CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Summary: Sent to Volterra in order to negotiate terms of an alliance to end the war, Hermione's life is turned upside down as she is brought into the world of the Volturi, better known as the Vampire Kings. There she is made a part of a new kind of family and a most trusted member of the guard, whether she likes it or not, and surprisingly, she does. Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.
Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stephenie Myers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies, but I may have changed a few things regarding Alec's height and age.
Page count: 11
Sunday 2nd August 1998
Hermione's gaze held his as he crouched down in front of her, putting him at eye level with her. He didn't speak for several long seconds, his red eyes reflecting in the candles that floated about the room and his pale skin sparkling slightly, making her wonder what it would look like in the sun.
"Can your body handle the temperature difference?" He finally spoke. "We have had no skin contact except for hand holding, I don't wish for you to become ill."
Her mouth twitched into a smile. "I'm sure I can handle it, Alec, and if needs be there are spells for such things," she replied.
She moved a hand from resting against the tub and lifted it so her fingertips trailed down his cheek, feeling the immediate difference in their body temperatures. His head tilted slightly as he leaned into her gentle touch, her fingers moving from his cheek to trail across his jaw.
"Besides, I quite like our temperature difference," she told him and he raised an eyebrow. "I have heard that Italy is just beautiful in the summer and I can already feel the temperature in the castle beginning to warm. In the midst of a heatwave, all I have to do is cuddle with you and you will be my own personal icebox, no magic is required and you'll stop me from melting into a puddle."
He shook his head slightly before placing a gentle kiss to her fingers as they trailed over his bottom lip, her mouth pulled into a smile and she pulled her hand back from him.
"So, what's your decision?" She questioned.
He kept his gaze locked on hers before slowly rising to his feet and making to remove his shirt, and much to her surprise, he did it at a human pace. She let her eyes drop to his chest, watching as each button was slowly unfastened and more of his pale skin was revealed to her eyes. She sighed when he pulled the shirt off his shoulders and it slipped down his arms before he folded it and placed it on the ground. His mouth twitched in amusement but she didn't appear embarrassed at her reaction or at being caught staring. His skin was free of any marks, bites or scars, leaving him flawless. Knowing he'd been burnt at the stake, she'd expected some scaring but there was none. She was surprised to see that despite him not being overly muscled like she suspected Demetri would be, he did have a little muscle to his arms, and it was barely noticeable on his chest and stomach.
She had expected him to be a little thinner, to be honest, knowing that when he had been changed a millennia ago, food was likely to be scarce and due to a lack of health and medical care, people tended to die young, so she hadn't expected him to be so healthy. But then again, if he'd been involved in any physical labour which he probably had been, he would have something to show for it, especially once the vampire venom flooded his system. Vampire venom was known to strengthen and improve one's best qualities during the change.
Her eyes caught sight of his right forearm where there sat a scarred bite mark, and seeing no other marks on him, she knew it to be the bite that had changed him. His hands moved to unfasten the button on his trousers and she pulled her eyes away from, deciding that she would give him some privacy on this occasion. She shifted in the tub making room for him to climb in behind her, and she leaned forward, twisting the hot tap to add more hot water into the tub since it had lost some of its heat. She summoned her wand and tapped it to the surface of the water and bubbles soon appeared. The thought of her serious Alec relaxing in a bubble bath was one she couldn't help find amusing, and so, she was forcing it to happen.
She felt his presence more than heard him as he stepped into the tub behind her. As his legs slipped on either side of her, she leaned back until her back pressed against his chest, shuffling slightly to decide whether or not she would need the aid of magic to protect her from his cold skin.
In the hot water she found that the coldness of his skin was a welcome feeling and knowing she would be fine, she flicked her wand at the tap, turning it off and then her wand disappeared from view. She reached down into the water and found his hands with hers before lifting them to rest against her stomach, her fingers laced through his and she made herself more comfortable against him. She felt a strange rumble in his chest before a humming sound was breathed against her skin and she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.
"I'm perfectly fine," she sighed with a smile on her face and her eyes closed, knowing he was worrying about her being so close to him without clothing protecting her from his cold skin. "And I'm perfectly comfortable, so don't be disturbing my peace," she warned.
His chuckle sent shivers down her spine and her skin erupted into goosebumps; she had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She felt his fingers beginning to trace little circles on the skin of her stomach and she unlaced her hands from his so she could trail her fingers back and forth over his forearms. They fell into a comfortable silence and Hermione tilted her head slightly when she felt Alec's cold nose brush against her throat, not being the slightest bit worried or afraid that he would harm her.
"Is it true?" She spoke up, disturbing their peace and quiet.
"Hmm?" He hummed contently, breathing in her scent as his nose moved to the junction of her shoulder and neck.
"Lucian?"
"Yes, what Lord Aro said of him being responsible for those deaths is true. He was Jack the Ripper. I believe he caught the attention of a vampire when he killed someone that had been chosen for a feeding. He had a taste for young women and was careless, he almost exposed our kind and it took several weeks to clean his mess up, that is why he was serving his punishment here. The Lords were merciful, his crimes were punishable by death yet he was allowed to live, only to betray orders. This evening was the first I was made aware of him attempting to harm Teddy or wishing to harm you, Demetri didn't know either. I assure you, if we had been aware Lucian wouldn't have survived long enough to be given punishment or to be given a chance at a second attempt on Teddy's life," he muttered.
"I imagine that is why it was kept from both you and Demetri, I'm just glad Jane and Felix were able to intervene before Teddy was harmed," she sighed.
"Do you want to talk about it? I know you, you're going to drive yourself crazy until you sort through your thoughts."
"I don't feel guilty for what I did. I'm not disgusted with myself, or angry, or ashamed, I've accepted that it happened but I don't understand why," she confessed.
"Why it happened or why you've accepted it?"
"A little of both," she answered, her mouth twitching into a smile when Alec pressed a kiss to her cheek and his fingers began exploring more of her stomach.
"First of all, if I remember correctly, when you initiated the old rites over your guardianship of Teddy, you swore to protect him on your blood, magic and life. Lucian was a proven threat and you ensured he wouldn't be able to harm Teddy by ridding him of your lives the only way possible."
Hermione felt her forehead crease in thought. He was right; she had made that promise and it certainly made sense that she would feel the need to protect Teddy in such a way. The magic of the old rites would've pushed her to do so.
"Secondly, you are a Sorceress. You once said that you had to keep a balance between light and dark, you couldn't allow one or the other to tip the scales."
She slowly nodded. Sorceresses battled for change, they listened to their magic and allowed it to lead them to where they needed to be, it never led them astray in their decisions or actions. She had felt the need to punish Greyback for all he'd done, and she had felt the same need with Lucian. Her magic had wanted her to punish him and she had. She was supposed to better the world, and it certainly was better off without that vampire. She didn't feel guilty or ashamed because she wasn't meant to. Killing the vampire needed to be done and she had done it. By allowing that side of her to be released, she had ensured that she was keeping a balance between light and dark, keeping the angel and the devil on her shoulders happy for the time being.
"He intended to harm you and Demetri," she added. "That's what made me snap. I was barely keeping my magic and anger restrained, but when I learned that he wanted to harm you, it broke me. I don't like the thought of you being harmed, of you being taken away from me," she said quietly.
"Nothing is going happen to either of us, and we'll always be with you and Teddy. You have nothing to worry about."
She sighed; allowing the subject to drop and she tilted her head slightly to the side and looked over her shoulder at Alec, seeing him with his eyes closed and his mouth pulling into a small smile. Hermione had never seen him so relaxed. She turned back around and she felt Alec's fingers stop their exploration when they ran over the scar from Dolohov's curse.
"There is no need for you to plot with Demetri," she said knowingly. "The one that did it is dead, and I miraculously survived his curse years ago," she informed him. His arms tightened around her before his fingers continued their exploration, one hand moving higher and the other moving lower.
"Where's Demetri?" She finally asked.
"He was sent to Houston along with Jane, Felix, Marius and Afton." Hermione frowned, that was quite a large group to be sent out on business. "There's a war between two covens and it's resulting in far too many casualties, both humans and vampires, and we can't risk being discovered by the humans. They've been sent to either put a stop to the fighting or to destroy them if they refuse to cooperate. Demetri had wanted to see you before leaving but things have gotten serious and the Lords wanted them to leave immediately after their debriefing."
"Then why are you here with me? Surely your gift would be needed."
"It would be useful given the circumstances," he agreed. "However, it was agreed long ago that you would never be without either myself or Demetri when at Volterra, and the Lords were in agreement. It's for your safety and comfort, and neither of us is comfortable with the thought of leaving you without protection. I know how powerful you are but having an extra pair of eyes is always beneficial," he explained. "Combined the covens have no more than ten members, they can easily be dealt with and Demetri is needed to track those that may try to run."
"How long will they be gone?"
"No longer than a week, why?"
She tilted her head so she could look up at him and he was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She bit her lip, trying to hide her smile but she failed.
"I just wanted to know how long I had you to myself without interruption," she replied.
A smirk pulled at his mouth. "And why don't you wish to be interrupted?" He asked amused, looking at her as though he knew exactly why.
She pulled away from him only to turn around so she was facing him and to his credit, he kept his eyes locked in her gaze, his eyes not straying despite her naked chest now being visible to him.
He raised an eyebrow in challenge and she rolled her eyes before leaning forward, pressing her lips against his and wrapping her arms around his neck. They were careful as their lips moved against the others', but it still stole Hermione's breath and she felt her heartbeat pick up. Alec's arms wrapped around her waist and his hands ran the length of her back and he gave a gentle tug, she pressed herself against him, her chest to his and she was forced to pull back; he may have not needed to breathe but she did.
"I never back down from a challenge," she whispered, her lips brushing his as she spoke, and to prove her point, she shifted in the tub until she was straddling him. "Your turn," she muttered.
He smirked and he surprised her when his hands slowly trailed down her back until they came to a stop on her arse, giving her a gentle tug so she was pulled closer to him and she gasped, feeling the slowly hardening appendage below her. She narrowed her eyes slightly and he titled his head, waiting for her to make the next move.
"Your turn," he told her.
She allowed her arms to unravel from around his neck and they slowly trailed down his chest, skimming his nipples and despite him not needing to breathe, he seemed to take a shuddering breath out of habit. His eyes widened and he tipped his head back when Hermione reached between them and took him in her hand, and with a few strokes he was fully erect and she giggled at him.
He raised his head and locked his gaze on her, one of his hands slipping around to her stomach and moving lower until he reached her centre, feeling the heat radiating off her. He closed his eyes to collect his thoughts and when he opened them, Hermione was watching him with a tilted head. A smirk pulled at his mouth as his fingers slipped through her folds, spreading the wetness that had gathered and Hermione let out a puff of air as his fingers skimmed the hidden bundle of nerves that sent a jolt of pleasure through her.
"Your t..."
"Shut up," he muttered, bringing his free hand up to cradle the back of her neck and pulling her head towards his and his mouth caught hers in a kiss.
Hermione's hand tightened around his length as she continued the pumping motions, hearing him trying to keep the groans in the back of his throat but failing. Her free hand came up to tangle in his dark hair, tugging when he found her nub and experimented with different pressures and movements, figuring out how each one affected her.
A breathy moan fell from her lips and mixed with his groans, when he suddenly slipped a finger into her and she felt her pelvic muscles clamp, trying to keep him inside of her when he pulled his hand back. It was a strange feeling, the ice-cold of his skin, but it didn't make it any less pleasurable. She pulled her mouth from his and her eyes locked onto his before her head fell forward and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder.
Alec had groaned at the dazed look in her eyes before taking his hand away from the back of her neck and reaching between them to remove her hand from his length. She lifted her head and looked as though she were going to protest but he silenced her by pressing a kiss to her mouth, then pulling back to watch her face.
She had a lovely flush to her cheeks, standing out against her ivory skin. Her eyes were large and expressive and shining in the light of the candles. Her mouth was parted as little pants left her and her hips rocked against his hand as her grip on his hair tightened. He twined their fingers together and held her hand, feeling the way she squeezed his hand when he added a second finger. Her head tipped back as a moan fell from her lips and his eye trailed down to her neck, down to her collar bones until they landed on her breasts, rising and falling with each breath she took.
Biased he may be, be he was adamant he'd never seen someone so beautiful. His eyes trailed the thick, long scar that travelled across her torso, starting below her right collar bone, moving diagonally through the valley of her breasts, snaking under her left breast and ending close to her left hip. He could only imagine the pain she'd felt and though he wished to spare her from that, he couldn't, so he focused on giving her pleasure instead.
A whine tore from her when he moved forward to take a nipple into his mouth and with a little shuffling, he was able to add a third finger into her entrance, stretching and filling her. She tugged on his hair and her grip on his hand tightened until her fingernails dug into the back of his hand. He barely felt it.
He could hear her heart pounding in her chest, he could hear every breath she took, he could feel her walls fluttering around his fingers and he knew she was almost at the breaking point; he just had to push her over the edge. He released her nipple from his mouth and she made a noise of disapproval. He chuckled deeply and brought his mouth closer to her ear.
"You're a needy little witch," he mumbled softly, placing a kiss to her shoulder and his tongue darted out to lick at her skin.
She gasped when he trailed his teeth over her throat and nipped at her skin gently. She moved her hips faster and moved to bury her head against Alec's neck. She gave a jolt when his thumb pressed against her nub and her walls suddenly clamped down around his fingers. A high pitched whine fell from her lips and she slumped forward against him as he brought her through her orgasm.
Her grip on his hair loosened until she ran her hand through it lightly, she breathed heavily trying to regain her breathing and she placed little kisses to his cold skin, hearing him sigh as he removed his hand from in-between them and wrapped his arm around her.
She pulled back to look at him, an understanding passing between them.
"I'm not a virgin," she told him, not feeling embarrassed in doing so.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that," he admitted with a frown marring his beautiful features.
She giggled. "There's no need for you to be jealous," she told him, wriggling her hips slightly and reminding them both of the fact that he was still hard and had yet to find relief as he had stopped her from helping him. "It was only one guy and I doubt I'm going to see him again. As it is, I'm here with you now and no one else."
He tilted his head slightly as his red eyes traced her face.
"I've never had relations with a human."
She snorted at him for his formality, especially given what they'd just done and their current positions.
"Well neither have I with a vampire," she shrugged.
His frown deepened. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't," she said confidently. "You could never hurt me."
"I would never forgive myself."
"You won't hurt me, Alec. I've prepared for this; I've brewed potions that will help to strengthen my body for a short time."
"How long has it been for you?" He asked her.
"Two years, maybe longer. You?"
He frowned in thought. "Three centuries," he answered.
Her eyes widened. "You win," she nodded and he snorted at her. "Please tell me you haven't been with a member of the Coven, I'll never be able to look them in the eye again."
"I haven't," he confirmed. "There's only been two vampires and it was only once or twice."
"Why have you been celibate for so long?" She asked curiously.
"It didn't feel right," he confessed. "I didn't understand it at first, but now I do. It didn't feel right because it wasn't you."
She felt like her heart could melt at his words. "Shall we rectify that?" She asked, her mouth pulling into a smile.
~000~000~000~
She huffed in surprise when she suddenly found herself being laid on the soft mattress that was her bed and Alec was hovering over her, staring down at her. She slowly blinked and shook her head, realising that he'd used his vampire speed to get them from the bathroom to her bed.
"That's...Strange," she commented.
He chuckled at her, the sound sending shivers down her spine and going straight to her centre. She rubbed her thighs together in hopes to alleviate some of the tension and she hoped that Alec hadn't noticed, but the look her gave her said he had.
"Do you have your potions ready?" He asked.
She nodded and her wand appeared in her hand, she waved it over the both of them first, drying their bodies and her hair, as well as the sheets beneath her, then she summoned the potion vials from her lab. She leaned up on her elbow and took a sip from each of the three vials, before setting them off to the side and her wand disappeared.
"My strength has improved," she said and to prove her point, she lifted her hand to his shoulder and squeezed. Much to his surprise, he felt himself wince at the pain that shot through him. "I'm still not as strong as you but it'll protect me."
His eyes searched hers before she lost her patience, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down onto her, bringing their mouths together. When she was sure he wasn't going to pull back, she allowed her hands to wander and his did the same, trailing every piece of soft, warm skin available to him before he finally reached her breasts.
She sighed as hands covered her breasts and goosebumps erupted over her body. She reached down between them and he groaned when her hand circled his length and she started moving her hand over him.
"I think we've waited long enough," she muttered against his mouth.
He seemed to agree with her as he shifted above her slightly, moved his hands away from her body and he braced himself on his elbows above her and he locked his eyes with hers, holding her gaze as she shifted beneath him and guided him to her entrance. They both let out noises of pleasure when he nudged against her folds and she took a deep breath before he slowly entered her, stretching her until he couldn't go any deeper.
He let out a choked groaned at the feel of her warmth and tightness surrounding him, she let out a long, drawn-out moan as she felt him filling her, stretching her as she grew accustomed to him.
"You alight?" She breathed out slowly, lifting her arms to wrap around his neck.
"It's... It's..." He spoke with his face buried against her neck, but unable to voice his thoughts.
"I know," she sighed.
It felt right.
She shifted beneath him and it pulled him out of his thoughts, he lifted his head to see her with her eyes closed and biting her lip and unable to resist, he lowered his head and kissed her as he pulled out of her and pushed back into her slowly. He had to be careful despite the potions she'd taken, he didn't want to hurt her and until he knew just how strong the potions' effects on her were, he couldn't risk it, but is seemed Hermione had other ideas.
She lifted her legs to hook over his hips and he was able to move into her deeper than before. One of her hands had buried itself into his hair and he actually felt each tug on his hair with her new strength, he felt her other hand squeezing at his shoulder before it slipped down to the small of his back and she pulled him into her, squeezing her legs about his hips tightly and she didn't stop until he complied with her wishes and increased his pace and the hardness of each thrust.
She moaned into his mouth and tore her mouth from him, moving her lips over his cheek, down his jaw and to his neck where she kissed, licked and nipped with her teeth. He groaned, the sound reverberating in his chest and sending tingles over her body.
Her breathing grew laboured, her moans breathless and her grip on him tightened to the point that it was starting to be uncomfortable. He'd seriously misjudged her potions usefulness. She may not have had the strength of a vampire, but it wasn't far off and it was enough to make him aware of her extremely tight hold.
He listened to her heart pounding and her breathing coming out in pants, her skin was covered in that lovely flush he was beginning to love and sweat had started to slick at her skin. He felt her walls beginning to flutter around him, squeezing him tightly every time he pulled back, as if trying to keep him inside of her.
When he heard that high pitched whine escape her, he hissed as she suddenly clamped down around him, holding him in place as her orgasm rocked through her. He gave her a moment to recover before he continued with his thrusts and quickly bringing her to a second orgasm.
He could've easily held back his own release and gone for longer but Hermione didn't have the stamina his vampire nature allowed him. He didn't tire but she did. He didn't want to exhaust her and so he didn't bother trying to hold back his release when her second orgasm washed over her. His hands clenched into fists tightly and he gritted his teeth so he wouldn't accidentally bite her, a groan left his lips and he held himself above Hermione as she flopped into the mattress below him, dragging him down with her.
With her arms and legs still wrapped around him, she pressed her slightly sweaty forehead to Alec's shoulder as she worked to get her breathing back to normal. Feeling tired, she unwrapped herself from him and he pulled out of her and shifted to lie beside her.
"You could've gone longer, couldn't you?" She spoke, turning her head to look at him.
His smirk was her answer. "Yes, probably a few more hours," he admitted.
"Bloody hell," she muttered with wide eyes and his smirk widened. "You'll have to give me a minute," she breathed out, still trying to get her breathing back to normal.
He chuckled as he shifted so that he was leaning on his side and propped up by his elbow and his head resting against his hand. He pulled the blanket over Hermione to protect her from the chill in the room now that the fire had all but died out. His hand slipped under the covers to trace patterns on her stomach and flutter over her scar.
His eyes remained on her face, seeing that the blush on her cheeks was fading and her eyes would flutter softly as she blinked. She had a soft smile on her face and she turned on her side to face him, her own hand coming up to trail over his chest and she pressed a kiss over his on-beating heart.
He sighed and pulled her closer to him, keeping her pressed against him.
"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" He asked her softly.
"I don't think so," she shrugged.
"You're beautiful," he told her, lifting her chin with his hand so she had to look at him. "Truly beautiful," he muttered, his eyes sweeping her face as if he were committing it to memory.
"Coming from you, that truly is a compliment," she replied, feeling a smile pull at her face.
"I look the way I do due to my vampire nature, you are beautiful without the aid of such a thing. And one day, should you become one of us, there's not a single doubt in my mind you would have both humans and vampires kneeling before you. You will be the most beautiful being in existence."
"You're biased," she replied.
"I am, but it does not mean I am not right. You are an incredible witch, so strong, so intelligent, so kind and caring, so beautiful, inside and out, no one compares to you." She felt her cheeks heating up as he pushed her curls away from her face. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but you make me so happy, alive."
Tears were welling in her eyes and she leaned forward and pressed her mouth against his, feeling him wrapping his arms around her and he laid down on his back and pulled her on top of him with their hands wandering and exploring. Hermione made a whining noise when he pulled back from her and he chuckled.
"Teddy's about to wake for his bottle," he explained, "I'll be right back."
He lifted her off him and he was gone from beside her before she could blink. She sighed and snuggled herself into the blanket and stared up at the ceiling with a smile on her face. Alec stepped out of the nursery with Teddy in his arms as he fed him his bottle, and she sat up and her eyes locked on him. He was wearing nothing but his trousers, giving her a great view of his torso.
He chuckled at her but otherwise kept his attention on Teddy. When he had finished his bottle and Alec had burped him, Hermione blinked when he was suddenly gone from the room and she couldn't hear him. But before she could get out of bed to look for him, he walked through the door and into her room, dressed in his robes, trousers and shoes.
She frowned at him and he walked over to the bed.
"I've taken Teddy to Lord Marcus, he is going to watch over him for a short while," he explained.
"Why?" She questioned.
"There is something I wish to show you," he answered, holding out his shirt for her.
She gave him an amused look but took his shirt from him and slipped it on, standing from the bed and it buried her, falling down to her mid-thigh. He gave her a look of appreciation, his eyes lighting up at the sight she made wearing his shirt. She made to grab some underwear and trousers, but he scooped her up into his arms and suddenly everything went blurry and she felt the cold air on her skin until she found herself outside and looking up at the sky.
She got her bearings and then looked around, seeing the stone flooring beneath them and the outline of the other buildings in Volterra.
"We're still on the grounds of the castle," Alec spoke, seeing her confused look.
He walked over to a large blanket that had been laid on the ground and set her down on her feet. He sat on the ground and then pulled her to sit in front of him, reclining back into his chest and he wrapped his robes around her, protecting her from the cold air.
"Why are we here?"
"Look up," he replied.
She did so and she felt her breath leave her as the sky slowly began to change colours, the shades of yellow and orange working with the clouds beautifully as the sun made its first appearance of the day.
"You once said you didn't believe you would survive to see another sunset or sunrise, I wanted to show you that you will see every sunset and sunrise, and I will make sure of it."
"It's beautiful," she whispered, snuggling into him further.
"Nothing will ever be as beautiful as you," he spoke reverently.
She looked at him over her shoulder before turning in his hold to press a kiss to his lips, but he wouldn't let her pull back from him until she had to breathe.
"Has your potion worn off yet?"
A smile pulled at her mouth and she shook her head. "No, we've got time," she confirmed.
His smile was dazzling as he removed his robes –leaving him shirtless seeing as she was currently wearing his shirt- and then he hooked them over her shoulders to protect her from the cold. He then lifted her until she was straddling him and she followed him as he laid down on his back, not wanting her to be the one to have to lay on the stone beneath them.
Her mouth twitched when Alec's hands shifted from her hips to rest on her arse beneath her shirt.
"You're an arse guy, aren't you?" She said amusedly.
He gave her arse a squeeze and she laughed. "I am," he nodded.
She shook her head and then looked up at the sky once more, seeing the sun being higher in its positioning. She looked back down to him and her expression softened.
"I really do love you," she said softly, her fingers trailing down his cheek.
"Just as I love you," he replied, pulling her down to kiss him.