Hello! I know I took some time to update, but work has me exhausted, and by the time I get home, I have zero energy to write. But here we come today.
Have any of you read A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sara J. Maas? Or The Bonds that Tie by J. Bree? - If you have, you might or might not (which is the most likely scenario) notice a wink to them in this chapter. If you haven't, go look for those books because you WON'T regret it :) (But don't worry, you don't need to have any kind of knowledge of these books to discover the wink.) To be fair, a wink might be overstretching it, but alas, I thought about those books, so bear with my rambling.
Anyway, before releasing you, I wanted to note a few things:
- Most of the characters' background is canon. I went through the twilight wiki to instruct myself on many of the Volturi guards, and I kept it as cannon as possible. Most of the characters are barely mentioned in the books, so there is not much information about their age or their transformation date, but for the main characters here, there was, and I tried to remain loyal to that.
-Alec is not 12, and neither is Jane. For the purposes of this story, they are in their 20s. Demetri and Felix are in their early, mid-20s. I tried to remember that in their respective cultures, men married young and were considered men very early in life, so I tried to base their age on that.
-I researched on the twilight wiki the difference in diet (human drinker vs vegetarian), and what I found is what is exposed in this chapter.
-I'm not sure if it was clear that the locket has been on Charlie's side of the family, but it has (as mentioned in Chapter 2).
-I couldn't find much information on Bella's extended family beyond her maternal grandmother, so I took artistic liberty in saying they are migrants from England.
-I have interesting plans for Jane.
-Didyme is coming soon.
-A "confrontation" with Edward is also coming soon.
As of now, that's what I wanted to point out!
Have fun, enjoy, and review.
THE LOCKET
Chapter 12.
She looked at the three loves of her life as her decision registered in their minds. They were very good at keeping the surprise at bay. But they all felt the elation that came with their mate deciding on her own that she wanted to be changed.
They would have gone with every plan she had. Had she wanted to remain human, they would have supported her as long as it was what she really wanted. If she wanted to be a vampire, the better, of course.
Aro might be interested in the long game, but she wasn't. She wasn't when she was with Edward, and she wasn't now. She'd never been so sure of something in her life.
"Is this what you really want?" Alec asked, seeing as Demetri and Felix were too stunned to do anything but stare at Bella.
"One hundred percent, and that is falling short."
"Would you give us two hours to prepare? We need to inform Aro of this and polish the details of the next few days. We won't leave you alone during the change, so Aro needs to know that he's down three vampires. Five if Renata and Jane refuse to do anything as well while you change."
Bella nodded eagerly. "Of course." She smiled softly. She still hasn't asked Alec about the clothes and underwear, but there was time. What was eternity, if not time?
She looked at Demetri and Felix next. "Are you ok?"
Demetri nodded. "And you want us three to bite you simultaneously?"
She nodded again.
Felix spoke then. "Is there anything you'd like to know about the process?"
She knew a lot about the change thanks to Alice and their plane ride to Italy to save Edward, but she still didn't know some things. For instance, she knew newborn vampires were unstable, but only to the extent that every vampire is different.
"What should I expect? I know it hurts; I remember that much thanks to James. But should I wear something comfortable, or will I be too out of it to mind? Should I do something to prepare? Do you need to do something to prepare?" There were more questions, but they were mostly about her after the change, like will she be too crazy to love them?
Felix smiled softly; all traces of his usual teasing grin gone. Still, what came out of his mouth contradicted his solemn expression. She should have known better. "You can wear only one of those underwear sets that Alec bought for you."
She rolled her eyes, but a discreet blush spread across her cheeks. "In all seriousness, princess, just wear whatever you like. If you want to be naked or fully dressed, it's up to you. You won't feel anything but the transformation while you're under, so what you wear is inconsequential."
She nodded, an idea forming in her mind. She could do herself a favor and lighten the serious expressions on her boyfriends' faces.
"You don't need to do anything to prepare, darling. It's not a ritual." Alec winked. "But if there's anything you want to do while we speak with Aro, certainly you can do it."
She nodded again. "I think what I want most is a bath." She'd been eying the giant bathtub in Demetri's room, lusting over it. She would enjoy a two-hour bath there before she was too crazy and unhinged to enjoy it.
Demetri pressed a soft peck on her lips. She smiled at him. She enjoyed getting to know who this new Bella was, but she enjoyed the most seeing her vampires being themselves around her and the other two guys. Any initial reserve was slowly fading. She looked forward to the day they were truly gone for good.
"Also, we don't need to do anything to prepare aside from what we told you." Demetri chimed in. "We ate a few days ago, which usually lasts a few weeks. So, we're good. And even if we hadn't eaten and had no choice but to act now, you wouldn't be in danger. The experience the three of us have combined is indescribable." They each were at least a thousand years under their belts. She knew that much, though they hadn't spoken extensively about their personal history. They had time, and as cheesy as that sounded, she didn't need to know their past to know they were her future.
"Ok. What about once I wake up?" She treaded her fingers on her shirt, betraying her nerves.
"It's hard to predict." Felix said, scrunching his nose in discomfort. "You are coming into the change more informed than most; that might make a difference, but we don't know." He shrugged.
"I have to admit that with you, both scenarios are possible. You can be the typical newborn, or you might surprise us all and come in behaving like Alec."
Bella giggled at Demetri's joke and Alec's insulted expression. "Fuck you." Alec grunted half-heartedly, trying to hide how humorous he found Demetri's joke.
"I have one more question."
"Princess, you can ask as many questions as you want." Felix intervened, squeezing her ankle.
She kicked his hand away because he was squeezing a ticklish point. "My question is about diet. The only thing I'm unsure about."
Alec took over for the answer. "There really is not much difference between the effects of either diet. Mostly, the difference is 'moral'. Vampires like Carlisle, who were raised religiously during their human years or are painfully pacifists, find that feeding from animals alleviates their guilt. It's also easier to explain golden/amber eyes than crimson red eyes to humans." He shrugged." We have little interest in mingling with them, so we don't bother trying it out." Bella nodded, and he continued. "Regarding strength, that's more of a touch-and-go situation. There are two or three types of strength. One comes when you're a newborn. You still have your human blood running in your system, which makes you stronger and faster, but that wanes every day until your human blood leaves your system and it's replaced by venom. The second strength comes with feeding. You need to feed in order to function, just like humans. The longer you go without feeding, the crazier you'll get. The third comes with age. While some say that newborns are stronger, and while that may be true, it is also true that some vampires get stronger with age."
Bella was amazed. This was way more information than she expected, but hearing Alec speak about all this was interesting. She had trouble remembering that physically, he was older than Demetri.
What was it her grandmother used to say? Deliver me from the calm water, that I will free myself from the rough. Or the modern equivalent: It's always the quiet ones.
"So, who's stronger, a human drinker or a 'vegetarian'?" Edward had said that when a vampire tasted human blood, a frenzy began. That seemed like a weakness to her. Although, mental and physical strength were two different things.
"A human drinker might have the advantage, but neither diet has much difference. I know some vegetarians think they're physically weaker because of it, but I don't find it to be true. I think it depends on the individual vampire. Again, it's a game of pacifists who overthink about morals when they're on the top of the food chain." Alec clearly had not much love for vegetarians.
"So, is it ok if I want to try both diets?"
"Of course." Alec rushed to reassure her. "Everyone here feeds off humans, but it's by choice. I'm sure Aro would find it funny if you also wanted to be a bit like Carlisle." Bella smiled. Aro was still a mystery to her. He will probably remain a mystery regardless of how long Bella lives or serves the Volturi.
"That's all the questions I have. I'll take a bath and wait for you here."
"Can I watch?" Felix asked with a wiggle f his eyebrows. Bella appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood in the room.
"No." She kissed each of her vampires on the lips while they all left Demetri's room. Bella skipped to her room, snatched one of the revealing pajamas Alec had bought, and took them with her to her room. It was a soft purple silk set with a V neckline that framed her breasts in black lace. It came with a tiny pair of shorts in the same color shade. She would be comfortable and give her mates something to focus on while she burned.
Her plans for taking a two-hour bath changed. Suddenly it seemed too long and lonely. Next time she came into the tub would be with one or all her mates. She refused to take another bath alone in that big tub. After half an hour, she got out and went to find the girls to convey the news and gossip.
They didn't disappoint.
"So, you scratched one item off your bucket list?" Renata wiggled her brows up and down suggestively.
They were sprawled on Ranata's purple mandala duvet – why she needed a duvet was beyond her, but to each their own – gossiping about her first time with Felix.
"I didn't sleep with him to scratch it off my bucket list." Bella frowned.
Ranata's expression softened. "I know. I was only teasing you. You're as overprotective of them as they are of you. It will be a hell of a ride watching your dynamic as you settle into your bond once you're a vampire. It's going to get heightened, and either you'll want to lock yourself up with them or attach yourself to their hips everywhere they go."
"How do you know so much about mates?" Renata looked down, embarrassed.
Bella leaned forward, smiling. "Who is it?"
Speaking about plot twists.
"Santiago." She barely whispered.
Bella's eyes widened. "Really?"
"You've seen him, right?"
Bella nodded eagerly. "He is like one of the five vampires aside from my mates and you two that has treated me like a person and not something weird that came to live here or offered her life on a silver platter."
Renata smiled. "He's great."
Jane rolled her eyes. "She's smitten, and he's whipped. They're even worse than you and your three bodyguards."
Bella giggled. Jane was a cynic about love, claiming she didn't want a mate; she didn't believe in love – despite witnessing it every day. She was content with wetting her toes in different pools and not submerging into one specifically. Bella thought she was full of bullshit. There was nothing wrong with having multiple sexual partners, playing the field, and not committing just for the sake of committing, but Bella did not believe Jane didn't believe in love. She might be a cynic because she hadn't met the right person yet.
"I've been a vampire for at least a thousand years; there's nothing I haven't done or seen. Trust me; I'm not interested in love or mates." She insisted.
What was that other saying her grandmother always went by? Tell me what you presume, and I'll tell you what you lack. Translation: If you preach a lot that you don't believe in love, you are probably one of its fiercest defenders. Bella nodded; this was not the time to pick this battle.
But it was a battle she wouldn't let her friend lose faith in. Everyone deserves love. Jane might be reluctant to open up, but that didn't mean he would let her lose faith in love.
"Stop it." Jane warned, squirming in her seat.
"I'm not doing anything." Bella replied too incontinently to be believable.
"I can hear you thinking." Jane frowned, and Renata hid her grin behind her hand.
"You can't." Bella refuted but let the subject drop. She didn't want to make Jane uncomfortable, and it was clear she didn't want to continue speaking about it. She would respect that. Instead, she turned towards Renata to interrogate her about her mate. "So, how long have you and Santiago been together?"
Renata was an interesting vampire. Having been born into a vampire-friendly family and having basically been offered as a sacrifice to the Volturi. Her powers were also fascinating to Bella. She was a shield, which made her similar to Bella in some ways – or so they thought –but she could also implant false memories on a possible attacker. That, for Bella, was the coolest thing. The Volturi had the most interesting collection of gifts ever.
And now, she learned she was the mate of another of the strongest vampires in the guard. Renata was full of surprises. And here she thought that her quiet, albeit mischievous personality would mean a demure girl, but the reality is totally different.
"A few decades."
Jane snorted. "How about around five hundred years. Give or take a few decades."
Bella's eyes widened. Five hundred years was a very long time. She knew she was signing in for eternity, but holy shit, five hundred years was a lot. Yet, five hundred years with the one you love might seem like nothing sometimes, a long time, other times.
"If five hundred years surprise you, you have not yet asked or processed your mates' ages." Bella suddenly realized that she knew her mates were at least a thousand years old.
Her eyes widened even more.
Holy mother of Jesus!
One thousand years!
Holy. Fuck!
"I see you finally caught up. Welcome to the club, Swan." Jane smiled sarcastically.
"Is everyone as old as you?" It came out wrong, but she didn't care about offending anyone at the moment.
Renata and Jane exchanged a glance, and Renata's grin turned mischievous. "Chelsea was born around 1100 B.C. Changed around that time too. She was 18 at the time." So, Chelsea and Bella were theoretically the same age.
But holy fuck, twice!
Chelsea must be a walking, talking encyclopedia. The things she must have seen in her years on this earth. The rise and fall of so many great civilizations. Cleopatra, Julius Cesar, Alexander the Great. And suppose you wanted to get really philosophical and believe in all religions and their teachings. In that case, Chelsea might have even seen/heard about Jesus, Pontius Pilate, Herod's edict, and the rise of Christianity.
What did it feel like to see so many interesting people path the way the world was today? How did it feel to see Hitler rise to power, create the extermination camps and wage war in Europe for five years? The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall and the iron curtain. And way before that, to see new countries being born, civilizations forming, power struggles, electricity, science, the Spanish Inquisition, and many more key events. She didn't wonder about this only regarding Chelsea, but her friends and mates too.
Her grandmother used to tell her stories about her family in Europe. Despite being born in the US, her family migrated from England due to the war, or that's what she used to say. Bella was too young and impressionable back when she and Renée lived with her.
She shook her head; she still had her grandmother's image in her mind from that dreadful dream the night before her eighteenth birthday.
"How do you do it? Being with someone for so long. Does it get hard?"
Renata shook her head. "Yes and no. We get on each other's nerves sometimes, but we couldn't be without each other. We learned to compartmentalize and accept each other's roles in this coven. When things get hard, we're there for each other. And at the end of the day, we love each other deeply, so no matter what happens, that never changes."
Bella could see herself living five hundred years, a thousand years, and more with her vampires. To some, it might have looked daunting. Eternity was a long time, things will be challenging, and the world will be a different place ten years from now and even more so five hundred years from now. But if she had Demetri, Alec, and Felix there at the end of the day, she could face everything. And as long as she was there for them, she would feel invincible.
Someone knocked on Renata's door, who then allowed entry to their visitor. It was Alec.
"Ready, darling?" He offered his hand, palm up.
She jumped off the bed and skipped in his direction, taking his hand firmly in hers and interlacing their fingers. She waved to her friends and said, "I'll see you on the other side in a few days."
Both girls waved back and saw her friend leave the room.
…
…
…
Bella lay on Demetri's lead-grey duvet, waiting for her three men to get into position. She smiled, closing her eyes and feeling as if this was just another day in her life and not her last for all intents and purposes. She crossed her hands on top of her stomach and listened for the rustling of sheets and the shuffling of feet.
"Do you want to know where we'll bite you, or do you prefer we just do it?" Demetri asked, too close to her ear. Was it too late to ask them to take her body and soul, to make love before changing her?
She didn't want that now, but it was a fantasy for later.
"I want to know."
Demetri caressed her cheek, making her open her eyes and catching his stare. He looked worried. She touched his cheek and lifted her head to kiss his lips. "I'll be ok." She had faith in them.
"I'll bite your jugular, Alec will have your wrist, and Felix your femoral artery. We would like to mark you as our mate as Felix did. Is that okay with you?" It seemed fitting. Demetri was more rational, so he gets to be closer to her head; Felix was more passional, so he gets the one closer to her core, while Alec was a mix of both, with his own analytical mind, so he gets the wrist. They were nothing if not thorough. And to have the three of them mark her as theirs…Well, let's say that it was sexual fantasy worthy.
"All good." She replied, smiling at her three men. "I'll see you in a few days. But kiss me before you bite me."
Each of the men took their time kissing her, savoring the last taste of her human mouth before retreating to their marked spots and biting down at the same time.
Bella let out a mix of a groan and a moan that was equal out of pleasure and pain.
Soon, the fire began, which she expected. She greeted the fire like an old friend and spent the next few days in its company. She didn't hear or feel anything from her surroundings; the change completely blocked her senses. Felix had been right, she could have been wearing a cocktail gown, and she wouldn't have noticed.
An indeterminate amount of time later, the fire died, and her senses woke up. She could hear everything and feel everything her skin was touching. But the two most pressing things she could feel were her burning throat and a pull in her chest. Like a cord that's stretched tight, and someone was pulling on it. Another thing she noticed was that the buzzing that had been on and off in her mind came back. Even though it wasn't painful as it had been when she was human, it was very uncomfortable.
She opened her eyes and confirmed that she could also see everything. It was mesmerizing, distracting, and overwhelming.
"Hello, princess." A smooth voice called from her left. She turned her head and met Felix's handsome features. He had been beautiful to her while she was human, but the film that had been in her human eyes had been lifted, and she could see behind the glamour. His features were more rugged and rougher; he seemed more masculine and less divine. But still as delicious looking. She felt the tell-tale tightening of her core.
"Hello." Her voice sounded weird too. More delicate than her human one. She shrugged, not so concerned with it. It would take time.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Her dead heart squeezed, and she turned to her right, where two smiling faces were studying her. Demetri and Alec were a healthy distance away, but their stance was relaxed.
"My throat hurts."
"That's the thirst. We should take you hunting." Alec explained. "Do you want animal or human today?"
Bella thought about it; either would satisfy the burning in her throat, but perhaps human blood might help her control any craziness she might develop.
"Human." Alec nodded and moved to her side.
Only when Alec moved did she notice the extra presence in the room. It was a woman with a lean figure, red eyes, and black hair. She looked eerily familiar, but she couldn't place it. The woman smiled and waved her fingers in greeting. Neither of her mates acknowledged her, but she didn't find it strange since they were still looking at her.
"How do I look?" She moved before the thought registered in her mind, crashing with Alec. He chuckled and righted them. She frowned.
Alec placed a kiss on her neck. "You look amazing."
She beamed at him. Felix disappeared and appeared in five seconds, carrying a body-length mirror and placing it before Bella. She took notice of herself. She was in different clothes. She had black yoga pants and an oversized shirt that smelled like Demetri. Had they changed her? Why?
But beyond the change of clothes, she saw that she was taller since she reached Demetri mid-chin instead of being barely tall enough to fit smugly beneath it. The red strands of her hair got accentuated, and she could swear her hair was a few inches longer, reaching mid-waist. She was pale, and her eyes were red. But other than that, she felt still herself.
Sort of.
"You tore your clothes to shreds, so we had to find something for you to wear." Felix answered her nonverbalized question.
"Demetri and I left the room while he changed you." She turned around, mouth agape and eyes wide. They had left the room because she hadn't given them permission to see her naked, and they respected her enough to want verbal consent, so they stepped outside while the only person who had had her consent took care of her clothes.
This would have been the game-changer moment if she weren't already in love with them.
"I appreciate it, but it wasn't necessary." They shook their heads in disagreement, but Bella didn't press the issue again.
"Let's go hunting." Felix intervened.
Bella nodded and followed her men outside. The castle was not isolated from civilization, so it didn't take them long to find a good surveillance spot.
Demetri explained that part of hunting is tuning your senses and casting them out to get your bearings and know your surroundings. It would allow you to recognize the noises that belonged in that scenario, the noises that were there with them, and any noise that might alert her that something is not going according to plan.
"You should always note all the possible exits of a room. Do that, and you'll never be trapped or caught."
They stood on a rooftop, observing the scene below. It was a particularly dark spot. There was a river that ran alongside a narrow street. The scene was barely illuminated by the light of the full moon and the few stars that were visible in the city. Few people took this route due to the lack of illumination and the eerie feeling that caused goosebumps. Bella was no longer human, but she could still feel how the street scared her and her mind threw flashbacks to that night in Port Angeles when Edward saved her from being gang raped. She shuddered and focused on the empty street.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, a group of four guys came trotting down the street, reeking of alcohol and marihuana, gloating about a girl they'd drugged at a bar and how sad it was that the security guard noticed she wasn't in the state to leave alone. These were the types of scum that should never exist. Rapists, alcoholics, drug addicts. She could stand drug addicts and alcoholics as long as they didn't hurt anyone else and as long as their vices were limited to themselves.
A hand grabbing her arm made her pause. She looked at the hand and followed the arm up to its owner. Felix was delaying her hunt. She growled, frustrated. "Wait. Identify who's the ringleader. That's the one you either should kill first and leave him there to rot or eat him first." Bella frowned but nodded and turned back to observe.
"Notice how the one in the back is frowning. Look at his body language. He seems uncomfortable but notice how he's not asking the idiot speaking to stop." Bella nodded again. "That's one of the worsts. Cowards are just as bad as rapists."
She continued observing the scene. All the bastards laughed at the same asshole while the coward silently moped behind. She decided, then, to kill all and eat the coward.
"I want the coward."
"Very well." Alec conceded. "Do you have a plan?"
She shook her head.
"If you're stalking a human for feeding purposes, and they're not alone, you should have a plan. You're tiny, so I think one would suffice for you. You don't have mind manipulation powers, or memory manipulation powers, so you need to take care of the company. You can kill the company first and then feed. It gives you time to feed and prevents unnecessary attention from being drawn to you." Alec continued. "Snapping their necks is faster and cleaner. Though for so many, maybe we can have some fun and be a bit gruesome. We'll let the human authorities blame it on a gang rivalry or the Mafia even. It's been a while since they've blamed the Mafia for this."
"Ok. So, how do I go about killing three people and feeding on one?" She hadn't brought a pocketknife or anything like that. How could they fake a gang rivalry killing or a Mafia assassination if she didn't have at least a pocketknife?
"This time, princess, you feed, and we take care of the collateral damage." He didn't wait for any confirmation before jumping off the rooftop and landing swiftly a few feet away from the men.
Bella observed him, entranced. Felix exuded power, control, and confidence. He was stealthy and refined. Demetri winked at her and jumped next. He was a bit rougher in his movements. He was a big man, and as such, his movements were less refined than Felix, but he didn't lack control or confidence. Alec bowed and jumped.
He landed in a mass of black smoke and shadows trailing him. He kept them close, ready to pounce.
Bella copied her mates and jumped off the roof. It was a frightening experience because her brain was still thinking like a human, expecting the impact or any damage or injuries. She landed swiftly next to Alec, who nodded appreciatively.
"Want to see me in action?" He whispered, and she nodded. He cast out his net of dark shadows and black smoke, effectively incapacitating the four men. "I'll remove the fog from the coward so you experience what it really feels like to hunt."