CHAPTER 28
Rather Be – Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne
TW: sexual harassment, sexual assault
The following morning, Felix knocked on Demetri's door. He finds his friend surrounded by a mountain of clothes, carelessly discarded. A laptop on the desk was playing a show.
"Vampire Diaries?" Felix raised an eyebrow, derisively.
"Yes, research," Demetri replied, casually. He held a couple of ties under his chin. He had spent the night trying on clothes. "Miss Clearwater made a passing comment to Miss Renesmee. I thought it may be an insight into the way her mind works."
"You mocked me when I watched it."
Demetri looked at him wryly. "Well-deserved! I cannot believe that Elena ended up with Damon after he killed her brother Jeremy in Season One. And all the vampires are weaklings. 171 hours of utter slander to our kind!" Then, he paused. "What do you think about the lore of a white oak that can slay a vampire? Do you think such a thing could exist?... Bah! Of course not!"
"Hmm," Felix made a non-committal sound. "You've become quite interested in Miss Clearwater."
"Huh? Well, of course, I am supposed to be keeping an eye on her, am I not?" Demetri quickly changed into the first suit he had tried on. It was brand new, custom Armani. He thought the grey might be too light for the season, but it was less severe against his pallor.
"And you never paid this much attention to your clothes," Felix pushed.
Demetri scoffed. "Now, we both know that isn't true."
"Your denial is becoming concerning."
Demetri looked at him puzzled. But before Felix could say anything else, "I better leave. I want to make sure Santiago doesn't try to antagonize the wolves further."
"Dem!" Felix called out. Demetri paused, and turned to him.
"Be careful, little brother."
Demetri smirked at his warning, and left without a word.
"I am sad for young Demetri," Afton materialized out of nowhere, apparently eavesdropping. Felix rolled his eyes. Chelsea's mate had the ability to become invisible, in addition to the propensity for silence and discretion that often made others forget his presence. Never was a gift more of a match to a vampire's personality.
To that point, never was it more annoying.
"The Masters will never approve. It should be nipped in the bud, before it is too late."
"There is nothing for the Masters to disapprove of," Felix said, defensively.
"Felix…" Afton began, looking at him doubtfully.
"Banish the thought from your mind, Afton!" Felix cut him off. "There is nothing to be concerned about. Everything is well in hand." He said the words as forcefully as he could to be more convincing. Before Afton could reply, Felix walked away.
In the hallway, he finds Heidi who looked distressed.
"Little one?" he asked, gently.
Prior to their most recent spate of recruitment, Heidi was their 'youngest' for several centuries. Quite literally, as she was last to be human-born and vampire-born.
Her ability was a blessing and a curse. Strongly attractive even whilst she was still human, she was used and abused from her childhood. Like Jane, being turned was a blessing, granting her power over those that would prey on her.
Most of the time.
Santiago emerges straightening his clothing. Felix was quick to pin him against the wall in rage.
"I told you to leave her alone!"
"Felix! Let it be!" Heidi pleaded.
Felix reluctantly released Santiago, who had enough sense to simply straighten his clothes a day walk away, but not without a smirk and a parting wink at Heidi. She shuddered.
"Heidi…" Felix said, gently. It would be foolish to as her if she was alright. Of course, she would not be.
For a brief moment of her life, Heidi had power over the human men that abused her. Her coven consisted of women hell-bent on vengeance for their mistreatment. They became a bit too enthusiastic, indiscreet, and had to be destroyed. Felix did not relish destroying them. He never does. And he didn't relish delivering the news of her former coven sister Victoria's demise.
Heidi was spared.
But at the cost of her freedom.
In addition to bringing humans for the multitude of Volturi 'parties' to entertain the bored Queens, her other unspoken duty is to make herself available to the other Guards. A perk, if you will, to keep them docile within the institution. Something that Santiago and many of the others, including Caius and Lady Athenodora, has taken full advantage of. And not always gently.
Demetri himself had succumbed, likely out of loneliness, only to realize that Heidi was merely following orders. To his credit and Felix's pride, Demetri reacted with understanding and even gentleness to Heidi rather than contempt after learning of her plight.
Felix never bedded Heidi, although willing offers from her were made. He preferred human women. Because they reminded him of his wife, whose love still haunts him though her face and name are now long-forgotten. He was forever chasing after the human version of himself that was lost long ago.
Something he shared with Leah Clearwater.
"I heard that you were rebuffed by the she-wolf?" Heidi took on a teasing tone, hoping to lighten the mood. "She is a fool then, for you are truly the best of us."
Felix shrugged, wanting to play along and distract her. "Well, I can't have all the women of the world falling for me. Think of the chaos. Statistically, someone has to decline."
Heidi laughed, and Felix was relieved.
"Go find Corin, little one. She was asking after you earlier."
Heidi immediately brightens up at the mention of Corin. Her ability was to attract both men and women. The attraction is mutual. And often, Felix wondered about the close friendship with Corin. But Felix shakes the thought from his mind. Mating was not encouraged. Mating created weakness.
If there was a Guard with a worse situation than Heidi (hard to believe), it would be Corin. Subject to the Queens' moods and their wildly fluctuating tempers that border on psychosis, Corin is tasked with their companionship and entertainment.
It had been Lady Didyme that kept the Queens' docile, but that was well before the centuries of boredom and isolation drove them to the brink. For centuries, someone like Corin wasn't needed at all.
She had fulfilled this role solely and miserably for two whole centuries until Heidi came along in the mid-eighteenth century. Her scars were visible. Her frequent humiliation and torture was for everyone to witness.
Poor Corin. Poor Heidi. They find solace and comfort in each other. Felix understood. There was nothing for him to disapprove of, even if it could not be encouraged. But seeing how both had suffered, is a little joy too much to allow? He often wished the two would leave, and journey to Heidi's native Bavaria. But Chelsea…
Charmian… she and Afton follow Felix closely in age. No one else had witnessed the changes in the Masters and the Volturi the same as the three of them. While Felix may not share Chelsea's more authoritarian view of leadership, he understands. They play chess nightly, unless he was away. He would often return to a chess board already set, or the same as it was before he left for a mission. He and Chelsea speak in the Old Tongue, even as the others have chosen to modernize. It allows for a feeling of home. Felix may daresay that, outside of her mating bond with Afton, he was the closest and dearest companion to Chelsea.
They maintain a deep respect for each other. Though they may disagree, they take each other's feelings into account and never hesitate to ask for one another's counsel.
He wished, as he does for all the Guards, better for her and Afton. Even Jane and Alec.
The twins were murdered as children by a mob. Jane's power protects her. She looks down on and despises humanity. But she was a child still, and it shows. Eager to please, easily influenced, blindly loyal. Felix did not like Caius' influence on her. He brings out her sadistic nature. Felix had been the receiving end of her ire often for he does not hold back on his thoughts.
Alec was a calming influence on his sister. Or at least, he is whenever he could muster himself out of his apathy. Most of the time, Jane is the leader of the twins. But Alec's will once he is moved to action (which is a rare occurrence) surpasses even that of his sister. Sulpicia and her influence can be credited. She had loved the twins as a mother since they arrived. Or in Jane's case, she tried. Jane oftentimes sees her as competition for Aro's affection, a truly deranged disposition. But Alec brings her gifts whenever he returns from a mission. He had been much more receptive to her care. Sulpicia adores him in return, as fiercely as a mother would love her first born son.
His mind wanders to Demetri.
Demetri and Leah.
He sighs, and shakes his head, sadly.
Why must everything be so complicated?
NOTE: A bit more on the Volturi…
I wanted Felix to be more than the Twilight vampire version of the Hulk. I see him as being very ancient, very intelligent and well-read, a kind and fatherly mentor to the other Guards. I also wanted his canonical interest in human women to be more than what meets the eye.
