Chapter Eleven

I found myself soon integrated into the royal family as a future queen shortly after I became the mother of Jane and Alec within a few more months.

Our bond was indestructible.

There was nothing on heaven or earth or even purgatory that would rip away the immortal bond between me and my twins, the same being for Marcus.

We might as well have given birth to the twins themselves, with how their venom sang through my body whenever they were close to me. A siren song for me to follow in order to make sure my children were safe and sound, to do whatever I could even when I was still human.

They were currently away on a mission in Greenland, taking care of a group of vampires that were planning on creating a cult around them. I knew my twins would be able to take care of themselves but I wished I could be there with them with a shield that was impenetrable but that wasn't something that would happen until after I would become a vampire. Even then it might take decades to manage my Gift enough to not worry Marcus.

Marcus had surprised me when he took me out of the tower and led me down the stairs. He glanced over my shoulder, and I turned to look at who he was looking at.

Corin was making her way towards us, her face not showing any true emotion except for a tinge bit of relief. She was after all the therapist of the Volturi, to those outside of the castle they thought she used her power to only have things turn out good for her. She wasn't this way, she always put others first.

She was even a licensed therapist and had an office that was connected to her chambers.

It was all in cool colors, nothing that was too striking that would take away any kind of meditation that was needed when it came to the color scheme in the said office.

She only wore her cloaks when she was assigned to guard someone, but right now she was wearing a crimson dress that hugged her perfectly. All her clothes were usually in cool colors when she was having her appointments. So, the red dress meant she was off duty, and she had no one who needed to have a session with her.

She reached us and did her traditional greeting, the curtsy and bowing of the head. She raised herself up and gave a warm smile at me before she turned her attention towards her king.

"I am glad you took my advice, my king. Mental health is important, along with trust."

If it were anyone else, I was certain they would be stunned, shocked at the audacity that Corin had just claimed they went to her for sessions. Marcus wasn't like that, instead he turned his head towards me and reached his hand out. He took it in mine and just held it for a moment, something he did sometimes, to remind himself I was here.

"The children will be upset they weren't able to be here to walk around with us for the first time," I confessed, my mind always going back to them. Now that I had them, for the rest of eternity, I wanted nothing more than for them to be around me as much as possible.

Corin let out a light, happy laugh at the comment I made.

She had told me the twins had been coming to her after Didyme had died and no matter how hard she tried with them they still had a slow progression in showing their emotions and opinions on things. It wasn't until they had learnt of my existence that they wanted to start going to her and actually making real progress with her.

"I'm taking her to the gallery so she can see all the paintings," Marcus informed the therapist, earning a nod to let him know she understood. She also didn't seem as though she had any problems with him taking me to the gallery, which most likely had portraits of Didyme until her death.

"Very well, you know my door is open if you need it. I will be with Santiago. He hasn't had time to bond with me for a while," Corin jokes, as she spoke about her mate.

The tall, dark, handsome vampire was the more serious one between them.

He seemed to only show his true emotions or spoke whenever he was in the presence of his wife, but even then, that was rare. He truly showed himself when he was in privacy with his wife. As was what usually happened with the men in the Volturi. They all seemed to have this sullen personality except for Aro, but even then, that wasn't saying much because Aro was a mess all in himself.

Corin went past us and down the winding, long hallway until she turned the corner and disappeared from our line of view. Marcus kept his hand mine and lightly squeezed it once she was gone, allowing me to know he cared about me more than I could imagine. It had just been over a thousand years since he had a mate, and he was still processing the miracle of us.

I kept quiet as he led me in the opposite direction of where Corin had gone.

The stained-glass windows weren't as bright and stunning today, because there was a thunderstorm that was happening. Every now and then lightning would join in the mix, making me jump out of my skin sometimes. Marcus would shoot me amused looks every time, finding it cute how I would curl into him during these brief moments of understandable terror.

"I wanted to take you to the greenhouse, and have you help with the newest seasonal arrivals but it's storming and the last thing I want is for you to get soaking wet on the way to the greenhouse. The weather may not affect us much, but since you're still human there's still the chance of you getting sick because of going out in the cold," Marcus explained, getting a humming sound from me to let him know that I was agreeing with him.

I had rarely gotten sick in the past but when I did get sick it would take longer than I wanted for me to heal. I would be miserable and all I would want would be to curl up in my blankets and take naps. I wouldn't be able to enjoy reading my historical romance novels or listening to music because I would have gnarly migraines.

To say the least, even though the Volturi treasured me I knew they would be up in arms trying to take care of my needs.

The few human servants and employees that worked here didn't live here, they went home at the end of the day, at the end of their shift. Those that got sick stayed home, and they weren't penalized by it because no one could help getting sick. They also knew they wouldn't be able to take care of them the way they needed to be taken care of.

Marcus kept my hand in his in a desperation that was more reassuring than overwhelming. He led me since he had been through this castle ever since it had been built in the 1300's.

He moved as though we had all the time in the world, and I knew that this was a breakthrough in our relationship. We would be able to move on after I would be welcomed with the history of the Volturi through the art gallery.

It would truly cement things between us.

There would be no need for him to be afraid I would decide to go away after all, all because of the fact that he had kept portraits and memories of Didyme.

He led me to two grand doors, ones that were just as detailed as all the other important doors in the castle. He opened them and I was greeted with dark walls and portraits of all different sizes in golden, gilded frames.

The floor was pure marble, a mixture of white and black. The white was accented with black veins throughout them, making it even more unique. Something that I didn't think many people saw. There were windows that were higher up on the tall walls, simple medieval small windows that looked up at the stormy sky and not on the landscape in the distance.

Marcus patiently led me down the long gallery, where I saw paintings of every Volturi guard that came into the coven.

Each one was dressed in their robes, their heads tilted up and smirks upon their faces. Their medallions were silver and in the shape of the letter V, with crimson jewels spread out through the medallion. They had on the black gloves and in the background of the portraits it was the throne room, showing their loyalty for their kings.

My eyes fell on the mated couples next.

Corin and Santiago were next to each other. Corin in her blonde beauty, and Santiago reminding me of a Mediterranean prince.

His skin was dark, and his black curls fell around his armpits. His cheekbones were strong, but they weren't anywhere as sharp as the kings'. He had one of his arms wrapped around his wife, flushed close and possessive. She had a smirk on her lips that was wider than the others, her crimson eyes dancing with excitement at the knowledge she would be able to use her Gift as a way to help the mental health of the coven.

Next there was King Aro with Queen Sulpicia, where they wore almost scandalous royal clothes for the time period. More skin was showing than was appropriate.

They had a heated look towards the painter, almost as though they wanted them to join them in a little fun. It was a little too much for their royal painting but then again this was expected from the quite flirty and seductive king and queen that held orgies and had an open marriage in the past. They were almost flushed together, allowing others to know they were more than willing to have open sex with each other during the said painting.

King Caius and Queen Athenodora had an almost bittersweet look on their faces. Their milk white hair was stunning, reminding me of a king and queen of a faerie world. Queen Athenodora had on a simple golden crown that wasn't too stunning, unlike her sister queen's crown that had draped jeweled chains all around her crown in an commanding, ostentatious manner. They were both wearing lighter clothes, which brought out their bluish white skin and their milk white hair. The golden locket that was draped around Queen Athenodora's locket reminded me of my silver locket around my own neck, the both of us having our children's remains within them.

The next painting, I paid attention to was the painting of Jane and Alec.

They were wearing their cloaks and were holding hands, with gloves on of course. They had their crimson eyes showing utmost respect towards the coven they had just joined. One could tell the devotion the both of them had to each other. They would die for each other; they were platonic soulmates and neither of them seemed as though they cared to have any romantic soulmates (probably because of the fact they were twelve and didn't need to have romantic soulmates).

The second to last painting was of Marcus and Didyme.

Marcus without his veil on, was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

His features were so soft, yet there was a sharpness to them when it came to his cheekbones and his jaw. His black eyebrows were thick, shaped in the right arch. His eyes were almost insect sized, taking up a good amount of his face. His nose was on the small side but not too small. His lips were plump, so enticing that all I wanted was for them to brush against mine along with the rest of my body eventually. His obsidian curls fell against his shoulders and created a dark halo around him.

Marcus stayed quiet next to me, allowing me to take in the scenery around me. He didn't look away from the woman that was standing next to him. I didn't feel insulted by this, I was certain I would have spent the same amount of time staring at my stomach as it was getting big, reminding me of Avalyn even if it meant to Marcus, I had slept with someone before him.

Eventually my eyes tore themselves away from the painting of the king without his veil to the woman that was next to him.

She had deep Greek brown skin, with long flowing black hair that fell around her knees. She was thick, she wasn't anywhere near skinny. She was a plus sized woman, a true plus sized woman with thick hips and large breasts and her legs wouldn't have a thigh gap between them. She reminded me of Persephone, especially with all the flowers that were intertwined through her curls, all in full blossom.

"She's beautiful, I can see why you fell in love with her. She has such a pure aura around her," I confessed, observing as Marcus reached his hand up and let it brush against the face of his late wife.

An oil version of her, but it was still a reminder that Didyme wasn't completely gone. He wouldn't have to worry about me demanding anything that was of her or reminding anyone of her needing to be destroyed so there could only be things of me.

"Yes, well, you have the same kind of pureness that she had. I'm certain that Avalyn would have shared the same pureness and happiness as her mother," Marcus confessed, making my heart almost stop at him mentioning Avalyn for the first time.

Tears began to rise within me, threatening to fall, and without thinking I threw myself at him and let him hold me. He patted my back and let his fingers run through my hair. I sniffled and whispered, "thank you for acknowledging her. Thank you for saying her name…I know that she wouldn't have been–"

"Yes, she would have. It doesn't matter if she was mine through conception. She would have been my daughter anyway," Marcus whispered back, making my heart swell in my chest.

Without even thinking I leant up on my tippy-toes and pressed my lips against his. I sighed in bliss at the touch of our lips, at the fact that I finally could claim him as mine in more than just words. I went to pull myself away from him, knowing that I might have crossed the line. He might not have been ready to start a more intimate relationship with me, through actual lips kisses, instead of just quick kisses around my skin and not on my lips.

I hadn't expected him to yank me to him with a passion that seemed to lie within him. It might have withered away some, but it was starting to flourish once again. He kissed me with such emotion I was shaking in his arms. He pushed me against the wall, making some of the paintings shake from the impact of me hitting it.

He pulled away once he had gotten enough of me, enough that black spots almost seemed to dance within my vision. I took greedy breaths of air, my face flushed and my body needing oxygen. I had to take another minute to gather myself up before my eyes went up and landed on the man before me. No... the vampire. He wasn't a human anymore, but that didn't mean he didn't have any humanity in him, it was one of the things I found myself loving about him.

Without thinking I whispered, "I…I love you. I love you, Marcus. I fell in love with you in such a short time…and I know–"

Fingers reached up and pressed against my lips, silencing me.

Tears began to involuntarily fall down my cheekbones, as I laid myself bare before him. I was afraid he would decide that it was too soon, we had barely known each other for about a few months. Three months, it had been three months since I had been brought here and I felt as though I had been here for years instead.

"Lord only knows how much I prayed you wouldn't disappear from me. I don't know how many times I went to the cathedral on the grounds and laid down on my knees, begging for a second chance of love. I also begged for death, since I could not imagine how I should live when I had failed my first love," Marcus stated, before he brought my hands up and pressed them against his veil, motioning for me to bring it up.

"I can't. I don't want to feel as though I've taken advantage of you. I'm more than happy for the time being with the twins. I don't need your–"

"Go ahead. I think it's time for me to take away the veil. I don't want to be the mourning king anymore, Bella. I don't want to be hiding my face anymore when I look at you. I want our future portrait to show my own adoration towards you. I love you; I trust you."

Once again it was almost as though my heart had stopped.

Then it went spinning and beating again, as tears went down my face again.

I tried to keep myself from hyperventilating, as I took my hands and put them on either side of the veil. Slowly but surely, I pulled the veil up and over his face, before taking it off him completely.

Marcus had his eyes closed, in fear most likely, that I would claim I preferred him with the veil on. It wouldn't feel as though we were getting out of our comfort zone. I had already gotten my second chance at having children, and now it was time for Marcus to have his second chance at having love. He had shied away from me, but now he was ready to show his love towards me.

The moment Marcus opened his eyes I knew I was gone, forever. There was no possible way that things would ever truly be the same again. He stole my heart; he stole everything that was mine in that very moment his whole face was in front of me. He was open and vulnerable and the most beautiful version I had ever seen.

"You're beautiful, Marcus. Not just your appearance but also your soul and personality. You don't need to fear me judging you, you did the same for me. Let us just bask in the knowledge of our open love for each other. We do not need to hide ourselves, for we have shown each other our sins and troubles but that doesn't matter anymore. We can continue to heal together."

I had barely said this when the gallery doors were thrown open, and I turned my attention away from Marcus to the sight of Alec and Jane bickering with each other as they came to us. From what I was hearing one of them was trying to tell me what had happened during their mission while the other one said they deserved to tell me their mission because they weren't the one who proclaimed to be a vengeful goddess coming to collect their souls.

I rolled my eyes in amusement. It seemed as though my children were deciding they would truly show themselves instead of just hiding away in their cloaks. It made pride come shimmering through me, since it was both me and Marcus that encouraged the inner child in them that had been pushed into the darkened depths of themselves.

Marcus cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the brunettes.

They turned away from each other, Jane folding her arms against her chest and showing a sisterly eye roll at how she had been judged just because she wanted some vampiric cult to think she was a vengeful goddess. She must have been a sight to see, and I knew I would have to supervise some of these missions once I had become a vampire and gotten control of my Gift.

Their eyes widened as they took in the sight of us standing near the middle of the long corridor art gallery. Only instead of being greeted with the normal sight of their mother and father standing a respectful distance from each other, they saw me, and Marcus almost pressed against each other, and Marcus was without his veil.

"Alec, are you seeing this?"

"Yes. Yes I am. Father is without his veil, and it appears as though Mother and Father have finally learnt to show proper romantic intimacy with each other that is within this century and not from when we were turned."

I turned my attention away from the bewildered preteens and instead made sure my attention was on Marcus this time. I glanced at the veil, which had fallen off of him and landed on the floor of the art gallery. I reached down and picked it up, the expensive fabric reminding me once again I was in the presence of not a normal person, or even a vampire. I was to be a future vampire queen, I had to keep reminding myself of this.

"I think this is what she saw," I mumbled, gaining the full attention of my twins and my future husband. They were all gathered around me, their eyes peering both at me and then at the veil that was in my hands. An obsidian stark contrast to my pale skin.

"Which animal drinker do you speak of?"

I rolled my eyes in fond humor at the sour notes that came from my twins at the question they asked at the same time.

Another reminder how these two really were exactly the same even though they were of opposite genders. They were the same soul split through the middle and placed in two bodies. A lot of people could say that was what twins were. It just made sense to think this when it came to Jane and Alec Volturi, they were as connected as twins could be.

"Alice. I'm sure that you've heard about her before. Your uncle has wanted to have her join our family for the longest time. I'm certain if it weren't for Alice already being mated and having who she has as a mate, Aro would surely want to add her to his exclusive collection," Marcus informed the children, basically telling them if Alice were single and Aro was able to seduce her to their side he would ask permission from Sulpicia if he were able to mess with her more.

"She has the Gift of precognition, it's a very important Gift. It's not as useful as it sounds like, she tries to make us remember her Gift cannot just be used all willy-nilly. If she tries too hard in order to see the future of someone, she claims that some days she can't see that person's future, even one tiny bit of it. She also knows that she can't use her Gift in the Volturi because there are too many people that are in the coven and too many decisions that are to be made."

I looked at Marcus with surprise, but Marcus didn't show any issues with claiming he had spoken with Alice in the past. I did receive that laptop and I wasn't surprised if the vampire had video called Carlisle and the Cullens through the months that we had been here together.

He'd end up having conversations with Alice and learn more about her powers, probably because he hung onto what she saw in hopes he would be able to prevent anything like what had happened with Didyme from happening again.

I leant up and kissed him on his bare cheekbone, letting him know we shouldn't look too far into the future if we couldn't enjoy the present.

Especially when the twins came forward and wrapped their arms around us. We had come a long way in the three months we had been a family. I couldn't wait to find out what else was destined for our family.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: update 1 of 3.

The last few updates on this story were messed up and I posted the wrong chapters. Please go back three chapters to re-read if you need to.

as always: Twilight doesn't belong to me.

-It'semmynotemma

PS: I hope that you've enjoyed the story so far. There are 5 chapters left in this story.