the same room so he tries to stay away for her sake. Carlisle said it was like PTSD whatever the fuck that is."

He knew perfectly well what it meant he just refused to admit to his encyclopaedic knowledge. Peter preferred to appear the ignorant Texan farm boy to the outside world but he was in fact as well read and knowledgeable as anyone I had ever met!

Deciding I should be honest with him I told him my story and I could feel his anger and frustration. After all there was nothing he could do, my attackers were long dead by now. As I spoke, finally unburdening myself of the terrible feelings the attack always engendered I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. If only I had spoken to someone about this before, to Peter before, perhaps I wouldn't have needed to carry the terrible burden for so long. maybe….maybe it's what Sara needed, to speak to someone. Someone who would know what she had gone through.

I suggested as much to Peter but I could tell he was torn, a part of him wanted to help Darius but a part was scared that talking about it again was like reliving it and he didn't want me to go through it all again.

"Funnily enough I feel better for having told you and maybe I can reach Sara. Don't you think we owe it to Darius to at least try Peter?"

"I guess so but not at the expense of your happiness Char."

I hugged him tightly,

"So long as I have you beside me I'll always be happy Peter. I love you."

He smiled and kissed my forehead before sitting back but still gripping my hands,

"I don't know what I ever did to deserve someone like you Char. I know I'm not the easiest person to live with but I do love you girl. If you want to try then I'll go along but if it gets too much then I'll pull the plug, you are all that matters to me, selfish as that may seem."

"I know Peter, I think I'm lucky too. Now, do you know where this Maggie lives?"

"Nope but I know a man who does and I think under the circumstances he'll be willing to tell me."

Peter

I did love that girl, she was everything I wasn't, sweet and kind and thoughtful and I was happy to go along with her on the understanding that I would stop the experiment if I thought it was upsetting my mate too much. It was the least I could do after baiting Bella with such nasty repercussions for myself and it might help me look better in Char's eyes. I contacted Volterra and spoke to Marcus, I couldn't stomach Aro not even for Darius but the Volturi owed us and I was collecting a small payback.

"Yes I know where Sara is. Why do you want to know?"

I explained Charlotte's plan and waited for his reaction.

"If your mate can help her i for one would be most grateful, I feel partly responsible for what happened as it happened here in Volterra."

He gave me an address and asked to be kept updated on any news.

"I won't say anything to Aro, I assume you would rather as few people as possible know what you are doing. Is Darius aware?"

"No, and he won't unless we succeed if you get my drift."

"Message received and understood and good luck Captain Whitlock."