Impressions of Three Men in Black
Chapter Twenty-One
War, what is it good for...everything
Celeste feels more in tune with her mates as she gains an understanding in their interests. But elsewhere in the world, someone is intentionally planning on making things very difficult for the Volturi.
**I'm still connected to the Net for now, so let's write!**
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Phillipe and Regine Lavigne had come to Paris for a short getaway. Living in the country had its pleasant benefits, but at times, the pair wanted to enjoy the liveliness of the bustling capital. After the train ride into the city, they checked into a small boutique hotel and went to find a quiet restaurant for supper. Afterwards. they walked along the Seine, taking in the lights and enjoying the music wafting onto the streets from local clubs. Hand in hand, they enjoyed the night air and each other's company. Phillipe stopped and turned to his wife, leaning in for a kiss.
"Tu es si belle ce soir." Phillip said, telling his wife how beautiful she was. He caressed her cheek, still soft and smooth after sixteen years together. He encircled her with his arms, pulling her closer.
"Seulement ce soir?" Regine asked her husband, laughing. Teasing him with a kiss, she placed a hand on his chest, patting it. "I know I'm beautiful because it see it in your eyes when you look at me. I was a mere nineteen, and you were twenty-one, handsome and caring, with an ambitious plan for our future."
"Then I've made you happy, my darling wife?"
Before she could reply, her hand was pulled out of his as the couple were forcibly separated from each other by someone or something unseen. Then both were dragged away into the night.
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Celeste awoke in Aro's bed, but her mate was nowhere to be seen. A covered tray sat on the dresser, no doubt holding her breakfast. She jumped out of bed and heaed for the bathroom to wash up, then went to grab the tray, sitting on a sofa in the ante-room. The coffee was hot and the meal satisfying. She enjoyed it while wondering about the meeting Aro had told her about before she fell asleep. He wasn't sure of the time, so Celeste decided she'd better be ready when called.
After she finished her meal, she showered and dressed in a black pair of pants and a simple button-up shirt in fuschia. She paced the floor, eager to be called so she could see what had been keeping Aro, Marcus, and Caius so busy for so long.
Hearing a light knock on the door, Celeste ran to get it, assuming Felix would be directing her to where she needed to be. She was shocked to see all three of her vampire mates standing at the door, smiles of varying degrees on their faces.
"Aro. Marcus. Caius. Why are all of you here? I was actually expecting Felix to be my guide."
Caius held out his hand to Celeste, his gentle grip cold yet inviting, his smile enough to warm her.
"We're going to officially recognize your status today, my dear," Aro stated.
"We wish to make you feel welcome at the meeting, Celeste," Marcus, said, standing at her left as the foursome began walking down the corridor that eventually led to an intersection in the hall. Following alongside Caius, she took the left turn into the corridor right behind Aro, who led the small group. Finally they came to a large room where Celeste saw pretty much the entire coven. A few faces were unfamiliar, and she realized she had never met them, probably because she had no reason to.
Against one wall sat a large rectangular table with four chairs facing the floor. Caius led Celeste to the second chair in while Aro sat to her right, Caius to her left, and Marcus beside Aro at the other end.
Celeste saw Felix and gave the tall guard a wave. He winked at her in turn, before taking his seat on one of the many wooden chairs set in perfect lines of six in front of the main table. None of the others gave her more than a brief glance, that is until Aro called the meeting to order and formally welcomed Celeste as their mate and one who would soon sit beside them on the dais in both the throne room and the audience hall while they held court or judged the guilty at trials.
Celeste heard low murmurs and wondered if they were favourable or grumblings at her presence. She saw some friendly faces and a few not so friendly, but as long as she was mate to the masters, she knew no one would dare hurt her. As she scanned the room, Celeste felt Aro's hand clasp hers under the table. He must have sensed her anxiety and wanted to reassure her.
As soon as Aro's glare silenced the vampire guard, he continued. "We will now get this meeting underway. Demetri, what new information do we have about the Romanians?"
Demetri stood and said, "There have been an additional eight recently unexplainable disappearances in Europe. Two in Germany, one in England, two in France, and one here in Italy.
At that, Aro's eyes glanced up at Demetri, his head slowly following. "So close?"
"Yes, Master Aro. I was also able to pick up a trace in Paris, two humans missing, and follow it as far as Austria before I lost them."
"Austria is on the way to Romania," Marcus flatly stated.
Celeste sensed the tension in the room. Something was going on that the Volturi did not like. She felt the air around Caius oddly heat up, and she placed her hand over his, squeezing it reassuringly as Aro had done her. He gave her a brief smile before the frown returned to his flawless face.
"How do we know these disappearances are not ordinary kidnappings, runaways, or suicides?" the blonde asked.
"We don't, but I listened in on police station coversations, later visiting the Paris office for the Directorate-General for internal security. No matter what country, the authorities have no idea what is going on. With previous disappearances, this brings it to thirty-eight over 7 countries, some locals, some tourists. No one has heard from them, and no ransom demands have been made."
"Thank you, Demetri," Aro said, dismissing the guard to take his seat once more. "So things have gotten worse, but assuming their goal is to create at least a hundred total, maybe more, we may anticipate additional disappearances as the days pass."
Celeste's brow furrowed as she considered the ramifications of dozens of people being turned into vampires. She leaned to her mate.
"Aro, these Romanians are not necessarily hiding their actions hard enough that Demetri has been able to so easily track them? Is that significant?"
"Yes, cara. It's as if they mock us, daring us to act. We must not behave so rashly and fall into any traps they may set for us. If we fail to stop them and they are successful in their objectives, letting loose so large a number of newborns would be catastrophic for the world."
If Aro thought so, Celeste had to accept that it could be the end for humanity. She knew not everyone bitten would turn if too much blood was lost, but if the Romanians directed their growing coven to changing some while feeling free to feed off others, the growth of the vampire world could be expotential in number.
The Guard members began speaking over one another, offering suggestions as to how to proceed next.
Checking her watch, Celeste saw it had been five hours since the meeting had started, and the Volturi were still discussing the Romanian threat. When her stomach began protesting not getting fed, Aro, hearing the sounds, held up a hand to silence the room.
"Cara mia, why don't you go to the kitchen and have the chef prepare you a meal. I'm sorry this is taking longer than expected, but you understand the urgency."
"I do, Aro, and thank you for allowing me to be here."
He gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek and waited for her to rise from her chair and leave the room for the kitchen before going back to the issue at hand.
As she headed down the main corridor, Celeste thought about the things that had been discussed. It was frightening to think about newborns spreading what some might call the disease that was vampirism. It would not take long for entire towns and eventually cities to fall to the horde of attackers. She wondered if a total takeover was the Romanians plan, or had they some idea of imprisoning most of the population for food. Not a pleasant prospect, she decided.
Reaching the kitchen, the chef greeted Celeste with a smile. "Buon pomeriggio, cara signora. How are you today?" While he talked, he prepared a plate for his friend. Everyone else had eaten and this would mean fewer leftovers for him to wrap up.
"Sto bene, ma stanca, Capocuoco. I could use a nap." She sat at a table and waited for her plate to be ready, her chin resting on her hand. She stifled a yawn, thinking she'd better go to bed early tonight.
"The masters have you busy, no?" he asked, completely aware that the Volturi were concerned about something, he just didn't know what.
Celeste nodded and smiled when the plate was set in front of her. "No. Yes, very!," she replied, her stomach reacting to the aroma hitting her nose. She hoped that once she ate, she'd feel more awake. Celeste wanted to be of help to her mates, but how was the question.
The chef offered her a glass of wine, but that would just make her exacerbate her fatigue, so she refused. Digging in, she found the sliced and marinated beef tender, and the mashed potatoes buttery, with only a few lumps, the way she liked it.
Meanwhile, things were heating up in the war room. Marcus, a man of few words, spoke up.
"Aro, why not have Demetri and Jane go to Romania, and see if they can find a potential stronghold where they might be creating newborns and hiding them."
Aro nodded, taking that idea and running with it. "Yes, brother, excellent. A wonderful idea. Demetri, Jane, you two will be a couple of tourists traveling through Eastern Europe. You will need to dress appropriately. Volturi black will not suit. And wear contacts or sunglasses at all times. Be wary of any eyes that seem to follow you. Can you do this?"
"Of course, Master Aro," Demetri responded.
"Yes, Master," Jane answered, a smile on her face. She longed for this opportunity to face Stefan and Vladimir, but as if he had heard her thoughts, Aro interrupted them.
"I order you to be cautious. Only find necessary information. Do not confront anyone." The leader of the Volturi gazed at his trusted guards. "We want you both to return home safely."
Both vampires nodded and flashed from the room to their respective chambers to ready for the trip.
Aro turned to Marcus, giving him an approving nod. This was a beginning in any case.
Once the Guard had been dismissed by Aro, Felix went to Demetri to tell him they would be flying to Bucharest from Rome, and from there, they'd be traveling on foot as it was faster than driving. He would be delivering them to the Rome airport, where the Volturi private jet would be waiting.
"Watch for them, Demetri," Felix warned his friend. "Neither Stefan nor Vladimir can be trusted."
"We'll be fine, my friend. Too bad you couldn't come with us."
Felix agreed. He had wanted to go, but would never gainsay the masters. They always made the decisions, and the Guard merely obeyed.
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Celeste finished her meal and thanked the chef, before heading back to her room. She had just turned the corner into a side corridor when she felt a breeze whirl around her. Before she could brush her hair from her face, Caius had pressed Celeste up against the stone wall of an alcove with a set-in window. She turned her head, looking at the window and outside, distracted by some of the town's activity.
Caius placed his forefinger on her chin, drawing her attention back to him. "My darling, I'm over here." He gave her a quick kiss on her lips, then said, "It has been a long time, more so for me."
Scoffing, Celeste, asked, "And why more so for you? I've missed you as well, but I was not as important an asset to saving the vampire world."
"The human world as well, love. You know better than any human the horror an army of newborns could inflict on the people of this planet."
Celeste let herself fall into Caius' arms, hugging him tightly. She briefly smiled when she felt his lips press against her temple. "I know. And it scares me." She pulled back, her arms still around his cool hard body, and looked up into his red eyes, seeing the affection for her there, and something more. "I'm sorry, Caius, I was listening, I really was. But I don't have the stamina you all do. I was hungry," she murmured, almost enmbarrassed. "But I want to be of help...somehow."
Caius gave a low chuckle, then cupped her cheek. "I know it's a lot to take in at once, Celeste, but now you understand why there have been other priorities of late."
"Yes, and I forgive you all." She was aware that things could get hairier. There would be an all out vampire war in time. One that would put the entire coven, including herself, in danger. And if Aro were right, and humans discovered something was going on out there, she wondered what they might do. Would the military itself get involved?
"Now I came to find you to distract you, and here we are, talking about a possibility as opposed to the inevitable." He brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen over her ear when he ran by her, then kissed her deeply. His lips moved down her cheek to her neck, giving Celeste goose bumps. Her arms held him, hands meeting at his back.
Caius' hands moved down her back to linger over her buttocks, pressing her hips against his.
She gasped when she felt his arousal pressing on her eagerly. "Caius, already?," she laughed against his chest.
Caius gave her a mock hurt look. "Have I not shown you that of all of us, my libido is more demanding than the others?" He moved back and ran his extended middle finger down her cheek, while whispering endearments in her ear.
Celeste shivered at his touch. Caius always knew how to tease her into a physical frenzy. Marcus was rather straightforward in his lovemaking, not that there was a thing bad in that. Caius, however, left her guessing, making her wonder if he would go and leave her unsatisfied or if he would ravish her into unconsciousness. She never feared he would hurt her because he had come to love her, so was free to be rough with her and she could respond.
She gasped louder and tried to squirm away when she felt his hand move between them to press against her mound through her clothing. "Caius..."
"Shhh, let me do this for you," Caius whispered, his hand unzipping her black slacks and slipping inside them. "I know you've missed this, my love. As I have missed you, whether you believe me or not."
"Why should I not belie..." Her breath hitched when his skillful fingers touched her in just the right spot, her hips instinctively moving into them without her guidance. "God yes, Caius. I need this and you." She thought her knees might buckle due to what her mate was doing to her. Then she felt him using his own body to keep her propped up against the wall.
"Part them more, Celeste," he ordered. With his middle finger, he probed deeper within her, eliciting sounds of pleasure from the woman he loved. He smiled, asking her, "Do you like this, amore?"
"Yes, Caius, please don't stop what you're doing. You've already got me so close; it's been too long." She leaned back against the cold stone and closed her eyes, thrusting her hips into his hand, allowing him full access to her body.
Caius kissed his mate, her cheeks flushed pink exciting him more. His tongue ran over her lower lip, tasting her before moving to her throat, licking her warm salty skin, his teeth gently teasing her. He smiled when he saw her tilt her head to the side. He might believe she wouldn't say no if he began the change in her now. But he knew how Aro would feel about that.
Tasting blood, Caius realized he had scraped her tender flesh. He licked the tiny droplets that formed on her skin and wondered if Aro or Marcus had tasted her in this way. All three of the vampires had to hold back with their mate. It would have been too easy to let go of the self-control that kept any of them from changing her at any time.
Celeste felt her approaching orgasm and slipped her arms around Caius' neck to help support herself and keep her from collapsing to the floor. She kissed his right ear, trying to nibble the lobe.
His thoughts returned to Celeste when her cries increased. He placed his free hand over her mouth, forcing her to swallow the sounds she was making. Even if every single vampire in the castle heard them, not one would speak of it. He felt her inner muscles spasm over his fingers, warm fluid coating his hand. She was wet enough making it possible for him to take her completely had he wanted. But there would be time enough for that later. He knew she was tired after the long meeting.
He pulled her slacks up, and zipped them for her while she held onto him. He smirked at how easily he had left her weak-kneed. Caius adored his human. For a moment, he wished it was just the two of them. No Aro or Marcus, then he pushed that thought from his mind.
Sensing her fatigue even as her breathing calmed. Caius slid his arms beneath her and carried her to her room. He lay her on the bed, a grin on his face. Sitting beside her, he caressed her forehead with his fingertips until he saw her eyes close and her breathing even out.
Caius rose from the bed, and leaned over her to kiss her forehead. "Rest well, cuore mio. We will spend more time together in future. I promise."
When he saw a smiling Celeste turn on her side, her hands tucked beneath her chin, Cauis left the room, closing the door silently behind him. He grinned, shaking his head. "My little human," he said to himself. He headed for the throne room, having important strategy to discuss with Aro. He also wanted to let him know, if he had not heard, that Celeste might be thinking less about leaving them.
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While Caius had Celeste pressed up against one stone wall, another woman found herself imprisoned within strong arms and held against a stone wall in another country. Unlike Caius' worship of his mate, this woman was being assaulted, her neck mauled by sharp teeth. She screamed, praying someone might hear her, but it was dark, and few people were out on the streets. If only the party she had attended had not broken up so late. When she rounded the corner to enter the street on which her home was located, the woman felt someone grab her from behind.
The pain was becoming excruciating now, but a cold hand over her mouth stopped her cries for help. Would the agony never end. The teeth finally moved away from her neck, and she was unceremoniously flung over someone's shoulder, the night air a sudden whirlwind around her before she passed out.
A/N : Phew, another chapter finished in time. So the Volturi have revealed to Celeste the danger the world is in. And after her time with Caius, was she right when she jokingly accused Aro of trying to bribe her with sex? She wants to tell them, that is not the way to convince her of her importance to them. She has decided to stay, and that's not why.
Thanks for reading this story.