I can't change just for you : a long Volturi one-shot
Aro x Reader first person POV
Someone told me when they were going to read one of my one-shots, "You left this world without me", they thought they were going to read about Aro losing his human mate. Actually, it was about Aro's human mate losing him. My mind went back to that reader's idea. Therefore...this is a story about Aro and his human mate from her POV, and how Aro lost her, not to an accident or any attack by an enemy, but to her too frail humanity.
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I was wandering the streets after dark, probably a foolish thing to do in a strange country. There was a sudden pain on the back of my shoulders, and I dropped to the ground. I looked up in time to see two young men speaking Italian. One had my tote bag, while the other tugged on his friend's arm, trying to get him to leave now that they had their prize. That bag had everything I needed for this trip, and I had to get it back. I tried to rise up off the ground, but darkness descended over me.
I didn't know how long I'd been out, but when I opened my eyes, his face was the first I saw. He was kneeling beside me, his very cold hand holding mine. Although his visage was pale and as beautiful as an angel's, his eyes terrified me. In the glow of the street light, they seemed red, not the whites like that of a drunk man, just the irises. They looked hungry as he peered down at me, almost as if he wanted to kill me. I tried to struggle, but the throbbing pain in my neck and shoulders was enough to disable me.
I looked at the man I had hoped would be my savior, but now I wasn't sure. "Please, help me." I tried to use my free hand to reach for his jacket. I seemed to have grabbed a chain necklace he was wearing instead. The man looked down at my hand clutching the chain. He hesitated, then released the hand he had been holding. His arms slipped under me, easily lifting me up off the hard concrete.
I felt a breeze surround me, hard enough that I had to close my eyes. When the breeze died, I opened them to find myself indoors, stone walls on either side of me as the man carried me into some sort of building. I turned my head to look up at my rescuer, seeing an enigmatic smile on his face. Then I lost consciousness.
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I woke to find myself in a bed, a warm comforter draped over me. I looked beneath the comforter to see I was now dressed in a cotton nightgown. Who had changed my clothes while I was out. I hoped it was not my rescuer who had gotten a peek of my naked body. I would never be able to look him in the eyes.
On the small table to my right sat a glass carafe filled with water, topped with a small glass that acted like a lid. I reached over and grabbed the carafe, pouring myself a glass, swallowing the water slowly. Since I was thirsty, it actually tasted good, so I drank another glass full. I replaced the carafe on the table and lay back against the pillows. I looked around the simply furnished, yet somehow ornate room, wondering where I was. And where was my rescuer?
The pain in my shoulders had dulled somewhat. I must have been hit from behind. I was fortunate my attackers hadn't used a heavier object or a knife. I was still alive, and the pain would go away eventually.
The man with the angelic face who had rescued me finally came to visit that afternoon. He told me his name was Aro. He seemed pleasant enough, but I felt an undercurrent of danger emanating from him. When he looked at me, even while he was smiling, I felt like a deer in the sights of a hunter.
"I'm Lydia Palmer, from Los Angeles in America. I'm twenty-seven years old and have never been married. I have no close family. Just an aunt, my father's sister, but we're not on good terms."
Aro didn't seem to find my biography interesting, and I wondered why. At the time, I had no idea he already knew everything about me with that one touch of his hand.
He sat at the foot of the bed, seemingly aware of my anxiety. "You have nothing to fear while here, my dear," he intoned. "No one will harm you."
"That's a strange promise to make to someone you've just met, Aro." I decided to respond to him familiarly, hoping to take an equal position in this hopefully short-term relationship. But just looking at him, this man who was almost too beautiful to be real, drew from me a smile that embarrassed me, and I tried to hide it. It didn't work. He smiled back at me and goosebumps covered my arms, not from fear, but from desire.
We spoke for awhile about my being here in Italy, until he seemed to sense I was fatigued. But Aro did not leave, waiting for a few minutes until there was a knock on the door. Aro said "come" so low,I could barely hear him. A tall burly man entered with a tray. I watched as he set the tray on the bed next to me, removed the lid over my meal, and asked if there was anything else I needed.
"No, this looks wonderful...uh...?" And it did. Slices of baked beef, boiled baby potatoes, mixed vegetables, a roll, and a glass of red wine. Simple fare, but filling.
"Felix," he replied to me. He turned to Aro. "Master Aro, is there anything you require at this time?"
"No, Felix, you may go." He rose and came to my end of the bed, looking down at me, his eyes a warm chocolate brown. "We will discuss more later. Enjoy your meal, and if you require anything, just call out and someone will be right here."
"Uh, Master Aro, before you go...who undressed me and put me into this nightgown?" I had no idea what Aro was master of, but when in Rome...
Aro chuckled low. "Just Aro, please. Chelsea took care of that for you. You will meet her later. If you were worried it was I, I assure you I would not take such liberties, unasked." He exited through the door, leaving me to my meal. I thought I heard him say "I'm a patient man" before the door was shut. If I had him heard correctly, to what was he referring?
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For the next week, I was treated like royalty, or how I assumed royalty was treated. I literally wanted for nothing. I was fed regularly, and brought books to read. Felix even played chess with me on a board he brought in for that reason. I finally met Chelsea, who helped me with getting new clothing and accessories. I had lost my hotel key in the robbery, and had no money to pay the bill anyway. When I asked Aro about it, he refused to listen to anything referring to my leaving at this time. I was sure he'd be able to pay the bill that would allow me into my room, but I was cut off when I made the suggestion. 'We will take care of you' he had told me emphatically.
Felix continued to bring me my meals, talking with me until he had to leave. He told me I was inside the Palazzo dei Priori. I wasn't that familiar with Volterra, but as he explained it was a very old complex of wings, both above ground and below. Construction of the later wings of the building his family had acquired began in the late 1200s, with it finished sometime during the 1400s. He seemed to enjoy giving me information that, as he clarified, would make it easier for me to get along with Aro.
"Felix, why did you call him Master Aro?"
"Master Aro...leads our family," he replied.
"Really. He seems too young to be the head of a family such as this."
"Such as this?" Felix asked, not without some suspicion.
"Well, wealthy, powerful, or so I assume by what I've seen and heard."
He raised a brow at me.
"All right. I haven't seen or heard that much. But look at this room." I waved my hand at some of the furnishings. "Those are antiques, or damned good replicas. And that tapestry on the wall. French Rococco?"
Felix raised both brows now, so I responded, "I'm an interior designer specializing in everything from 1600s Europe to turn of the century America." I gave Felix a wink. "I know my stuff."
"You may speak with Master Aro about that. He is a great historian on all levels."
"Thank you, Felix. We'll already have something in common then."
He gave me a broad smile, picked up my luncheon tray, and left me alone.
It wasn't long before I felt well enough to walk a little. The first day Aro came for me, he led me outside to a garden hidden on the palace grounds behind a high wall. We sat on a wide marble bench so we could enjoy the warmth of the sun. I felt like I was turning into a mole, locked up in my room for so long. I stretched out my legs and leaned back on my hands, tilting my face up into the light and closed my eyes. Now this was heaven. And then the devil spoke.
"Felix tells me you have a love for history, as do I." Aro seemed excited to know about my interest.
"Actually I'm only an interior designer, so I'm more into the things people surrounded themselves with in their daily lives."
"Then you must let me show you the antiques I have collected over the...years. My brothers Marcus and Caius also collect. Art, literature, old weaponry."
I looked up to see clouds moving across the sky, blocking the sun light off and on. Maybe rain was on the way. "I haven't met them yet."
"Perhaps this evening, if you feel up to it. They are eager to meet the young woman I rescued." Aro took my hand in his, his cool fingers intertwining with mine.
Oh palms, please don't sweat. "I'd like that, Aro." Why was I feeling so drawn to this man? Ok, so he saved my life. You don't fall for someone for that reason, do you? Police officers and firemen would have women throwing themselves at them all the time. Honestly, he was gorgeous, smelled delicious in a way I could not identify, and spoke so eloquently. I'd always been attracted to intelligent men, but looking at Aro right now, something caught my eye. It was faint, but it seemed Aro's skin was sparkling or shimmering. Then it went away before I could get a good look at the odd phenomenon. I had to blink several times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
Later that evening, Aro and I were sitting in the outer room of his chambers, as he called them. It wasn't long before a young-looking blonde man and an older man with long brown hair entered through the heavy carved doors.
"Ah, Marcus, Caius, welcome. Please sit and meet our young guest. This is Lydia Palmer of America. My dear, this is Marcus, my brother-in-law. The scowling fellow over there is Caius."
"It s a pleasure to meet you, child," the taller man said. He didn't smile much, but I felt sincerity coming off him in waves. It was a very strange feeling.
Caius said nothing, only giving me a curt nod.
Aro spoke to fill in the subsequent awkward silence. He sat next to me, so close his arm was touching mine. Perhaps he was trying to reassure me or he was just being affectionate, but I didn't mind in any case. I tried to fill in here and there, making comments about the city and the few people I had met here so far. Blessedly, the conversation soon ended, and Marcus and Caius left Aro and me alone.
"Well, that was interesting," I said, peering over at Aro.
"They are not used to visitors. None of us are," he said without explanation.
The next few days, Aro showed me through the vast Volturi library. He told me his ancestors had been adding to the library for centuries. They had even managed to save some original manuscripts from the great Library of Alexandria during the fire of 48 BC. It amazed me when Aro would talk about history in such a familiar way, as if he'd been there himself. I knew that was impossible, so I simply admired his extensive knowledge while I listened to his stories.
As the days passed, I began to wonder if I was ever going to be allowed to return home. I came to know more of this odd family. Felix and Chelsea I already knew, but I met Demetri, a close friend of Felix's by what I saw of them when they were together.
There were The Twins, as others called them, Jane and Alec. Jane had been born a few minutes before Alec, and it showed. He deferred to his sister always, backing her decisions and complimenting her as a younger sibling would.
There was Heidi, the beauty of the group. She reminded me of old 1940s movie stars, elegantly dressed, perfectly coiffed and made up, and possessing that something only some stars like Marilyn Monroe had. She wasn't around much, and I never asked why.
There were others, of course. Afton, Santiago, and Corin to name a few. Felix and Chelsea were with me more often, so I quickly came to regard them as friends.
Aro would spend time with me, telling me about himself, but in a way that led me to feel he was holding something back. I never questioned him about my feeling. I merely listened.
One day, we were sitting in the garden, the air warm even with the cloud cover. Aro was sitting close to me when he reached up to caress my cheek, his cool fingertips brushing over my skin. I leaned into his touch, then looked at him. He moved closer towards me, his lips barely pressing against mine. It was pure torture, this gentleness, and I slipped my fingers into his silken black hair, pulling him to me. Once he knew I was not averse to something more, Aro kissed me with more passion, willing to show his need for me. We took from and gave back to one another, so desperate were we to share that need. When he finally pulled away, I was breathless while he seemed fine.
We looked at one another in silence.
It was Aro who broke the silence. "There is something I must tell you, my dear. I hope you accept what I am about to reveal to you as a secret I am entrusting you with."
I waited to hear more. For the past few days, it seemed Aro wanted me to stay here in Volterra, but he never just came out and asked it of me. I had an apartment in Los Angeles that was empty and a job to get back to. Maybe I was deluding myself. I watched as he reached up to his eyes, appearing to be pulling out contacts. He turned to face me, his eyes now a deep crimson, like that night he had saved me beneath the glowing street lights. I pulled my hand from his and leaned away from him on the bench.
"I am a vampire," he simply said, as if it were something one said every day.
And just like that, I knew I had been saved by a mythical creature of the night, one who was nothing like a nosferatu or Count Dracula. He was like Nick Knight, or perhaps more like the sometimes pompous Lucien LaCroix, from the TV show Forever Knight. "May I ask you some questions?"
Aro smiled at me, satisfied I hadn't attempted to jump over the garden wall. "Of course, Lydia. Anything."
I'd make it short and sweet. "Coffins and sleeping by day, repulsed by garlic, afraid of crosses. The sun doesn't seem to bother you since you haven't exploded into flames yet." I looked Aro up and down. "You don't turn into a bat, do you?" I asked, a slight look of disgust on my face.
He lowered his head as he laughed. "Hardly, to all of that," he said.
"Your skin is pale, cold, and harder than my flesh. And I saw you shimmer in the sunlight."
"A quality that can expose us to humans. We are nearly immortal, few things being a threat to us. We have preternatural strength, senses, speed, memories. Once we are changed, we stop aging."
"So...how old are you?" I asked.
"Three thousand years, more or less. I was born a human in Greece long ago.'
My hand rose off my lap to touch Aro's face, but I quickly grabbed it with my other hand to bring it back to my lap.
He seemed to be watching me for my reactions. I wasn't afraid of him, but I should be afraid of him. The others had been so kind and helpful to me. How many vampires were there, or so I assumed all here were vampires. Did that make me the lone human in the castle?
"In case you dare not ask, we do survive on human blood. That much is true."
Aro was right. It was THE question I could not ask. He seemed to want to reassure me. "As I said when you arrived, no one here will harm you."
"I believe that. No one has even appeared threatening. But Aro, am I the only human here?"
"The chef, the secretary, and the other servants are human. The guards you've met are used to being around humans, so are able to control their thirst. Other newer guards have not been so trained, and this is why I wish to keep a close watch on you. You will go nowhere without me or a guard I can trust."
"Of course." I would do what Aro thought best for my safety.
Now that they had been informed that I knew about them, the guards were free to move around the castle without contacts. Everywhere I went, I saw red eyes. I wasn't afraid of them. I was more curious. Had any of them wanted to hurt me, I would be dead already. I still kept Aro's warning in my mind.
One day while Aro and I were slowly walking the corridors, he said something that surprised me. "My dear Lydia, I'd like you to stay here in Volterra with us, with me." I wasn't really surprised at the question, only that he had finally asked me. My home, my job, my friends were all on the chopping block if I agreed to remain in Volterra. Did I want to stay? There would be only one reason I could stay, and that was if I found myself in love with Aro.
Until now, he had been unable to articulate his desire to keep me here, yet I seemed to know somehow. Now I had this very important question to respond to.
Aro continued walking with me at his side, waiting for my response. I suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking him. I slipped my arms around him, pressing myself flush against him. I felt his arms encircle me. "I will stay on one condition. You don't ask me to be changed into...one of your kind. Also, you have to send someone back home to quit me from my job and pay off my landlord for the remainder of my lease. As for my friends..." I knew they would be lost to me. I leaned into Aro, letting him comfort me. He nuzzled my neck, then kissed me.
"It will be as you wish, my love. We'll take care of everything for you." He hugged me tightly, whispering in my ear, "You've made me a very happy man. And I intend to do everything to make you happy. And as for your transformation, we will discuss that later."
I knew he wasn't going to let that go.
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Aro told me he had a surprise. We were going to Rome for the weekend. He had reserved for us a room in a luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. Nothing was too fine. I packed a bag and waited for Aro to come to my room. He arrived on time, and led me to his car out back. Even his vehicle was all class. The man had great taste.
Aro leaned over and kissed me, slowly, deeply. His passion sent goosebumps down my arms, and I imagined with anticipation that this would be our first time together. If he didn't bring it up, I was determined I would. I smiled at him just before he pulled out through the wrought iron gates.
When we arrived at the hotel, I was shocked at the appointments of our room. The tub in the bathroom was huge, big enough for us both, if Aro would accommodate my lustful imaginings.
We left the hotel at dusk and walked the streets of the Eternal City, checking out portions of the shopping district, of all places. I was sure Aro had been to Rome before, probably hundreds of years ago. Sure enough, he began to explain the history of ancient Roma, pointing out various sites to me. We even spent time looking in shop windows. Aro repeatedly asked me if I saw anything I wanted, but I had what I wanted, I knew that now. It happened so quickly, yet when I spoke to Marcus when I'd heard about an ability he had to see relationships between people, he said this was normal for vampires and their destined mates. It didn't take long for them to know their heart's desire, and their future mate would feel it as well. Marcus said it would last a very long time, growing stronger with time, unlike humans who grew easily bored over time.
We had been walking close together, our shoulders touching, Aro being only two to three inches taller than me. I reached out to take his hand, my fingers grasping his. He looked at me in a way that made my heart beat faster. I was sure he could hear it. He kissed me, a smile touching his eyes. I knew then I loved him.
Aro had told me about the allure, the characteristics of vampires to draw in their prey. Their scent, which I had experienced, the sound of their voice, and their natural grace and beauty. As we walked, I noticed women glancing at Aro. He noticed me noticing them.
"Jealous, my love?"
I shook my head. "No, I trust you. It's them I don't trust. What would you do if a woman threw herself at you?"
"I'd have her for lunch, then buy you flowers." Aro gave me a kiss, knowing I understood he could love no other now that we were bound together.
"I love you, funny man," I said, hugging him, my eyes glaring at one passing female whose eyes never drifted from Aro until she was out of eyesight.
We continued with our walk, when I was suddenly being pulled into a well-lit jewelry store.
Aro led me to the counter, speaking to the store manager in Italian. The man spoke in turn and gave Aro a nod, going to the back room. He returned with a small box and handed it to Aro with a broad smile. "Penso che la tua sposa lo adorerà."
"Grazie." Aro turned to me and said, "Lydia, I asked you to stay here with me, but I want more. I'd like for you to agree to be my mate. My wife."
I felt some surprise, since I was willing to stay here with Aro as his live-in girlfriend. I should have known his heart was old-fashioned. When he opened the box and offered its contents to me, tears formed in my eyes even as I tried blinking them back. I nodded excitedly like any woman who was being proposed to. "Yes, Aro, I will be your mate."
Aro took the ring from the box and slipped it on the third finger of my extended left hand. It was heavy enough that I knew it was platinum, in a crown-shaped setting with a large, perfect white diamond surrounded by smaller blue diamonds. I was an amateur expert on jewelry after having seen so many antique pieces over the years.
"Aro, it's beautiful. You're far too generous." I meant it too, but I also knew his generosity was something I'd have to live with.
"Nonsense. You are my queen. I know about your love of blue diamonds, so I had this specially made for you." Aro kissed my hand, smiling proudly.
I kissed Aro back, burying my face in the crook of his neck. I felt his cool lips on my neck, sending shivers down my back while he held me.
We remained that way for a few minutes, me laughing now that the tears had stopped.
Even the store manager was moved by our obvious affection. Eventually, he left us to help another customer.
"You're so sweet, Aro. No man has ever called me his queen."
"I meant it literally, my dear," he said.
I stared at him. His queen. I would have to speak with him about that later. For now, we kissed, the two of us uncaring if anyone watched us. Life was good and I was in love. Only one thing could ruin it my happiness. Aro's insisting I be changed as soon as possible.
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The weekend was over, and we had returned to Volterra. An announcement was made to the entire coven that Aro and I were formally mated. Chelsea and Felix came over to congratulate me. That felt odd in itself. But if they were happy, my two best friends here, I was happy.
Marcus gave me a welcoming hug. "We are fortunate in having you as a sister, my child."
"Thank you, Marcus. That pleases me." I looked over at Caius, who grudgingly welcomed me with a hug, calling me 'sister'.
That evening, Aro and I lay in his large bed, taking up only a part of that space as we nestled together. "Now that it's official, my dear, will you name the day?"
"Aro, please. Not now. We had such a wonderful time in Rome. Our first time together was incredible. Having a vampire lover is something I'm loathe to give up, but I feel the differences make it that much more special. When you took me, the coldness of your cock inside me was unlike anything I've ever felt. You said you loved my heat, that it only aroused you more, feeling my body wrapped around you. So if I change, will it still be that way?"
"No, love, we'll feel the same to one another. There won't be the differences we experience now. But there is so much more. We never have to sleep and we don't tire. Imagine having as much sex as you wish from me."
That made me laugh. "My own personal stud, hmm?" I kissed Aro, my hand on his neck, pulling him closer. I draped my leg over his hip, drawing him to me. My legs were open for him, and he soon pressed against me, his hard length seeking that core of warmth he loved. His eyes darkened as he took me.
Once we were joined, we moved as one, thrusting and pulling back, only to move our hips against each other again. I heard Aro growl low into my neck as I threw my head back, unable to keep from panting his name over and over. He gave me pleasure I could only imagine until he made it come true. My cries pushed him over the edge, his cold seed spilling into me, and I whispered 'I love you' even as my heart beat strong from the exertion. I loved having sex with Aro, I loved being with Aro. He was like no man I had ever known. Some might say he wasn't a man, but a monster. I disagreed.
As we lay on the bed side by side, Aro started in again. "I've been a vampire for thousands of years," he said emphatically, trying to get me to see his way.
"And I've been a human all my life," I replied just as vehemently. Aro had to be made to understand my stance on his offer. He was not asking me to change my hair colour. He was asking me to change my existence.
"I won't lose you to the curse of time, my love. We are bound together, mated for eternity. Didn't Marcus explain it to you?"
"Yes, he did. But I have to make the decision, not you." I heard him sigh, a physical act he didn't need to exhibit. So when he sighed, I knew he was frustrated, but he didn't push it anymore that night.
Later, Aro told me when a vampire loses their mate, the pain of that loss becomes very real and never ending. He told me why Marcus was so disinterested much of the time. Having lost his own first mate Sulpicia to vengeful werewolves gave Aro pain for centuries, and then I showed up in his life.
"So you can love another even after you've lost a mate." My argument only made Aro regret mentioning Sulpicia to push his point of view. He finally gave up for the night and let me sleep in peace.
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I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth. The morning had been wonderful, with Aro giving me his usual attentions, but I also noticed his alluding to the same now-unspoken question. When was I going to accept the change. I had hoped that he enjoyed our regular unions and would stop asking me in his various ways that didn't actually say "When are you going to let me make you a vampire?".
When we had sex, his coldness was a delight for me to experience, very different from the couplings I'd had with human men. And didn't he often mention the warmth of my body exciting his, with the feeling of being surrounded by wet heat when he thrust into me.
I reached for the tissue box on the counter and found it empty. I bent down to look under the sink and grabbed a new box. My eyes caught the Tampax box sitting next to it. How many weeks had it been. It wasn't possible...was it? Aro had never indicated in any way he could impregnate me. He wasn't human. But he had been at one time, hadn't he? I would need to take a test.
Since Aro hated to let me go out alone, I decided to pretend I was going to buy some clothing or other. Money being unimportant to the Volturi, he never asked me anything about my needs or subsequent purchases. I didn't want Felix to accompany me, so decided to ask Chelsea to go with me.
Aro was in his office taking care of some paperwork when I went in to ask him if Chelsea could come with me to the village.
"Of course, my love. Take as long as you wish. I will be busy for at least a couple of hours." He gave me a kiss and went back to his work. I left with a smile on my face. Would he be happy to hear I was pregnant? The smile faded when I had the thought that I would be having a half-breed child. What would he or she even be like? Half human, half vampire. One step at a time, I decided to myself.
Chelsea met me in the reception area, where we took the elevator up to the next floor, navigated the old stairs, and through the entrance hall to the outer doors. We walked through the piazza to the area where a pharmacy was located.
When I told Chelsea why I wanted her to come with me and not Felix, she was shocked. She knew Felix was my usual guard when I went out, but I explained this was a girl thing and I needed her.
"You might be with child?" The faraway look on her face forced me to stop walking and turn to grab her shoulders.
"Chels, what do you know?"
"Well, I hope Master Aro doesn't find out I told you, but a few years ago, we met up with a coven in America that had a hybrid child, the daughter of a pair of vampires. Apparently they married while the woman was still human, she became pregnant, and gave birth to the baby. She nearly died in the process, but her mate was able to change her with his venom before her heart stopped completely."
I listened to Chelsea's story, anxiety making my heart beat faster. We continued on our way to the pharmacy while she familiarized me with the story of the immortal children.
"Master Aro had been told the child was an immortal. We traveled to America to confront the coven. Suffice to say, it wasn't true and we returned home. End of story."
"So I could die if I am pregnant, before I even give birth." I felt Chelsea take my hand as we entered the pharmacy doors. She wore sunglasses along with a scarf to hide her eyes, and most of her skin and the way it sparkled in the direct sunlight. We looked for home pregnancy tests and found them, buying two, just to be sure.
We left to return to the palazzo and were nearly there, when my vision blurred and I felt suddenly faint. She was able to get me back to the entrance of the castle, then called out to Felix once we were inside. He heard her, of course, and flashed to our side from somewhere in the castle. I groaned and bent over, dropping the paper bag, one box falling out. He bent to pick it up and read the words on the box before putting it back into the bag.
He looked at Chelsea, then me, his red eyes questioning us.
"Now Felix, don't you start. I'm still human and I had no idea this would happen. Aro never said a word to indicate it could happen." I looked at Chelsea. "I'll take the test in the morning. Please, would you sit with me while I wait for the results?"
She held my hands and nodded. "Of course I will."
"What about me?"
"Felix, you're a man, even if you are my friend."
"The key word here is 'friend'. I want to lend you my support."
I looked at Chelsea who nodded and smiled. I turned back to Felix and nodded, giving him a hug. "Be at my room around 9:00 am. Aro told me he will be going out early to meet with the mayor. I'll take the test then."
"And if it's positive?"
"One thing at a time, Felix."
The next morning, once I had made my contribution, we waited for the necessary time to pass. I checked the stick and found the plus sign indicating pregnancy. I took the test again with the same results. "Well, I guess that's that. I'm pregnant." Chelsea hugged me, with Felix hugging me more gently. He knew his own strength. At least someone was happy for me. Now all I had to do was tell Aro.
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I waited in our rooms for Aro to return from town. I paced the floor, anxious as hell. Would a vampire be happy his human mate was with child, or would a baby merely be an inconvenience, something to be rid of. Suddenly, I was afraid. I didn't want to have to fight my mate for the life of our child.
When Aro returned, I gave him the test stick. He looked at it, then me, questioning me with his eyes. I pointed at the words on the stick. He saw the most important word and froze. Aro gazed at me and I nodded.
"Are you happy about the news, Aro?" I asked, afraid of the answer I might get.
My mate said one word. "Ecstatic." He gathered me in his arms and hugged me none too tightly, spinning me around. From then on, he would treat me as if I were made of fine crystal. He later told me why.
We were sitting in his office, worry written on his flawless face.
"Will Dr Cullen come to help us?" I asked.
"He's my friend and a good man. He will come." Aro called on his cell phone to the vampire he named Carlisle Cullen. Aro told me he was a real doctor who had helped his then human daughter-in-law have her hybrid child. The only vampire doctor Aro knew of who treated humans. He'd know what to do. After hearing Chelsea's story, I was frightened.
Two days had passed when he appeared at the castle, a pleasant man with golden eyes in a kind face and gente way who took time to examine me, declaring me healthy. He said the hybrid pregnancy lasted about a month more or less. The fetus would grow rapidly, and he told me to tell him at once if I felt any pain.
It was odd watching Aro talk with Dr Cullen. He had mentioned they were old friends, but that they had had a falling out. Now it was if they had never parted. Later, I asked Aro about the difference in eye colour. The fact that Dr Cullen drank only from animals intrigued me, but Aro was too disgusted to say too much more.
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My belly grew over the next weeks, and Aro couldn't keep from placing his hand on it while we lay in bed together. He truly seemed eager for this baby to be born.
"I never expected to become a father, Lydia."
"And if I had accepted the change, we would not be parents at all." I instantly regretted my words. I brought Aro's hand to my heart. "I know it may still have to happen. If I am near death, once our baby is born, I want you to do it, Aro. Change me."
His eyes lit up. "You will not perish, my beloved, because I will be ready for you. I promise. I won't let you die."
Carlisle wouldn't let me walk around much, and it wasn't long before his orders worsened. I was losing weight and feeling weak. He never divulged his fears to me, but I knew he was telling Aro everything.
One morning, Dr Cullen brought me a cup with a lid and straw.
"What is this?" I asked, taking the cup.
"Lydia, when Bella started losing weight, we could find no food she could keep down. We discovered since the child was part vampire, human blood proved to be what she needed. Aro made sure you'll have all you'll need. If you drink this, you should feel better. It's only a matter of two to three weeks or so, and this will be over. Do you think you can drink it and keep it down?"
I was willing to try anything. I raised the cup, the straw at my lips. I sucked on it, the liquid filling my mouth. Aro and Dr Cullen watched me. It tasted coppery, salty with the slightest sweetness to it. I could tolerate it, and so finished the cup.
I hadn't realized the interest in my new need. I saw Marcus, Caius, Felix and Chelsea standing at the door. When they saw I was able to keep down the blood, they all smiled. I knew who was fetching the blood for me, and I winked at them. I was less frightened now as Aro held my hands and kissed me. "Mmm...tasty," he said after kissing me.
The next morning, I felt a sharp pain in my gut. Something was very wrong. It was too early for the baby to come, far too early. Was I having a miscarriage? I got out of bed and called for Aro, knowing he would hear me even from here.
In less than a minute, he ran into our chambers and came to me in the bedroom. Concern was etched on his face. "Cara, what is wrong?" He helped me back onto the bed, forcing me to lie down.
"It's the baby, Aro. Something's wrong. I think I need to get to a hospital."
"No! No humans may examine you. Carlisle will take care of you." He paced the room, waiting for Dr Cullen to appear. When he arrived, he quickly examined me. Then he pulled Aro to the other side of the room. They spoke in hushed tones while Chelsea came in and sat next to me, using a wet wash cloth on my forehead. I was sweating and she was attempting to keep me cool. She held my hand, and whispered words of encouragment.
Aro flashed to my side."How are the pains, amore?"
I held my stomach, noticing they had receded somewhat. "They've lessened, Aro."
Doctor Cullen was kind and gentle when he checked me again. Having had experience with his daughter-in-law, he would have known what to do. But he told Aro my pregnancy was not even normal for a hybrid.
"We should remove the fetus from her, or it will kill her."
Aro was beside himself. "But Carlisle, Bella was almost killed by her own child, and you knew what to do. Surely you can do something for my mate."
"I'm sorry, Aro. If the baby dies while inside her, it will poison her. I have no choice if you want Lydia to live. It would be different if the baby were viable. We could remove it after a certain time, then you could change Lydia. But..."
"I know," Aro said.
Aro came to my side, and kissed my forehead. "I want you to live, amore. I won't lose you."
Tears streamed down my face. "I know, Aro." I peered up at Chelsea who gave me a sympathetic look.
I was surprised to see Alec enter the room. Aro told me he had him on call in case Dr Cullen needed to put me out. Aro kissed me, then kissed both my hands. He stepped back and nodded at Alec. I saw the tendrils of dark grey smoke envelop me, then I felt and heard nothing.
I must have been given something, for I dreamed I was in the garden. Every season, it was the same. From the bushes, buds would grow, and from the buds, flowers would bloom. Then the blooms would die. Life was a cycle of birth and death. It affected every living thing on the planet. It didn't affect the vampires I had come to know and love as my family. I wondered if I should allow Aro his greatest wish, and ask him to change me. But I loved being human. I loved our differences. In my dream, I refused him again. Then the dream ended.
I felt my mate's hands on me as he kissed me. I noticed a bottle of clear fluid hanging at the side of the bed, a needle in my arm. Dr Cullen appeared at my side.
"It's a morphine drip for the pain. You shouldn't need much. How do you feel?"
"My love, are you all right?" Aro's beautiful but worried face was looking down at me.
I tried to give them both a smile I didn't feel. "I'm alright. The pain isn't too bad. I guess you didn't need to change me, Aro."
"Shhh...we won't discuss that now."
"Where is the baby," I asked him.
"I buried him in the garden, under the tree in the far corner."
"Him," I murmured. "We had a son. Oh, Aro, I'm so sorry," I cried, the tears flowing again.
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It was a month later. Aro had thanked Carlisle for us both, before the vampire was sure I was recovering well, then headed for home. I was dressed and standing at the window, looking down at the garden. I saw the tree and knew my baby was there. Aro was behind me, his arms wrapped around me. He kissed the back of my neck, trying to comfort me.
"It's fine, Aro. I'll get over it with time. It's just...right now, I can't help thinking about what might have been. You, me, our child. Human and vampire bound together. Carlisle told me about his family, and Edward's love for Bella and his daughter." I turned in his arms to face my mate. "You seemed to think it rare for a vampire male to have children. We know it happens, but it won't happen for us." Dr Cullen had to perform a hysterectomy on me once the baby had been removed.
In a moment of weakness, I lay my head on Aro's shoulder, the tears flowing. He held me tightly against him, the chill of his body a relief to the suddenly oppressive heat of my own body. We stood in the bedroom, holding each other, mourning together as any parents would.
Later that month, Aro took me away from Volterra, hoping a vacation would clear my mind and allow me to put my grieving behind me. We visited London, Paris and Athens. He wanted to show me the places he had lived while he was both human and later, a vampire. It was better than I could have imagined.
Aro dressed like any ordinary wealthy man with good taste. If he had to, he wore contacts, but we both managed with sunglasses when possible. We stayed in the best hotels, and patronized the best restaurants, although that was more for me than Aro. He let me buy anything I wanted, but I wasn't into expensive things. He did insist I accept from him the gift of earrings set with the finest blue and white diamonds. They nearly matched my ring. I agreed to take them as long as he didn't try to "force" anything else on me. He agreed to that and then took me to bed where we made love for hours.
By the time we returned to Volterra, I was feeling much better, and so our life continued at the castle. We even visited the Cullens in America, meeting Edward and Bella, and their daughter, Renesmee. Aro worried it would leave me with bad memories, but it was a pleasure to meet their sweet girl.
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Time passed, and I reached the point when I accepted I would never be a vampire. I was too old. I knew once the hair began to grey and the wrinkles started to appear, I would stay human and die.
Aro never said another word about changing me and accepted me as I was. We enjoyed each other's company, traveled the world in between his duties as leader of the coven and the vampire community, and savored being home with my family. Felix proved to be my rock when Aro was busy. Chelsea anjoyed shopping with me when my tastes changed, and I needed an entirely new wardrobe.
I finally reached the age when it had become more difficult to walk. Aro easily carried me around. I would visit with Marcus, and even Caius had become more friendly, playing chess with me and telling me about his warrior history.
One day, I felt a pain in my chest, not hard. I figured I had pulled something. Carlisle made a trip to see us, sparing me a trip to a human clinic.
"It's good to see you again, Lydia," he said, a smile on his face. His wife Esme joined him, hoping to cheer me. She got permission from Marcus and went to cut some of the beautiful roses he grew in his mate's honour. Esme placed the vase of roses at my bedside. Their fragrance cheered me up.
It was strange to see them exactly as I had last left them while I was an old woman. Esme sat with me, telling me about her family while Aro spoke with Carlisle.
He later told me my heart was not as it should be due to age and gave me some pills, ordering me to take it easy for now. But I knew from Aro's expression my time was shorter than I wanted. I loved him so much, the thought of being without him made me want to go back in time and do things differently.
I never did make it out of bed. Aro would lie beside me, kissing me, rubbing my arm, and holding my hand. He knew I was close to calling it a day. My human life was nearly spent, but I explained to him, I believed we both had souls, and I had my next life all planned. That amused him.
One day, he told me he had announced to the coven I was close to death. My family came in a few at a time to bid me goodbye. None could cry, and I felt badly since crying was always cathartic for me. But they each kissed me on the cheek.
Aro lay with me on the bed, pressing close to me. He held me in his arms, kissing my brow. I had to make him feel better.
"Aro, your face was the first I saw when you found me unconscious all those years ago. And now your face will be the last I see before I die." I reached up to touch his cheek. His eyes held an expression of sadness I had never seen in all our years together. I knew he would miss me. It would be difficult for him to exist without me according to what he'd explained about vampire mates and their relationship, and what happened when one or the other was destroyed. I hated being responsible for Aro's grief. It had been my choice not to be changed. Did I regret that now?
"Please, love, do not grieve for me. It was my choice to remain with you as a human. I knew what you wanted, but has it been so terrible a life?"
"No, dear heart. We have had many good years, but we could have had an eternity together."
"I'm sorry, Aro." Tears came unbidden and slipped down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry and make Aro think I was feeling emotional pain. If I had it to do over, would I have done things diiferently? Perhaps. I truly wanted to be with Aro longer than the time we were given. But it was too late. He could make me immortal, but he could not make me younger. "I'm so old, amore mio."
"All I see...is the beautiful mortal who captured my heart, and convinced me I had a soul. You entranced me with your long black hair and blue eyes. When you begged me for help that night, I found I could not deny you. When you first smiled at me, as if you knew my secret before I had chance to tell you, I knew we would be bound together, forever."
"Please, give yourself another chance," I begged him. "I don't want to think of you alone forever. Promise me, keep your heart open to the possibility."
"I promise, for you, not me. I am happy with you."
"And I ruined that for you. I will love you always, Aro, in this life and the next. And since I know you have a soul, if anything ever happens to you, I will be waiting." I sniffed, unable to stop the tears that started to run down my cheeks again, but Aro brushed them from my face. Then he kissed me.
"I will commission a tomb," he promised, "carved from the finest marble. I'll have the best sculptor in all Italy create a bust of you taken from this." Aro held up a photograph of us that a street photographer in Rome had taken the day we visited the Eternal City, when he had proposed to me.
"Why not have him carve us both from this photo, Aro. Then we can be together always, in art."
He gazed at me, love and gratitude in his eyes. "I'll have our son buried with you, dear heart."
I felt a sudden pain and cried out. My body felt as if all the energy was leaving me, yet taking me with it. Aro grasped my hand harder. I felt him hold me before the light faded.
Aro's POV
I no longer heard my mate's breathing. The beat of her heart grew faint until even that went silent. It was finished, and Lydia's soul had fled her frail, weak, mortal body she had insisted on keeping human. I wished I had the freedom to choose life or death as she had. If our son had lived, I'm sure her decision would have been different. What mother would leave her child when she could be with him. Eventually I would have changed him as well to have my family with me for an eternity.
Marcus and Caius helped me see to the preservation of Lydia's body. When the tomb was ready, she was placed within it, along with our son. I ran my hand over the face carved into the marble, remembering her beauty and love for me. I was there with her in the carving, as she had wished.
The tomb was closed, and my people returned to the castle. I later sat with Marcus who would understand my grief having had his own, even if I had been the source of that grief, something he was unaware of. Our lives would go on, but my mate would always live within me.
A/N : There are no stats to see on since something is wrong with their site. If you read my story and like it or not, please comment so I know someone is reading it. And thanks!