Impressions of Three Men in Black - A Poly!Volturi Kings tale
Chapter Sixteen
Nightmares are for those who sleep
Vacation over, return to real life, or whatever one call immortality. Celeste feels like something isn't right. She isn't sure she can be honest with her three mates, but who else is there?
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It was late morning when the party of four disembarked from the luxurious yacht, entering the car that was waiting for them at the pier. They headed to the villa, with Celeste eager for nothing to do. The cruise was fun, but at times she felt she had to keep her mates entertained, and it proved tiring. She might have been wrong, and the three vampires may have been perfectly content doing nothing, but she didn't want them to see her as boring. Their disdain for humans had never been hidden, even if they never exhibited that disdain at her. As their mate, she was different, special, and they let her know that time and again in the short time they had been together.
Aro took Celeste's bags to her room and left them near the door. "My dear, Marcus, Caius, and I need to leave you here for an hour or so. We hope you won't be upset at us for leaving you so soon after our return, but we will be back as soon as possible."
Celeste gazed at Aro with surprise. "What? You're leaving now?"
"We'll return soon, I promise. Will you be all right?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.
Celeste pasted a smile on her face. "Of course, Aro. I'll unpack and get some laundry started. The stewardess wasn't able to wash everything before we left. And maybe later I'll see if there's anything left in the kitchen to eat. Is there...something I should know?"
"No, dear one. We just have a task to complete before we return to Volterra. Rest, if you need to. We will see you in a blink of an eye." With that, Aro sped off in search of his brothers.
Celeste felt oddly abandoned. Aro hadn't even bothered to kiss her, something he never failed to do whenever he had the chance. But she went ahead and unpacked, tossing the dirty clothes into a small pile on the bed, while leaving the clothes that had already been washed by the yacht's stewardess in the suitcase. Celeste put her other bag in the corner of the room, since the car would be arriving early in the morning to take them to the airport. A short flight to Pisa where another car would be waiting, and they would soon be home.
Celeste wondered if Felix would be the one to pick them up. She found she liked the big tree. Anyone seeing him for the first time might be frightened by the dark scowl he often gave to strangers, but he had eventually warmed up to her, and was not only helpful, but friendly as well.
Her main concern was what would happen once they reached Volterra and the castle. Aro was already back in his usual men in black uniform. Would they return to ruling the vampire community and give her little thought? Until night at least. They did seem to enjoy spending time with her then, and she couldn't deny, she enjoyed their company too.
Once the laundry was done and most of her things packed, Celeste made up a meal with whatever she could find in the cupboard. Since she had been away with the masters, the kitchen had not been stocked. There was a can of minestrone soup and the remainder of a package of chocolate chip cookies. She brewed a half pot of coffee and after eating the soup, finished off the cookies with the hot beverage.
She cleaned up the kitchen just enough to make it easier for the staff who would follow behind them preparing for the next guests. She wanted to nap, but was too distracted over what Aro and her other mates were doing, and why she hadn't been allowed to go with them. Instead, she decided to take a swim, and since her swimsuits were clean and packed, she decided to go without. It wasn't like anyone was around. Calm down, she told herself. No need to be snarky, just because Aro, Marcus, and Caius went off god knows where and had left her behind. She huffed and went back to her room.
Celeste took off her sundress and left it on the bed. Then she headed out to the patio through her private entrance and dove into the pool. She swam several laps before just floating on her back, looking upward. The sky was dotted with small, fluffy clouds and the air smelled of salty ocean water. She would miss it here, but was excited to begin her future life in Volterra.
Life was a funny thing though. She was sure she would end hers homeless, and eventually die of starvation. But Fate stepped in, not only for her sake, but for the sakes of three lonely men, ok, vampires who should not even exist. And she was mate to all three, an undesirable situation in a human world. She had watched one episode of Sister Wives and decided, no fucking way. Was polyamory going to be any more acceptable in this preternatural world of the Volturi? Still, she had to think these vampires were far superior to any man on that show. None of them were worth being alone with, let alone being shared with other women. But the Volturi were worth her being shared.
"Too much to think about, Cel," she said aloud, sighing.
Celeste decided to finish up her swimming before she began to feel water-logged, and went inside to shower and dress in case her mates returned. Now wearing her sundress with a towel wrapped around her head, she went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Once she had emptied the glass, she paced the kitchen floor. What could Aro, Marcus, and Caius possibly be doing, and why should she be worried. Surely they wouldn't leave her. Returning to her room, she dried her hair and pulled it up into a high ponytail. She slipped on some gold hoops and headed to the living room.
Turning on the sound system, Celeste found a station apparently playing new age rock, if that was an actual genre. She let the music enter her body and began to move to it. She closed her eyes and swayed with the tempo until a version of Bitter Suite Symphony came on. She loved this song, and would often exercise to it at home in America.
Celeste used her arms more than any other part of her body when she danced. She knew Aro was a more than adequate dancer, since they had danced together on the yacht. She wondered if Caius and Marcus were likewise capable. Perhaps one day she could get them to take her to a club that had dancing, just to see. She imagined they knew the old court dances, but how would they fare at dancing to modern music.
After twenty minutes, she heard the front door open. Running to the entryway, Celeste saw her three handsome mates, all with smiles on their faces.
"Why do you look like cats who shared a canary?" she asked, greeting them with narrowed eyes.
Aro took her by the hand and led her to the living room couch. His eyes told her to sit down.
Looking up at all three of her cats, Celeste asked, expecting an answer, "Ok, so what have you all been up to? And why was I left behind?"
"We wanted to buy you a very special gift, one which necessitated us leaving the island."
"You left Sicily? What was I supposed to have done if you hadn't returned?" Celeste began in disbelief. They were usually so concerned about her safety.
"We planned on returning, cara," Marcus replied. He sat at her left on the couch, while Aro sat on her right. Caius sat on the coffee table in front of her.
"We notified Felix in case anything went amiss," Caius reassured her.
"Well, you don't know how worried I was." Then she realized how ungrateful she sounded. They'd left to get her a special gift. "I'm sorry, Aro...Marcus...Caius. Please, go on."
Aro handed Celeste a red velvet box. It looked large enough to contain a bracelet. She slowly opened the box. Inside was not a bracelet but a ring. She saw a large, tri-cut violet-blue gemstone edged in tiny diamonds and set in silver.
"The ring is set in platinum, in case you wondered," Caius explained proudly. "Aro said you like silver, but he would not consider anything that base."
"It's probably far too expensive. I can't..." She tried to hand the box back to Aro.
"You cannot give it back, cara mia. Would you hurt us in this way? To refuse the gift that solidifies what we are to one another?"
"It was only 13,875 euros," Caius remarked, hoping the amount would mean nothing to her as it did them.
"And what is that in American dollars?" Celeste asked.
"About $14,800. You do know it's not proper to question the cost of a gift," Aro scolded her.
"Isn't that a human affectation, Aro? You know I don't mind you spending money on me for the essentials. Clothing, toiletries, etc... But jewelry like this is too much."
His hand reached out to lift the small locket he had given her, his knuckles resting cold against her chest. "Yet you accepted this. It's simplicity..." He understood now. "Since the ring is from all of us, you have only to divide the cost by three. Then it's not so bad."
Celeste tried not to smile, but failed.
Seeing Aro losing control of the conversation, Marcus stepped in. He held her free hand gently. "Cara, this is not just a gift. It's a symbol. You must realize, vampires do not have massive celebrations when they find their mates. It becomes more a private thing between them. But we wanted to get you something you could keep, something we all chose together." His eyes drifted to his brothers, who understood.
Caius grinned as he explained further. "My darling, we wanted you to have something that you'd not only admire but would have meaning for you. The tri-corner design represents the three of us, and the stone is you as the soul in the middle, binding us together. The large stone is the highest quality tanzanite..."
Celeste's face lit up as she smiled. "Tanzanite? I love tanzanite, and it's not your everyday common stone. How did you know? Oh...you read my memories," she said, turning to Aro.
Aro nodded. "Yes, and one in particular, where you went into a jewelry store and saw a ring with such a stone. Nothing so fine, of course, but I saw your expression when the sales clerk told you the price of the ring. You walked out so sad. I...we...had to make a memory that would forever supplant that one. Does it please you?"
"Yes, it pleases me very much. But I'll never be able to keep anything from you, will I," she accused Aro with a smile.
Aro gave her an enigmatic smile in return, knowing she was right. "And what could you possibly have to hide from me?"
Caius took Celeste's left hand, holding it up, while Marcus slipped his arm around her waist. Aro then slipped the ring on her third finger, kissing her inner wrist. "For our mate and queen."
"It's beautiful...wait...queen? I don't want to be a queen. I surely don't deserve the title."
Aro rolled his eyes while Marcus and Caius looked at one another. "You had to have known..." He recalled not having told her they thought of themselves as kings in the vampire world.
"We will discuss this later, when we return home. Please?"
"Agreed, my love. You do like it," Aro asked. She looked at all her mates, nodding. She did not want to hurt them, obviously.
Celeste looked at the ring which now sat on her finger. Tears filled her eyes when she again examined each man in turn. They were her men, men who loved her. But they were vampires too. Vampires who wanted to change her so she would be like them. "I love you all," she said. In turn, Celeste hugged and kissed each one. Later they would receive a more private expression of her gratitude. For now, these were her mates, and she was theirs. Nothing else mattered.
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Celeste was happy to be back at the castle. The vacation had been short but sweet, and she felt she was finally able to bond with the supernatural creatures she'd stumbled upon. She felt a breeze behind her and turned to see Caius behind her.
"Hello, my love. Where have you been?"
Caius did not answer her. His eyes were staring at her, dark crimson in colour, an unpleasant smile slowly forming on his face. She backed away a step at a time, until she bumped into someone. It was Aro. Celeste grabbed his arm, exhaling in relief. "Aro, something's wrong with Caius."
Although Aro's eyes appeared dead, there was still a hunger in them that frightened Celeste. She released his arm and looked around to find a way to run. She saw Marcus coming toward her, his eyes almost black in colour. He was licking his lips as he stepped closer to an increasingly frantic Celeste. She ran for the door of her bedroom only to find the three vampires had flashed to her side, encircling her. She screamed.
Celeste awoke with a gasp, the scream only in her mind. Her door suddenly opened, the ambient light revealing a half-dressed Aro entering her room.
"Cara mia, is something wrong? I heard you making sounds." He flashed to her side, startling her, in light of the same action that terrified her in her dream.
Celeste sat up in bed, her hands covering her face. She was in a cold sweat, the dream still with her.
Aro turned on the bedside lamp, sat on the bed next to her, and reached out to move her hands from her face. He held them, seeing the dream she had as if he were experiencing it himself, instantly understanding her fear. Aro listened to the quickened beat of her heart. "Celeste, are you afraid of us?"
Celeste looked her mate in the eyes. "No, of course not. Maybe my subconscious mind is, but my conscious mind is not. I know you care about me. You showed me a wonderful time on the cruise. This ring, " she said, holding up her hand. "In the morning, we'll be going back to Volterra, and I'm looking forward to it."
"You should sleep, my dear." Aro said, rising from the bed.
Celeste's hands held him fast, pulling him back down. "Please, stay with me. I know you wanted me to get some rest alone, but...I don't want to be alone. Please?"
Aro kicked off his shoes and lay next to his still upset mate. When Celeste snuggled against him, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. "Better?"
"Very," she replied. Her fear was dissipating, and with Aro comforting her, she felt silly to have let a dream bother her so much. "Aro, do you mind just staying with me until morning? It would have been your turn anyway, but you insisted I get some rest, so I complied. But I don't want to be alone after all. Is that all right?"
"Of course it's all right, cara." With a fingertip, Aro lifted her chin, leaning in to kiss her deeply. Celeste buried her face in his neck, inhaling the comforting, and at times, arousing scent of the vampire she was to spend eternity with.
She placed her hand on his cheek while she kissed him back. Aro allowed this display of affection, but he felt she needed rest. They were going to leave early come morning. Still, her hands and lips were distracting, and his body began to respond. He slid one hand up her thigh to push aside her silken nightgown, to find she was not wearing any underwear. His self-control was lost, and he reached beneath him to unzip his slacks and shove them down off his hips. He moved between her parted legs and took her with little prelude. He found Celeste already wet, her desire for Aro was that strong.
They took their pleasure of one another, the nightmare forgotten. Aro had seen it, and he understood her fear but he wanted to express his love and need for her. He didn't want her to be afraid of them.
Finally, after Celeste had come, crying out Aro's name into his shoulder, he came within her. His hips slowed, but he did not leave her body yet. The heat of her body was like a balm to him, and Aro relished the feel of his cock inside his mate. When he felt her legs unwrap themselves from around him, he slipped out from her. Aro felt her hot breath as she panted against his cheek.
"I needed you, Aro. Thank you." She gave him a deep kiss. "I love you. I really do. And I trust you. I trust you all, dream or no dream."
"I think I needed you as well, cara." Aro couldn't tell her how much he wanted her for himself, but even so, he had accepted he would be sharing this mortal and future vampire with his brothers.
"Aro, I have to apologize to you. I didn't mean to question your extravagance. I love the ring. And what it means."
"There is no need to apologise, la mia amata. Sleep now. I will be here for you all night."
Aro held Celeste in his arms, a hand caressing her head while it rest on his chest. He waited for her pounding heart to slow to a steady beat as she began to fall asleep.
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Marcus arrived at Celeste's room, knocking on her door. He opened it a few inches, calling to her. "My dear, are you decent?" He heard laughter in response.
"Come in, Marcus." She rose from the bed and ran over to him, giving him a tight hug. "Is the car ready? I'm all set to go, if that's why you're here."
"You seem excited to return home, dear one." He picked up her remaining bag, and followed her out of her room.
"I guess I am. There is so much I must learn, Marcus. If you're all busy, perhaps Felix could educate me. I trust him more than any of the others. And I have to learn Italian. A tutor perhaps?"
"We have much to discuss, Celeste. Do not worry." Marcus went outside and put her bags in the car's trunk while she kept her purse.
Aro sat up front with the driver, while Celeste sat in back between Caius and Marcus. Once they reached the airport, Aro led the small group to the private jet waiting for its passengers. "I will speak with the pilot first. Please see to Celeste's comfort, brothers."
This time, Celeste was not afraid of crashing. She took a seat next to Marcus and across from Caius. She hoped Aro would not be annoyed she hadn't left the seat next to her empty, but she assumed they would talk on the flight.
Once the jet had become airborne, Celeste rose from her seat and ventured to the back cabin. Aro was waiting for her, a drink in his hand. He handed it to her and patted the spot beside him. "You seemed to take this take-off in stride, my dear."
"And you did not come sit with us." She accepted the drink and looked to the rear of the cabin to see Marcus and Caius talking in low whispers. So was this pre-arranged? She would never know when it came to the Volturi leaders and a simple thing called transparency.
"When we reach the castle, you will get organized, unpack, and relax. We three will have much to catch up on, correspondence and such. Who knows, we may even have a trial or two to judge. In case you wish to watch how Volturi justice works, my dear."
"And we have our own discussion, as well as finding a tutor for me to learn Italian. I suppose Marcus may have mentioned it." Celeste took a long drink from her glass.
Aro peered at his mate. She seemed rather distant towards him this morning. After the passion of last night, her behavior only served to confuse Aro. They would speak later, the four of them. It was becoming more vital that they did, and in all honesty. Aro had never felt closer to Celeste, so why was she seemingly pulling away now?
A/N : Next chapter, the return to Volterra. This chapter is shorter than the last, but it's back to work for me Tuesday, so I wanted to get this posted. There will be a new chapter sometime next weekend, if work doesn't kill me.
Celeste is feeling out of sorts about her situation. She needs a friend and confidant, and finds one in the Guard.