When you can't be sick, but you are
The winner of my latest story poll:
I didn't know how to choose who would be the Volturi master who was sick. I couldn't find any dice to toss, so I drew cards. Oddly, Aro won with a queen, while Caius and Marcus tied with 10s (They are 10s!). Then I remembered I've written more stories about Aro and Marcus lately, so Caius wins by default. Plus, he can be so grumpy, he might make a great patient. Or not.
I have read headcanons about the Volturi caring for their sick human mates, but not one about a human caring for their sick vampire mate. So here we go!
Caius x Reader
ooooooooooooooooooooo
You are the mate of the powerful Volturi master, Caius. He makes the perfect leader of the Volturi guard, such are his combat skills and purposeful concentration.
To you, he is always a loving mate, if at times a big tease. He calls it teasing. You call it torture, especially when he's training you.
"Caius! Stop!" You run around the trees in the park while he chases after you, obviously at 100th his typical speed, since he could easily capture you, if he wanted to.
"As a human, you're too easy to catch, my love. As a newborn, you'll be stronger and more likely to outrun me, for awhile at least," he calls out.
You had turned around to see how close he was to you, when you run into a hard body and fall backwards onto the grass. You look up to see the triumphant face of your mate.
"What have I told you over and over. Use your senses to be aware of your entire surroundings, not just what's in front or behind you." He reaches a pale hand down to you, pulling you up off the ground. Once he sees tears forming in your blue eyes, he relents and draws you into his embrace. "I'm sorry, my pet. I didn't mean to shout at you. Once you've gone through the transformation, you will be much better at this."
You don't want your mate to see you cry. He already despises humans as weak, so you hate giving him a reason to believe that of you. I'm not weak, you tell yourself. I can be strong when I need to be. Feeling inferior to Caius is ever present in your mind. He is almost too perfect. But when you change, you will be an equal to him.
Caius picks you up in his arms and runs back to the castle. You grip his shirt and bury your face in his chest, keeping your eyes closed. He regrets tiring you with your skills training, but prefers handling it himself, rather than assigning you time with either Felix or Demetri.
When you arrive at the castle, he carries you to the chambers you share together. Once there, Caius explains that Heidi will be here soon with the tourists destined to be on the Volturi lunch menu. You frown, but know it's necessary, since the Volturi have a need to feed. They can't help that it's human blood they need to survive. One day, you will join Caius and do the same thing. Feed off humans.
Caius gives you a kiss and heads for the outer doors. You run to your mate, who stops to turn to you. You give him a look of pure love. In response, Caius gives you a smile and holds his arms open to you. You move into them and embrace him tightly, enjoying his embrace in turn.
"I love you, Caius."
He chucks your chin and replies, "I love you, my pet. Relax for awhile until I return." Then he leaves you alone.
Since you are not allowed to be with the others during this time, you go into the bedroom and strip, heading for the bathroom and a hot shower. Once you're relaxed and squeaky clean, you pull on underwear, and a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, then go lie down on the bed for a nap.
You dream you're in a thick fog and red eyes follow you as you walk through the cool moist air. Then a thick blanket of cold surrounds you, cutting off your senses. Just when your fear rises as a scream, you wake to see Caius hovering over you, a smile on his face. He kisses your cheek, telling you to wake up. You sit up on the bed, your arms around his neck. You see a red spot on his chin, and wet your thumb to wipe it off. "You're usually so fastidious, my love."
Caius tells you Aro wishes to see him for a brief meeting. He doesn't tell you what it's about, and you never ask. If he wanted you to know, he would tell you as he usually does about most things.
Since you are free, you go to find Marcus to have one of your many conversations. Aside from Caius, he is the easiest of the Volturi to talk with, and doesn't seem to mind your human nature.
Caius eventually comes to fetch you so that you can eat in the kitchen dining area. The chef has made supper for you, and Caius joins you and asks about your talk with Marcus. While you eat, you laugh and shake your head. "It would bore you, love. He's so even-tempered and comfortable to be around.
"Do you wish to be his mate?" Caius asks, his eyes staring into yours.
You put down your fork and take his hand. You gaze back into his red eyes, and say, "Marcus may be a wonderful friend, but you're my mate, Caius. No one touches me the way you do. And I don't just mean physically. I mean in every way possible." He meets you half way when you lean in to kiss him. "I love you with all my heart and soul. There is and never will be anyone else."
Once you've finished your meal and thanked the chef, you and Caius head back to your chambers. He decides to walk at your side at your speed, his hand holding yours.
In your bedroom, he holds you close and kisses you, each kiss more passionate than the last. You pull back, smiling at him as you move toward the bed, when you see Caius' expression change. He suddenly looks as if he were in pain. You go to his side just as he collapses to his knees. Suddenly, he vomits what looks like blood, causing you to jump back. You then head for the outer doors, flinging them open to cry out for help. In moments, Aro, Marcus, snd Felix are at the door.
"What is it, my dear?" Aro asks.
"It's Caius. He's ill," you tell him, panic stricken.
All of you go to the bedroom to find Caius lying on the floor. Checking his breathing is a waste of effort since you know vampires don't have to breathe, and they have no beating heart to listen to. Please be alive, you pray.
You turn to Aro, your eyes frantic. "What's wrong with him?"
"Tell me what happened, my dear, before he collapsed." He waits until Marcus lifts Caius off the floor and onto the bed.
You go to the bathroom to wet a wash cloth, then move to the side of the bed to wipe the blood from your mate's face and hands. You unbutton his shirt and remove it with help from Marcus, then wipe down his chest.
"Felix, get someone to clean this up," Aro says, pointing to the mess on the floor.
Felix speeds from the rooms to fetch a human servant. In a few minutes, one quietly appears to mop the floor, then just as quietly, leaves.
In your current grief, you begin to vocalize what happened. "I was eating supper in the kitchen and we were just talking. Then we walked back here, and he suddenly seemed to be in pain and collapsed. He didn't have a chance to say anything." You sit beside your mate, laying your hand on his forehead, which is as cold as always. You're worried beyond belief. Vampires do not get sick, nor do they experience unconsciousness.
Aro thinks of the one person who may know vampire physiology better than anyone. Carlisle. Would his old friend have answers that might help Caius?
You cling to Marcus' hand with your free one, the other still stroking Caius' face. "He isn't dying, is he, Marcus? He can't die." Your eyes betray your worry.
Everyone among the coven hears about Caius, and silence replaces the usual sounds of activity in the castle. You keep vigilance at Caius' side, leaving only to tend to personal business. Felix and Demetri take turns bringing you food. They ask each time how your mate is doing. It seems everyone is concerned, since this set a new precedence that any vampire could become sick.
Caius rouses after two days of unconsciousness. He recognizes you, sending a wave of relief through you. "Thank the gods, you're awake, my love. I'm here. Aro and Marcus are here too."
Both the Volturi masters rise from the sofa to go to their brother's side. "Caius, do you recognize us?" Aro asks.
"Yes, hello, Aro. Hello, Marcus. What happened to me? I feel terrible." He turns to you, realizing how bad he must have been, if your expression is any indicator.
You lean over to kiss his cheek, then sit beside him on the bed.
"Carlisle said it sounds like food poisoning," Aro says. "He was comparing your symptoms to that of his human patients, but we agreed that the timing was right. We had fed, then less than an hour later, you became violently ill. In humans, symptoms can appear up to six hours later, but we're vampires, and the bacteria could work more quickly on us.
"But food poisoning, Aro," you begin. "Has any vampire ever become ill from the blood of a victim?" It seems an odd idea to you.
"Not that we are aware of, my dear. This could set a precedence. Human physiology changes over time, small things as in the lesser importance of internal organs."
"Like the appendix," you suggest.
"Just so," Aro agrees. "It may be that something within humans is changing that will eventually make them unpalatable to our kind."
You don't really care. You just want Caius well again.
"Carlisle said to watch him for as long as he needs to remain in bed. That will be up to Caius, of course."
You go to Aro and hug him. "Thank you. Thank you, both." Then you move to Marcus, also hugging him in gratitude.
Marcus smiles. "Of course, my dear. He is our brother, after all." Both men leave you and Caius alone.
You feel a hand grasp your arm. "Love, you will stay with me." You had never heard Caius sound so plaintive, fearful even.
"Of course, my sweet. No one could ever pull me away from you. You took care of me when I was sick or even just cramping badly." You smile at him, loving him so very much. "I will never leave you. Enough said."
Over the next few days, you stay with your mate, using a wet cloth to keep his face damp and cool. He is not feverish, yet doesn't say anything. In fact, he seems to enjoy the attention you give him.
He manages a smile and says, "I apologise for anything I said to you before I became ill, intimating that you're a weak mortal. You are the strongest woman I know." He weakly reaches up to caress your cheek.
You give him a kiss, saying "I know I am, Caius. And I will be a stronger vampire, when the time comes. For us both. Now hurry and get well, my love. We have some overdue sex awaiting us."
His eyes darken briefly, but he falls back against the pillow, too weak to respond as he wishes.
Each day though, Caius seems to get stronger. Felix and Demetri bring him several blood bags they'd appropriated from a local hospital. It would have to hold him over until their next feeding.
You thank them both for their ingenuity and aid to your mate. You help Caius drink from the bags, hoping it will help him recover sooner than if he had no blood. You would give up your own blood, if it helped him get well."Take it slowly, love," you caution him. "No need to guzzle it all at once."
You spend time reading for Caius, and when he is much better, you play games of chess with him until he tires. He is visited by Aro and Marcus, who see his improvment, and give you the credit.
Finally, one day, you're sitting next to your mate, reading from a book, when it gets to a rather spicy scene. Caius is becoming aroused by your reading and your voice and the thoughts it instills in his mind. His body is matching his desire for you as his need becomes more apparent. He reaches up to slip his hand in your hair and around your neck, pulling you down. He kisses you, attempting to show you how well he feels.
You drop the book and lean over your mate, your mouth devouring his. "So, you're feeling better, my love?"
"Better, needy. I want you, my favourite nurse in the world. And to show you my gratitude for your constant care..."
You don't give him time to say another word. You remove your shirt and straddle him. "That sounds like a bad porn film, Caius. But I'm game if you are. It's the best medicine I have."
And your loving mate takes his medicine without one complaint.