An Unresolved Past
This story starts off five years after its prelude: 'Life is never what you expect it to be'. Bella is now Caius's mate and they are both very happily bonded. WARNING: This is an adult version of twilight and will have sexual submission and violence (after all; the story revolves around vampires). This is not for the faint of heart; it is very dark and has sexual content. 18+
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the creator of these intriguing characters but has nothing to do with this story.
Chapter 22 – I weigh the man, not his title *
Bella lay alone in bed and now that Aro was out of the room she was able to withdraw into her mind without fear of persecution. At first Bella had found it difficult to fathom his unpredictable temperament and violent outbursts. Over time she was able to identify the omens that signalled his oncoming mood swings and that would help avoid escalation.
It had now been six years since the loss of Caius; Bella was sure that Edward was continuing the search but up to now, with no results. In light of this Aro had decided to speak to Marcus about refilling Caius's throne.
Bella had always secretly hoped that Caius would show up and the very mention of filling his throne was like a door closing in her face and in her heart she hoped that Marcus would once again deny Aro his wish.
She tried to lose herself in her work; being both his private secretary and his consort he was never far away. She often felt his eyes roving her and when she finally looked up she caught his predatory gaze; needless to say on those days very little work was done.
She never took anyone in confidence as Aro could see and hear her every move through them. Even if that were not so Bella knew all were devoted to Aro although Bella tended to think that had more to do with Chelsea's supernatural gift of being able to manipulate the emotional ties of relationships than actual dedication.
Chelsea had come to the coven when Marcus had difficulty accepting the death of Didyme. Failing to find her killer he became suicidal so Aro used her power to tightly bind Marcus to the Volturi. Since then, Chelsea had become a key player of the Volturi, keeping the other guards unified and the coven more functional.
Oh yes! Aro had all his bases covered except Bella, for her mind was able to block all gifts of the coven's members. Although he had tried to assert his influence he still had no grasp over her which was why he used her concern for her loved-ones to bind her to him. The pressure was always there and Aro made sure she realized that.
Her train of thought was broken by the sound of a door.
"Isabella where are you?" Aro elatedly asked.
She could hear the excitement in Aro's voice and quickly answered "I'm in the bedroom"
"Marcus has finally given his permission to make Alec the third king" Aro beamed
Although Bella inwardly screamed she plastered a smile on her face saying "Oh you must be pleased" and hugged him close so that she could hide any negative emotions that may pass her face
"Yes, I am! I was afraid that Marcus would never agree; he's always said Alec was too young but thankfully I was able to convince him".
"You do see him as your son don't you?"
"Yes, when I first saw him and felt his abilities I was convinced he would be an asset for the coven and when we went to battle with the Romanians; it was thanks to Alec and Jane that we won. Ever since then we have been able to keep our position of power in the Vampire world. It is because of his powers that I believe he will make a good king".
The next month was spent preparing the castle for the coronation. For Bella it was the last nail in her coffin as it would officially close Caius's reign. It was however Alec's shining hour and she would not bring Aro's wrath on her head by showing her true emotions.
Today Jane fussed over her brother and when Aro and Bella came in to wish him luck she couldn't help but smile seeing the ruthless vampire, Jane behaving so motherly towards her older brother.
"What do you think Bella" Alec asked
"You look magnificent; I can see why both Aro and Jane are so proud".
Jane smiled saying "Big brother you look very impressive"
Turning to look at Jane he softly laughed saying "Being your brother; I know your opinion is biased"
Bella placed her hands on his shoulders and feeling his anxiety she said "Don't worry Alec; you look very regal and I am sure all that see you will agree".
Jane gave one of her infrequent smiles at hearing Bella's words and then added "If they don't agree they will have me to contend with".
Aro and Bella then left the room and Aro entwined his fingers in hers as they walked towards the throne room. The two guards posted at the doors quickly opened them for the royal couple and as Bella stepped over the threshold she was overwhelmed by the masses that had come. Bella then walked with Aro towards his throne and dutifully took her place behind it.
Soon after their entrance, the doors were opened once more this time for Alec. She had seen the apprehensive look in his eyes while they were in his apartment but now she saw it flee his body permitting him to continue his graceful yet forceful stride towards the throne.
Alec stopped in front of Marcus and Aro and after a moment he knelled on one knee as he bent the other. He then ceremoniously folded his arm across his chest, his hand curled in a fist as he looked up to the Aro.
Aro, sitting in his throne with both hands on the armrests smiled and nodded his head, proudly endorsing Alec's respectful bow. Once given Aro's blessing, Alec face turned Marcus, his eyes requesting the same approval. Marcus nodded his head and smiled in mutual respect and signalled Alec to stand.
Aro then began to speak his voice directed towards Alec as he asked "I ask you before these witnesses; do you accept the responsibilities of the position as third king and all it entails?"
Alec's pledge rang through the room his voice strong and confident "Yes, I will do all in my power to endorse the Vampire laws and therefore protect our species".
Aro turned from Alec and facing the crowd he spoke "Bear witness my fellow vampires. Since 800 A.D. Alec has been part of the Volturi coven and with the help of his exceptional gift, the strength of our coven is virtually unparalleled. When the Romanian coven tried to regain control both Alec and Jane were of invaluable assistance to our cause; putting down any retaliation".
After a moment's pause he held his hand out to Bella and when she grasped as he went on to say "The loss of our beloved brother Caius has affected all of us personally; it has also plunged our Coven into a precarious situation. All three of us had a duty to enforce the laws of the vampire world; the history of our kind has shown us the necessity to do so. With the loss of Caius it became impossible to get all the necessary tasks done. Therefore both Marcus and I have given Alec a chance to prove his worth by assigning him to different tasks that Caius usually tended".
"As Caius was ferocious so is Alec only what Caius did with his physical weapons; Alec does with his extremely strong psychic power. In his mortal life he was cursed by it, as many of us were; however in his immortal life it has become a very strong asset".
"Everyone in this room knows that I have always seen Alec as a son and now both Marcus and I have agreed that Alec has proven his worth. It is with much pleasure that I wish to announce our decision that he be added to the royal family".
Aro turned to his left to relieve Jane of the golden chalice she held out. It was made of crystal in which the royal crest was elegantly engraved and a ruby was fixed into the gold trestles that dripped over the rim. The blood red of the ruby was the same colour as the content of the chalice.
Aro held it up toward Alec saying loud enough for all to hear "Drink to the living symbols of our coven; the hawk representing the 'flight of the spirit' and the tree, the 'growth of the Volturi' cult. As both are valuable parts of our immortal lives they are especially important for one who must serve to keep them alive".
Alec received chalice from Aro and held it up with both hands and respectfully bowed his head towards both kings. Turning he displayed the cup to the witnesses in the room allowing all to see the sheer beauty and craftsmanship of the object. A moment later he put the chalice to his lips and gratefully drank the content of the goblet. After a having drank the liquid he held the raised the object once more and gave it back to Aro.
Aro gave the goblet back to Jane and turning his head toward the crowd proclaimed "All hail King Alec; King among vampires and god among mortals!"
She watched as many significant vampires came forward to congratulate Alec with his new position nodding their heads as a gesture of acceptance. It was a tedious affair but she smiled the whole time as was expected of her.
After about an hour of standing the presentation was over and everyone mingled gathering the last news from one another. Bella looked around the room but saw that neither the Cullen's nor the Denali's had come.
As she was searching she felt Aro's arms around her and he put his chin on her shoulder asking "Who are you looking for my love?"
"No one in particular" she lied but Aro smirked at that knowing fully well who she sought.
"If you are looking for the Cullen's or the Denali's; both have asked to be excused and I have granted them my permission".
Looking back at her mate as she whispered her doubts "You didn't order them to stay away; did you?"
Aro smugly smiled "No but I am grateful they did not come; I do not wish you to stay in contact with them. They have filled your head with nonsense in the past and I will not have our relationship warped by them now that you have finally accepted your life with me.
Bella shyly said "It was just….. Well, I wanted to ask them about my family; if they are alright!"
Aro huffed "Why not ask me? I am your mate and you must know that I have no reason to mean them any harm. Come let us go to Marcus"
"As the two men spoke of their work Bella became very bored. When the party began to breaking up she was more than grateful. After all had left, Aro kissed her cheek and went to the backrooms with Alec and Marcus saying "I will be coming to our apartments as soon as I can"
Once in their apartment Bella slowly disrobed and took a fast shower she then grabbed the history book she had been reading over the coven in the 15th century. Sitting in her comfortable chair she began to read but before she knew it her mind drifted off trying to get to grips with the feelings she had banned from her memory for so long. She had tucked her recollections of her time with Caius far away but she could never forget him; she still missed him with every fibre of her being but that wasn't enough to bring him back.
Bella sighed; No, it seemed she had unconsciously adjusted to her situation and her eternal life had become acceptable. Her father was safe and when he died she would be free of her fears.
As her mind rehashed the past she suddenly noticed that her head was spinning making her extremely dizzy. Then her body felt the acute pull of the gravity causing her to inadvertently drop her book. She leaned back trying to understand what was going on with her; she had never felt like this before and she was bewildered and frightened by the sensations her body was experiencing.
She tried to relax and take some down-time hoping that it would help her recuperate. About a half hour later she gradually sat up as her mind swiftly evaluated her body. It seemed that her body had adjusted and the physical sensations had passed leaving her weak; thankfully she noticed that her body had regained its equilibrium.
She was still baffled when she heard the door to their rooms open and subsequently looked up and saw Aro enter their sitting room. She smiled hoping that he would not see her discomfort but Aro was still enthralled by the ceremony as he said "Hallo my love; the ceremony went beautifully don't you think? Alec looked magnificent and the crowd was pleased".
He was delighted with the current state of affairs and in the mood to celebrate so with a smile he pulled her out of the chair then turning her around he held her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Then cradling her side to side he softly kissed her neck and she bent over to give him access.
She felt Aro's lips smile as kissed her, and then he whispered "Being with you makes me feel so vivacious; it's like stepping back in time to when I was first turned. You are so vibrant; together we can do so much and I have many plans for the future".
Bella began to snicker "You say that now but the time will come that you tire of me".
Aro turned her around and raised her face so that he could capture her eyes. He then gave her a sincere smile as his hand lightly caressed her cheek. "Never; I have been watching you develop these last five years. You are indeed special".
Aro consequently closed his eyes and softly brushed his lips against Bella's; it was no more than a feathery touch but enough to extract a soft moan from her lips. It was a faint sound but it encouraged Aro to go on; his tongue invaded her mouth deepening the kiss as his arms encircled her body slowly slipping beneath her garments and caressing the flesh which swelled and contracted with each intake of breath.
Caius eyes suddenly opened and his mind become conscious of the fact that he was drifting in ice-cold water and under a large sheet of hard white substance which his mind labelled ice. His first reflex was to panic comprehending that he would drown if he didn't get out and fill his lungs with air. Holding his breath he groped at the ice but couldn't get through. The few minutes he had were almost gone and he couldn't hold his breath any longer but instead of drowning he realized he didn't need to breathe.
He was dazed; he was able to swim underwater without any problem at all. Not that he wasn't happy with this information... however he realized that something was seriously wrong. He took it as a given fact and would work it out later but for now, he decided to swim his way out of here.
It took hours and hours until he finally found a place where the ice was thin enough to break. In the meanwhile his mind was reeling; where the hell was he and how did he end up here? His only memories were of a lush green country side kissed by the warmth of the sun; his mind told him that the bitter cold presently surrounding him was something he was not accustomed to.
Finally he found a spot to surface and he gradually pulled himself out of the water feeling the bite of the northern wind. He knew he would freeze solid if he allowed himself a moment of rest so he force is legs and arms to move. As he walked the desolate and cold surroundings; he realized he should have froze-to-death by now. He knew his first priority was to find shelter and fast so he forced his body to pick up speed and before he knew it everything passed him in a blur. This was not normal however he was compelled to follow his instincts and not his logic.
As he ran his sense of smell latched on to something delectable and he realized just how hungry he was. Following the scent he hoped it would lead his to shelter, warmth and food and while he moved forward he faintly heard a sound and realized it was coming from the same direction. It was a thumping sound which became more distinct and he instinctively followed the sound leading him to a shelter in the cold wilderness. It looked strange; not like the settlements he had lived in but the whole area was different as far as that was concerned. He was used to warmth and although he seemed to recognize the white substance that covered everything he also felt like he had never lived here.
He could see light beaming from the lodging it but it was abnormally bright; no amount of candles could make such light. He peered into what seemed a sheet of clear thin ice; did they use this ice as a shield for the elements? When he proceeded to look at the source of the light; he was sure he recognized something about it but it was not something he felt was part of his life. He crept around looking for an entrance and upon finding it he thrust his hand forward breaking the door and causing an enormous crash.
At that moment the smell hit his nostrils and he breathed it in like delicate vintage wine. He subsequently pushed the door open; his mind overwhelmed by thirst and the saliva inadvertently pooling in his mouth at the thought of quenching that thirst.
A few moments later he saw someone face him with a stick in his hand; something strange made of wood and metal. As Caius approached he heard a loud explosion and noticed a puff of smoke coming from the end of the stick. Feeling a sting in his chest he looked down and observed a trickle of blood coming from a wound he had sustained.
The man was as astonished as Caius and after a couple of moments he started doing something with the stick. It was then that Caius realized that thumping sound had the same rhythm as the pounding of the artery in his throat. A moment later Caius was on him enjoying what he realized was the food he needed to appease his thirst. Feeling the blood gush forth, Caius slowly closed his crimson eyes, a contented expression on his face as he downed the ambrosia of gods. The humans scream pierced through the wall of silence that had mentally surrounded Caius upon drinking and he swiftly covered his victim's mouth finding the noise irritating. The human fought for his life, terror clearly written in his eyes.
However heavy and powerful he was it was like a small pesky fruit fly caught in a spider's massive embrace; the human was doomed. Caius took his hand away from the man's mouth and enjoyed the last gurgling sounds as he felt the body go limp.
Once on the floor Caius decided he wanted to take as much as possible to feed his hunger and feed off every major artery he could find. After a while his hunger was stilled and with the warmth of the blood filling his stomach Caius quickly took down-time his body exhausted by his horrendous ordeal.
His mind worked overtime as his body rested. All of a sudden he was in the cage of the arena with a woman his master had given as reward for his performance the day before. He heard something or someone in the area but enjoying the delights of the woman he chose to ignore the sounds. After she had been taken away Caius fell asleep and woke to the sound of someone in the cage beside him. Without warning the stranger pinned him down and bit him in his neck draining him of his blood and causing his body to burn. After that he saw a succession of victims he had drained and left for dead, their throats ripped open. The saliva in his mouth inadvertently pooled and he felt his tong brush his lips reliving the moment as he savoured the taste of the crimson substance. It was then that the word vampire was whispered and the meaning of the word became clear.
Caius was woken by a ringing sound. He felt replenished; the warmth had finally crept back into his body. The chime finally stopped and he heard a voice with a strange accent saying something he could understand although he intuitively knew it wasn't his language. He slowly opened his eyes and looked to see where it was coming from and when he did he saw the body next to him. The throat was punctured and there was blood all over the length of its neck. The smell was exhilarating and he lapped it up, enjoying the tantalizing taste; when he was finished he heard the voice come closer.
He listened intensively until he heard a female voice shout "Derek where are you?"
Hearing her approaching footsteps Caius decided to stand behind the door and wait for her arrival.
"Damn it Derek, I thought you were going to pick me up. I've been calling you a half dozen times, I was afraid that something had…" Then there was a moment silence followed by a blood-curdling scream.
He shut the door trapping her in the room and the noise held up. Seeing his beautifully angelic face made no difference for she instinctively knew it hid a demon. She gradually backed away from him as one would in the presence of a tiger; feverishly looking around for any possible escape route.
Caius observed his prey. She was slim and well-proportioned with an attractive face. While he watched her he could see her eyes calculating the distance she would have to cover to get away from him. He was quick to perceive this foolish mortal's thoughts and when she made a dash for the door he captured her without much effort. She was stunned by his swiftness and he wrapped his arms around her so that she wasn't able to escape.
"Please don't hurt me" she begged as he held her against his chest.
His lips curled in a sadistic smile as he indicted the corpse with nod of his head saying "I will do as I please as your friend there has already found out".
He then threw her towards the ground and watched as she scurried away from him. Yes a cat and mouse game was pleasurable; after all now that he was nourished he could take this human in his own time.
"Not so fast" he said grabbing her leg and pulling her body so that she was under him. He did it so fast and with such ease that the desperate look she gave him turned into one of horror. Before she had a chance to distance herself he bent over entwining his fingers in her hair. He pulled her up and she could do nothing but wrap her hands around his. It was useless to try and remove his hands because she realized he had supernatural strength so instead she tried to stay close to his hand in an effort to ease the pain. Once her face was in front of his she cringed as her sapphire eyes were under the scrutiny of his crimson ones. She wanted to push him away but she was sure that her hair would be pulled out of her scalp if she were to let go so instead she begged for mercy.
Scanning her face and clothing with piercing eyes he noted the makeup on her face and the scant dress she was wearing and pragmatically asked "Are you wealthy?"
She looked surprised but then stuttered "No, but…. but you can take whatever you want; just please don't kill me."
Rubbing his thumb along her lips he smudged her lipstick and subsequently said "If you are not wealthy you must be a prostitute for only wealthy women or prostitutes can afford this". As he rubbed his thumb and index finger, looking at the colour smudge.
At first she looked perplexed by his words but then her expression turned to fear saying "What are you talking about? I'm no prostitute".
Caius shook her like a rag doll shouting "Do not lie woman! And what are these robes you wear? I have never seen the likes in either Rome or Greece. A decent woman would not tone herself in these rags".
Her jaw dropped and she looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. She renewed her desperate attempt to escape his hands and being lost in his thoughts he let her go. She fell to the ground and crawled away trying to keep a much distance between them as possible.
It only took a few steps for Caius to cut her off and bending down he viciously cupped her face and pulled her up to look into her eyes as he hissed "I did not say you could go".
Realizing her death was near she said "please let me go; I will give you whatever you want but please let me go".
Looking down at her low-cut top he rolled her on her back saying "I am in need of a woman"
Horrified by his lustful look she tried to pull away screaming "I'm not a prostitute and keep your bloody paws off me!"
Caius still held her chin in a vice-like grip arrogantly saying "behave woman or I promise I will make it worse than anything you could imagine".
He then pushed her to the floor holding her down as he ripped her clothing off. Then using a cloth from her frock he muzzled her screams. She struggled hitting him with her fists but he felt nothing, only the bliss of her body under him as he entered. Her eyes rolled up as he ferociously thrust back and forth his hands holding her hips subduing any retreat so that he could get full entry. Once she got over the initial pain she renewed her struggle; her upper body writhing under his, inadvertently feeding the flames of his lust that needed tending.
When he had delivered his seed he gradually pulled out. She tried to escape his arms but found it impossible. When he allowed her to pull away it was to renew the cat and mouse game he enjoyed. The memories were slowly surfacing as the blood healed his body and mind.
He allowed his victim her unachievable hopes for escape. Catching her again and again just as she thought she was beyond his reach but after a couple of attempts he tired of the game. Reaching to grab her arm he pushed her against the wall and brutally bit. Then, as one hand pinned her against the wall the other travelled over her body caressing her every curve, from breasts to her hip and ending at her sex. Removing his fangs he lapped up the last drops that still clung to her pale skin, a content expression gracing his face.
Without warning he grabbed her backside with both hands and lifted her up so that she straddled him giving him full access as he plunged forward. Screaming her pain the woman tried to push him away but it was like pushing a rock. She then tried scratching him but instead of making any mark on his angelic features all her nails broke; some bleeding at their base. As she was crushed between this entity and the wall she felt desperation envelope her.
He the noticed her hand and took each digit in his mouth allowing the dried blood to dissolve with the moisture of his mouth.
He enjoyed her body and when it was over he laid her on the ground his leg possessively over her body allowing her no retreat as he slowly drained her pulses. It was so delectable that he slowly drank relishing every drop as it passed his taste buds. She was losing much of her fire which was inevitable as he was slowly draining her life's elixir. She weakly lifted her head realizing she was looking at her impending death. Caius gradually saw her sapphire eyes were becoming dull and lifeless as she gave into the peaceful sleep that surrounded her. The thumping of her heart sounded strained until he no longer heard it. Licking the wound he quickly took blood from different parts of her body making sure he had fully enjoyed his meal.
Letting go of the corpse he looked around his domain; it was warm and comfortable but filled with all sorts of strange objects.
Since the coming of Alec as third king, Aro gave more of his power to him thinking he shared the same ideals as to how to rule and control the power of the Volturi.
Soon after her trip to Venice years ago both her physical training and language lessons had been reinstated in her duties. Now, after Alec's coronation Felix took over the physical training; this demanded her full attention as Felix was a lot more powerful than Alec. Her language lessons were always her favourite and although she was afraid of being too amicable with Demetri they were able to find a new equilibrium between them.
She learned quite easily and had now tackled the difficult Russian and Spanish languages and was starting to learn Latin.
One day Demetri asked her to come with him and explore the gardens so that they could combine the lessons with something more relaxing. Enjoying a break from the same dull routine she cautiously told a servant to inform Aro of her whereabouts.
"Do you always do that?" Demetri inquired his curiosity getting the better of him.
Puzzled by his question she looked at him as she asked "What?"
"Keep Aro informed of your whereabouts"
"Yes, of course Aro can sometimes be very jealous and I find that a waste of energy to explain myself so this way I avoid it" she explained.
"It must be exasperating to be so controlled in your actions" he stated while giving her an intense gaze
"No, well yes in the beginning it was but I have found my place in things" she replied.
"Is that what life is for you; finding your place?" he mockingly asked
Flustered by his words she coldly replied "I think I can safely say we are friends but I'm afraid this line of questioning is inappropriate"
Ignoring her words he continued "Are you told what to say and to who?"
"Be careful Demetri; you are treading on unstable ground" Bella hissed as she prepared to leave.
He seized restrained her arm and Bella was about to protest when he suddenly said "What would you say if I told you I am feeling the presence of Caius's essence"
That shook her; her normally serene face crumbled and she lurched forward; trembling.
"When?" she asked, her mind reeling with this news.
Taken aback by her shaken disposition he explained"Around the time of King Alec's coronation"
"My god! Have you told Aro?" her voice tense.
"Not yet; I'm not sure if what I feel has any tangible foundation" Demetri explained.
Looking over the grounds fearing they could be overheard she whispered "Please do not repeat what you have told me until you're sure of the situation"
Dumbfounded by her request Demetri asked "What will you do if it proves to be more than a feeling?"
Looking like a trapped animal she viciously said "How the hell should I know; I had given up any hope…"
"You sure you want him found?" Demetri stealthily asked.
Turning her head she gave him a venomous glance "Of course I do"
Demetri watched the tension build up causing her body to go ridged and her eyes to stare into space as she desperately fought to control her emotions.
"Are you all right Isabella; shall I call Marcus?" he asked, his face reflecting his concern
"NO…"she desperately pleaded and hearing her extreme reaction she softly added "please don't!"
"Then let me help you! I am sorry to have sprung this so suddenly and to have teased you so but I feel there is something else bothering you but I don't understand what!"
Bella huffed "Be glad you never will, for that will only get you into trouble and I can only look out for so many".
Demetri was perplexed by her answer but asked no more.
That evening she made a call to the Amazon coven and under the guise of discussing hearing the coven's last news she said "'we have received the article in good order'".
Zafrina automatically reacted by saying "I'm glad to hear it I will tell my client"
Once she hung up she heard Aro's light footsteps coming closer. Slowly raising her head she noticed that he was coming towards her; she felt flushed and quickly disguised any fear with a spontaneous smile as she went to greet him.
* I weigh the man, not his title; 'tis not the king's stamp can make the metal better~ William Wycherley
