Sorry for the late chapter gang... the really, really late chapter. IRL stuff has kept me annoyingly busy, but I'm back! And it's all good... hopefully. In this chapter, we're taking a small break from Burlington (because I'm evil and I like making everyone wait), and instead heading back to Italy where we're gonna meet back up with Alex!
Love ya gang!
Comments:
La Yuza: ¡Un absoluto placer!
Kuro: Lol absolutely
Ponytime49: Thank you so much! Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about how much everyone has changed—Beau especially—throughout all of this. It feels… a lot sadder, I think. But still fun. Or at least fun for us, haha. Those are some great guesses! We were definitely on the same page with Royal and El.
Guest: Thank you bunches! I'm glad you liked it!
Beau takes out a special lady...
"Um… here you go sir," A young woman said in Italian, a blush gracefully warming her olive skin. She was obviously in college with the little bracelet she had on - the word Goliardia written on it. It was a pretty big university; Padua being the name of the place, and having one of the only fraternities/sororities in Italy. More importantly, she was handing me the keys to one of the most expensive cars I'd ever be driving in.
"And my numbers a-also on that little card there," she stuttered blushing harder as she looked down at her feet. I gave her the friendliest smile I could as I gently took the keys, the business card… and her number on the back, just as she said… it even had a little xoxo written next to it.
"Thank you very much, miss… Bianca. It was a pleasure meeting you," I said softly, looking down at her name tag. I may have accidentally said that a bit… breathily, because the girl suddenly looked faint, but it was fine… she'd be fine.
She was leaning on her little counter, with a flushed face, and fluttering eyes. I tucked my newly acquired items into my suit pocket and gave her a brief nod before stepping through the airport doors before she could recover.
Now where was… ah, there. Tanvir's pride and joy.
The R8 Spyder was waiting for me, gleaming on the curb—easily worth a hundred grand and boasting custom parts that I didn't want to think about.
Cars weren't my thing, but Tanvir had made it clear: one scratch and the grief he'd give me would be endless. So, with utmost care, I walked around and slid into the driver's seat.
It was surprisingly nice. I didn't often take the time to appreciate cars, but this one caught my eye. Its color scheme was perfect—dark, red leather seats, and a sleek black exterior that complimented my outfit beautifully. There was something about it that felt just right.
As I turned the key, a smooth, droning purr emerged from the engine. Ooh, that was an even better feature —it was remarkably quiet. Even as I pressed the gas and shot out of the airport, it maintained a gentle hum, effortlessly gliding into the night.
"You got this," I muttered to myself, eyeing the rearview, and checking my hair. "It's just a friendly little outing… with a friend. It's nothing special. You look fine."
My hair was always nicely feathered now, and my clothes always seemed to be wrinkle-free whenever I refrained from running too fast. I knew my looks wouldn't be a problem, they never were anymore. I was the picture of perfection.
I quickly shook my head at the arrogant thought.
"Blegh… I sound like a moron," I said, looking at myself again with an affronted eye. I knew it was true now, supernaturally speaking, but it was still such a strange concept.
It was nearly ten at night as I cruised along the rolling hills of Florence. The roads were practically empty, making it easy to indulge my recent obsession with speeding. The scenery flashed by in a blur, a beautiful backdrop to the thrill of the drive. It felt exhilarating, the combination of freedom and the soft glow of the moonlight illuminating the landscape.
It unfolded like a dream, with stars sparkling overhead, illuminating the enchanting countryside of Italy. The lush vineyards seemed to whisper secrets, while the stately holm oaks stood as timeless guardians of this fairytale land. It was so enchanting that it reminded me of the offer Cato gave me, the last time I was here - to stay - to join the guard.
I could still picture the moment vividly, the way her eyes flashed with indignation when I turned her down, just as I had with Alex. A smile tugged at my lips as I recalled her fierce conviction that Volterra was the pinnacle of beauty, dismissing the allure of all the other breathtaking places this world had to offer. "Why see anywhere else?" she had challenged as if the rest of existence paled in comparison.
We didn't agree on it, but we still had fun, tracking each other, and playing a long game of hide and seek.
Hopefully, I'll be able to get my other friend in the Volturi to have as much fun tonight. Hopefully, I don't screw it up by saying something stupid, or by taking her to a place she didn't want to go. Or…
I should think of something else.
The night would be ruined if I kept on letting my head fill up with different doomsday scenarios.
I gently turned the radio on, rolled down the windows, and leaned back in my seat, enjoying the gentle opera drumming through the speakers, and hoping that the different sensations could distract me properly.
It only took just an hour to reach the city gates, and a minute later, I was pulling up to the ominous castle where they all resided. Its towering turrets loomed above, casting an imposing shadow over the cobblestone streets. The stonework had aged beautifully, blending seamlessly with the surroundings, while the moonlight cast a soft glow, lending the entire scene an otherworldly ambiance.
I parked on the curb and stepped out onto the deserted street. With a quick hop onto the sidewalk, I approached the door and delivered three firm knocks, the sound echoing in the stillness of the night.
My hands went and patted down my suit, trying one last time to feel good about the ridiculous outfit I was wearing. Another thing that I got on loan from Tanvir, and apparently picked out by Lauren. A simple black suit, with a red dress shirt, black tie, and black shoes.
I felt like a gothic James Bond.
At that thought, the door creaked open, revealing a tall woman with a lean figure, her tight clothes accentuating her athletic build. She looked like she could take on Eleanor without breaking a sweat. Dressed in the classic Volturi robe, I couldn't help but notice that hers was shorter than the others, ending just below her mid-calf, giving her an air of both authority and readiness.
Clearly, this was an enforcer for the Volturi. The look she was giving me told me that all by itself.
She had a bored scowl on her face as she looked me up and down, so I casually smiled back, keeping my hands in my pockets. I didn't want to give her a reason to think I was entertainment for the night.
"Hello," I said softly.
"What do you want?" She asked bluntly.
"I'm here to pick up Alex."
She looked taken aback as she gave me another once-over. "You're the guy?"
"The guy?" I repeat, my smile getting a little wider.
She gave a single nod "Yeah, the guy that doesn't drink from humans, the one she can't stop talking about - that's you?"
I shrugged and leaned back on the soles of my feet. "If she's saying good things about me then yes," I joke.
"Ha," she said blankly. "She's still getting ready," she mumbled, turning her back, but leaving the door open. I quickly followed after her, politely shutting the door.
Inside was the same warmish-looking reception area that I'd come through last time. A human woman was sitting behind a desk near the back of the place. I gave her a friendly wave - she gave me a surprised look - and followed the Volturi guard down the dimly lit halls leading further in.
"My name's Beau, by the way, nice to meet you," I said, casually catching up, and walking next to her. She didn't glance at me as we made our way down the stretch of cobbled hallway.
"Uh-huh," she grunted, sounding bored out of her mind.
"What's your name?" I asked, slipping my hands back into my pockets.
"Why do you wanna know?"
"Dunno," I answered. "Just thought it'd be fair if you knew mine."
I wasn't usually so forward with others; generally, I tried to give them the same respect that I wanted. I.E. being left alone to brood, but this past year, I'd been trying my best to be more outgoing. More extroverted.
So far, I'd only gotten chewed out once for doing that, but that was only because it'd been the day before the full moon, and that particular friend wasn't in the mood for my practiced niceness. Hopefully, the dull attitude of this potentially new friend wasn't an indicator of them being as upset with me.
"Felicity," she answered.
I laughed lightly. I probably shouldn't have, but I couldn't help it.
"What's the joke?" She asked, turning her head minutely to glare at me.
"Sorry, I just appreciate the irony. The name Felicity is Greek in origin… it means happiness." The smile on my face got a little wider as I saw her grumpy look getting worse. I quickly looked down so that she wouldn't see it though.
She rolled her eyes and looked back ahead. "It also means good fortune," she whispered.
"It does… do you have a lot of that?" I asked.
"On good days," she said.
"What's a good day to you?" I asked curiously. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of hobbies a Volturi enforcer might be interested in. Alex and Cato had told me that everyone here had some way of entertaining themselves when they weren't busy doing their usual work.
"You ask a lot of questions," she sneered.
I just nodded. "Sorry."
We walked up to a set of golden elevators, and she silently hit the button to call one of the cars. The little arrow on the top of the door, resting on the 12, slowly started ticking down.
"You know, I'm getting into tracking myself," I said, breaking the silence. I watched as her shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes. "I'm not very good at it, but Cato says I've got potential."
She didn't say anything, so I assumed that her strategy for the rest of our time together would be to not engage with me. It would be a pretty effective way of getting someone to stop bothering you in a normal circumstance, but for someone who had too much time on their hands, and was determined to make friends, it wasn't that great.
The elevator opened with a ding, and we both stepped in. She lazily clicked the number for floor nine, as I leaned back against the small railing attached to the wall.
"Have you ever joined Cato on one of her hunts? She says that she goes on them constantly, having to deal with strays and lawbreakers. Would it be wrong of me to assume you'd be the muscle for something like that?"
At that she perked up, so I didn't say anything else. I just waited for her to hopefully speak. "Yeah," she said slowly, "I'm usually the one that brings them in."
"Nice," I said appreciatively. "Bet you're good at it."
"Damn straight," she said firmly, yet quietly, giving a single nod. "I'm the best we have."
"I don't doubt it," I said with a grin.
The elevator glided to a smooth stop, and the doors slid open to reveal a narrow hall that opened into a spacious circular room. It exuded style, with a rich red carpet winding around a small fountain at the center. A golden chandelier hung gracefully from the ceiling, casting a warm glow alongside the electric lamps adorning the walls.
Alongside the lamps were doors - little numbers stamped on the front, in the same gold as everything else. It reminded me of a small apartment building.
The last thing I took major note of, was the figure standing in front of the fountain. A young-looking man, with blank eyes, and crossed arms. He had a dark cloak on his shoulders, the same one the rest of the Volturi wore.
Felicity, I could see, tensed up just slightly, which made me curious, yet again. Why was she worried about this guy when she was supposedly the best enforcer they had?
"Jonathon," she whispered, dipping her head as we stepped out of the elevator.
"Felicity," he returned. His voice was weird. Like a soft empty sound. He didn't bother looking at the woman, instead, his eyes were locked onto me as I smiled at him.
"Hi," I said, giving him a nod. "I'm Beau."
"Yes… I know." His eyes narrowed minutely. Felicity tensed up a little more.
"You've heard of me?" I asked.
"Everyone has," he said softly. "My sister has made it a priority to let everyone know that you are to be considered a part of our family."
My chest filled with a tiny bit of warmth at hearing Alex considering me a part of her family - as weird and creepy as they all were.
But my eyes lit up with realization. "Oh, you're Johnny?! Alex has told me so much about you."
He jerked his head violently, and I could see Felicity's entire body tense as if she were preparing to bolt.
"My name is Johnathon," he whispered dangerously. It was clear I hit a nerve. I quickly backpedaled.
"Ah, sorry, Alex called you that in all her stories… it kinda stuck," I explained. His lips curled back slowly into a scowl, and his narrowed eyes looked deep into mine. It was a little unnerving, but I didn't comment on it. "So… it's nice meeting you in person," I said.
His look instantly turned to one of confusion, before he quickly stared harder. Felicity's eyes were flickering between us, her jaw clenched.
"Right…" I breathed, awkwardly pressing my lips together as these two just kept staring. "Um… do either of you know where Alex is? I'd rather not be late picking her up," I laugh shortly, rubbing the back of my head.
"I'm right here, Beau," an ethereal voice said from my left. I quickly looked over, and my breath got caught in my throat.
She was dressed in a form-fitting dress. It was colored a dark velvet and had a beautiful black floral pattern weaved out through it. It complimented her deep red eyes, and shimmering black hair perfectly. "Wow," I breathed.
The smile on her lips grew exponentially at the single word. "Thank you… you look quite wow yourself," she said walking up to me and taking my arm. "Are you ready to go?"
I drew in another breath. "Uh... yeah, all good to go if you are." I shook my head clear of my thoughts and looked back at the other two vampires still staring at us. Jonathan though, instead of looking confused, or intensely focused, seemed to be seething with a silent rage. "It was very nice meeting the both of you," I said, nodding at Felicity, and holding out a hand for Johnathon to shake. Even as angry as he was - for whatever reason - he seemed to be terrified because he took a very quick step back.
"Alright," I muttered, nodding again at him, and letting my hand quickly drop.
"Be good, Johnny," Alex said, her laugh ringing like the softest notes, playful and teasing. She tugged on my arm and led me back to the elevators. I hit the lobby button.
As the doors shut, I saw Felicity booking it to a room, while Johnathon glared at me. I gave him a cheery grin.
I didn't know what his problem was, but I wished him the best in my head. Maybe next time I'm here I could try and smooth over whatever hang-up he had about me… maybe it was the Johnny thing?
"It is very nice to see you again, Beau. It has been too long," Alex said.
"It's only been three months," I grinned at her.
"As I said, far too long."
The elevator took us back to the lobby, and we glided out. The receptionist gave me a small, shy wave as I walked out the door, which I quickly returned. I led Alex to the car, still innocently parked on the curb, and opened her door for her. She gracefully got in, and I flitted around to the driver's side, appearing next to her in a blur.
Alex was casually leaning back in her seat, her hands politely in her lap as I turned the car back on. The music turned back on, and I hit the gas.
"Ah… lovely," she said, lightly bobbing her head side to side as the opera played.
"Figured you enjoy a bit of Melba."
"You figured correctly, Beau… this is one of my favorites," she said. I felt a thrill run through me hearing that. It had been sheer dumb luck that it had been on the radio. "Now, where are you taking me?"
"The Carnival Of Venice," I said dramatically, looking over at her as I took us back on the highway, gliding along the streets expertly. I may have looked confident when I said that, but I was stupidly nervous. She was a classy lady, she deserved a good time, and I was praying I'd picked a good place to spend the evening with her.
"Really?" She perked up, her eyes alight with excitement. "I love the Carnival."
Nailed it.
"I went when I was a younger woman once, back when I was only three hundred. It hadn't been the year it opened initially - no one had wanted to go with me then, so I abstained - but a few years later, I was on a hunt nearby, so once I finished, I went and joined the festivities."
"Your brother didn't want to go with you?" I asked curiously.
She shook her head, her red lips pursing with her smile. "No. My brother is not fond of surrounding himself with humans. Or anyone for that matter. Other than Sulpicia and myself of course."
"Really, he seemed like such a conversationalist," I said, making her chuckle.
"You should see him when he's in one of his moods," she said. Was he not in a mood when we left? "He can be very stubborn when he wants to be… he didn't talk to anyone for three years once, because they'd annoyed him so much."
"Did that include you?" I asked.
"No, it did not. But he only spoke to me in private, where others couldn't bother him by trying to join in on the conversations."
"Well, it sounds like we'd get along, we could just sit in silence," I offered, looking over at her.
"Haven't you been trying to be… what was it? Be an extrovert?" She asked teasingly.
"Yeah, but it's nice to get a break sometimes," I laugh.
Even though I hadn't seen Alex in a few months, we still kept up with the emails. I sent her everything I did, everywhere I went, everyone I met. She knew almost everything I'd been up to, including my "ridiculous" efforts to make friends.
"What made you decide on the Carnival?" She asked, breaking me out of my little reminiscences.
I gave a small shrug. "Well, I actually didn't. Riccardo gave me the idea," I said. Riccardo was the boy Alex had been hunting, the first night we met… he'd been a newborn - he still was one - but his creator abandoned him, so I offered to take him under my wing. "Apparently, he went annually with his human family."
"Ah," Alex said with a smile. "He is such a sweet boy, I'm glad you convinced me to spare him. You'll send him my regards the next time you see him won't you?" she asked.
"Of course," I said with a grin. "You know he really appreciates that. He's still working through everything, but he's genuinely happy with the Denali clan. Especially with Carter and Elana. I think they're planning to adopt him officially soon."
"Oh how nice," she said genuinely. "Elana has always wanted children."
Elana was once a part of the Volturi, though I don't know much about what she did for them. From what I've been able to pick up, she would go and acquire recruits for the guard. She and Alex had some kind of friendship back in the day. They recently got back in touch once I told the two of them that I was friends with the other.
"Yeah, it all worked out for them," I said softly.
"I assume you've been visiting the boy regularly? Is that when he told you of the Carnival?"
I nodded quickly. "Oh yeah, I'm the best uncle ever," I laughed. "And yeah, my last visit, he was telling me about it.
"Did he tell you about the masks?"
"Masks?" I asked.
"The Carnival Of Venice is a celebration that traditionally has its celebrants wear masks emulating the seventeenth-century style that it originated in. It's quite fun," she explained.
And incredibly interesting! I had made it a hobby to learn as much about the places I visited as possible, so discoveries like this always thrilled me—almost as much as actually being there.
"Maybe I'll grab some for us," I said eagerly. "It'll hide your eyes pretty well too."
"That would be preferred," she agreed. "Especially if I don't have to wear my sunglasses all night."
Wearing sunglasses all night would be a bit cumbersome—necessary, but still cumbersome. It felt like a shame to hide Alex's eyes, even if they were a bit red from her diet, they were gorgeous. Her entire face was stunning as a matter of fact, and it felt wrong that she'd have to cover it up with a mask instead. The masks… felt less fun to buy when I thought about it like that.
My smile faltered just slightly, as I stupidly opened my mouth. "Yeah, it's a shame though that…" I trailed off, feeling that familiar twinge of regret. I'd barely been able to realize what I was gonna say - and it would have been mortifying if I had.
"What would be a shame, Beau?" she asked, her curiosity piqued as she turned from the dark scenery speeding by to meet my bashful gaze.
"Ah, nothing," I said, hoping to play it off - hoping she'd let it go.
But she didn't let it go. Her eyes, bright and inquisitive, held mine, and I could feel the weight of her sudden anticipation."Come on, Beau, you can't just leave me with that. What were you about to say?"
I chuckled nervously, trying to find the right words. "I just… I mean, the masks are beautiful, but they hide so much," I finally admitted.
"Could you explain that please?" She asked.
I sighed and looked over at her properly. "I was just thinking, that if you had a mask on all night, I wouldn't be able to… see… you," I said, feeling like the biggest dork. "You're very beautiful."
The answer I got was a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Beau," she whispered in my ear, her voice laced with delight. I could sense how much my admission pleased her, and even though I felt a rush of embarrassment, it was hard to ignore the warmth that spread through me at her reaction. If it made her happy, then maybe feeling a bit dumb was worth it.
I got my breath back and kept driving, ignoring her giggling at my reaction to the simple kiss. It took us only about two hours of driving, which was full of fun conversation, and flirting - very much unintentional on my part, but it was fun all the same.
Just as we approached the Ponte Della Libertà—known in English as the Liberty Bridge—connecting Venice to the mainland, fireworks erupted in the sky, showering the city with a vibrant display of colors. The brilliance of the lights reflected off the water, creating a breathtaking scene.
It was astounding to look at. Really, it was.
"Welcome to Venice," Alex said with excitement.
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