Chapter 1: Prologue
Chapter Text
Prologue
When her end came, it was nothing like she could have imagined.
How could she have even comprehended that this would be how it happened?
In her wildest of daydreams, her mortal brain would never have conjured up something so… efficient. Cold. Ruthless. Incredibly well planned, executed to precision, and yet - to anyone who didn't know the story behind her abduction and subsequent death - her disappearance was completely random. Unexpected. Unanticipated. Oddly human, in the way her captor had orchestrated it all.
She'd been plucked from the streets and into the van so quickly and quietly, simultaneously gagged and blindfolded, her arms and legs hog-tied behind her in a position that allowed no movement or struggle whatsoever. And then she was being driven away, absolutely clueless as to what was happening, with the only audible sounds being those of her rapid, terrified breathing and the rumbling of the engine.
The blindfold was quickly soaked through with her tears, because of course she was crying. Being kidnapped was fucking traumatic, thank you very much, and the eerie silence in the space around her only made things worse.
The vehicle had driven for a while, an hour or more, she thought, and then it had stopped. Her head had thunked painfully onto the wheel arch of the van, which had hurt like a motherfucker, leaving her feeling even more disorientated, if that was possible. And then, as her aching body was pulled onto a very cold, very hard and very immobile shoulder, a slow, sickening realisation began to unfurl in her gut. Because she hadn't felt flesh so unyielding for six long years.
In hindsight, it had been remarkably stupid for her to walk home alone.
Chapter Text
Victoria had little recollection of her life prior to the change.
She knew that she had been bitten at the age of twenty five. She knew that she'd been married, unhappily, to a man twenty years her senior that had thoroughly enjoyed beating her. She knew that she hadn't had any children, knew that she had had a mother who loved her, a father that had just-about tolerated her, and several siblings, both male and female. She couldn't recall the faces of her family members, but she similarly knew that they had cared for her, and likely would have mourned her disappearance.
Truthfully, her memories of her human life had since been reduced to blurry and dull images in the back of her mind. They were not something she dwelled on. She had never grieved her loss of humanity, seeing her rebirth into vampirism as the ultimate escape from her abusive arranged marriage.
The only memory that had really stood out to her was the fear she'd felt on the day that she'd been bitten, when she'd been snatched from a forest path by an ethereally beautiful woman with golden hair, and taken to a secluded cave.
Therein she'd been fed on and left to die, the woman floating away like a bloody-faced angel.
It was escape that had led her to the forest path in the first place, knowing that her husband would be returning home soon, and she'd had no desire to feel his fists on her face over his dislike of his supper when she was again going without food to make sure he had a large enough portion to fill his belly. She'd prepared him a meal, covered it with a pristine linen, and sought out the peace of the woods, knowing that her husband would assume that she'd gone to visit her mother. She'd liked the sanctuary that the forest brought her, enjoyed listening to the birds, feel the wind moving through the trees.
It was a cruel irony that her avoidance of her husband's temper had ultimately lead to her death.
…
Beyond the pale skin, red eyes and golden hair, Victoria couldn't really recall her maker, nor did she care to, given that the individual who had bitten her had likely not planned on her prey subsequently transitioning into vampiric life.
Victoria had been left in the cave, afterwards, her maker probably hoping that the animals in the area would scent out her remains and clean up the mess. As it was, to Victoria's relief, whilst she had done her burning, there'd been a tremendous thunderstorm, followed by days of heavy pouring rain and regular bouts of violent thunder and lightning. She'd been terrified and alone, and when her heart had beat its last, she'd emerged from the cave, her instincts screaming and her throat scorched.
She'd stumbled further into the wilderness, into the quiet, and had managed to figure out the bare basics on her own.
People = food. Sun = sparkles.
But it was lucky that another vampire had found her a year or so later - a man, Trevor - and he'd taught her properly about what to do, told her how to stay hidden, to keep her kills discreet, and then, perhaps two decades into their acquaintance, he'd made a fatal mistake.
He'd tried to seduce her, a firm grip on her arms as he'd desperately pressed his lips to hers.
Victoria had felt the familiar fleeting panic rising inside of her, the ghosts of her husband's cruel hands gripping her flesh.
And she'd killed him. Trevor, that is, not her old husband; enough years had passed by now that time, injury or disease would surely have given him his end.
She'd watched Trevor burn dispassionately, altogether unmoved by his demise.
…
Her life between Trevor and James was repetitive and boring. Years had become decades and decades had slowly oozed into centuries. But then, perhaps around 250 years after she'd turned, she'd met James, and everything seemed to slide into place. His eyes, his touch, his voice. They were all hers. Of course, it had eaten away at her a little of how violent he could be towards her, of how easily he could wound her. Mentally and physically. James had always known what to say, both the right and the wrong things.
He'd known just what to do and what to say to crush her, to weaken her, to break her.
But he was also excellent at putting her back together. Again, mentally and physically. Because there'd been dozens of occasions where he'd dismembered her in a rage, leaving her separated limbs, trunk and head cached in half a dozen different places until his fury had worn off enough for him to reassemble her once more.
She had been and remained hopelessly devoted to him.
Laurent had joined them at some point, but he was more a friend to James than he was to her. They had been friends at first, she supposed. But Laurent watched her, sometimes, with an unnerving covetous look in his eyes, and she'd been careful to keep her distance from him to avoid upsetting James.
So when they'd happened upon a human amongst a coven of their own kind, and James had voiced his desire for the girl's blood, Victoria had seen it as his right to have it. And then the coven, the self righteous and peculiar golden-eyed Cullens, had staked their own claim on the girl.
That girl had been James' end.
Laurent had left them as soon as he'd realised that James had pitted himself against the larger coven, something which had stung, but Victoria… she'd stayed. She'd tried to help James catch the girl, but ultimately they were two against a coven of seven, and the higher numbers had won out.
She'd refused to be swept away by her breaking, shrieking heart. She'd tried to avenge him, her beloved mate, planning on killing the girl herself to inflict the same pain on the vampire responsible. But even when the Cullens had abandoned their little pet, she'd found the girl was protected still, by dogs this time. She'd even tested out their defences with Laurent, wondering if they'd chase him off as they'd done to her, and Laurent had never returned. Maybe he was dead, maybe he wasn't.
There'd been too many of them, the dogs. Too many to outrun, outwit, outmanoeuvre. She'd gotten close to the girl a few times, still determined to have her blood and her death, but she'd never been close enough. And then she'd seen how the Cullens had returned to their beloved pet human, if only for a short time, before they'd all left again, leaving the girl safely under the protection of her stinky guard dogs.
She'd come to realise around this time that pursuing the girl further at this point was an endeavour that might have killed her, and getting herself killed would do her revenge plans no good. So she'd temporarily tucked away her rage, her vengeance, and drifted. Across the country, then the globe. She allowed her heart to break a little more at her memories of her James. And she had let her grief make her cold and detached. Logical, pragmatic, even. She travelled, revisiting the places she'd been with James, tried to think about the best way to get her vengeance.
It wouldn't be enough now to just kill the girl.
Isabella, the girl's name was. Isabella Marie Swan. It was a stupid name, she'd thought, cursing the day the girl was born.
No. Killing her alone wouldn't be enough. She wanted the golden-eyed ones gone, too. She wanted to inflict pain and panic and terror, and she couldn't do it alone. But she also wasn't self destructive enough to do anything that would draw too much attention to herself.
She'd needed to get Isabella away from the dogs. Or, at least, do something to distract the dogs whilst she got hold of the girl. She'd need infantry, canon fodder, and briefly pondered over creating an army, wondering if that would work, but then she'd gleaned a piece of vital information from another nomad, and had settled on something else. Something much, much more satisfying, with consequences for every single golden-eyed fuck that had interfered.
Because the Cullens had broken the law in allowing their darling little human to remain human. Via the vampire gossip grapevine, Victoria became aware that, at some point between the Cullen's initial departure and their brief return to Washington, the mortal girl had actually been taken to Volterra, and brought before the Volturi. Victoria was told by an old acquaintance that a promise had been made by the psychic Cullen, where the feather-haired, miniature Miss Cleo had prophesied that Isabella would become one of them.
And yet ... the Cullens had abandoned Isabella. Again. And they'd left her human, to boot, not only breaking the law for a second time but also refusing to follow a direct order from the Volturi Masters, and - delightfully for Victoria - breaking the girl's heart in two, all over again.
Victoria's knowledge of the entire situation gave her hope. Death just wouldn't be enough.
But if she could orchestrate the brutal, tortuous demise of the Cullen's and Isabella in one fell swoop, well, wouldn't that be wonderful?
By the time she'd caught up with Isabella again, more than four years had passed since James' death. Victoria had spent her time well. She had formulated a loose plan of attack, being careful not to create enough of a strategy to alert the weird psychic vegetarian vamp.
The girl was just past the age of 23, now, and living in Brooklyn, New York. She'd just started her job at the library and moved into her apartment, having completed her master's degree ahead of schedule.
Victoria watched, waited, learned her routines. She'd followed her to her workplace, even becoming acquainted with a couple of Isabella's more peripheral colleagues, allowing her access into the building where the girl worked, and eventually doing a little breaking and entering into the girl's small apartment.
(Victoria was quite an excellent thief, if she said so herself).
That had lead to the knowledge that Isabella wasn't really a girl anymore. She was a woman, an adult, with wine in her fridge, heels in her closet and a few pieces of lingerie in her bedroom. Most importantly, Isabella's life was still absent of the Cullens and blessedly sans-guard dogs.
She could have effortlessly have dragged Isabella into a dark alleyway and been done with her, or smothered the girl in her sleep, snuffing out her pathetic little life with minimal effort and ending the whole charade.
But that wasn't what she wanted anymore. The death of an admittedly pretty but dreadfully boring human just wasn't going to cut it. No, her fury, her rage demanded more. But her anger towards the girl herself had somewhat numbed into a hardened, icy indifference, the distance from her quarry granting Victoria a clarity that her true nemeses in these circumstances was indeed the Cullens.
She still wanted the girl dead, true, but more than that, it was the total destruction of the golden-eyed coven that she sought, and since she couldn't exactly do that by herself, she needed third party assistance.
The Volturi had entered the periphery of her planning quite early on, as soon as she'd heard of the tactile telepathic ability of their leader, Master Aro.
She'd never had the 'pleasure' of meeting the three Volturi masters, their reputation enough to keep her far, far away from the door of their fortress in Italy, and hopefully off of their Vampire Police radar, but she knew enough about them to know that Cullens would be magnificently outgunned should it come to a fight.
She also wasn't about to go complaining about the Cullens to the Volturi herself, not quite desperate enough to risk their wrath upon her own person, but she was nothing if not industrious.
Victoria knew that if she wanted to get out of things unscathed herself, then she couldn't reveal herself to Isabella. She couldn't allow her face to be within Isabella's recent memories, could not allow the little human to connect the dots. Victoria didn't want her involvement in the situation publicly known, lest she put a target on her own back.
But she would know what she'd done, and she was certain that that would be enough to satisfy her, to sustain her for the rest of her days. She'd be a legend, single handedly figuring out how to destroy an entire coven, if she could pull it off.
She just had to work out a way to deliver the girl to their door, then to get the Mind-Reading Ancient One to touch the girl.
Victoria knew well just how much the Volturi valued their "sacred" law concerning exposure to humans, just like she knew beyond a doubt that the precious Cullens had not only broken that law but recklessly exploited it, flagrantly disregarding the Volturi's instructions to change the girl, and hopefully in depositing Isabella into the lap of the Volturi with her forbidden knowledge, humanity still intact with her deliciously-scented blood, Victoria would be able to kill two birds with one stone.
Get the Volturi to move against the Cullens, whilst also ending the life of the girl, and somehow keep herself entirely out of the Volturi's reach. Simple.
Puzzling it all out had given her quite the thrill, and she could practically feel James' praise and pleasure at her wonderfully clever duplicity.
There were people traffickers in New York. A lot of them. Lots and lots of money hungry, morally corrupt people traffickers, with no issues whatsoever in taking her dirty (stolen) money or facilitating her requests.
It would be easy enough work for them, especially given that Victoria had actually paid for them to use a private jet to move their cargo across the ocean. All they had to do was collect their quarry from the streets and take her to the private airfield in the next state, wherein Victoria would be waiting.
Victoria had stipulated that she must travel alone with Isabella, with only a skeleton crew on the plane itself, and absolutely no other passengers.
The traffickers had asked no questions. They did this for a living, and were past caring about the motives of their customers.
On the other side, they'd need to bypass immigration and passport control - something, they had assured her, would not be a problem - and then provide another van to transport Victoria and the girl to the girl's final destination. The girl would then be left somewhere conspicuous, conspicuous enough that the Volturi guard's couldn't fail to stumble upon her, and Victoria would be immediately driven to the coast, wherein she'd be dropped off herself, and once the van had changed it's plates, Victoria would disappear, free to live the rest of her life.
…
Victoria had given the traffickers almost no information about Isabella herself, just telling them where the girl would be and at what time, and then she'd sat back and waited for the moment to arrive.
She'd discovered almost everything that there was to know about the girl who'd effectively destroyed the love of her life, and there wasn't really a lot to learn because Isabella was exceptionally dull, even for a human.
She'd watched the human for a year and a half after catching up with her in Brooklyn, studied her scrupulously like an insect under a microscope, trying and wholly failing to figure out what exactly it was that had attracted two vampires to her. The young Cullen had been obsessed with Isabella at one point, she'd remembered, and then James had wanted her blood too.
But there was nothing. Isabella's existence was almost pitifully empty. She didn't even have a cat.
Isabella was a loner. She had no friends outside of work. She had a master's degree in English Literature from NYU. She did Pilates at the pay-per-session studio on the corner of her block, initially three times a week but this had become four. Her apartment was small, just a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, no balcony. She was neat, keeping her space clean and tidy.
Isabella's wardrobe had significantly improved from her younger days, with plenty of casual office chic pieces for work,and a nice range of more relaxed/out of work choices. Jeans - both vintage and not, pretty blouses, chunky knit cardigans, fitted soft-knit sweaters, leggings, athletic wear, a few "party" dresses, along with a small selection of coats and jackets. Her shoe collection didn't solely consist of sneakers and tennis shoes, these days, with boots and sandals and the odd pair of dressy heels. The girl's closet wasn't exactly stuffed full to bursting, but the options were plenty. Victoria remembered how she'd rootled through teenage Isabella's clothes, once upon a time, and hadn't been nearly as impressed, but adult Isabella had reasonable taste, and Victoria had been more than tempted to steal a few things. (She hadn't, not wanting to even risk alerting Isabella to anything being out of the ordinary).
Adult Isabella was a librarian at the New York Public Library, and worked in the rare books division. Isabella worked long hours, by choice, and seemed to genuiely enjoy her job. She got the subway to work and back, but had to walk a few blocks on either side of the journey. She liked red wine and the occasional bourbon. She spoke on the phone with her parents around once a week - her father in Washington on Thursday evenings, and her mother in Florida on alternate Sundays. She exchanged occasional emails with Jacob Black and Angela Weber, and rarer ones with Jessica Stanley. Isabella was a quarter Italian, spoke it almost fluently, and she couldn't keep a house plant alive. Her bills were up to date. Her savings account was acceptable given that she was just past her 24th birthday. She did not have a boyfriend, and she did not go on dates.
That was the extent of the girl's life.
And, not that it mattered, Victoria almost felt that she was doing Isabella a small mercy in relieving her of the monotony of it all.
It had taken her a while to save the money she needed to put her plan into action, but she'd eventually obtained the necessary amount by seducing a final few wealthy gentlemen and then robbing them blind. She'd paid her contacts, ensured that they'd be collecting Isabella the following Friday - a carefully selected day, to coincide with the regularity of Isabella's contact with her mother and father and her work schedule, ensuring she wouldn't be immediately - and then she sat back to wait for things to unfold.
Isabella would exit the subway station closest to her apartment at around midnight on the Friday evening. She'd be grabbed, immobilised and taken in absolute silence to the airfield. She'd be put into the airplane by Victoria herself, and once they were up in the air, Victoria would deposit her mortal charge into the private, passenger-only bathroom of the plane, get the girl to void her bladder, give her a sedative, and then she'd recline and relax.
Once they reached Florence in Italy, Bella would be transferred into the back of another van - an runway maintenance vehicle - and then she and Victoria would be taken to a second location, where they'd switch vans and drivers. Then they'd be driven to Volterra, and only when they'd arrived at Isabella's final deposition point, would Victoria take the greatest pleasure in beating the girl half to death, leaving her mortally wounded and bleeding. She'd untie her, pin a note to her chest, and leave her to be found in a very specifically chosen doorway.
She only hoped that the Volturi guards were competent enough to take it from there. Victoria needed to get Isabella in front of the Telepathic Master, needed him to see for himself that she was still human to give him the evidence he needed to descend upon the Cullens.
The plan was set, and all that was left to do now was wait for everything to unfold.
Chapter Text
…
Isabella Swan was perfectly satisfied with her lot in life.
Mostly. Usually.
Sometimes.
…
She had a job that she could admit that she loved, a master's degree in English Lit, and a quaint and cosy apartment in Brooklyn.
She did reformer Pilates three times a week, which had blessedly improved her body tone, balance, flexibility and overall self-awareness, and it had had the delightful side effect of absolving her of the majority of her childhood clumsiness. She had quite a stellar book collection. She had good relationships with her parents. She kept in email contact with a few of her friends from Washington - Angela, Jessica and Jacob.
But, that was pretty much the extent of it.
She didn't want to date, not because she didn't want to get married, but because she did not want to have children. Ever.
She'd spent most of her childhood practically raising her flighty and forgetful mother, with Bella making sure that the bills were paid and that the laundry was done, she'd written the grocery lists - which had evolved into her doing the grocery shopping by the time she was twelve - she'd even been making her own doctor and dentist appointments since she was ten. Bella had spent far too long playing the role of the parent, despite being the child. It had been such a culture shock when she'd moved to Forks to live with Charlie, and had been able to live like an actual teenager for a little while.
She hadn't even realised how neglected she'd been until Charlie was the one taking care of her, and it had forever sullied the way that she thought of her mother. (Who, of course, thought she'd been an amazing mom, 'a free spirit caught within the winds of life', yada yada yada- she'd heard Renee's spiel far too often.)
So she didn't date. Because, well, she had a lot of baggage.
She had a couple of friends from work, no-one that she was especially close with, but people she could socialise with if the mood struck, and that was more than enough for her.
She'd learned long ago that letting herself get too attached to people usually lead to her being left behind in one way or another (the only exception to that rule being her beloved dad), and so she held most people at arm's length, happy to receive and return in-kind whatever friendship was offered to her, but never going beyond that. She'd previously been the girl who'd been so desperate for affection that she'd lost herself in the pursuit of trying to belong in a place where she clearly did not, and the Cullens had abandoned her twice for her trouble. Even her mom had preferred Phil's company to hers. So after a while, she'd stopped trying to fit her square self into society's round holes. It was fine. She'd accepted it.
After she, Alice and Edward had returned to Forks from Volterra, it had quickly become apparent that, despite the false assurances made to the Volturi regarding her planned 'transition' into vampirism, there was actually a cat in hell's chance of Edward ever allowing that to happen.
The night that they'd landed, he'd come climbing nonchalantly through her bedroom window to "talk", explaining that there were ways to keep the Volturi in the dark, that he still had no intention of allowing her to become a vampire, that he couldn't allow her to ever make such a damning choice. He'd belittled her, acting like she was being ridiculous for seriously considering her change as an option. As if it wasn't the only option that left all of them alive at the end of the day.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Bella," he'd said, in his tortured, condescending voice.
"You don't know what you're asking for, Bella," he'd said.
"You're too young and immature to make this decision, and I won't let you do it, Bella," he'd said, like her choices and desires weren't valid for her to want unless he approved of them first.
(In hindsight, Bella could admit he'd been somewhat correct - turning into a vampire at eighteen to be with him forever was never going to be a good idea. Becoming a vampire in general, though? She'd wanted it, still did, at times. Bloodlust and all.)
They'd ventured over to the Cullen residence, then, on the verge of their first ever Real argument, bitterness flavouring the space between them in the car, and Edward had loudly proclaimed for all of the Cullens to hear that he'd leave the family for good if any of them ever gave Bella the bite. And that very real and very serious threat from Edward had been enough to effectively end Bella's association with the Cullens, because for the first time, Bella had been able to see just how controlling Edward was capable of being, and realised that this was not how she wanted to live out her life - human or no.
He was emotionally manipulative and thought nothing of using her teenage girl hormones against her in order to get his way, something - she'd later reflected - he'd done plenty of times without her noticing.
As hard as those months had been, after the Cullens had abandoned her for the first time after the fiasco of her eighteenth birthday, their time apart followed by their sudden, brief return and swift subsequent departure had granted Bella a startling clarity of mind when it concerned Edward's machinations. An epiphany, if you will. He would forever be a seventeen year old boy, never truly maturing into a man regardless of his immortality and actual age, and he was very much trapped within his own annoying, tortured-soul self fulfilling prophecy.
The second time the Cullens had left town, they'd said polite goodbyes, having been informed by Alice of just how badly their first disappearing-into-thin-air type vanishing act had affected her. Alice, for all of her claims of Bella being her sister, could barely look at her when the moment had come to say farewell.
"I'm sorry that it has to be this way, Bella," Alice had said quietly, giving her a gentle hug that did nothing whatsoever to reassure Bella that Alice meant what she was saying. Alice's tone had become cautious, then, and Bella had managed to keep the tears from her eyes when her 'sister' spoke again. "We can keep in touch, if you like? Email, at least?"
Bella had forced herself to shrug. She refused to be pitied, not when they'd opted for her death with this awful, ridiculous choice. "I don't know. Maybe in the future."
Alice's eyes had shone with venom tears, then, and she'd let out a shaky sigh. "I wish-"
"Don't, Alice," Bella had interrupted her, more harshly than she'd ever spoken to any of the Cullens before, barely containing her own anger and disappointment. "You've all made this choice, again, and wishing won't change it now." Because the damage was done, and that damage was now irreparable.
The Cullens refusing to change her was essentially Bella's - and their own - death sentence, should the Volturi ever find out what had happened.
They were choosing to pander to Edward's demands, again, and Bella was being left behind, again. It was repetitive, and cruel, and she'd found herself wishing that she hadn't bothered going to Italy to save their beloved Edward in the first place.
The whole thing had really changed her opinion of them in a way that them leaving the first time hadn't. She could believe that they'd left the first time because they had genuinely been convinced that it was absolutely the only way to keep her safe, but this time, they knew without a doubt that their leaving would mean her eventual demise. One way or another, she'd be dead, because either Victoria or the Volturi would get to her, she knew. She wasn't sure how the Cullens were planning to circumvent the Volturi, and she wasn't going to ask. Maybe they thought she'd be safe with the La Push pack. Maybe they were hoping for Victoria to succeed. Honestly, she wasn't so sure anymore.
If they were leaving her to a deranged redhead and condemning her to die over a law that they'd broken, knowing full well that they would eventually share her fate, then that was that and there was nothing more to say.
She'd left their house in her old truck, somehow feeling lighter, almost as if there wasn't a death sentence hanging over her like a storm cloud.
Perhaps it was just truly knowing, one way or another, how much (rather, how little) they valued her as a part of their coven. And that was how she saw them, now, as a coven, because she refused to consider them as anything close to a family if they were capable of dooming her when they'd called her their sister, their daughter, their friend. If she was supposed to be family, well god-damn did she feel sorry for their enemies.
They knew how much she had cared about them, how shattered and alone she'd been during the winter months, and still… they were leaving, again.
Their second absence from her life had somewhat reinvigorated Bella, who'd flourished, almost, as if she was determined to prove to herself that she could have an excellent life with or without their stupid sparkly butts, thankyouverymuch.
She'd graduated from Forks high school, got a scholarship for NYU, and never looked back. On her way to college, she'd made use of the plane tickets that had been a birthday gift from the Cullens to visit her mother in Jacksonville, flying from Seattle to Florida and spending three wonderful weeks with her mom and Phil, before getting the return flight to Seattle switched so that she could head up to New York to get settled into her dorm room.
Bella had absolutely revelled in her degree, loving the modules she'd chosen. It suited every aspect of her personality and scratched an itch inside of her brain.
She'd had a couple of casual relationships during her college tenure, but nothing too serious, the longest being four months with one guy in her sophomore year. She'd gained a little sexual experience, but she'd never connected deeply enough with anyone to make anything official.
Honestly, she felt bad for letting people get attached to her, knowing that every day could be her last.
And, after the whole Edward ordeal and her one short college "relationship", she'd genuinely started to wonder if she might be aromantic. She just wasn't interested in dating, or interested in love in general, really.
(Or, at least, not with anyone who was accessible to her in real life.)
Sometimes she'd wondered if Edward had ruined her ability to even believe in love, but then, she found that she could still thoroughly enjoy a dark romance book.
A morally grey, slightly older man in a suit just seemed to do it for her, allowing her to be swept away into a story, imagining one very specific face for every male main character.
His face was noble, European and delicious, with a jaw sharp enough to cut glass, intriguing eyes that flitted from ruby red to black, strong masculine shoulders, and long dark hair that was half pulled back in a clip.
Yes, somewhere along the line, Aro of the Volturi, the Very Evil Vampire Overlord, had morphed into her ultimate sexual fantasy.
She often remembered his intense gaze, the way he'd held her hand back in the throne room that day, like he could see everything that she had been, everything that she was and everything that she would come to be. His hold on her had been gentle, but knowing the true strength in those hands, the multiple ways those hands could touch her, the things those hands had done to others, the things those hands had done to her ... Well. It had been inspiring, to say the least.
Despite the fact that he'd admitted that he couldn't access the depths of her mind with his gift, she felt that he'd known her, almost like they'd connected as their eyes had locked. She remembered the way he'd swallowed roughly when commenting on Edward's lust for her blood, the working of his throat, the way he'd been the first person to ever make a positive comment about her becoming an immortal. She'd often mentally changed the way those events had occurred, imagining him pulling her from the throne room and claiming her as his own... among other things.
And the fact that she'd felt it, somewhere deep inside of herself, that Aro coveted her?
Powerful. Heady. Sexy.
(Not that eighteen year old Bella had seen it, but Very Mature Adult Bella was absolutely certain that he'd wanted her. She didn't know how he wanted her, exactly, but knowing that he wanted her at all was enough to fuel her fantasies).
But those were fantasies, things that remained safely within the confines of her mind and were only permitted to be examined when she'd had a glass of wine or two and could admit to herself that somehow all of her sexual desires were centred around the enigmatic vampire that she'd only met briefly, six whole years ago.
And, in spite of herself, she was still somewhat intrigued by the supernatural, occasionally musing over what her life could have been had she actually been bitten and turned at the age of eighteen, as she'd originally desired.
As it turned out, she was beyond relieved that it hadn't happened like that.
To be stuck looking like her awkward teenage self forever? Repeating high school over and over? Having little to no power over her own life for the sake of keeping Edward happy?
No, thank you.
Bella was able to say, with her whole entire chest, that she was both grateful and glad that Edward had given his family that awfully manipulative ultimatum.
She couldn't imagine how she would ever have managed to tolerate an eternity with him, sanctimonious, sexually-repressed little shit that he was.
Adult Bella just couldn't fathom how she had ever thought of the perpetually-pessimistic Edward Cullen as the picture of her eternal domestic happiness. Yes, Isabella Swan was a fledged-and-flown grown up, now, with the body, desires and appetites of a relatively mature woman, along with a fully developed prefrontal cortex.
She was a lover of culture, of art and literature and music. It wasn't that she was particularly worldly, far from it in fact, but she knew that she'd grown so much as a person in the last six years that she could painlessly admit to herself that Edward had done her an enormous favour.
She'd certainly spent enough time resenting him for how he'd imposed his Victorian morals upon her like she wasn't a woman of the twenty first century, how he'd chastised her when she'd expressed a desire in their relationship becoming physical. He'd made her feel like she was some kind of crazed sex fiend who only wanted him for his body, rather than the woman who wanted to deepen the love and connection that she shared with her boyfriend, on every possible level.
He'd made her feel wrong for wanting him like that, made her feel dirty and ashamed that she had slowly wanted to take their physical relationship further.
She'd understood and respected the fact that he wanted to wait until marriage to consummate their relationship, but his refusal to even talk about it with her… that's what had hurt, a lot more than she'd let on at the time.
It had taken her years to mentally undo the damage he'd done to her self confidence, and that was something that she'd never be able to forgive him for, the way he'd metaphorically stripped her bare in the forest that day, weaponising all of her insecurities in his cruel attempt to force her into letting him go.
He'd been so convinced that her flighty mortal feelings would disappear when he did, a notion which was both deeply insulting - in that he didn't believe that Bella's human heart was capable of caring for him to the same extent, that his love for Bella was superior in depth because he was immortal - and spoke volumes about his own self loathing. He couldn't understand why she'd loved him, so surely she wouldn't miss him when he'd gone, right? (Wrong.)
But it hadn't been enough for Edward to pulverise her self worth, no; he'd forced his entire family to ghost her, too.
And then she'd been dumb enough to forgive him. To run to Italy, introduce herself to Vampire Royalty and beg for Edward's life, knowing her own would be forfeit as a result.
And that still hadn't been enough, not for Edward.
But if she was really being honest with herself, Edward would never have been enough for her, either, not in the long term. He was repressed and tortured and cynical and it had been exhausting to be with him.
Yes, they'd had a few things in common, but a mutual appreciation of Debussy did not a lifelong relationship make.
She needed more, and she wouldn't be ashamed of it.
It was the thought of passion, seduction and eroticism, that thrilled her: she wanted to be worshipped, possessed, craved by a man who wasn't afraid to embrace the darkness inside of her, a man who wanted her, openly and unapologetically.
But Bella also needed brevity; she needed love and joy and mischief, and Edward just didn't have that in him.
She wanted both sides of the coin, a man who could be everything that she needed, and Edward? Edward would never have been big enough.
Because now that she was an adult, Isabella Swan had become comfortable with herself in a way that the strait-laced, virtuous Edward Cullen would certainly never have approved of, and though she only ever had full, penis-in-vagina penetrative sex with one person, one time - a disappointing encounter that had left her feeling adrift, somehow - Bella truly understood the needs of her own body well.
Just like she understood that she and Edward were unlikely to have ever been sexually compatible. They were just too different.
There were a lot of things in her life that she was relieved to leave behind, and Edward Cullen was one of the biggest. Forks itself was another, given the miserable climate.
Unfortunately, despite feeling relatively fulfilled by what her human life could offer her, Bella still had a deep certainty that somehow, she had been meant for more.
It was all terribly complex and annoying, once she started actually thinking about it. Which she often did.
Sure, she knew there was a chance that either the Volturi or Victoria might eventually catch up with her one day, but living with the knowledge that she was essentially on borrowed time seemed to give her a strange sort of enthusiasm and determination to live her life on her own terms.
She'd kept their secret, never revealing to a single soul what she knew about the very-real undead creatures that went 'bump in the night' (not to mention Jacob and the pack), and tried hard not to think about the supernatural, focusing instead on how her life was, rather than how it could have been.
It was like Beetlejuice - think about it too much and it just might come-a-callin'.
Plus, it wasn't healthy to dwell on the past, and Bella was determined to exist in the present.
Sadly, she couldn't always resist imagining a different future, perhaps with an enigmatic, Very Evil Vampire Overlord by her side, rather than the bronze-haired teenager she'd once been infatuated by.
But there'd never even been the slightest hint of a reckoning, and slowly, as the years had passed, and she'd humanly aged beyond Carlisle Cullen, Bella began to wonder if she would actually get the opportunity to live out her average human life expectancy.
Even more troubling was that she didn't know how to feel about it. It was like she was in a holding pattern, in a weird period of purgatory, half anticipatory and half ... resigned?
And then, something had changed.
There'd been a shift. Something intangible, something she couldn't exactly discern, but there had been something, nonetheless.
It hadn't been something that she could put her finger on, exactly, more of an unsettling awareness of an unfriendly pair of eyes levelled at her back, a strange uneasy feeling settling in her stomach that she could never quite identify.
And Bella did not like it.
If this was the beginning of her end, it sucked.
…
She'd first noticed it on a Tuesday morning, about six months after she'd completed her master's degree. She'd been walking the short distance to the subway station from her apartment, and the hairs on the back of her neck had stood up on end. Her skin crawled. A primative instinct inside of her mind had instantly alerted her that a predator was lurking in her midst, and she was the prey. Bella hadn't stopped to look around, but she had immediately crossed the street to place herself in a larger crowd of people. There was safety in numbers, regardless of whether a predator was human or immortal, and she wasn't about to make it easy for anyone to just bump her off. Not now that she'd gotten so comfortable in her ordinary routine, anyway.
Sure, her life might be a little on the beige side, but it was still her life.
The feeling of being observed had seemed to come and go over the next eighteen months, ebbing and flowing like an unpredictable tide.
Sometimes Bella felt hyper-aware of her fragile humanity, knowing just how vulnerable she was in the grand scheme of things. She wouldn't be able to fight off a grandmother, for crying out loud, let alone an immortal with a score to settle.
It had been that realisation that had make her take up weekly, women's only, self-defence classes at the Pilates studio, and though she knew that she could do very little damage to an undead creature with granite-like skin that sparkled in the sun, those 'Fight Like a Girl' classes had provided a bit of a comfort blanket.
However, it wasn't until her last day of normality that Isabella Swan truly realised just how much she'd been taking for granted.
…
"Merde, merde, merde," Bella swore, diving from her bed and slamming her hand down onto her phone in an effort turn off her alarm for work.
She stumbled across to her bathroom, attempting to take off her pyjamas as she did so, dragging her camisole over her head and wiggling her shorts down her legs as she turned on the shower. Bella shoved her hair into a knot on top of her head and kicked her nightclothes to one side, promising herself that she'd put them into the laundry hamper as soon as she got home from work.
There wasn't enough time to wait for the water to reach the right temperature, she'd already woken up behind schedule and was well on the way to being late.
She stepped under the spray and washed hastily, gritting her teeth at the cold and having one of the quickest showers of her entire life.
Today was her last day at work before she had a week's vacation booked, and she wanted to be sure that she'd done everything that needed done so that she didn't return to an inbox full of emails and a desk full of tasks. She wasn't going anywhere, wasn't leaving the city to travel or anything, but she was looking forward to an entire week of doing whatever she wanted. Which was absolutely nothing.
No obligations, no 6am alarm, no irritating academics trying to put their grubby greasy fingers all over her beloved Rare Books and Manuscripts.
She grabbed at the closest work-appropriate outfit within reach, consisting of grey tailored slacks, a black camisole and a semi-sheer black blouse, along with a set of underwear - a bra and thong that was also black with a smattering of lace around the edges - and a pair of charcoal grey suede court shoes with a small heel and a dainty Mary-Jane-esque strap and buckle.
Power dressing helped her feel more like a grown up and eased the imposter syndrome that she felt at work, where she was the youngest curator in her division. She quickly redid her hair, a simple chignon that rested just above her neck, and swiped on a little mascara, not having the time today to even think about putting on any other makeup.
She was behind enough this morning that she wouldn't be able to stop for a real coffee on the way, so she knocked on the coffee maker as she dashed around her apartment, shoving bits and pieces into her work bag and retrieving the packed lunch she'd made the night before.
.
Her work day that Friday was busy, and she spent her time holed up in her office, located within the Rare Books Divison of the library. Most of the morning was occupied by Bella making and then confirming appointments with researchers who wanted to see one manuscript or another, returning messages and replying to emails from students and scholars who needed specific quotes or dates confirming for their Very Very Important bibliographies.
She didn't even realise she'd missed lunch until her slightly senior colleague, Marsha, had poked her head into Bella's office, informing her that there was a fresh pot of coffee in the staff kitchen if Bella was interested in pumping the breaks for a couple of minutes.
"Oh wow, it's 1pm," Bella replied, chagrined that she'd been so caught up in her work. "Yeah… coffee sounds great. And I definitely need a break."
Marsha grinned understandingly. "Eager to get everything done before you leave tonight?"
Bella locked her computer screen and stood, stretching languidly. "You have no idea. I am so ready for some time off." She approached the door and Marsha hooked her arm through Bella's, and the two walked to the kitchen.
"Got any nice plans? Visiting family? Your parents live out of state, right?" Marsha asked, and Bella nodded.
"My mom is in Florida, dad's in Washington. My dad's working most of next week, and mom's snowed under taking care of my stepdad. He broke his collarbone a couple of weeks ago," Bella said, pulling an obscenely large coffee mug from the cupboard. "I'll be at home, with my phone on silent, binge watching trashy TV in my pyjamas, reading smutty novels and enjoying a little bit of peace while I still can, before the library is overrun with college kids cramming for finals and we have to spend hours putting back their reference books."
Marsha snorted. It was well known in their workplace that Bella was somewhat of an introvert. "Well, don't spend the whole time cooped up, girl. The weather's supposed to be great next week, and there's a new exhibition opening at the Met."
Bella considered this for a moment. "That sounds perfect, actually. I could use a bit of culture. I'll definitely look ar booking a ticket for the exhibition when I get back to my desk." She opened their small staff-only refrigerator and pulled out her lunch. "I'm starving. Thanks for reminding me to take a break, Em."
"You're more than welcome, girlie. Take your time, whatever you don't get done today we can all divvy up between us on Monday and work through it."
"I can't leave my work for you all to do," Bella protested, "It's back-to-back white glove viewings next week, you'll barely have time to use the restroom, let alone think about picking up my slack." Marsha smiled placatingly at Bella, who didn't let her interrupt. "Anyway, I won't be able to relax at home if I know there's stuff I haven't done here."
Marsha grinned. "You've chosen your vacation days well, I'll give you that. Nine full days off with seven paid. We'll miss you whilst you're out. But hey, call me in the week if you want to grab a drink next Saturday, yeah? We could go to that little wine bar on 9th."
"I'll think about it," Bella replied with a smile, already knowing she wouldn't call. Marsha was nice enough, and Bella did consider her a friend, but she wanted a full week away from all things work. Including her colleagues.
Marsha returned the smile and waved as she headed back to her own office.
…
By the time Bella had left the library that evening, it was already too late.
Chapter Text
…
As soon as she'd recognised the horribly familiar feeling of a vampire beneath her, Bella knew immediately that the hog-tying had been unnecessary. Sure, she knew how to put her weight behind a punch and could bend like a pretzel at will, thanks to the self defence classes and Pilates, respectively, but neither of these two skills would have made the slightest bit of difference against an adversary made of stone.
Her time in the van had somewhat allowed her mind to clear, and she'd been trying to dazedly figure out just who exactly would want to kidnap her. She was entirely ordinary. She didn't do drugs. She didn't owe anybody any money. She kept herself out of trouble, and her being a cop's daughter had instilled more personal-safety measures in her than in most other women her age. The point was, there was nothing that she'd done that could have warranted for her being bundled into the back of a van and driven off into the metaphorical sunset.
Because despite the fact that her "number had been up" since she was seventeen, thanks to the attentions of Edward Cullen, her mind had not considered that it was a vampire responsible for her kidnap. But when she had been slung carelessly across that cold shoulder, Bella had frozen in fear.
She was jostled about for a few moments as the vampire carrying her climbed a few steps, then they walked a few paces more until Bella was set down again onto a tiled floor, slightly more carefully than she'd been flung into the back of the van. Was that… a toilet, beside her?
Aw, an immortal kidnapper who had considered her human needs. How chillingly thoughtful.
The silent vampire moved around her, separating her hands and feet, releasing the hog tie. They lifted her again, sitting her onto the toilet.
"Use the facilities," a artificial-sounding female voice said, and Bella jumped.
"Are you seriously using Siri to talk to me?" She mumbled through the gag, "I can't decide if I'm impressed or not."
Bella struggled to pull down her pants and underwear, her hands still being tightly roped together as they were, but she managed it after a moment. She emptied her bladder, blushing the whole time, and then the air moved around her upper body. Bella startled again as the toilet flushed, and then scrabbled at the edges of her clothes, pulling her bottom things back up. It was likely going to be too big of an ask to be allowed to wash her hands, so she kept quiet, trying to be grateful that she'd been able to use the restroom at all.
The vampire pulled Bella back onto the floor, and then there was something sharp sticking into her upper arm through the fabric of her shirt, and a cool, stinging liquid entering her skin. Oblivion swiftly followed, and Bella felt weightless as she drifted off, almost like she was flying.
...
Bella's consciousness returned slowly, like a gentle pulling back of a curtain from a window. She was still blindfolded, her hands were still tied, her feet were now mercifully free, and the gag had been slackened a little. She sucked in deep lungfuls of air through the fabric, trying to regain some composure.
"Are we nearly there yet?" Bella huffed, her fear and nerves coming out as snark, her arms aching from the rope. "Did you drug me?!"
She couldn't help but feel appalled and violated at the thought of a substance being put into her body without her consent, and if her captor really was a vampire, it wasn't like she could do anything to get away, so surely drugging her was overkill?
"Stop talking," the Siri voice responded. "Don't make me hurt you. It isn't time for that yet."
Bella went quiet.
There was something extremely disturbing about Siri casually mentioning impending violence, in the same neutral tone of voice that would suggest nearby places to eat. It sent a chill down Bella's spine.
Was she in another van? How long had she been out?
The air surrounding her felt warmer, somehow, and she stretched her legs out, accidentally knocking her toe into a very hard leg-shaped object. There was a soft snarl from somwhere within the darkness.
"Keep still, Isabella," Siri said.
Bella let out a whimper of fear, tears filling her eyes again. Zero chance of this abduction being a mistaken identity fiasco, then. Whoever these people/vampires were, they were taking this anonymous kidnapping thing extremely seriously.
But why wouldn't they speak to her properly? Did she know them? And what was with the blindfold? She could possibly understand a gag and restraints, but why wasn't she being allowed to see?
The vehicle went over a hump in the road. Bella bit down onto her gag to stifle a noise of surprise, but felt slightly pleased that she could at least recognise that she was once again back in a vehicle. God knows where she'd been before, when Siri had told her to use the bathroom.
What on earth was going on? Where was she being taken? She wasn't exactly an expert on the topic of vampiric kidnapping, but wasn't this all a bit... much? Why had they taken her? Couldn't they have just dragged her behind a dumpster and drained her? A vampire could kill a human with their little finger if they wanted to, so to go through all of this effort...
It was all a touch theatrical, Bella thought, feeling hysteria beginning to creep through her. Blindfolding her, gagging her, hog-tying her, sedating her, using Siri to communicate... whoever they were, this whole anonymity thing was definitely on the excessive side.
The vehicle rumbled on along what felt like a straight path for a while, until suddenly it lurched to one side, taking a sharp corner. And then the journey felt like it consisted of only sharp corners, with Bella being tossed around the back of the van, her head taking the brunt of it.
Eventually, the van jolted to a stop.
"Questo è tutto," a male voice spoke from the darkness, probably the driver, Bella assumed, "Tiratela fuori, velocemente."
"He said we're here," Bella translated cautiously through the gag, "And that I have to get out."
"Then this is our goodbye, little Bella," Siri said, on behalf of the vampire.
Bella's whole body tensed in preparation for what she knew was coming.
Thoughts of her life as it had been flashed across her mind, her parents, her job. It felt needlessly cruel, Bella thought, that she'd finally resigned herself to her humanity, only to have this occur and steal it away.
And the beating began, so suddenly that the attack made her jump. Both of her legs were stepped on, the bones cracking audibly under viciously twisting feet of granite, and Bella screamed out in pain, the gag proving quite ineffective in muffling the sound of her agony.
The vampire locked their hands around the edges of her ribcage, and it was almost as if they were being careful to exert just the right amount of pressure, squeezing her ribs until several seemed to give at once. This sensation was immediately followed by sharp stabs into what Bella assumed were her lungs. Bella tasted blood in her mouth, feeling like her chest was being crushed.
She recieved a battering of kicks to her middle back, and a hard punch to the centre of her chest. Bella heard her sternum break before she felt the pain, and she was now too breathless to scream.
"So this is how I'm going to die," she thought dimly, somehow calm now, set adrift in her own mind.
She heard a sliding door open and felt a breeze on her face. The gag was removed - apparently it didn't matter who heard her now. An icy hand squeezed her throat, almost crushing her windpipe, and the rope binding her wrists was torn away. Distantly Bella felt a cold finger trail over the silver scar on her lower arm, the touch gentle, more of a peculiar caress than anything else.
Her blindfold was lifted just as she was being shoved viciously out of the door, her head hitting the floor as the van screeched away, leaving Bella crumpled in a heap on a cobblestoned street, blinking as she tried to clear and focus her vision. Her lower body felt ... weird. Like there was a disconnect between what she was seeing in front of her and what she could feel. Her legs were twisted, bent in the the wrong directions, and she knew that it should be hurting like a sonofabitch, but from the waist down, she felt numb. She tried to make her feet move, staring at them as if willpower enough could make a difference, but there was no response, as if the message wasn't getting through.
Bella managed to cough out a pitiful, "Help," and tried to use her arms to drag herself forwards, but the pain in her chest was too much. She couldn't breathe. She could feel her mouth filling with blood, her lungs straining and failing to fill with precious oxygen, and her head was swimming from the onslaught. She lifted her head, craning her neck in an effort to see what was around her.
It was very dark, and she'd been discarded outside of an ominously recognisable doorway, all elegant stone and carved wood. The crest on the door... She knew that crest.
No... Surely not. She couldn't possibly be... Could she?
She tried again, her plea slightly louder, this time, "Help! H-help me, someb-body, p-please!"
She took a few moments to gather herself and then managed to roll onto her back, only to find herself peering up into two pairs of surprised - and familiar -crimson eyes.
"Well," drawled one, "This is odd." He was tall, practically a beefcake, and Bella tried desperately to put a name his face.
"Yes," agreed the other man. "I recognise her."
The first man scoffed. "No, you don't."
"I do," protested the other, "Can't place her, though."
"Felix?" Bella breathed, unsure if she should be frightened.
Felix grinned to his companion. "Told you I recognised her. She knows my name."
Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes. Everything hurt, and the pain in her chest was unbearable. "Felix, please... I need to-"
"Why do you know his name and not mine?" Not-Felix asked her peevishly. He stared down at her face, frowning. "Have we met before? You seem... familiar."
"B-Bella Swan," the woman in question managed, "I c-came for Ed-Edward Cull-"
Not-Felix snapped his fingers, pointing at her in triumph. "I remember you now. You're the girl that Master Aro couldn't read. And here you are again, a few years older. And still human. The Masters will certainly be curious to know why." He took in her battered form, hissing in a breath between his teeth. "You've certainly looked better, ragazza, I won't lie."
Actual Felix scoffed. "She's half dead at our feet, Demetri. Of course she's looked better."
"Good point," Demetri conceeded, "What happened to you, then?"
"A-am I r-really in Italy?" Bella asked, feeling both a sinking feeling of dread and the tiniest speck of hope. Perhaps she wouldn't be dying today after all. Not permanently, anyway.
Demetri nodded, eying her curiously. "Where else would you be? Where do you normally live?"
"New Y-York," Bella coughed weakly, blood leaking from her lips. "I was... k-kidnapped. Can you t-take..." she grimaced in pain, "Take me to M-Master Aro?"
Demetri and Felix exchanged a glance. "Now, why on earth would we do a thing like that?" Felix asked, a dark and hungry grin crawling across his face, "You're practically dead as it is. And you do smell so good, ragazza. It'd be so quick."
Bella grimaced again. "A v-vampire brought... me here. B-beat me. D-dumped me. Aro will w-want to see m-me," she insisted breathlessly, "P-please don't l-let me d-die out h-here."
"She's right, Felix," Demetri sighed then, and crouched down to scoop her up as gently as he could. "The Masters will want to know." Bella hissed in pain as her injuries were jostled. Demetri ignored this, but asked her, "How did you remember his name but not mine? I'm really quite offended, you know. I happen to be very memorable."
Behind them, Felix chortled, "You clearly didn't make enough of an impression on the girl, amico," he said to Demetri, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "We can't all be as handsome as me."
"Vaffanculo, Felix," Demetri replied conversationally, shaking his head.
At this, Bella did roll her eyes. "Can w-we go any... any f-faster?" Her eyes were watering, her head was pounding, and it was getting harder and harder to speak. She swallowed a mouthful of her own blood, closing her eyes as Demetri began to run.
.
He lay her down on the floor of the throne room, glancing cautiously at Master Caius and his wife, Athenodora, who were conversing quietly with Marcus by the thrones. The three looked over at Demetri and Felix curiously, gazing at the pitifully coughing human on the floor.
"What is this?" Caius demanded, "Who is that? Is that a human? Why did you bring her here?"
Demetri bowed his head deferentially. "Forgive us for interrupting, Padroni, Padrona," he said, nodding at the three royals, "Felix and I found this woman by the administrative entrance. She claims that she has been attacked."
Caius scoffed in disgust. "Then perhaps a hospital would have served her better."
"It is the Swan ragazza," Marcus noticed, stepping across to examine Isabella's prone form on the floor, "She came here to plead for the Cullen boy, six- nay, seven years ago, was it, Miss Swan?"
Bella smiled weakly. "T-that's me," she confirmed, lifting two fingers in a wave of greeting, "I... I was k-kidnapped. F-from N-New York."
Marcus considered this. "By whom?"
"I d-don't know," Bella replied, "A vampire w-was def-definitely inv-involved, though." She coughed again, and Marcus grimaced.
Deftly sidestepping her annoyed husband, Athenodora moved to kneel on one side of the injured human, waving a dismissive hand towards Cauis as he began to protest. Taking one of Bella's hands, Athenodora gave her a small smile. She indicated towards Bella's shirt, "May I, Miss Swan?"
Bella grimaced. "Okay."
Athenodora gently tore away the bottom of Bella's blouse and the camisole beneath, leaving only her bra covered by the fabric. She moved to Bella's trousers, her gaze flicking back up to Bella's - Bella nodded again - and then Athena was tearing open her pants, again leaving a short skirting of fabric to cover Bella's underwear. "Tu ragazza coraggiosa. You poor thing," Athena said softly, "It is a wonder that you're still alive."
Bella's body was truly a mess. She was covered in angry bruises, including multiple finger marks that aligned along her ribs, and the vampires present could hear how both of her lungs were badly punctured. Her broken legs lay limply, twisted and depressed in an unnatural position. Athena flinched before she could stop herself.
"It's o-okay," Bella whispered knowingly, feeling the need to comfort the other wonan, "I... I know it-it's b-bad. I can't f-feel m-my legs."
"Your injuries are indeed grave," Marcus stated solemnly, seemingly studying the air around Bella for a moment. He raised his voice slightly, "Aro should be here."
Caius scoffed again. "What interest would Aro have in the human?"
"Aro is in his study," Athenodora offered, ignoring her husband, "Perhaps Demetri could alert him to our need for his presence?"
"Aro will not care about the mortal," Caius insisted, "Surely we can leave him be."
Marcus pretended that Caius hadn't spoken. "Someone retrieve our brother before I bite the girl myself," he all but barked, his voice harsher than anyone had heard in centuries.
Caius stared across at Marcus, mystified and bewildered. "You plan to turn her?"
Bella offered Marcus a watery smile. "I... I app-appreciate th-that, M-Marcus." She looked to Athenodora, then, and squeezed her hand. "You're... You're v-very b-beautiful," she breathed. "C-Caius is a l-lucky m-man."
"That he is," Athena agreed coquettishly with a pleased smile, winking back at her. "I like you, Isabella. You are intriguing. I think I shall keep you." She glanced up at her husband. "I should like to change the girl, Caius. She is charming and brave."
Behind them, a defeated Cauis swiped a hand over his face despairingly, before throwing up his hands and shaking his head. "As you wish, amore mia."
"Indeed," Athena replied, winking again at Bella.
"And what do we have here?"
...
Aro had been occupied in his study when he'd felt the ache in his chest intensify. It was a curious thing, a dull throbbing that had troubled him for over six years, a manageable yet irritating feeling that soured his mood and aggravated his bloodlust. But it hadn't ever been this sharp. To feel it like this, now... it verged upon pain, springing to life in a way that almost mimicked the thirst, like kindling had been heaped upon glowing coals and had ignited into a sudden, raging inferno.
He stood slowly, rubbing the backs of his knuckles against his sternum as his mind absorbed the peculiar sensation.
It unsettled him, made things feel... unpredictable.
He felt himself moving forwards, walking quickly from his suite, unable to resist instinctively following where the ache wanted him to go. Errantly, he noticed that he was travelling in the direction of the throne room, and as he moved within hearing distance, he recognised the sounds of animated voices, along with a faint human heart beat. He drew closer, faltering slightly on the threshold, suddenly unsure. Aro took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself, but this proved to be futile as a mouth-wateringly familiar scent washed over him. It took him a second to place the scent from the library of his mind, and then he was advancing again, eager to see if it truly was the woman he thought (hoped) that it was.
"And what do we have here?" He asked, his voice ringing out evenly, eyes widening as he stared in horror at the scene before him.
Laid out beneath the thrones, surrounded by his brothers, Athena and several members of the guard, a very human and very broken-bodied Isabella Swan was tense with pain. Protectiveness screamed through him, the tug in his chest all but dragging him to her side. Her eyes found his, and something within him snapped into place. He knew, now, what that tug had been.
Aro felt Marcus' eyes land on his face, but did not acknowledge his brother, nor did he need to touch him to know the life-altering significance of what he was feeling.
Bella felt her lips stretch into a smile at the sound of his soft enigmatic voice. "Aro," she breathed, her fingers twitching. "Long t-time no s-see."
He was by her side, then, grasping at her free hand and smoothing her hair away from her face. "Miss Swan, cara mia, we meet again," Aro murmured, sympathy lacing his tone as his gaze swept over her battered body. "I will admit, I did not imagine that our reunion would have you still in this mortal form."
She grimaced. "It hurts."
"Who did this to you, Isabella?" Aro asked her gently, then, as if considering a horrifying conclusion, "The Cullens-"
Bella coughed again, interupting him, and more blood appeared in her mouth. "Not them," she said, trying to keep her voice soft so as not to aggravate her throat and chest, "Not for y-years." Aro nodded, accepting this. He raised her mouth to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, some part of him marvelling even now that her thoughts were silent.
"Perdonami, Padrone," Demetri interjected, offering Aro his hand.
Aro eyed his guard's outstretched palm, then looked back to Bella. Realising that he was unwilling to relinquish his grip on her, Aro minutely shook his head. "Speak, Demetri."
There was a faint rumble of surprise from the other vampires within the throne room. Aro never refused the offer of a glimpse into another's head, usually not even waiting for people to offer at all. Marcus and Athena exchanged a knowing glance. Demetri swiftly recounted how he and Felix had stumbled upon Bella just as they'd been leaving to hunt, ommitting how Felix had semi-threatened to kill the human: Bella glanced at him at this, amused despite the pain, knowing exactly why Demetri had chosen to leave that part out of the story.
When Demetri retold of Bella's insistence on seeing Aro, Aro himself had unknowingly purred, immensely satisfied by her asking specifically to see him.
So wilful already, Aro mused
"And you're certain that you don't know who left you at our doorstep, tesorina?" Aro pulled a face as Bella shook her head in the negative. "Well, you're here now," he ventured cautiously, "So it isn't all bad, no?"
Bella managed to let out a soft guffaw. "I'm g-going to... d-die." Pain lanced through her, more intense than before, and she was suddenly very aware of her impending doom. "I'm dying."
"Nonsense," Aro cooed, "You shall live for an eternity, cara mia." His gaze met hers, and the grip she had on his hands tightened as a moment passed between them, their gazes locking.
"Athena will bite the girl," Caius said brusquely, clearly expecting to be obeyed. "Stand aside, Brother, and let this be concluded."
Aro didn't move.
Caius frowned deeply. "Aro-"
"Lei è Mia, brother," Aro replied in a firm but whispery voice, tone brooking no argument, his eyes still not moving from Bella's. He smiled softly down at her, "Isabella è Mia."
The blonde Master bristled. "You cannot mean-"
"Si," Isabella managed, before her upper body contorted in pain. "Io sono tua. A-Aro, please. Mordermi." Her eyes fluttered closed and she seemed to slump against the marble floor, the adrenaline that had been keeping her going now beginning to wear off.
Her heartbeat began to slow. "Quickly, Aro," Marcus urged from behind bim.
Aro dived forwards with the honed precision of an ancient predator, tilting her head to the side and sinking his teeth into her neck without hesitation. He probably could have been gentler, but at that moment, he was too desperate to save her, to keep her. He felt the venom gather in his mouth, forcing as much as possible into her system.
Her blood ... the scent had simply not done it justice. It was ambrosia, the nectar of the Gods, the sweetest of desserts, a delicacy that had been created solely to satisfy his taste. At the thought of her being made for him - blood, body and soul - he groaned into her flesh, pulling her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her torso to cradle her carefully against his chest. Nothing else would ever compare, he thought, drawing a final mouthful of her intoxicating blood, before withdrawing his teeth from her neck and swiping his tongue over the bite to seal in the venom. He rested his forehead against Bella's, taking long unnecessary breaths to settle his inner beast.
The throne room was still. Nobody dared to move. Aro held Isabella close, half afraid that she would be taken from him if he relaxed.
He felt... frantic. Unsafe.
His eyes did not leave her, commiting every single feature of her face to his memory, taking in the elegance of her nose, the fullness of her lips, the gentle curve of her brow. He adjusted her in his arms and then stood, cradling her against his chest and breathing in her scent, trying desperately to calm the possessive urges that roared through his system.
His mind was racing. He needed to take Isabella somewhere comfortable and safe. He needed to find out what had happened to her. He needed to know-
"Brother, you must calm yourself," Marcus rasped, placing a cautious hand on Aro's shoulder. "Settle the girl in your chambers. Caius, Athena and I will recovene with you there, when you are comfortable."
Aro nodded slowly, still focussed on the woman in his arms. "As you say," he replied softly. And then left, leaving several very surprised vampires staring after him.
--
Italian Translations
Ragazza - girl
amico - friend (masc)
Vaffanculo - fuck you
Padroni, Padrona - Masters, Mistress
amore mia - my love (fem)
tu ragazza coraggiosa - you brave girl
cara mia - my dear (fem)
Perdonami, Padrone - Excuse me, Master
Lei e Mia - she is mine
Si - yes
Io sono tua - I am yours
Mordermi - bite me
Chapter Text
Aro walked eagerly back to his chambers with Isabella in his arms, cautious not to move too sharply lest he jostle her and cause her further discomfort. The mere thought of her, safe, in his rooms, in his bed, with his venom currently burning through her veins, her human cells being made anew using the very essence of his being... it was exhilarating, to say the least.
She was just so still, so calm, with only the slight rising and falling of her chest and the weak beating of her heart giving any indication that she was even alive at all. It was almost like she was dead already, Aro thought briefly with no small amount of horror, the notion making him falter in his steps for a moment as he observed the human woman. Heidi had accompanied him, opening and closing doors as they moved through Aro's suite, and then she hovered on the threhold of his bedchamber, not wanting to offend the Master.
"Heidi," Aro said, nodding at the bed covers as the vampire flitted to his side, "The bedclothes, if you would." He likely could have managed it on his own, but he found that holding Isabella was more important, and was loathe to part with her for even a moment.
Heidi drew back the coverlet of the bed, bowing her head in deference as Aro settled Bella on the silk sheets. "Padrone," she murmured, hesitating slightly.
He sensed that she had something to say. "What is it?"
"Forgive me, Padrone, I just thought that Isab- the Padrona," Heidi caught herself, seeing the immediate downturn twitch of Aro's lips as she began to say the human's given name, "That is... Perhaps the Padrona would be more comfortable without her clothing, during this part of her change."
"You are correct, of course," Aro replied softly, wondering how he'd forgotten this, "Would you be so kind?" He gestured somewhat helplessly to Bella, "I would rather not risk taking any... improper liberties, given Isabella's current state of vulnerability."
Heidi could not help but smile. "Si, Padrone, of course."
Aro stood and took three measured and deliberate steps away from the bed, glancing back at Bella's motionless form before turning his back to face the door, allowing Heidi a moment of privacy to make quick work of the tattered remains of Bella's clothing. He almost wanted to look, but found that he wanted it to be Isabella's choice as to when she revealed her body to him, a day he very much was looking forward to-
He stopped that thought in it's tracks. Now was not the time to think of such things. Aro heard Heidi's quiet hiss and stiffened. "Heidi?" He pressed, his tone urgent.
"Perdonami, Padrone," Heidi said quickly, "These injuries..."
Aro groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I am aware," was his pained reply.
"Padrone," Heidi entreated then, hesitating slightly, "Her spine..."
Aro did look, then, his eyes darkening to an enraged black, a fierce growl rumbling through his chest at the sight of Isabella's bruised and very-clearly broken back. Heidi had turned Isabella onto her front to remove the rest of her clothes, and had covered her from hip to toe with a sheet to preserve her modesty. He was beside the bed again in an instant, smoothing the most tentative of fingertips along Bella's misaligned vertebrae.
"Mio caro," he breathed, agonised by her state, "Mio povero tesoro. Mi dispiace tanto. How deeply you must have suffered, perdonami, amore mia, perdonami."
He was devastated, heartbroken, even, to see the evidence of her brutal ordeal. Aro glanced tiredly back at Heidi, who was trying exceptionally hard not to react to his outpouring of emotion, and Aro bristled internally, having lost himself. A cool mask of indifference settled on his face.
"Cover her," Aro said softly, briefly closing his eyes, and Heidi rolled Isabella onto her back again, drawing the sheet up until only the human's neck and face was visible.
"Padrone," Heidi said, alerting him that he could open his eyes.
Aro stepped forwards suddenly, into Heidi's personal space. He smiled down at her wolfishly - a smile that terrified her. "My dearest Heidi. I am most grateful for your support in this matter. Isabella is quite vulnerable at present, and I am feeling rather... protective, of her, you see. It can be so difficult at times to know who to trust." His gaze was challenging, her apprehension pinning her where she stood. He hadn't explicitly said it, but Heidi understood all too well; you will not repeat what you have seen and heard. And he'd know if she betrayed his confidence.
"Of course, Padrone," Heidi managed, intimidated by his swift personality shift, "I am honoured to assist you, and the new Padrona, in any way that I am able," she stuttered, faltering under his blackened gaze. "I am most honoured to serve. I would never betray you, Padrone, I am loyal to the Volturi-"
"Excellent!" Aro exclaimed in delight, clapping his hands together, and Heidi startled. Aro went on, "But of course you are loyal, cara mia! I never doubted you for a single moment."
Heidi smiled hestiantly. "Grazie, Padrone."
Aro's gaze cooled, his mood seemingly shifting again, and he nodded once towards the door. "That will be all, Heidi. Grazie."
"Padrone," Heidi bowed her head again, and retreated from the room, keeping her eyes to the floor as she moved out of sight and made a hasty escape from her mercurial Master's lair.
Aro pulled an armchair to the bedside, sitting and gazing upon the immobile woman in his bed. He stroked a gentle finger across Isabella's cheek, sighing as he took in the sight. It all made sense now, he thought, the aching that had settled in his chest for the last six years. He just couldn't quite understand how he hadn't put the pieces together before today.
Of course, he'd felt a connection with Isabella when she'd been brought into Volterra on that day that seemed so long ago, but he hadn't known, hadn't truly understood.
When he'd met her gaze, taken her hand and she'd gasped, he'd thought it was from the cool temperature of his skin. He'd thought that the spark he'd felt from her touch was as a result of his own excitement in him not being able to read her. She'd been an unanticipated novelty in the midst of the predictable doldrums of his life.
So when he'd felt like he had wanted her, it had only felt natural, given how, just seconds before, he'd experienced the intensity of young Edward's thirst for Isabella's blood.
When he'd found himself desiring her, he'd thought it an ordinary reaction to her basic biology - she was beautiful, barely a woman flowered, untouched and innocent but so delightfully ripe for the plucking.
When he'd felt the need to possess her, he'd assumed that it was his ruthless sense of ambition rearing it's annoyingly alert head, thinking that it was her gift he'd desired to seize, because he was certain that she would prove to one day be a powerful immortal.
Even when he'd felt envy, as she'd so selflessly begged for Aro and his brothers to have mercy on the law breaking, golden-eyed twit... He'd never for a second realised that he wanted her devotion for himself.
He hadn't for a moment even considered that it was her, truly her, that he'd needed. Had he had any real idea as to what she was to him, how could he have ever have let her walk away, that March afternoon? He would have at least tried to keep her, he was sure of it.
His musings halted, then, as he considered the memory of their penultimate encounter. He pictured her eighteen year old face in his mind, the way she'd walked, the way she'd held herself, they way she'd wrapped her arms around her torso as if to physically hold herself together, even the way she had been dressed, as if she was uncomfortable in her body. Not to mention her disturbingly blind reverence towards the sanctimonious young Edward.
And then he compared those images to what he'd seen of her in the throne room. Her clothes, though tattered, had been... professional, he settled on. Despite her injuries, she had had a lightness to her still, an attractive, self-assured confidence that had shone through, a glow in her eyes that spoke of a vivacious streak. She hadn't so much as blinked in surprise when he'd claimed her as his before his brothers and half of the guard, the acceptance clear in the way she'd grasped his hand and had so fearlessly proclaimed herself to be his in return.
"Si, Io sono tua," she had said, "Yes, I am yours." So bold, so unwaveringly certain in him.
Even her face, which was completely unmarked - he suspected that this was deliberate, likely her kidnapper had needed to ensure that Isabella was identified with haste - had changed, now possessing a subtle and alluring maturity that her eighteen year old self had (of course) lacked. The Isabella before him was quite unlike the teenager who had dropped everything to save Edward Cullen six and a half years ago. She must be twenty four now, perhaps approaching twenty five? Still relatively young, in human years, but a woman in full, he thought, and not the young, self-conscious girl he'd previously seen her as.
So would he have released her? If he had known of their connection? Witnessing her now as she was, he truly didn't know. Because, despite his regret at having missed out on six and a half precious years with her, this Isabella certainly pleased him more than her eighteen year old counterpart. And she simply could not have remained human in Volterra for six and a half years, he knew this without doubt. It would have been exceptionally reckless... and absolute torture, for the both of them, to be so physically close and yet so unequal in form and strength that they couldn't truly be together? No, perhaps it was for the best that he hadn't known.
But to see her now, her mortal body so damaged and broken, was this really a better alternative? His mind was spinning with the possibilities, examining every single alternate avenue that could have potentially brought her here to him again, exactly at the age she was now, had he been able to recognise the tie between them.
Isabella gasped on the bed, the first noise she'd made since she'd lost consciousness in the throne room - he glanced at the clock over the fireplace, was it really six hours ago? - and Aro was hovering over her. Her eyes drifted open and her hands clenched into fists beneath the sheet.
"It is alright, mia tesorina," he murmured soothingly, "Everything is alright."
Her panicked gaze met his and instantly softened, as if she recognised him, along with the promise of safety that his presence offered. He cupped her cheek gently, feeling the slightest of changes to her flesh, and she leaned her head into the touch. Her eyes flickered over to the door and then back to him, almost questioningly so, and her anxiety was almost palpable. "No, cuore mia," he answered her unspoken question, searching out her hand and pulling it out from under the bedclothes. He raised it to his lips, pressing a reverent kiss to her palm. "I will not leave you until you are ready."
She seemed to relax again at this, and closed her eyes. Aro dared to lift the sheet, ever so slightly exposing the willowy length of one of her legs. It was blessedly straight, at least, and the bruises were fading. He covered her again, relieved beyond measure that her transition was progressing despite her unnatural stillness and silence. It was abnormal, to say the least, for any person going through the change to be so ... reserved?
Millennia had passed since his own transition and he well remembered the burn, just as he recalled screaming from the pain. But Isabella... she was an enigma. (He felt a significant amount of smugness and pride at this, that she was so exceptional; she would have had to be, to have been marked by the Fates as his perfect complement.)
He retook his seat, bringing her palm to his own cheek and sighing at the peace that the gesture brought. To feel simple skin to skin touch, like this, and not be assaulted with an overwhelming rush of someone's lifelong memories? It was the purest of joys, a genuine treasure, and something he would never take for granted. It made so much sense, he lamented, still somewhat vexed with himself that he'd not realised sooner.
Yes, he'd likely been distracted by the Cullen boy's overwhelming thirst - the mere thought of which sent a protective growl rumbling through his chest, and he noticed Isabella's mouth twitch upwards at the corners... interesting - not to mention's Edward's absolute certainty that Isabella was his mate, another notion that made Aro scowl for multiple reasons. Firstly because the Fates were not so cruel as to make a person be both a vampire's singer and their mate, and to confuse the two was moronic, in Aro's opinion. Secondly, the fact that young Edward had dared to bandy about the term "mate" so blithely, only to then knowingly abandon the presumed "mate"... that was offensive in and of itself, given that it was impossibly cruel to both parties to deliberately distance oneself from their Fated.
But more than anything, it was the thought that another vampire had dared to even try and lay claim to Isabella.
(From a third party perspective, Aro could perhaps begrudgingly admit that he understood some of the Cullen boy's logic, given that Isabella was also immune to Edward's own telepathy, but Aro was decidely not a third party, and so all he could feel at the thought of Edward's "claim" was anger and indignation.)
Alas, none of these musings aided Aro in understanding just how, exactly, he himself had failed to notice that his soul mate had been right in front of him. It was infuriating.
There was a knock at the exterior door of Aro's suite of rooms, and Aro narrowed his eyes, pulling the coverlet up over Isabella so that her body was shielded by both the sheet and the slightly heavier fabric.
"You may enter," Aro greeted quietly, not moving from his position beside Isabella.
There was a second, more tentative knock at the door to his bedchamber, and then Athenodora stepped in first, offering Aro a blinding smile. Aro grinned back, a fully-fledged smile of unfiltered joy. "Dear Athena."
Caius followed, unable to hide his own surprise at Aro's expression.
"I am happy for you, brother," Athena said, clasping her hands together like an excited child, "You have waited for such a long time." She moved across the room, then, slowly so as not to alarm Aro, and approached Isabella. She pressed the back of her hand gently against the transitioning woman's forehead. "She is coming along wonderfully. I knew that she would, if you recall." This was said somewhat pointedly over her shoulder, directed at Caius, who rolled his eyes.
"Yes, amore," her blonde mate replied dutifully. Aro bit the inside of his cheek to repress a chuckle, but Caius noticed and pointed a knowing finger towards Aro. "Oh yes, you're laughing now. Just you wait, fratello..."
There was a third knock, and Marcus entered, carrying four large blood-filled goblets on a silver tray. He set the tray down on the table by the door, passing a goblet first to Athena, then to Aro, Caius and taking the final for himself. Caius looked bemused at this, but before he could say anything, Athena elbowed him in the ribs.
"If you would forgive an old man a moment of sentiment," Marcus began, clearing his throat a little. "I would like to propose a toast, to the newest member of our family."
Athena sniffed emotionally, an oddly human noise from the statuesque blonde immortal, and Caius wound a supportive arm around her waist, drawing her flush against his side. "If only Didyme could celebrate with us," she said sadly.
"I believe that our beloved Didyme would have greatly approved of your Fated, brother," Marcus went on, "And though I feel her absence keenly, every day of my life, I know that she would have been thrilled to welcome Isabella as her sister." He gazed across at Aro, then, "It is long past the time for you to forgive yourself, brother, and I can only hope that Isabella brings you as much peace and happiness as dear Didyme brought to me."
Aro let go of Bella's hand, and moved to clap Marcus on the shoulder. "Thank you, brother." He thought, then, of his beloved younger sister, still as youthful and beautiful as ever in her beautiful open-topped casket, safely esconed in the privacy of Marcus' suite.
Didyme had been in an enchanted sleep for such a long time, having been on the receiving end of a powerful paralytic gift in the late 1400's. The vast majority of the vampiric world were under the impression that Aro himself had murdered her a long time ago, and the Volturi rulers had chosen to allow the rumour spread, knowing it would both keep Didyme's form safe and inspire terror of Aro. (If he would kill his own sister to hold onto power, what wouldn't he do?) As it were, Aro had not killed Didyme, but he was - in a manner of speaking - somewhat responsible for her fate. It had been his once-upon-a-time paramour of sixty years, Sulpicia, that had attacked Didyme, having infiltrated the Volturi from the Romanian coven. Aro had tortured and slaughtered Sulpicia for her artifice, but the issue remained that Didyme slumbered on in her stasis. Aro had never been able to forgive himself for allowing Sulpicia to decieve them all to such a degree.
They had all thought initially that Sulpicia had been a mental shield, albeit a weak shield in that she could not project it, but a shield nonetheless, with Aro being unable to read her thoughts when he touched her, but her ability had actually been to induce the paralysis of other gifts, and she'd somehow been able to use this to circumvent Aro's attempts to read her.
It had only been after Didyme had been placed into her enchanted sleep that a gifted vampire named Eleazar had joined the Volturi, and with Eleazar's ability of recognising the gifts of other vampires, Sulpicia's duplicitousness had been revealed when Eleazar had identified Sulpicia's true ability.
With a little careful planning, Sulpicia had been caught unawares and Aro had been able to successfully read her thoughts for the first time, thus exposing her for the fraud that she was.
Of course, the gossip surrounding Aro's supposed slaying of his sister had been in circulation for a while at that point. And when Aro had gone on to kill Sulpicia - the lover he'd had for almost seven decades, at that point - it had only cemented his reputation as a merciless, ruthless psychopath.
"She would have wanted you to be happy," Marcus replied knowingly, "We all want that for you. Even Caius."
Caius huffed. Athena snorted. "They have you quite figured out, cuore mio," she said teasingly, briefly nuzzling her nose against his. Then, raising her goblet. "To our dearest Isabella; may you provide each other an eternity of love, amusement and pleasure."
"And challenges," Caius added, seriously. "If anyone needs a mate who can keep them on their toes, it is you, Aro."
The four of them toasted their goblets together. Aro took a deep, appreciative drink, and then he let out an uncharacteristically self-deprecating laugh, sweeping a hand across his face. "The guard must think I have gone rather mad."
Marcus laughed, then; a deep, true laugh, the likes of which they hadn't heard for several decades. "You went mad long ago, Aro," he said fondly. "Your tenuous grip on your sanity is a part of your charm."
Aro raised his eyebrows in mock offense as he finished his drink. "I must confess..." he began, his voice more hesitant than usual, "I do feel quite... Out of my depth." He placed his goblet back down on the tray and retook his place in the chair by Bella's side. He gazed down at her, brushing a stray hair from her face. "She is so very... still," he said, "I am... concerned, I think, that something may be wrong."
Caius stepped forwards, and Aro's gaze snapped over to him. Logically, Aro knew that Caius was unlikely to be a threat to Isabella. But logic didn't much come into it when a powerful, battle-proven vampire was peering into the face of one's vulnerable Fated.
And so Aro quickly held up a staying hand. "I am sorry, brother," he offered, sounding genuinely uneasy. "But I am feeling quite unsettled by all of these... instincts, especially given Isabella's current incapacitation. I fear I may be pushed to rip off your head if you take another step." Aro smiled at his brothers apologetically, the pleasant expression belying the real threat in his words.
Caius, thankfully, understood, and kept his distance. Marcus offered up a different suggestion. "Athena, perhaps you could assist Aro in caring for Isabella whilst she is transitioning... if that is agreeable to you, brothers?"
When Caius looked as if he was about to protest, Athenodora fixed him with a look that was half-way between glaring and pleading. The blonde male huffed in defeat. "As you like, then."
Athena smiled placatingly at Aro. "What troubles you about our new sister? Her change appears to be progressing well, her heart is steady..."
"She is just so... quiet," Aro replied lamely, "I have never known a transition to be so peaceful. She could be asleep. And yet, I can see the effects in her, little by little. Her legs appeared to be healing well when last I checked, though I haven't the heart to examine her back." He grimaced then, remembering the sight. "Whoever inflicted this brutality... I will have their ashes," Aro swore, his eyes darkening into pools of black. "You didn't see her spine..."
"She will get through this," Athenodora soothed him, "She is strong and brave."
"She accepted my troth so readily," Aro murmured, half to himself, "I can hardly believe it to be real. To think that the last time that we were together, she was pleading for the life of another, and believed us to be monsters. And now she is here, in my bed, being remade by my venom, having publicly affirmed my claim on her. It is ... unexpected. Very much so."
"Brother," Marcus ventured, "Perhaps you should see what I saw, when she arrived in the throne room." He offered his hand forwards.
Aro hesitantly moved across the room, nodding at Athena to take his vacated chair, and she took it happily, holding onto Isabella's hand. Aro steeled himself and then reached for Marcus.
Bonds, he saw, so many bonds. But then Aro managed to focus his attention solely onto what Marcus had noticed when Demetri had carried Isabella into the throne room, and he was surprised.
His Isabella was a peculiar creature, he mused, chuckling as he rewatched the interaction through Marcus' eyes. She was so ... unattached, when compared to the average human. Yes, there were tendrils that reached out from her, but - as Marcus observed, with his lifetime of experience in studying such things - her bonds were thin, hazy, almost, as if she'd walled herself off from connecting with people. What was surprising, though, was the immediate connection she'd made with Athena: the strands connecting them were vibrant, pure, and through Marcus' eyes he could see that Athena already returned Isabella's sisterly feelings.
Via Marcus, Aro searched for Isabella's ties to the Cullens, and found them entirely severed on her end, almost like she'd physically hacked through them with a blade. Her bonds with the golden-eyed coven had long since withered, turning grey, fading into ghostly wisps, suggesting that a significant amount of time had pssed since the damage to these ties had occured.
He could see her relationships with her parents; the strong and unwavering love that she shared with her father, and the more strained, particulate connection that she had with her mother. He was particularly overjoyed to find that she lacked a bond to a mortal romantic partner.
What was the most enthralling, though, was Isabella's connection to him. Marcus had noticed it immediately, the colour and tenure of her tie being an indicator of romantic or sexual interest, and that had been present even before Aro himself had entered the throne room. He watched, captivated, seeing himself walk into the room, witnessed himself being brought to his knees by the power of his mating tie with her. But more than that, he saw her accept it, wholly and heartily, and was able to feel the visceral snap as their tether cemented itself into something solid and unshakeable.
Truly remarkable, Aro thought, rapt with interest.
Marcus settled his eyes on Isabella as she was now, prone and unconscious beneath Aro's sheets, and Aro was speechless. Before Marcus' very eyes, their bond was strengthening, with Isabella's transformation reinforcing that which had already been there before he had bitten her, the bite itself only adding another layer to their innate connection. Aro exhaled roughly and released his grip, but before he could ask any questions, Marcus was already explaining, eager to communicate this information and his theory regarding Isabella herself.
"Humans, as a general rule, are not affected by the mating ties of our kind in the ways in which we are. They can form strong attachments, of course, but they physiologically cannot feel things to the same degree as we immortals do. But, as always, Isabella is an enigma," both Marcus and Aro chuckled at this. Marcus continued, "It appears that on some instinctual level, perhaps even only in her subconscious, within the deep recesses of her mind, a part of Isabella knew intrinsically that she was yours. I believe that, as a subconscious defense mechanism, in a way that she was not aware of and could not control, Isabella found that forming connections with other humans was difficult, because she was somehow aware that eventually, she would leave them behind as she joined with you in immortality. Even if she didn't foresee a path to achieving this, her mind itself may still been settled on you as her one and only, as the saying goes. As if she was meant only for you, and only you were meant for her, and no other partner would suffice. However, Isabella was still a human being, and as a human being her mind wasn't fully equipped to handle a mating bond. But - if I recall correctly, from your own retelling of the young Cullen's memories - Isabella was bitten by a vampire in the year preceding her visit to Volterra."
Aro nodded eagerly, embodying the perfect pupil, soaking up this knowledge like a sponge. "Yes, the tracker - James, I believe. He lured her to a ballet studio, in Arizona, claiming that he had kidnapped Isabella's mother. He was able to bite her," A snarl curled his upper lip, then: if James wasn't already dead, Aro would happily have murdered him. Slowly. "Young Edward was able to remove the venom from her system before Isabella began the change."
(Caius scoffed quietly in the background as he heard this, muttering to himself about perpetual law-breakers. Athenadora hissed at him to "Please be quiet, amore mio, this is terribly interesting.")
"It is entirely possible that that singular, brief exposure to vampire venom permanently altered Isabella's brain physiology, in a way that allowed her human mind to accomodate a mating bond." Marcus eyed Aro's bright expression, amused by his enthusiasm. "It would not have been to the same life-altering extent as an immortal, wherein she would feel the physical pain of an unfulfilled bond, as I suspect you have felt - but certainly it would have been potent enough that you subconsciously became her ideal partner. She likely would not have known why, but she would have felt undeniable attraction towards you, perhaps to only you, and this would have significantly increased over the last six years - since you last saw one another. Her human brain did not have the capacity to recognise this attraction for what it truly was, and as a result, the bond was only half formed, muted, if you will. However, when Isabella was left outside of our administrative entrance, in the early hours of this morning, she knew without doubt that she would be safe with you-"
"Which is why she was so insistent on seeing him," Athena breathed, delighted. "Some part of her knew that he'd keep her safe."
"Arguably, as a result of our orders to the Cullens, Isabella was supposed to have been dead already," Caius pointed out benignly, ignoring Aro's growl of displeasure, "Six years ago, the seer Alice prophecied in our court that Isabella would become a Cullen, declaring that she would change Isabella herself, should the others refuse. As we are now aware, that is not what happened. If they did not intend to change her, the law demands that they must kill her. They left her alive with forbidden knowledge, and defied a direct order of the Volturi in doing so." There was no malice in Caius' tone, only an air of mild dissent, and Aro was mollified in that Caius dissatisfaction wasn't directed at Isabella herself.
Caius went on, "I am able to objectively recognise that it is a boon for us - especially for you, Aro - that the instructions regarding Isabella were not adhered to, given that she has now somehow been returned to us, and will be able to take her place by your side. This in turn will strengthen the Volturi. It is also beneficial to us in that, as a result of the Cullens' inaction, she was given the opportunity to fully mature, which will aid her in supporting you to rule, as Athena supports me. Tell me, brother, is Isabella still bonded to the Cullens?"
Marcus shook his head. "She is not. It would appear that her connection to them was broken long ago, five years or more, to my estimate. And the fracture was instigated by Isabella herself, not the Cullens."
"Perhaps when they refused to turn her," Aro mused. "And abandoned her to a fate of imminent death. That would certainly be enough to destroy a familial relationship, I would imagine."
Caius' gaze fell onto Isabella, then, and he sighed. "Regardless of how positive the outcome of this particular situation happens to be, the fact remains that the Cullens knowingly disobeyed our orders. They left a human alive with forbidden knowledge, despite having been explicitly commanded to rectify their mistake, one way or the other. It isn't a coincidence that Carlisle has ignored your last five letters, Aro. They know what they have done."
Aro stiffened. There were chess pieces moving in his mind, orchestrated by a hidden foe. "And how better to get the Volturi to move against the Cullens, than to provide us with evidence of their crime? The way that Isabella was... delievered, to us," he cringed, "Whoever was responsible must have been certain that they had condemned her to a certain death. I noticed that the creator of Isabella's injuries was careful not to draw blood, despite the internal extent of the damage. Perhaps to dissuade a bite? Or her change?"
"But they did not anticipate that she would be your Fated," Marcus offered. "Which may well have saved her life."
"Aro," Caius broached. "If... If Isabella had not been your Fated..."
Aro glared across at Caius, his voice deceptively soft. Dangerous. "I will ask you, only once, that you do not complete that question." He turned away, his fists clenched in a rare show of temper. "Do not even think it."
"Very well," Caius agreed. He changed his approach, then, turning his tactical mind to something that he was more than skilled in. "We must seek retribution on the creature who almost robbed you of your mate. Do you think Isabella had any enemies? Vampires who may have sought or benefitted from her demise? Or who would have gained from the downfall of the Cullens?"
"Aside from us, you mean?" Aro snarled. His eyes narrowed, his glare promising retribution. "If I find out that you had anything to do with Isabella's injuries..."
"Brothers!" Marcus interjected then, moving himself between the two others. "That is enough. Calm yourselves - both of you. We are sitting vigil by Isabella's side, supporting her - and Aro - through her change. This is hardly the appropriate time or venue for such a discussion."
The verbal reminder of Bella was enough to settle Aro's temper. He cursed in latin, resting his head momentarily in his hands. Taking a deep breath, Aro looked to Athena. "Athena, would you mind terribly if I asked you to bathe Isabella? I'd imagine the water may soothe her burning, and she's been... travelling... after all, so perhaps a bath prior to her awakening would make her more comfortable."
"Of course, brother," Athena replied with a small smile, not at all disturbed by the brothers' tiff. "Caius, be a dear and call for fresh linens for the bed, would you? And send Renata to me, I'd like to use this opportunity to have Isabella's measurements taken so that we can send out for some clothes for her." She disappeared into the bathroom, and running water became audible.
Had anyone else spoken to Caius in such a way, he would have been affronted by their daring. As it were, Athena was the only person still living that could give him instructions. The male vampire in question smiled indulgently at his buxom mate. "As you like, cuore mia. How considerate of you. Isabella will be lucky to count you amongst her friends, I think." Caius shot Aro a glare and left the room.
Aro cursed softly again. "Thank the Gods for your common sense, darling Athena. I hadn't even thought of clothes."
"I'd imagine clothing your mate would be the last thing on your mind," Marcus snorted, shaking his head. Then, having ensured that Caius was out of earshot, he said more seriously, "Given Isabella's prior association to the Cullen coven and their strange diet, do you suppose that she has any preference in regards to her feeding?"
"I plan to offer her the choice," Aro replied. "Naturally, I'd prefer that she dine with us, but it shall be her decision, either way."
"Very well," Marcus said. "Be with your mate, Aro. Caius and I will handle the court until Isabella can part with you."
Aro furrowed his brow. "Until Isabella can part with me?"
"Women are a law unto themselves," the other vampire replied with a chuckle, "Especially our women."
From the bathroom, Athenodora let out a peal of conspiratorial laughter.
Bella felt as light as air.
She had felt the venom enter her system through Aro's bite, noticed the tingling in her upper body, and soon after could gauge a tremendous pressure in her mid-back.
It was nothing like she had imagined.
She had been told dozens of times about the pain of the change, the seemingly endless burn, the absolute agony, but she felt... differently, than she'd expected.
At first, there was a vague sensation of burning, but it was more like ice was coursing through her veins, rather than fire. It bordered on unpleasant, to be sure, but she somehow had enough mental distance that it felt manageable.
And then it had felt like she'd been removed from her body, as if she was a boat unmoored from the shore. She could identify that her form was changing, she could certainly feel the gradual sharpening of her senses as time progressed, but it was more like she was observing her transition instead of experiencing it fully.
At one point, Bella felt her spine knit back together, and then the same cool, liquid pressure flowed down into her legs. This had somehow reconnected her to her body, and had managed to open her eyes, seeing Aro gazing down at her with a compassionate, concerned expression. He was being so nice, she thought, he made her feel so secure. She'd felt a second of worry that he perhaps might leave her side, but he had seemed to understand, and had instantly reassured her that he would stay with her. She closed her eyes again, feeling exceedingly tired.
Bella was concerned that this meant that something was wrong. Wasn't it essentially a vampire right of passage to be condemned to burn for three days? Or was this some bizarre extension of her silent mind?
Occasionally, she would feel hands clasping hers, her hair being pushed from her face.
She became aware of others in the room with her corporeal body, could hear their distant and familiar melodic voices.
I am safe here, she told herself, Aro will keep me safe.
Aro.
Just thinking of him made her want to blush. The way he'd declared that she was his, the way he'd refused to allow the blonde vampire woman (Athena?) to bite her. She felt connected to him, as if he was her tether to the world and nothing else mattered.
It was as lovely as it was bizarre.
The fact that he had been the one to change her did delicious things to her feminine side. He'd been so welcoming, so eager to gift her with immortality.
But he always had been, hadn't he?
What would her position be now?
When he'd seen her, lying broken on the floor before his throne, Aro had claimed her change for himself, likely wanting to sample her blood, and it had (sort of) fulfilled one of her many fantasies of him.
Would he be her Master, when she awoke?
Would he return her attraction and her desire?
Would he be able to read her mind?
She had so many questions.
He'd said to her, years ago, that she would make for an intriguing vampire, and she'd seen the unhappiness in him when he'd relayed how Edward had had no intention to change her. She wondered what would have happened if she'd stayed in Volterra, that day, instead of leaving with Alice and Edward.
Ah, the Cullens. How would they feel when they learned of her immortality?
It was almost funny how little she cared.
Italian-
Padrone - Master
Padrona - Mistress
Si, Padrone - Yes, Master
Perdonami, Padrone - forgive me, Master
Mi dispiace - I am sorry
Mio caro - my darling
Mio povero tesoro - my poor darling
Mi dispiace tanto - I am so sorry
Perdonami, amore mia, perdonami - forgive me, my love, forgive me
Grazie - thank you
Io sono tua - I am yours
Tesorina - darling
Cuore mia - my heart (fem)
Amore - love
Cuore mio - my heart (masc)
Fratello - brother
Chapter Text
-
Aro had never had much patience with seeing others go through the change. His own had been tedious enough - as painful as it had been - and the mere thought of sitting in a room for three days whilst another paid their vampiric-dues made him irritated. Yes, three days was practically a blink to a vampire that had lived for nigh on three thousand years, but it was three days of enduring another's burning insanity. There was a reason that he hadn't changed a human in four centuries.
They thrashed. They screamed. They wailed. They scratched and scored at their flesh. Over and over and over. The noise, the movements, the lingering bloodlust.
An altogether dull experince that he'd rather avoid.
But as he sat observing Isabella, his Isabella, he was captivated.
After he had exchanged words with Caius, he'd found the strength to retire to his sitting room when Athena had bathed Isabella, giving the two women some privacy, but he had heard everything. Athena setting Isabella into the water, washing Isabella's hair in his hair products, moving a silken washcloth along her limbs, Isabella being gently patted dry, a brush being teased through her hair.
He could hear it all but see nothing, and Aro found himself feeling... longingly anticipant, for the day that he could tend to Isabella's needs.
As Athena had been bathing Isabella, Renata had stepped into his bedchamber to refresh his sheets, and then together the two female vampires had taken Isabella's measurements.
Athena had stepped out momentarily to retrieve some clothes for Isabella, and though he hadn't seen the items that Athena had selected, he'd caught a fleeting glimpse of black silk, and that thought in and of itself had set his mind alight again with the possibilities.
Two days had passed since, over 60 hours of Isabella remaining motionless and silent, but he could see the changes emerging in her. It was fascinating, he thought; to have been able to meet her as a human, first at eighteen, then again in her early/mid twenties, to now witness even more subtle differences in her features as she transformed into an eternal, ethereal beauty.
After Isabella had been carefully redressed and returned to his bed, her immobile form still appearing relaxed against red silk of his soft pillows and sheets, Athena had drawn up the top sheet to Isabella's underarms, leaving her arms exposed and resting above the sheet, but the rest of her body covered. She looked so very peaceful, his own angelo oscuro, and he was entranced by her. The thin black straps of whatever garment Athena had dressed her in were visible, and it almost seemed as if the straps were growing starker against her flesh as time went on, when in actuality it was the flesh itself that was becoming paler, more luminescent.
Her hair seemed longer and thicker, richer in colour than before. Her mahogany curls had already been beautiful, but there was a depth to them now, with subtle threads of spun gold, chocolate brown, dark auburn, shades of burgundy, chestnut, coffee, and even strands of black. The texture of her hair was much the same, perhaps with a little more volume and tone to her long curls.
She had been a striking woman before the bite, his venom merely perfecting what had already been present. Her features remained distinctly hers. Her cheekbones and jaw line were slightly sharper, her lips as full as they had been, but a touch more... defined, perhaps? Her nose, already straight with the smallest of upturns, was unaltered. She had retained the palest of pink flushes to her cheeks, another permanent addition he found himself pleased with. Her eyelashes were darker and thicker, the elegant arch of her eyebrows more exact.
She looked stunning. Regal. A more beautiful mate he could not imagine.
But, of her facial features, it was her eyes that Aro was most looking forward to seeing for the first time. To see her bright crimson gaze meet his, to know without any doubt that she was also feeling the tether between them. It was that instant connection that was what Aro was most eager for. The pull of mating bond combined with a newborn vampire's intense feelings.. Yes, he was certainly looking forward to the experience.
A throat was cleared outside of his suite. Aro stood, checking the clock, and, feeling confident that the beauty in his bed would continue to sleep, he moved quickly to the door.
"Brother," Caius greeted, his voice unusually quiet as he offered Aro a goblet of blood, "How goes she?"
Aro took the drink gratefully, almost inhaling it's contents, but remained leaning in the doorjamb. "She goes." He rubbed a hand along his jaw. "She hasn't made a single noise since the throne room."
"And this unsettles you?"
"Naturally," Aro replied, "Have you ever known it? An entirely silent change?" He paused then, handing the now-empty goblet back to Caius. "It won't be much longer, I expect. Perhaps a half day."
Caius nodded. "We have already prepared for her first feed, it'll be brought up when she wakes. And the guard awaits your call, brother. Should she be utterly feral when she opens her eyes, don't hesitate to summon them."
"You expect me to allow the guard to subdue my mate? Manhandle her? Have her be touched by them before she is touched by me?" Aro's voice was soft. Calm. Dangerous. "I think not."
Caius' eyes widened, almost comically so. "Aro - be reasonable. She may not even remember you. She may not remember anything."
A low growl sounded from within Aro's chest. He said nothing. Caius shook his head, exasperated but unable to do much in the face of his brother's refusal.
"As you like, then, brother," Caius finally said, forced to cede as he thought of Athena being restrained in Isabella's place. "But the guard will remain alert. We cannot have a newborn tearing through the city."
"I will manage." Aro closed the door. Caius retreated.
Aro stopped, then, resting his head on the wood for a moment, absorbing Caius' words. His blonde counterpart was right, of course: his mate or no, Isabella remained beholden to the same laws as everybody else. Perhaps even more so, given her position. Aro swallowed, nervous despite his assurances. He had no idea what state or mindset Isabella would be in when she awoke, especially given the circumstances surrounding her change, the trauma of the kidnap and the pain of the injuries that she'd sustained.
He moved slowly back towards his bedchamber, and then stopped in his tracks as he opened the door.
The bed was empty.
...
Bella turned from her position at the window, offering Aro a shy smile.
She gasped softly as their eyes met, and Aro knew immediately that she had felt their bond.
Aro gaped back at her. "You're awake."
His eyes travelled over her, her profile outlined against the light streaming in through the window. He greedily absorbed every detail, grazing over her lithe shimmering arms, the lengths of her smooth, shapely legs, which disappeared into a scandalously short negligee of black silk. Aro didn't know whether to praise Athena or curse her for dressing Isabella in such a garment, for surely she'd chosen it to torture him. He could see everything and nothing, the shape but not the skin. His hands twitched, eager to touch, and he unconsciously began to move towards her, but stilled, thinking better of it. He settled on studying her silk-covered curves; the delectable swell of her hips, the lush roundness of her derriere, the plane of her stomach, her breasts - Gods, her breasts - pert and round beneath the constraining fabric.
All the while, Bella calmly watched him look. After a moment, she turned more fully towards him, her head tilted slightly to one side as she observed his careful stance. She frowned a little, considering him, her expression confused.
Aro tensed. "Are you... well?"
"I... think so," Bella replied, her mouth falling open as she heard the musical tenor of new voice. "Oh!" She glanced back at him, inhaling deeply as she did so, and her face relaxed again as his scent washed over her. Bella took a hesitant step towards him. "I... I know you," she said softly, a hand trailing up to rest on her chest. "In here. I feel it. A pull."
Aro controlled the overwhelming urge to sweep her into his arms. "Yes," he crooned, though it came out as more of a gentle hiss. "I should hope so, Isabella."
Her eyes narrowed curiously as she considered his words, his face, the name he had called her. It was all so familiar, and yet the knowledge seemed just out of her grasp. Her vision blurred as she tried valiantly to remember-
"Aro!" She gasped suddenly, swaying and pressing her fingertips to her temples as a sudden burst of memories flooded through her. Bella groaned at the onslaught, her knees momentarily buckling. He was beside her in an instant, catching her as she wobbled, revelling in the opportunity to finally have her in his grasp. She shifted slightly, her nose pressed to his neck as she breathed him in again, a soft, satisfied sigh escaping her at the warmth she felt from this simple contact with his skin. Bella reached a lightly trembling hand up to touch his face, gentler than he thought she would have been capable of at this early stage.
"It was real," she murmured, more to herself than him, "You really did change me... I thought..." Then, observing the way he seemed to lean in to her touch, she let out a quiet laugh. "I was so sure it was a dream. I've had so many dreams like this."
Aro smirked. "Have you, indeed?"
Her next thought was that she couldn't believe he'd only wanted to claim her change. Because now she understood, when he'd said "Isabella is mine", that he'd meant it. The entirety of it. In every single, conceivable sense. She could feel it, the connection between them, thick and pulsating, and it was only somewhat eased when they were physically touching. She was very much his, she realised, and had been for a long time. Even more surprising was the revelation that Aro was irrevocably hers. And it wasn't something that needed thinking about. She didn't for a second feel like their bond needed questioning, because her certainty was almost tangible. He was hers, just as she knew without a doubt that she was his.
He was hers. Knowing now what she did... That this amazing, charismatic creature was hers?
It gave her a confidence in herself, a surety to her feelings and a faith in him that she'd never known that she needed - from anyone. It was as if she'd forgone deep relationships with people for most of her life because she'd unconsciously been saving all of it up for him.
Bella was transfixed.
He'd been gorgeous even through her human eyes, but to see him through her new eyes... truly, her previous vision had not done him justice. His face was reminiscent of European royalty, with strong, masculine features. He was achingly handsome, in a maturer, more refined way than Edward had been. Aro was a man, she thought, a real man. The sheen of his hair caught her attention, a shining curtain of inky black that draped past his collarbone, half clipped back away from his face. Bella settled her hands on his shoulders, thumbs brushing the skin of his neck, a quiet, pleased hum leaving her as she felt his strength of his trapezius muscles. He had such presence, she thought dazedly, a commanding air about him that would have made her knees weak had she not already been nestled in his arms. He gazed down at her with something akin to awe in his eyes, as if she was the most precious treasure he had ever come across.
"Mia tesorina," he whispered, plainly seeing his own devotion reflected in her eyes, "How I have longed for your arrival."
She traced a feather-light finger along his jaw, shivering as his warm ruby eyes noticeably darkened.
"You are so very beautiful, la mia incantatrice," Aro murmured reverently, stroking a hand down her arm until he could grasp her hand. He pulled it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Ah, how I would adore just the smallest of glimpses into your mind," He lamented, speaking with a mixture of disappointment and wonder, his sparkling eyes trained on her. "What do you remember?"
"Everything, I think," she replied, a small grimace marring her features. "I was on my way home from work when I was... taken. From New York." She glanced back at him. "I was... found," she settled on. "Isabella è mia, you said," Bella recalled him saying, smiling gently at his delighted expression, "And then you bit me. You saved me. You... stayed with me."
Aro hummed approvingly, the corners of his lips twitching with mirth. "I did," he said. "Mia bellisima, cara Isabella."
Bella pressed her lips together and pressed her palm to her face absolutely certain that she would be blushing if she could.
Aro's smirk returned. She took another deep breath, brushing her nose against his chest. "You're... powerful," Bella breathed in wonder, a part of her somehow able to recognise it. "I can sense it."
"Yes," he said, simply.
"There's an awareness in me, telling me that you're... dangerous..." she paused, "But not to me."
His smirk softened a little, understanding exactly what she was referring to. "No, Isabella, never to you. You never need fear me, or obey me. You are my equal. Only you. I am not your Master. I am simply... yours."
Bella licked her lips, swallowing as Aro's eyes followed the movement of her tongue. "And you..." She looked away for a moment, gathering her courage, "You want me," she boldly met his gaze, then, almost challenging him, "I can feel that, too. I know it."
Aro's eyes danced, a beguiling concoction of curiosity, desire and joy. "Yes," he repeated, "Although 'want' is not quite the word that I would choose."
Bella pressed her lips together - her new blush, he thought - and Aro delighted in this small tell, pleased that he could read her in this way even if her mind remained blessedly silent. "I know," she finally breathed, "I know it more than anything I've ever felt." Then, smiling at him as she gestured to her negligee, "l think that I might be a little under-dressed for polite company. How am I supposed to leave this room like this?" Her tone was amused as she gestured down to herself.
"How indeed," Aro muttered darkly, taking in her attire again and feeling zero intentions of allowing her to leave at all. He realised, then, their position. He, kneeling on the floor - her, cradled in his arms, draped across his lap. It would be so easy to slide a hand along her leg, and up under the hem-
He swallowed roughly, averting his gaze back to hers. Which did not help, as he was enraptured again by the understanding gleam in her crimson eyes.
"Thank you, for what you did. For saving me."
"To lose you would be to lose myself," Aro responded quietly, his sincerity clear. His eyes seemed to darken. "Sei mio, adesso."
Bella cupped his face in her hands. "Sempre," she replied.
His arms tightened around her and his gaze fell to her lips. "Darling, the things that I am going to do to you..."
The woman in his arms inhaled sharply. "I look forward to it."
"Renata," he called, pulling them both to their feet, his eyes never leaving hers. "Inform my brothers that Isabella is awake."
Renata was never far, usually remaining close by Aro's side unless he was in his suite, which operated at an invitation-only policy to the guard. His brothers and Athena were welcome to come and go from his sitting room as they pleased (they always knocked before entering, as a formality), and Aro often invited some of the guard members into the space to socialise. But his bedchamber and bathroom were his intimate spaces, areas in which he preferred to keep to himself. His study - accessible from both the outer corridor and his suite's sitting room - was something of an in between, a place that was formal enough for him to work in, to host more private meetings and engage with Upper guard members if needed, and yet he also preferred to keep it as private as possible, not allowing people into the area unless he was also present, much like his bedroom and bathroom.
Caius and Marcus were quite the opposite with regards to their own living spaces: their studies essentially had open door policies, with no intimate or personal things within, whereas their sitting rooms were their private area. And with Didyme remaining in Marcus' bedchamber, Marcus especially was incredibly protective of his suite. With the exception of Athena - and perhaps Marcus and Aro, to a certain degree - Caius enormously disliked anyone else's scent clinging to his things.
Renata could often be found sitting in a chair, reading quietly by the outer door of Aro's apartments, and he suspected that she'd likely be there now, waiting for instructions.
Bella looked uncomfortable. "Renata?" She repeated, a slight edge in her voice, "Who's Renata?"
In spite of himself, Aro smirked at her. Possessive already? How delicious.
"Renata is my personal guard, and by extension, is now your guard, too. She is a powerful shield, and a most valued friend."
"And you're not... involved, with her?" Bella ventured, anxious.
"I am not, nor have I ever been. Prior to your arrival, I had been unattached for decades. You have nothing to fear, amore mia. Not from anyone. Ever."
This satisfied her. "Decades? That must have been lonely."
"Dull, perhaps." He studied her face carefully. "And you, Isabella? Have you left anyone special behind, in New York?"
"I haven't been on a date for four years," she replied, "Even then, it was just casual. Only four months, and I broke up with him when he wanted to get serious, we just didn't... fit, somehow. Before that, I guess it was Edward. I don't really have much experience, in anything, really. You don't mind, right?"
Aro thought for a moment. "I am from a time where nudity and sex was considered to be quite ordinary, and if I am to be honest with you, I have lost count of the amount of lovers I have taken in my lifetime." Bella swallowed, and Aro's eyes narrowed shiftily, his voice dropping an octave or two, "So it is perhaps selfish of me, then, that I find myself grateful for your inexperience. Not because I would judge you for having had lovers of your own, nor do I cling to foolish notions of virtue being intrinsically connected to a person's worth. To put it plainly, Isabella, at heart, I am truly a greedy and possessive man, and I would have all of your pleasure to be of mine own creation."
"I'm sure that should be a huge red flag," Bella responded teasingly, "But it sounds romantic, coming from you."
"There is also the matter of having fewer men to kill, for having touched you." She did laugh, then, shaking her head, and Aro sighed happily at the sound. "Bellisima."
Bella cocked her head, "So we're both single." It was a statement.
He immediately shook his head, bringing his face close to hers. "I may despair if you say that again," Aro murmured huskily, "For I would have the world know that you were mine, tesoro."
"But will the world know that you're mine, too? I don't have a future full of fighting crazy vampire women to keep you?"
Aro snorted, amused, but adoration shone in his eyes. "As if any other woman could ever compare to you."
Bella made a pleased humming sound that made him smile. Her hands travelled up the lengths of his arms, stilling momentarily to apppreciate the solidly toned flesh of his upper arms and shoulders for a second time. She swallowed, feeling him tense beneath her.
"Mi tenti," Aro rumbled in warning, as one of her hands came to rest on his chest, exactly over where the ache of the bond had been most pronounced, "Be careful, mia regina."
Unable to help herself, Bella caught a tendril of his hair between her fingers and lifted it to her nose. She moaned softly at the scent, and Aro took a measured step away from her. "Minx," he murmured, half pained and half appreciative. She gazed at him as he adjusted his trousers, her eyes darkening with a feeling he did not dare to acknowledge.
"Gods but you are magnificent, Isabella," Aro exclaimed passionately, "To think that you awoke alone, a newborn vampire in a strange room-"
"Your room smells like you," she interrupted, "I heard you talking to... Caius?" She waited for him to nod in confirmation, then went on, "I felt perfectly safe. I knew that you'd come back."
He gaped at her.
She went on, "During the change, I was... floating." Aro looked intrigued, and Bella continued, "Like a boat. I felt like a boat."
"A boat."
"Yes," she smiled at his expression of disbelief, "I was a boat. Or maybe I was in the boat. It was like the whole world was on fire, but I was watching it burn from the boat. The heat was there in the background but I was safe from the flames, in my boat on the water. You were my tether. My anchor. Grounding me. Protecting me from being swept too far away, even as I was adrift. Holding me to the world. So when I opened my eyes-"
And suddenly he was kissing her, no longer able to resist the call, his hands delving into her hair, descending along her body, grabbing onto every curve he could reach as he pulled her roughly against him, connecting their bodies from thigh to shoulder. Bella made a low noise of surprise in her throat at his raw, unapologetic desire and returned the embrace with gusto, her newborn hormones aligning with his need of her in an instant, grasping his face as he swept his tongue across her lips and into her mouth. He groaned as he felt her growl against him, and then he was moving, being pushed backwards onto his bed.
She climbed above him, her hands clutching at and then tearing through the lapels of his suit as she clung to him, her hips grinding down onto his as she shoved his suit jacket from his shoulders. Aro fisted a hand into her hair, pulling her head to the side as his tongue found the faint scar of his bite. She writhed against him, her mouth making noises that she didn't even know she was capable of. Aro's free hand fell to her waist, bruising the flesh in a possessive grip, then travelled down to cup her rear, settling her in just the right position against the seat of his pants and rocking his hips up into the cradle of her thighs.
"Oh god, yes," Bella cried out at the unexpected friction, her head falling back as Aro kissed and nipped a path from her earlobe to her breast, his teeth easily slicing through the fabric of one of her negligee straps. Her hands clutched his head against her silk covered breasts, her fingernails grazing his scalp just as his hand from her hair began to descend, intending to pull her breasts free from the confines of the fabric. Beneath her, Aro was half lost to sensation, the desperate grip of her fingers, the trailing of her hair, her breathy, delectable little sounds, her heat that he could feel even through the confines of his trousers.
Aro toed off one of his shoes-
"Brother?" Caius cautious voice rang out from the direction of Aro's sitting room.
This time, it was Aro who growled, and it was a fierce, full bodied thing. Bella moaned at the possessive sound and melted against him, her lips falling to his neck as he rolled them over. Her legs fell open around him and he settled between them, pushing her down into the mattress-
"Aro?!" Caius said again, more firmly this time.
"Go away, Caius," Aro called out in somewhat of a manic singsong voice, as Bella tore his shirt away and scratched her nails down his chest, "I am occupata!"
"Aro, is Isabella not thirsty?" The blonde pressed, and Bella froze.
"Ah," Aro said, feeling suddenly quite embarrassed as Bella's finger's touched her throat, "That."
Bella swallowed, panic rising in her eyes for the first time, and Aro looked quite ashamed of himself. "Mi dispiace, Isabella, truly. Perdonami, amore mia, for not sooner attending to your needs. You must be in such agony," he despaired, "I will strive to do better."
For her part, Bella seemed more concerned with Aro's distress. She stroked a soothing hand through his hair, a soft, calming sound emanating from her as she instinctively sought to comfort him. He relaxed into her touch, but his eyes were wary. "Isabella," he prompted, quite seriously, "Your thirst?"
"It is... unpleasant," she finally acknowledged, her voice rasping slightly from the dryness in her mouth.
Aro made a choking noise. "Unpleasant?" He echoed, incredulous.
He moved off of her, sitting numbly on the bed as she moved across his room to the door that held his closet. His eyes followed her, worshipped her. Bella entered into his walk-in wardrobe, returning a moment later with a black silk dressing robe. She carefully pulled it on, tying it at the waist as Aro took off his remaining shoe. The robe covered her to mid-calf, it being Aro's, and she smiled at his expression.
"I'll give it back," she said, "Or if I ruin it, I'll replace it." She offered him her hand.
He took it, shaking his head in disbelief as they emerged into the sitting room together, him still bare from the waist up. There were three unconscious humans lying in front of his couch. Isabella nudged Aro, tilting her head towards the open door to his suite. Caius stood in the doorway, tense but puzzled, and behind him in the corridor were several of the guard. Caius frowned as Bella gazed curiously at the humans.
Aro stiffened at the look on his brother's face, feeling defensive on Bella's behalf, and turned her towards him, away from Caius' judgement. "Amore mia, if you'd rather hunt... animals-" He struggled to even say the word, but knew that the offer of a choice would matter to her.
Bella swallowed, her now-hungry eyes settling on the humans again. "I wouldn't," she interjected quietly. A predatory look stole over her and Aro smirked, pleased with this.
His eyes didn't leave her as he said, "Caius, get out and close the door."
Caius didn't speak, but hesitated. Aro growled, low and menacing. Bella's gaze returned to Aro's, licking her lips, clearly enjoying his demonstration of dominance. She looped her arms around his neck and his wound around her waist, pulling her tightly against him.
"Now, brother," Aro said through gritted teeth.
The door closed. Bella glanced towards the source of the noise, and her attention was caught again by the humans.
"Close your eyes," Aro crooned into her ear, releasing his grip on her just enough to turn her in his arms until her back was pressed against his front. Bella obeyed, shivering at the feel of his cool breath skittering against the flesh of her neck, the firmness of his bare chest, the ropes of muscle thick beneath his skin, the erection pressing into her lower back.
"Now, my dear," Aro went on, his hands finding the tie of the robe. He deftly opened it, peeling the robe from her shoulders and tossing it behind him. "Take a deep breath," he said, "And follow your instincts."
"My instincts are distracted by you," Bella murmured, trying not to smile as Aro shuddered behind her. She sighed, relaxing fully, and then moved daintily forwards, stopping momentarily before the first human, steeling herself to take a life. Her hesitation lasted only a moment, and then she was on her knees, a hand gripped firmly onto the humans hair. She pulled her prey back against her as her teeth buried themselves into the man's neck.
She moaned in ardent delight at the taste, blood escaping from the corners of her mouth and slipping down onto her chin and chest as she greedily pulled the liquid into her mouth, her hands tightening on the man's body. He ran dry quickly, and she fell upon her second victim with an ease and competence that belied her age.
In the background, she heard Aro breathe, "Sei una dea."
She was neater this time, but faster, and when she'd finished she sat back and turned to Aro.
He was leaning quite casually and unobtrusively against the exterior door to his suite, his hands tucked behind him as he observed her feed. She stood, then, licking her lips and cocking her head to examine him as her eyes travelled along his frame.
Aro was all man, she thought, studying the subtle muscles of his legs, firm beneath his trousers, the defined tone of his abdomen and pectorals, with a delicious dusting of fine, dark chest hair peppered across his upper body. The width of his shoulders, the strength of his arms, his wrists, his hands, his long tapered fingers...
There was a low rumbling from his chest as the subtle scent of her arousal permeated the air between them. Her gaze snapped to his. His eyes were completely black, and he was staring at her as if she was his meal. Bella shivered at the intensity, nodding her head towards the remaining human.
"Let me watch you," she said, her voice breathy, almost pleading.
Aro did not speak. He couldn't.
He stalked across the room towards her with a predator's grace, stilling when their prey rested between them. He reached across the human for her hand and crouched, slowly, taking her down with him. Slowly, deliberately, Aro lifted the man to his level, maintaining eye contact with Bella as he bit down. She looked on, eyes black and hungry for a different kind of satisfaction. The heady aroma of her arousal grew thicker. Aro growled again, his gaze unrelenting on hers. Bella swallowed.
She wanted him. Wanted him so much that the throbbing between her legs was almost painful. Aro dropped the man, neither noticing nor caring that his blood was spilling out onto the expensive persian rug. He stood, pulling her up, his chest heaving with unneeded breaths as he dragged her to the side, around the abandoned human.
His mouth slanted brutally over hers in a feverish, claiming kiss, hands in her hair as she clutched at his torso. But then, as her hands began to descend to the belt of his trousers, Aro went still, pulling away with his eyes closed. Bella made a noise of protest, and Aro gave a pained chuckle.
"Isabella," he whispered, his eyes still firmly shut, "Despite your rather ludicrous control, you are very new to this life. I do not wish to take advantage of you."
Bella frowned, feeling something like rejection welling up in her system. "I don't understand."
Aro swallowed, releasing his grip on her and moving away, to stand by a window. "You and I... we have a connection. A powerful, bewitching connection."
"I know," Bella replied slowly, as if talking to a child. "I feel it. I know what it means."
"But do you? Truly?"
Bella sighed and crossed the room to stand beside him. "Yes," she emphasised. "Vampire soulmates. Etcetera."
"Etcetera," Aro repeated with a snort, "You make it sound so simple."
"But it is, isn't it?" Bella pressed, "I know that I'm new. I know that I'm inexperienced. But I know that I'm yours. I mean... I'm sorry if my being your mate has disappointed you, but-"
"Isabella," Aro cut her off, his voice stern and authoritative, "You being mine is not disappointing. That thought had never crossed my mind. I am thrilled with you. You are wonderful. Daring. Intelligent. Beautiful. Perfetta," he insisted firmly, "That is not the issue."
Aro swiped a hand over his face. "A mated vampire is eternally monogamous," he was careful now, "We do not share. We are possessive, selfish, greedy, and... tactile. It is intolerable to be apart. And I am not a normal vampire. I am not, as you would say, a good man. I am dark. I must be, to be one of the three leaders of the Volturi, the rulers of Vampire Kind. My role, my life, is centred around this. I must be the monster that other monsters fear, because it is the only way to keep vampires and humans safe from the chaos that would inevitably erupt should the Volturi disappear. I cannot change who I am, nor would I expect it of you. Nor would I ever want it from you.
"But you must see, Isabella... I have little room in the way of manoeuvrability, in that I will never be safe. I am a figurehead, and as such, there are many creatures the world over who would celebrate my demise. And yours, should you choose to be with me. To be my mate... it is no small thing to ask of you, for you to stand beside me. It will put you at risk. It will put me at risk. There are those who would attack you to weaken me. This is the reality. To accept me is to accept the Volturi. To accept me is to remain with me, for the rest of our immortal lives. If I were to lose you... it would break me. My instincts already scream at me to keep you close and you do not yet even bear my mark. I could hardly allow Caius, mine own brother, to be near you during your change, despite his mate being a sister to me. It sets me on edge. It is as if you are a piece of myself, and I am loathe to part with you. If you accept me - if you allow our bond to be solidified... It will be permanent. Undoable. We cannot divorce. And so, I am simply cautious for you, tesorina. I do not wish to deny you experiences. I do not wish to deny you anything. But alas, I am selfish, and if you are mine..." His eyes were hot on hers. "Once I have had you, I will never let you go."
Bella stared at him. And for long enough that Aro actually began to fidget under the pressure.
"Isabella-"
Him now having broken the spell of silence, Bella began to speak. "I just realised something. You don't know me, really. And I don't know you, not like I want to."
Aro wanted to protest, really, he did. But as he opened and closed his mouth, for the first time in years - six years, three months, and twenty three days, to be exact - he was quite speechless. The last time he'd felt so surprised is when Bella had offered her own life in place of the young Cullens. She was always surprising him, this woman.
He made a vague hand gesture, hoping that it communicated his desire for her to continue.
"But..." she continued, "We have an eternity to learn about eachother, don't we?"
"Be that as it may, Isabella, I cannot allow you to accept our bond unless you are privy to the reality of what you will be accepting," Aro said.
"Allow me?" Bella's eyes narrowed - clearly, that had been the wrong phrase to utilise, Aro mused - "You're not my Master," she hissed, "You said so yourself. You said that I am your equal, so you don't allow me to do anything. It's up to me. So let me tell you, Aro," she snarled his name, almost like a curse, and his dead heart clenched with joy. Joy, because he couldn't remember the last time a person had dared to speak to him as such, and he felt proud of her bravery. He loved that she somehow felt safe enough with him to snarl at him in the first place.
"You keep saying 'if I choose to accept you', but it isn't a choice. It's a necessity. I choose you because somewhere inside of me, I know that you are a part of me. I might be a newborn vampire, but I understand enough to know what I feel. I know what we could be, together. I know that my world changed when I looked at you."
Aro glanced at her, amused by her frustration-coloured words, but saddened, too. "Your world changed because you were bitten, amore mia."
She elbowed his arm. "Not then," Bella vehemently denied. "It was before that."
He turned to her, his lips twitching as Bella's gaze quickly grazed over the width of his shoulders before it landed back on his.
"Isabella, please-"
"No," she all but hissed, "I'm talking now. Six and a half years ago, I came here to save two members of a coven that I once cared about." Aro briefly considered the phrasing of this sentence - coven, not family; cared, past tense - and Bella continued, "And that's when my world changed. When I met you. Because every single guy I've tried to be with since then-"
Aro's lip pulled back from his teeth at this and Bella's eyes narrowed, "Let me finish," she growled, "-every single time I've tried to be with a guy since I met you, it made me feel ... wrong. Because I compared them both to you. And I didn't understand then. I didn't know. I just thought that I had this ridiculous crush on you, because you were this mysterious, unattainable, sexy vampire overlord-"
"Sexy?"
Bella huffed. "Stop interrupting! And after a while I just stopped noticing other men. I thought that I was broken, because whenever I tried to think about a relationship, it was your face in my head. And I made my peace with it," she ranted, her anger rising, "I had made my peace with being single for the rest of my life, because the only person I could ever imagine being with was you! And suddenly I get dragged into a van, beaten almost to death by a vampire, dumped outside of your dumbass Dracula castle, and then you're there and you're all 'Isabella is mine', and you sat and protected me whilst I was changing, and then I wake up in your bed and all I can focus on is your eyes and your shoulders and your stupid shiny hair, and there's this feeling in my chest that tells me that I am yours and you are mine, and I think finally, finally I understand why I feel the way I do. I think finally, everything makes sense. Finally, I feel like I might belong somewhere, with someone.
“I mean, I know that the last time we met, I was a teenager, but that's not who I am now. Everything about me has changed. Including my opinions about the Volturi, about why you do what you do. The world isn't black and white, I've known that my whole life, so you don't need to give me a lecture to try and scare me into leaving. I don't know what it was that put us together, I don't know why fate decided that we were meant to be, but I do know that I believe it. I believe with all of me that I am what you need. I don't know why, but something in me, something more than this bond thing tells me that we should be together. But if I'm not what you want, if you think that being with me will make you weak," she spat the word, "If you'd rather not be with me for all of the above reasons, then that's on you. If you don't want me, then say that. I won't beg you to accept me, even though right now it might seem to everyone else that you're getting the shitty end of the deal. I know my worth and I know myself. So I'm not going to stand here and have you insult me by insinuating that I'm not ready to be with you when I've done nothing but think of you since-"
She was stopped, then, by him recapturing her lips in a firm, unrelenting kiss. "Isabella," he crooned, "Isabella, mia regina, la mia bellisima regina-"
"Aro-"
"Shhhh. I am trying to kiss you, tesorina."
Bella frowned up at him. "Are you done having your existential crisis, now?"
"Oh, my darling," Aro laughed in delight, "You really are extraordinary. Truly." He sighed fondly. "Did you know, before today, that the last person to raise their voice in my presence... was you?"
"I doubt that," Bella denied, "I'm sure Caius yells at you all the time."
Aro waved a flippant, dismissive hand in the air at this. "Caius shouts at everyone. It is his primary method of communication. Even so, to have you be so deliciously defiant..." Aro's lips found hers again.
"You can't just kiss me every time you want to shut me up," she grumbled, allowing him to pull her back towards the bedroom.
Aro tucked her into his side, halting on the threshold with an arm held tightly around her waist. "Whoever said anything about shutting you up? You are exceedingly beautiful when you are angry. It thrills me."
Bella laughed quietly. "I'll remember that."
"And so you should," Aro said with a smirk, "It will serve you well, in our future disagreements, to know that you are quite the beguiling Valkyrie. Look at you," he sighed, as if dazzled, "With your wild hair, in torn black silk, fresh blood around your mouth... I am not unaffected by the sight." He pulled her firmly against him, and she moaned softly at the feel of his hardness against her stomach.
"I am sorry," he murmured solemnly. "I should not have underestimated your understanding of our... situation."
"No," Bella agreed, "You shouldn't have. But... I understand why you did."
"Still. I apologise, amore mia." He smirked as Bella pressed her lips together. "The bodies," he said, quite unexpectedly, and Bella frowned at him. And almost immediately, there was a soft knock on the door, and Heidi and Renata stepped in.
Bella stiffened, quickly realising that they'd both almost certainly heard her ranting. Ranting at Aro, the leader of the Volturi, ripper-off of heads and Very Evil Vampire Overlord.
They bowed. "Padrone, Padrona," the two said in unison.
And so it begins, Bella thought to herself.
"Isabella is in need of some clothing before she is introduced to the court tomorrow," Aro said calmly, continuing to stare at Bella, "Heidi, when this mess is cleared, would you return with Isabella's things? They will need to be added to our wardrobe."
"Yes, Padrone," Heidi responded with a smile. "You are looking... well, Padrona. It is an honour to meet you."
"The court is most eager to make your acquaintance, Padrona," Renata added eagerly, "We are thrilled to welcome you here."
"Uh... Grazie," Bella replied slowly, giving the two ladies a small but genuine smile as they dipped out of Aro's suite, bodies in hand.
Bella shot a suspicious glance at Aro. "Padrona? Why am I being addressed as Mistress, Aro? And I can put my own clothes away," Bella protested. Then,"What clothes, anyway? I dont have any, do I? Are you moving me in to your room?!"
"We measured you during your change, amore mia." Aro ran his fingers through her hair, ignoring the rest of her questions, and Bella shivered, sending him a dark look. "A bath for us, I think," Aro went on, ignoring Bella's glower, "And then perhaps we will see my brothers, and Athena."
Bella then caught sight of her face in the mirror, and blanched. She had blood on her chin, her chest and in her hair. Aro lowered his mouth to her ear, and Bella shuddered again at the feel of his lips, leaning into his touch as he trailed a hand along the hem of her negligee.
"You are so very beautiful," Aro murmured. "But I must admit... I look forward to getting you wet, and cleaning you up."
"Aro!" Bella laughed at the double entendre, knowing her cheeks would be red if she could blush. She turned to face him, licking her lips slightly as she felt the length of him against her hip. "Besides, I think you're too late, amore mio."
Aro raised an eyebrow. "Too late, tesorina?"
Bella stepped out of his reach, slipping the remaining strap of her negligee down her shoulder and allowing the garment to slide off. Aro stared at her body as it was revealed to him, swallowing thickly at the sight of her breasts, her stomach, and the thin landing-strip of curls above her sex.
The scent of her desire slowly bled out into the room, and Bella smirked, feeling bold and brave and beautiful.
"I'm wet already, Master."
Italian -
angelo oscuro - dark angel
mia tesorina - my darling
La mia incantatrice - my enchantress
mia bellisima, caro isabella - my beautiful, darling Isabella
sei mio, adesso - you are mine, now
bellisima - beautiful
tesoro - sweetheart
occupata - busy
amore mia - my love (fem)
mi tenti - you tempt me
sei una dea - you are a goddess
perfetta - perfect
mia regina - my queen
mi dispiace - i am sorry
perdonami - forgive me
la mia bellisima regina - my beautiful queen
padrone - master
padrona - mistress
grazie - thank you
Chapter Text
(All the lemons and the chillis - I warned you)
-
Aro all but flew her across to his bed, previous thoughts of a bath and his brothers forgotten. He threw her down onto the sheets and gripped his hands tightly behind her knees, opening her legs wide and pushing them down against the mattress.
He settled above her, settling her thighs against his. "Isabella, tu ragazza cattiva," he murmured sinfully against the skin of her neck, kissing a path down her chest. "Wet already, are you? Such insolence." He cupped her breasts, lowering his mouth to one dusky peak and tugging on the other, first with gentle and then harsher pressure when Bella arched towards him, her soft gasps and pleas driving him on.
"Ti farò urlare," Aro promised in a rough whisper, continuing in his delicious torture of her breasts. "I am going to bury my face between your legs until you forget your own name." The perfume of her desire was thick in the air, and Aro felt as if the aroma swirled in his skull like an opium cloud, intoxicating him more effectively than any drug ever could. He was desperate to taste her, and so he would. Why deny himself the pleasure?
Aro nipped and nibbled along her breasts, his hands descending to her knees again. At a human pace, to better savour the moment, he trailed his fingertips upwards, slipping around to the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs.
"To be able to touch you like this," he said suddenly, reverent as he reared over her to plunder her mouth in a desperate kiss, "To feel only your skin, to see only your body, to hear only the sounds that you make..." he stilled for a moment, his voice choked with raw emotion, "You truly are a goddess to me, Isabella, to grant me such peace in your arms."
Bella delved her fingers into his hair, holding his face as he kissed her again, passionately and deeply, as if to communicate everything he was feeling. He moved again, almost faster than her eyes could see, so quickly that she let out a soft guffaw of laughter, and then she felt his breath against her sex, and she laughed no more.
"Now, mia regina, allow me to worship you," Aro whispered, smirking devilishly.
His mouth descended on her, and she arched violently beneath him as she felt his breath against her heated centre.
"Your scent," he growled, "Is indescrivibile. Better even than your blood. Seeing you like this... It unhinges me, Isabella." He inhaled deeply against her, his nose brushing against her curls as his tongue flicked out to sample her bouquet. "Such a pretty cunt," Aro went on, his tone full of love and worship despite the filth. "Lo rovinerò."
Bella whined at the promise, but she couldn't make her mouth produce actual speech. Though she'd loved a spicy romance novel in her previous life, she'd never heard dirty words spoken aloud like this, and it was arousing beyond measure.
"Mia cara, Isabella," Aro was cooing, "La mia sporca ragazza. Ah, amore mia, is this all for me?" A drop of her essence trickled from her core, and Aro caught it on his tongue, humming in pleasure at her taste. "Sei deliziosa."
Her body aligned to his ministrations like strings on a bow, and she cried out as he toyed with her clitoris with his teeth, alternating the pressure as he felt her climb towards her release, then pulling away at the last moment to push his tongue inside of her instead. On and on he went, building a climax one way and then denying it another, never quite allowing her to reach her peak.
"Tell me what you need, Isabella." His voice was so authoritative, so commanding, and she whimpered in response, thrashing her head against his sheets. "I can't hear you, amore mia," he said, nuzzling at her.
She was suddenly very grateful for his millenia of experience, being that Aro's version of worship was decidely more like erotic torture, Bella thought, as he dragged his tongue between her folds, teasing and sucking at the pearl between her thighs until she was shaking in need.
"Aro, please," she cried finally, mindless in her desperation. "I need to come. Please let me come."
He held her there on the edge of a powerful precipe, waiting, letting her urgency build, until he crooned out her name against her flesh. "Dolce Isabella, mia bella, deliziosa Isabella," Aro hummed. "Così bagnato, così delizioso. Such a dirty girl for me, aren't you?"
"Master," Bella pleaded, "Padrone, Aro, mio Regino... Please... Aro..."
"Yes," he hissed, his eyes narrowing at her words, palming his own arousal through his trousers, "Let them all hear that you are mine, Isabella. You’re such a good girl..."
She whined at his praise, and Aro chuckled wickedly as he took her clitoris mercilessly between his teeth and pushing first one finger, and then a second, deeply inside of her, curling them twice. And it was enough. She moaned loudly as her body clenched around his fingers, singing her pleasure into the room.
Aro's eyes darkened further. "Yes..." he hissed out, "Take your release, amore mia... Yes..."
Aro continued the wicked movements of his fingers as she soared, taking her by surprise as he suddenly bit deeply into her inner thigh, drawing a pull of her venom into his mouth. The pain elongated her orgasm and she climbed higher still, her hands in his hair, nails scratching against his scalp, pressing his teeth further into her flesh as she cried out a chorus of his name.
"Mia Regina," Aro was murmuring against her skin, soothing his tongue over the wound of his bite, "Mia perfetta regina. Sei mia, Isabella, sempre. Sei mia."
Bella fell back bonelessly onto the bed, her chest heaving with breaths she didn't need. He climbed over her, trousers gone, dragging his fingers along her curves as he kissed a path along her neck. Bella turned her head towards his, her heavily lidded eyes roving over him as she took his lips in a fierce kiss, and then she pulled away sharply in something of a double take, moaning as she took in his appearance properly.
He was always so collected, so civilised, so to see him like this... Aro was half wild above her, black eyed and panting, teeth bared and tense, his mate's orgasm providing an aphrodisiac that he'd never experienced before. His hair was wild around his shoulders, and Bella reached up to trail her fingernails along his cheek. He so very rarely lost himself in anything, even keeping his head in the midst of a fight, striving to maintain control in all things, but here - with Bella, with his mate - Aro knew that he had truly become an almost mindless creature of lust, the literal embodiment of a feral vampire mate, half crazed with possessiveness and the need to have her.
Her eyes narrowed and Bella smiled, deviant and catlike as an intuitive, predatory awareness stole over her, the need to torment and tease her powerful mate. She forced herself to be calm in the face of his fierceness, knowing it would only further provoke his beast.
"Amore mio, you bit me," she said, pouting a little, "Why?"
"Sei mia de mordere," Aro snarled in return, his hands tightening on her body almost to the point of pain. "To claim."
"And you'd have me flashing my inner thighs to the world to prove it, would you?" She challenged in a purr, knowing that the thought of her exposing herself in such a way would further increase his protectiveness over her. There was a flash of dark, greedy understanding in Aro's eyes. Bella may have been brand new to vampirism, but some things were instinctive to her. This was instinctive to her. She leaned her head away, submissively exposing her neck in offering.
He growled at the sight, covetous to mark her in such a blatant place.
She smirked knowingly. "Fottimi, mio Re. Reclamami. Sono tuo."
"I love hearing you speak Italian," Aro ground out, gripping her thighs again, his nails digging into the bite mark there as the tip of his erection eased through the silk between her thighs. Her eyes widened as he began to penetrate her, and Bella exhaled roughly as his hips moved slowly forwards.
"Isabella..." he managed in a strangled voice, "When you mentioned being… inexperienced..." his eyes closed as he steeled himself against the feel of her, trying desperately not to surge his hips more deeply into the woman below him, "You have done this before, yes?"
"...Once," Bella replied after a moment. She could see him hesitating, cautious of hurting her. That would not do, she thought. Without warning, she thrust her lower body upwards, pulling his cock inside of her until he was entirely sheathed in her heat, buried to the hilt, his pelvis firmly notched against hers. It wasn't painful, exactly, but the intrusion stung a little, and Bella found that it only enhanced the sensation.
Aro felt his eyes roll back at the sudden feeling and hissed, with nonsensical latin bubbling from his lips. He stared down at her, mesmerised at the sly look in her eyes and the smile pulling at the edges of her lips.
"I'm sorry, mio Regino," Bella purred up at him, batting her eyelashes in mock innocence, "Did I startle you?" She retreated her hips again, then surged upwards for a second time, wrapping her legs around his waist and tightening her fingernails into his shoulders. "Fuuuuck," she moaned softly, clenching her internal muscles, "You're so big, Aro. I can feel all of you."
Aro's chest rumbled at her words.
"Take me, Padrone," she breathed into his ear, "I am yours."
Whatever control and restraint Aro had managed to cling onto snapped in that moment. He thrust harshly into her, groaning as her body gripped onto his. "Così stretto," he hissed, possessiveness screaming through him, "Sei una ragazza così brava, Isabella."
Bella moaned at his adoration, clenching around his cock as his hips continued their brutal snapping pace into hers. "Oh fuck," she cried, "So good. Yes, si, mio regino."
"Are you mine?" Aro ground out, "Sei mio, Isabella?"
"Si, Padrone," Bella moaned, "Io sono tua, Padrone, solo tuo, sempre. Fuck. Harder, Aro, harder."
It was a combination of Aro's responding growl and the brutal pistoning of his hips that tipped Bella into her orgasm, and though she wanted to moan and wail at the incredible sensations coursing through her, she turned her teeth to his neck and clenched down, using all of the passion she felt from her climax to break the skin and pull his venom into her mouth. Aro's hips stuttered sharply at the feel of her teeth on him and he threw his head back, roaring as she claimed him with her own mating mark. She sucked harshly, humming with pleasure at the taste of him.
Bella's nails scored a path down his back, a grasping hand settling on his backside to pull him closer.
Aro took a handful of Bella's hair and almost viciously pulled her head to the side, ripping her away from him as his own teeth found the join of her shoulder and neck, renewing Bella's orgasm.
"Sei mia," he hissed, scaring her flesh with his mark as he tasted her venom again, his own orgasm sweeping through him as the reality of claiming his long awaited mate seemed to click into place. "Cazzo, così bello, così stretto," Aro grunted against her as her body clenched tightly around him, squeezing his cock until he saw stars.
When his mind returned to his body, Bella was tending to him. He groaned as she kissed the mark on his neck, laving her tongue over the oozing venom in a way that made him imagine her tongue elsewhere.
"Sei mio," she whispered, peppering his skin with kisses, "Mio compagno."
She wouldn't allow him to move, keeping her legs around him in a tight grip, so he settled for resting his head on her chest, over the place her heart had once beat.
"Amore mia," he murmured, purring as her fingers combed gently through his hair and traced patterns on his back, "That was the most fulfilling sex I've ever had in my life."
"I know," Bella replied softly, "I can feel you, in my head. Your emotions. Your... contentment."
Aro glanced up at her, curious, and then he concentrated. Yes, he realised, he could feel her, too. Her joy, her ease, her... love? And once he'd recognised that those emotions were not his own, identified the love she felt for him, he reared over her again, pressing a firm kiss to the mark on her neck.
"I promised you a bath," he recalled, "Shall we relocate?"
Bella touched a hand to her face and grimaced. "I'm still covered in blood, aren't I?"
"I wouldn't say 'covered'. Lightly doused, perhaps," he crooned at her, grinning as she swatted at his shoulder. "Isabella," Aro chided her lightly, puffing out his chest a little, "You cannot hit me. I am a King."
"Mmm," Bella replied, narrowing her eyes mischievously, "But I am your Queen."
Aro growled in his chest at the verbal reminder, the sound hitting her in her solar plexus and sending a thrill of renewed arousal through her. His nose twitched at the blossoming aroma just as the sensation of her lust emerged at the back of his mind, knowing full well she'd be feeling his own desire for her. Aro smirked, a decidedly dangerous expression, enjoying this aspect of their connection.
She'd known how much he would enjoy hearing her say that, Aro realised, just like he knew how much she enjoyed his growls. "Minx."
"A minx who needs a bath," Bella said with a sigh. "And more blood. Being ravished is thirsty work."
Aro's eyes softened as she expressed her thirst. She was still so young to this life, he thought, having literally only opened her eyes mere hours ago, but Bella had such (un)natural control, such mastery over herself already that he had quite forgotten just how new she was. It was the first time she'd mentioned her thirst since awakening, and he was itching to attend to her needs. "Are you able to wait until we see my brothers? Or should I call for a drink for you?"
Bella gazed at him curiously. "Don't tell me the Volturi keep humans in the pantry, just in case?"
Aro laughed then, a deep, rich baritone of a sound that brought a smile to her face. "No, darling," he chuckled, pulling her up to sit on the bed as he crossed to the bathroom. "Most out-of-hours meals are delivered in a glass, of course."
"Of course," she repeated with a roll of her eyes, reclining again as Aro bustled about in the bathroom.
"Isabella," Bella jumped when he was suddenly standing before her, "Drink now, or later?"
Bella smiled, chagrined. "Both?"
.
Once Aro had washed her hair and cleaned the blood from her body - something, she found, he significantly enjoyed, and had brought her to several more life-affirming orgasms, the fourth of which he'd also indulged in - Bella retreated into his sitting room, where it seemed like half a department store's worth of clothes awaited them. She recalled Aro saying that her measurements had been taken, and blanched at the thought that all of these clothes had actually been tailor made for her, no department stores or off-the-rack attire required.
She was safely esconed in his silk robe, curled up on the couch, sipping her blood calmly as she eyed the numerous rails of clothes and piles of boxes that had been stacked against a wall.
Aro emerged from their room moments later, fully dressed in an immaculate three-piece black suit, complete with crisp black shirt and blood red tie.
The bite mark that she'd left on his neck stood out, the scar a few shades lighter than his usual skin (and was it... shimmering?), and Bella bit her lip at the sight of it, her mind immediately returning to their amorous activities. Sensing her lust, Aro stopped on the threshold of his bedroom, leaning deceptively casually to one side of the doorway as his gaze travelled over her, want very clearly in his eyes. Bella swallowed as she felt his desire for her pricking the back of her mind.
"I was under the impression that you'd be getting dressed, tesorina," he teased with a smirk, "Had I known you planned otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered."
Bella waved an explanatory hand in the direction of the rails and boxes. "I don't know how I'm supposed to dress to meet your family."
"Dress for the throne room," he offered helpfully, "But all I care for is your comfort, so it matters not to me what you wear."
Aro shrugged, approaching the couch and perching himself on the arm beside her. He stole a sip from the glass and grimaced at the chilled temperature, stroking a hand down her back.
"Tastes better warm and fresh," Bella acknowledged with a smile, "But it's a nice luxury, drinking it like this."
She stood, then, approaching the rails. She sifted through them for a short while, until she settled on a dark-mauve coloured, cap-sleeved pencil dress and a pair of pointy-toed black suede stilettos. She flitted into their bedroom, reappearing moments later in front of Aro, holding her hair up as she presented him with the zip under her arm. He dutifully fastened it for her, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder, his fingertips trailing over the exposed skin of her back.
The dress was modest enough in length, reaching from knee to collarbone, but it was particularly figure hugging, in silky, clinging fabric, with a keyhole-style opening that exposed almost her entire back. There were slits from each hem up to mid thigh along the outer sides of her legs and the neckline was a tasteful boat neck. She glanced into the mirror, before delving purposefully into another box and emerging triumphant with a mauve hairclip, using this to pin half of her hair away from one side of her face, exposing the side of her neck that held his bite. He swallowed thickly as he stared across at her, and then he was in front of her, pushing her into the mirror as he pressed open mouthed, toothy kisses to her throat.
"We're cancelling," he muttered between kisses, "They can see you another day, amore mia. Get undressed. Leave the heels on."
Bella giggled softly, feeling his intense need both in her head and against her hip, and then she pushed him lightly away. "Down, boy. I thought you wanted to introduce me to everyone. Show off your new mate."
Aro groaned, resting his forehead on her shoulder, but when he lifted his twinkling eyes to hers she could see that she'd pleased him. He reached up to adjust the neckline of her dress, pulling it down just a touch to further expose his mark. "Perfetta," he smirked.
She was right, of course - Aro loved to flaunt what was his.
.
Bella tried hard to hide her nerves as they walked quickly through the Palazzo, and Aro seemed to understand, likely feeling her trepidation through their bond, keeping her hand tucked into his arm with a comforting hand over hers.
"They will love you," he murmured as they approached the doors. Bella gave him a small smile but said nothing in reply.
Aro cleared his throat quite deliberately, and the double doors opened from the inside. Aro swept into the room, not allowing Bella to falter on the threshold, and moved them both to stand on the raised dais, in front of the centre throne. This was his true domain, Bella realised, gazing at him admiringly as his imposing presence seemed to dominate the space. He truly was a king, here before the three thrones - standing tall and comfortable, well-versed and relaxed despite his authoritative role.
By their own thrones stood Marcus and Caius, along with a statuesque, curvaceous blonde vampire who was being held half-behind Caius. Bella recalled the blonde woman's name - Athena - just as Athena stepped out of her mate's reach, much to his annoyance.
"Isabella," Athena greeted her, enthused. "We are so pleased to meet you officially, at last."
Aro allowed Bella to remove her hand from the crook of his elbow, only to gently take her other hand, keeping a protective hold on her. "Isabella, this is Athenodora, Caius' mate."
"I remember," Bella said with a smile, shaking Athena's hand, "You offered to change me, when I was dying. Thank you, for that."
"As if Aro would ever have allowed it," Marcus interrupted with a snort, moving towards them. "Isabella has been his for quite some time." He grinned knowingly across at Aro, who looked quite taken aback. "Hasn't she, brother?"
Aro raised an eyebrow, a challenging look settling on face. "You knew?"
Marcus shook his head. "Not in the manner in which you currently believe."
"Do tell," Aro pressed eagerly, his free hand drifting out as if eager to touch Marcus.
"Brother," Caius said impatiently from behind them, "There are introductions to be made."
Aro smirked back at Caius. "As you like. Isabella, please allow me to formally introduce you to my brothers, Marcus and Caius." The two each offered her a small bow, and then Aro gestured out into the wider room, "And this is the Guard."
Bella stiffened slightly as she turned, noticing over a dozen other vampires staring curiously up at her. Aro squeezed her hand as he spoke, reaching up to brush her hair over her shoulder to better expose his mark. "My dear Guard, this is Isabella, my mate." He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles and she shivered slightly at his desire and pride-filled expression. "Bitten by me, reformed by my venom, and claimed. You will guard her with your lives, and attend to her needs as required. You will respect her as you respect me."
"Step forwards and introduce yourselves to Isabella," Caius instructed, softening slightly as Athena took his arm. "If you would."
One by one, Jane, Alec, Chelsea, Demetri, Renata, Corin, Heidi, Felix, Afton, Lucy, Santiago, Fred, Toshiro, Randall, Charles and McKenna bowed lowly before her, pledged to guard and protect her with their lives, called her Padrona, and they all shook Aro's free hand, congratulating them both but being careful to only touch their Master.
Chelsea remained by Aro, gazing curiously at Bella between intermittently focusing on each individual Guard member.
For her part, Bella felt comfortable in their presence, safe in a way she hadn't in years. And she believed them, wholeheartedly, when they had said that they were loyal to her. They were very impressive, the Guard; mixture of ages, ethnic backgrounds and physical shapes, wearing cloaks in varying shades of grey. The only similarity amongst all of them was their burgundy eyes and their silver Volturi cloak pins.
Bella could feel Aro's pride, along with his almost overpoweringly possessive, lust-filled glee in the back of her mind, and she smiled at him knowingly, wondering what he could have seen in the minds of the Guard to elicit such a response. He nodded his head towards the door, and almost all of the guard members took their leave, leaving only the Royal Family, Chelsea and the unobtrusive Renata, who pulled a book from inside her cloak.
"Padrone," Chelsea offered her hand to Aro again, and he clasped it for a moment before dismissing her.
"It is as I suspected," Aro began, pressing a kiss to Bella's forehead, "Chelsea was unable to use her ability on you. I had her try, purely to sate my curiosity, you understand."
Bella glanced at him warily. "What did she try?"
Aro smiled, and Bella got the distinct impression that she wasn't going to like what he was going to say next. "Chelsea is able to strengthen, weaken and sever bonds between people - vampires and humans alike. It is useful in ensuring the ongoing loyalty of the Guard."
"You mean... Her ability binds the Guard to you?" She frowned slightly. "Are they here against their will? Isn't that a bit like Stockholm syndrome?"
From her position by the door, Renata stiffened at the implications of Bella's accusation towards her Master, and looked up. Bella raised a challenging eyebrow at Renata, and Aro chuckled, waving a dismissive hand in the female guard's direction.
"Not quite," he amended. "Chelsea cannot create bonds, merely enhance, impact or destroy what already exists. If a member of the Guard truly wished to leave, we would - of course - negotiate their release, perhaps discuss a more long-distance manner of service, or a consultation based role. Chelsea's ability merely strengthens the Guards' pre-existing, positively-inclined feelings towards us, and now to you. But whilst she could see your bonds, she was unable to access them."
Bella gasped at this, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. "You tried to have her manipulate my feelings towards you? Towards the Volturi?"
"Manipulate is a strong word," Aro replied, eying her warily, "I simply wished to see if she could." He held Bella close, cupping his hands around her cheeks as hers rested on the lapels of his suit jacket. "Be calm, amore mia, your mind remains your own. And I wouldn't have you any other way."
"Don't do that to me again," Bella warned him softly, "I don't like it."
Aro moved to sit back on his throne, pulling Bella to sit on his lap, and she inhaled sharply at the feel of his erection pressing against her backside. Apparently her disagreeing with him was something of turn on, she mused. Her eyes met his and she was shocked to see his need for her there, displayed so openly. His hand rested lightly against her clothed thigh, fingers tapping out a gentle rhythm only he was privy to.
"It is just as well, then, that I took the liberty of summoning Eleazar," Caius spoke up, his own gaze fixed on Athena, who had been settled on the arm of her mate's throne and was running her fingers through his hair. "I thought it... prudent, given how Isabella possessed immunity to telepathic abilities even as a human, and now we have further evidence of her gift."
"A wise decision," Marcus agreed, "Indeed, Aro once remarked that he hadn't seen a prospective talent so promising since Jane and Alec. And now that Isabella is one of us, well, I assume that you still cannot enter her mind, either, brother?"
Aro sighed, the sound an odd mixture of lamentation and pleasure, his hand on her thigh slipping through the slit of her dress to rest directly on her skin. "Alas, you are correct." He considered Bella. "And you, tesorina? Would you allow Eleazar to see you, and assess your talents?"
"Talents, plural?" Bella questioned.
"Yes," Aro responded immediately, "There are a few things that you have said, since your change, that lead me to believe that you may possess several abilities. The boat, for one," he recalled with a smirk, swiping a finger across the end of Bella's nose. His voice became fond. "You and that boat."
Bella ducked her head in embarassment, knowing she'd be blushing if she could.
Aro seemed distressed at her chagrin. "Amore mia, you misunderstand me," he soothed her, running his free hand down her back, "I simply refer to the way in which your ability may have manifested itself to you."
"Brother," Caius interjected, "Perhaps you could enlighten us as to what you're referring to?"
"As you aware, Isabella's transition was quite... unusual," Aro began, "The stillness, the silence, the shorter length." Aro gestured to Bella. "Isabella, would you explain?" She stood to better address his brothers, trying to ignore how his face fell as their physical contact ended.
"During my change, it didn't hurt," she said, "It was like the world was burning, and I was aware of the heat in the distance, but I was in a boat."
"A boat?" Caius repeated, incredulous.
"A boat," Aro confirmed proudly. "Do go on, Isabella."
Bella smiled at her mate. "I was in a boat on some water, and the boat was tethered to the land. The land is what was burning. I was far enough away in the boat that the flames couldn't reach me, and when I felt like I might drift too far, I was pulled back in again. By Aro." The man in question was gazing at her as if she had hung the moon. "I woke up when you - Caius - were talking to Aro about calling the Guard to... help... in case I was feral."
Athena elbowed Caius disapprovingly.
"...But I could smell that I was in Aro's room. I could hear his voice, saying that he wouldn't need the Guard. I didn't know straight away what was going on, everything was so vivid and strange, but I felt... safe, I guess, and I went to the window to look outside. Aro came back into the room, I remembered what had happened, we talked. Then you, uh, interrupted us, and I realised I was thirsty."
"Incredible," Marcus remarked quietly, "To have such control."
"Odd is a better word," Caius groused half-heartedly. "Isabella demonstrated only the slightest of interests in the humans provided, and was even able to refrain from feeding until after Aro had kicked me out of their suite."
Athena ran a hand through Caius' hair. "Now, amore mio, you can hardly blame him for wanting privacy for his mate's first blood," she consoled, then her voice dropped a little lower. "Remember how much you like to watch me hunt, even now. Imagine if it had been my first-."
Caius cleared his throat. "Indeed." He stood up and took a better look at Aro, then, and gave the man a rather uncharacteristically pleased grin as he clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Brother! You have solidified your bond in every sense, I see!"
"Oh, how wonderful! We simply must celebrate!" Athena clapped her hands together. "It has been so long since we've had a ball!"
Marcus was next. "Aro, Isabella; we are happy for you. Truly."
"Yes, well," Aro replied with a proud smile, eying Bella with a conspiratorial look, "I must profess that I did try to be a gentleman. But I wasn't given much of a choice."
Bella scoffed, laughing for the first time since they'd left Aro's suite. "You liar," she replied, then gasped. "Aro, lie to me."
Aro frowned. "Darling?"
"Lie to me!"
"Uh..." he struggled, "Caius?"
Caius narrowed his eyes. "I don't love Athena," he stated, glancing at the woman in question as if to reassure her that what he was saying wasn't true. Athena winked back at him.
Bella gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "I can feel it. When you lie. You do love Athena." She bounced up on her toes, excited. "Someone tell me another one, something that isn't obvious. Quick!"
Aro stared at Bella, his expression inscrutable.
"The Volturi have been in power for over two thousand years," Marcus offered, and Bella gasped again.
"Lie!" she exalted, "Oh my God, I'm a lie detector," she breathed, "But, why? How weird." She shrieked as she was suddenly swept off her feet, by a very impressed vampire. "Aro, you're insane," she laughed, "Put me down!"
"My darling," he crooned into her ear, kissing his mark on her neck, "You are brilliant. Simply magnifica."
"You'll never ever be able to lie to me," she grinned up at him, "Sucks for you."
"As if I would," he said, mock-offended.
Bella tapped her chest. "Liar," she whispered, and leaned up to kiss him, thoroughly enjoying when Aro wound his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly against him. She could feel his need of her, both in her head and like a steel rod against her abdomen. She swallowed, and then grimaced.
"Are you thirsty, amore mia?"
"Yeah," Bella replied quietly, "I don't really want the cold stuff, though."
Aro smirked at her, a delicious, wicked smirk that promised wonderful things. "Well then, amate, let us go for a real hunt, shall we?"
italian-
tu ragazza cattiva - you naughty girl
Ti farò urlare - i am going to make you scream
lo rovinerò - i will ruin it
mia cara Isabella - my darling Isabella
la mia sporca ragazza - my dirty girl
Dolce Isabella, mia bella, deliziosa Isabella - sweet Isabella, my beautiful, delicious Isabella
così bagnato, così delizioso - so wet, so delicious
Padrone - master
mio regino - my king
amore mia - my love (fem)
indescrivibile - indescribable
sei delizioso - you are delicious
mia Regina - my queen
Mia perfetta regina. Sei mia, Isabella, sempre. Sei mia - my perfect queen. You are mine, isabella, forever. You are mine.
amore mio - my love (masc)
Sei mia da mordere - you are mine to bite
Fottimi, mio re. Reclamami. Sono tuo - fuck me, my king. Claim me. I am yours
cosi stretto - so tight
sei una ragazza così brava - you're such a good girl
paradiso - heaven
sei mia? - are you mine (fem)
io sono tuo, padrone, solo tuo, sempre - I am yours, master, only yours, always
sei mia - you are mine (fem)
sei mio - you are mine (masc)
mio compagno - my mate (masc)
tesorina - darling
magnifica - magnificent (fem)
amate - beloved (fem)
Chapter Text
.
"Where are we going?" Bella asked him, excited to be leaving the Palazzo, "I know we can't stay in the city, so..."
Aro smoothed his thumb over the back of her hand as they walked, directing her through the maze of corridors and passageways until they reached a non-descript, exterior door. "I thought perhaps to start between here and Florence," he replied, "Make our way through the countryside, see if anyone piques your interest."
"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Bella breathed, "I know I fed in the suite before, but..."
"This is different," Aro agreed quietly, "I meant what I said, tesorina; if you'd sooner follow the Cullens' example..." He said the word as if it pained him, "I would not condemn you for being affected by their attitude towards our traditional diet, however misguided I believe it would be." Not for the first time, he wished for a glimpse into her mind. "After all, you spent time with them during your formative years - it would be understandable, for you to have been moved by that."
Bella pulled a face and stopped to face him. "I think... I think, if I'd been changed back then, when I was with them... I think I maybe would have chosen animals," she said honestly, "Or tried to. To make them happy, more than anything. I wouldn't have wanted to disappoint Carlisle, or upset Edward, I guess. He was all about vampires being 'soulless' - I'm sure you remember - and I would have wanted to conform to what they all wanted. Not raise my head above the pulpit. But I'm older now, I feel differently about it. I make my choices for me, no-one else. The only person I care about disappointing is myself. And now you, given our relationship and you being the Vampire-in-Charge. Plus, now that I've tasted the real deal..." she swallowed, "I can't imagine being satisfied by tofu, now that I've had a ribeye, you know?"
Aro smirked, kissing her hand possessively as he thought about the other ways in which her comparison could be applied, namely with the young Edward as the tofu and himself as the ribeye. "What an interesting analogy. But, I must tell you, Isabella... You could never disappoint me. Yes, I would much prefer for you to maintain a traditional diet, for the sake of your comfort, control and development, but it is your decision, and I would support whatever informed choice you ultimately made, irrespective of my personal beliefs on said choice."
Bella rewarded his sentiments with a gentle peck to his lips.
"... I don't know if you ever saw this, in Edward's head... But even if the Cullens had chosen to feed from people, it wouldn't have mattered to me, and I told them so. If anything, I saw the damage it did to Edward and Jasper, trying to hold back so much. It must have been torture," Bella went on, "And I just don't have that masochism in me. Forever is a long time to feel deprived, and I'm not going to do that to myself. Plus... human beings suck," she emphasised, "People do bad things to eachother all the time. I've had a long time to think about this stuff since they left... The Cullens might have been playing human, but its not like any of them ever did anything to help people who needed it. Except Carlisle, I guess. The rest of them, with their expensive cars and their designer clothes and the fancy houses, going to college over and over... I just don't see that as philanthropic."
They'd exited the Palazzo at some point during Bella's explanation, moving through the early evening light with hands clasped, and Aro found himself fascinated by her musings.
"You are correct, of course," he said, "Other than dear Carlisle - who is the exception, not the rule - the Cullen Coven are not favourably disposed towards humanity. I am of the belief that all of the Cullens would follow a traditional diet if not for Carlisle, other than young Edward, perhaps. For Edward, though, his choice to feed from animals is based more on his reluctance to hear the final thoughts of his human prey, rather than his moral standing."
"Exactly," Bella smiled as they left the city behind them, and began to move faster out into the darkening countryside, "So I'm not going to beat myself up over a 'traditional' diet. I mean, sure; it's a bit daunting, knowing that I'm going to take lives, but it's like there's a... disconnect, somewhere. Like somewhere in my brain, people now equal food. And I don't understand how the Cullens can play at being human like they do, surrounded by people all day, every day. Pretending to eat, trying to be 'normal'. It must be exhausting. And very boring, to keep repeating school over and over. Once was enough for me. I grew up and had a job and a life before I came here. Why would anyone repeatedly subject themselves to high school like that? It's... weird."
"Certainly," Aro mused, "I must admit, Isabella, I am quite... surprised, by your attitude. Your maturity surrounding this, and your in-depth consideration of the matter is greatly pleasing to me. I did wonder if perhaps, once we were away from the Palazzo," And Caius, he added silently, "That you might wish to sample the, ah, vegetarian buffet, as it were."
Bella smiled, her nose wrinkling a bit in disgust at the thought of her sensitive new teeth biting through fur. "Like I said, I've had a really long time to think about this. I knew that I'd either die or become a vampire eventually, one way or another. I'm perfectly secure in my decision, and it has nothing to do with my wanting to keep Caius happy," she assured him, revelling in the delighted peal of laughter that burst from Aro's lips at her candour, "I'm good with this, Aro, I promise."
"Then I will not mention it again," he chuckled, pulling her against him. His nose descended to skim across her neck and she shivered lightly as he inhaled, a quiet rumble of appreciation emanating from his chest at her scent. "Now," he purred, "Let us get you properly fed, cara mia."
"Tell me what to do," she whispered, closing her eyes as he spun her in his arms, her back along his front, just as he'd done in their suite.
"Take a deep breath. Centre your senses. Listen. Inhale. Feel."
Bella did so. She soon caught a scent, something sweet and rich, and then she was moving. Running in the direction of her prey, keeping to the shadows out of instinct. They eventually happened upon a single-story cottage, and Aro nodded at her to enter the dwelling. Bella noticed that were two people inside, a man and a woman, and she quickly tipped her head towards the woman, alerting Aro to her selection. He smirked menacingly, pleased, and gestured for her to begin.
"Aro," Bella whispered huskily as they crossed the threshold, him glancing over to her, "I'm not wearing any underwear."
"Fanculo," he hissed in surprise, whipping around to face her just as she dived out of his reach. "You are so deliciously cruel, mia regina."
Bella laughed teasingly as she leapt across the room, notifying the couple to the presence of the predators. "Then perhaps you should punish me, Padrone," she purred, before pushing the woman against the wall and biting.
She groaned at the taste - a succulent, dessert-like flavour. Hearing Aro's growl, she turned, pulling her meal with her, and found him staring heatedly back at her.
Once he'd caught Bella's eye, he partook in his own prey, maintaining eye contact with her as he drained the lifeblood from his victim. Bella moaned at the heat in his gaze, feeling his lust almost boiling over in the back of her mind.
He was faster than her, and carelessly flung the man to the side, just as Bella finished with her woman. The thought that she'd been without underwear the entire time, both in the throne room and throughout their hunt, her body ready to receive him...
Aro dragged Bella from the room, pushing her into what seemed to be a guest bedroom, and forced her down onto her hands and knees on the bed.
"Isabella," Aro's voice was rough, authoritative in a way that made her core throb. He inhaled, scenting the redolence of her desire, and growled deeply, his grip on her waist tightening as she whimpered. "Could it be that you enjoy provoking me?"
Aro tugged Bella's dress up and over her thighs, bunching it at her waist. His chest rumbled with pleasure at the sight of her bare sex, swiping a finger through the silk between her legs. She keened at the touch, dropping forwards onto her elbows as Aro unbuckled his belt and freed himself from the confines of his trousers.
"You will answer me," he commanded, rolling her clitoris between a finger and thumb, "Do you enjoy testing my control? Toying with me?"
"Si, Padrone," she breathed, "I do."
"Such a bad girl," the head of his cock was sliding against her clit, momentarily dipping inside of her before withdrawing. Her hips chased his touch, and he chuckled.
"Please," Bella begged, "Fottimi, Padrone. I need you."
Aro ran a sharp nail along the length of her spine and she arched against him with a whine, "Yes," he said, his voice dripping with darkness, "So I see."
It was then that Bella decided to rebel, and she slid a hand down her front, pushing her fingers past his cock and into her own molten flesh.
Aro groaned at the sight, before pulling her digits from her core and sucking them into his own mouth with one hand and aligning himself with her opening using the other. He slammed himself into her without further warning, grinding his teeth as her body clenched tightly onto his.
Bella moaned deeply in appreciation, the sound half-muffled by the coverlet of the bed. Aro chuckled darkly, gripping a hand into her hair and pulling back her head to arch her body back against him.
"Tut tut," he licked the length of her neck, "You will not hide the sound of your pleasure from me, Isabella. Those sounds are mine."
With one hand on her hip and the other firmly anchored against her scalp, he set a punishing rhythm with his hips, moving faster than human eyes could have followed.
"Ah, fuck," she whined, rocking her pelvis back against him, "Feels so good, Master."
He brought her to the edge of her climax and stopped, waiting for her body to settle before resuming his pace.
"Oh, Isabella," Aro crooned into her ear, drawing out her name, feeling her body beginning to tighten around him again, "You're such a bad girl, to tease me. But I can be cruel too."
His rhythm changed again, and Bella gasped as her release edged away for the second time. In a moment of daring, she moved one of her hands to her clitoris, desperate to relieve the pressure. But Aro was faster, somehow managing to pull both of her hands behind her back and securing them there with one of his own.
"Ah, ah, ah," he chided her, "Bad girl. Not to touch."
He released the hand he had in her hair, slapping his palm down hard across her backside, groaning himself in surprise when her body clenched around him at the sensation.
"Fuck, yes," Bella cried as he spanked her again, "So good."
"Who am I, Isabella?" Aro pressed her, "Tell me."
"My Master," she groaned, feeling his palm snap down on her again, "Mio regino."
Aro rewarded this with another slap. "Yes," he growled, "Again, Isabella."
"Mio regino!" She half sobbed, "Please, Padrone, fuck... more..."
Aro slapped her ass again and again, powerless to her pleas and quite delighted with her enjoyment of his rough treatment. He felt her tightening around him and hissed, leaning down over her to mouth at her neck. "Squeeze me, Isabella," he ground out, "Squeeze my cock, there's my good girl."
Bella screamed as her climax exploded within her, rolling out through her limbs like a wave of euphoria. She called out a cacophony of his name, feeling rather than hearing Aro groan into her flesh, and then he latched his teeth deeply into her shoulder, and a second, sharper orgasm overtook her.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck," Bella whined, feeling his cock pulsate as he emptied himself into her body. "Yes, mio regino, give it to me."
He half-collapsed on top of her, rolling them to their sides at the last moment as they absorbed what had just happened. Bella whimpered softly as he withdrew from her, gazing at him dazedly over her shoulder. "Wow," she breathed, "I think I'll go commando more often."
Aro managed a chuckle. "You will not."
"Yes, my King," Bella smirked, turning to face him and pushing him onto his back. His cock stirred again and she licked her lips, moving to straddle his hips. He watched her, bemused and black-eyed, as she diligently unbuttoned his jacket, then his waistcoat, then his shirt, pushing the layers to the side as she nipped at his chest.
"More," she purred, raising up onto her knees and sliding her body back onto his cock.
Aro threw his head back and hissed, his hips bucking as her fingernails and teeth found his nipples. "Fanculo."
He reached for her hips, but Bella utilised her newborn strength and pinned his arms back onto the bed.
"Ah, ah, ah," she murmued, eyes alight with humor as she repeated his earlier words, "Not to touch."
.
After their second round of love-making, once their clothing had been righted and they had semi-cleaned up, Aro had produced a lighter from an inside pocket and started a fire in the room containing the bodies.
The two had retreated to a safe and discreet distance, watching from the edge of a small forest as the flames consumed the evidence of their appetites. There were sirens in the distance, no doubt racing towards the scene, and Bella sighed. "Should it bother me that this doesn't bother me?"
Aro wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close, stroking a hand through her hair as she gazed at the fire. He shrugged, not offering her an answer.
"Is this why humans are usually brought into the Palazzo?" Bella's melodic voice interrupted the silence between them again, and he nodded slowly.
"It is... easier," he said, at last, "To dispose of the bodies. We have an incinerator, in the dungeons."
Bella glanced up at him and snorted. "You have dungeons?"
"Indeed," Aro smiled indulgently, "Where else would we store the dismembered limbs of our prisoners, amore mia?"
"And there I was thinking that a dungeon sounded quite promising, mio regino," Bella admitted with a smirk, biting her lip as his expression darkened at her meaning.
He exhaled sharply and shook his head, swiping a hand over his face as he considered her lusty expression. "Why do I get the distinct impression that I have created an insatiable monster?"
Bella wound her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair as she brought her lips to her mark on his neck. She nipped at it, and then whispered, "Created? No, amore mio. Unleashed? Perhaps."
Aro groaned at her tone, pulling her further back into the trees.
.
It was hours later that the two eventually returned to Volterra, with Bella's dress torn to such a degree that Aro had wrapped her in his suit jacket, a pleased expression on his face at the sight.
"Eleazar will be arriving later today," Aro murmured into her hair, winding his arms around her waist from behind.
He'd found her in the library, a place she'd discovered two days after her change, and was often hard-pressed to leave. It had been almost three weeks since she'd transitioned, and Bella had spent the time acclimatising. She tended to avoid the throne room unless it was to feed, finding it a little overwhelming for her Newborn senses, and had spent most of her time reading and learning as much as she could about vampires in general, the history of the Volturi and the hierarchy of the Guard.
She turned her face to his, and he kissed her, deeply and passionately, his tongue sweeping past her lips and into her mouth. It was he who pulled away first, resting his forehead on her shoulder as she sought to regain control of her breathing.
"I am powerless to resist you, Isabella. You are particularly stunning today," he declared, his eyes travelling over her appreciatively. She had her hair pinned up in an effortlessly messy chignon, exposing her throat and the elegant length of her neck. Her black dress fell to just above her knees, clinging to her curves like a second skin. The lining was soft and satiny, but the exterior was overlaid with black lace, and the scoop neck just hinted at the swell of her cleavage. She'd finished the look with small ruby studs in her ears and red patent heels - and yes, she'd dressed with him in mind. Bella loved to feel his eyes on her, and always made the effort to dress in a way that would tempt him from afar. His nose fell to her neck, breathing her in deeply, and a pleased sound rumbled from his chest.
"You say that every day," she reminded him teasingly, smiling when he kissed her again.
"And every day I mean it, tesorina." He reached into an inside pocket, producing a small velvet box. "I have a gift for you, if you would permit me to present it."
Bella glanced at the box and smiled. "Alright."
"Close your eyes," Aro commanded her softly, and she did so, hearing the box open, then the gentle tinkle of jewellery. She felt a weight settle on her chest and inhaled sharply. "Now, open."
She touched the necklace with gentle fingers, admiring the golden, ruby-encrusted Volturi crest against her alabaster skin. "It's beautiful," she said, beaming up at him. "Thank you, Aro."
He offered her a dazzling smile, and her pupils were blown wide by the affection in his gaze. "It is the effeminate twin of my own," Aro offered, "I thought it fitting."
"I love it," she told him honestly, examining the intricate details. She turned the pendant over, and saw his name engraved on the back. "Perfetta," Bella traced a fingertip along the word.
Aro pulled his own Volturi necklace over her shoulder, flipping the crest and showing her the engraving of her name on the back of his pendant. "And now I carry you with me always," he whispered to her.
She kissed him again, intensely enough that she felt him harden against her lower back, and Bella's eyes danced at his expression.
"Tu mi tenti, mia regina," Aro rumbled at her, and she shivered.
"Good," she replied impishly.
Bella could feel his emotions, his excitement, curiosity, trepidation, worry, along with his ever-present lust. "When will Eleazar get here?"
Aro shifted against her. "His flight lands in an hour. I did offer to send the jet, but..."
"It'll be fine," she reassured him, placing her hands over his. "Even if I'm just 'Super-Controlled, Lie Detector Girl', I'd be happy with that."
Aro laughed quietly. "Mia Regina, you could never be just anything."
She turned to face him, her hands landing on his chest, knowing he had something else to speak with her about. Bella gazed up at him expectantly. "Your hesitation is eating me alive," she said softly, "What is it?"
"Caius is eager to summon the Cullens to answer for their crimes," Aro said finally, "And so am I."
Bella nodded. "I understand." And she did - they'd broken the law, twice, and left her for dead. She raised a hand to his face, smoothing her thumb over the crease between his eyebrows. "But there's more, isn't there?"
"Your testimony will be required," he acknowledged, pulling her across the library so that he could sit down on one of the plush sofas - with her draped across his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as his circled her waist, "And the Cullens will be punished."
He seemed to be... testing her, she thought, as if he was curious as to how she would react. "Okay," she said, "I'll testify. It's not like what they did to me is a lie. But I have a request."
Aro was wary, now. "A request?"
She smiled at his apprehension, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "It's not about the Cullens, I promise, mio regino." He visibly relaxed at this, purring emanating from his chest as she reached to unpin his hair clip and massaged her fingers into his dark locks. "Well, two requests, really. Neither of which directly involve the Cullens or whatever punishment they end up with."
"I'm listening," he replied with a calm sigh, closing his eyes in supplication as her nails scratched against his scalp. Gods, how had he ever managed without this kind of treatment, he wondered idly, sighing as she pulled up the skirt of her dress slightly, rearranging herself to straddle him. She hadn't intended for their new position to be inherently suggestive, Aro knew, but he reached for her just the same, adjusting his own seat and widening his legs a little more. His thumbs found her hips, his long fingers wrapping around to her backside. Aro squeezed the flesh there appreciatively. "Go on, ask me, before I slip into your clothes."
Bella laughed at this, wrinkling her nose mischievously. "First, I want to learn how to fight. Properly." His eyes flashed open and she pressed a finger to his lips. "Hear me out," she chided him. "I need to know how to defend myself. I refuse to be a dead weight for the Guard to... guard. Athena knows how to fight. Everyone here knows how to fight. Except me. I do kinda already know some of the basics," she went on, "I did self defense classes in New York, and I was pretty good. It drives me crazy knowing that I wouldn't be able to do anything to protect... everyone."
Aro heard what she didn't say. She wanted to be able to protect him, to defend her claim on him, should the need ever arise, and the thought of her fighting for such a thing warmed his heart.
"Alright..." Aro said gently, closing one eye. "And, your second request, amate?"
"I want to meet Eleazar and be able to get a grip on my abilities before you summon the Cullens." His eye opened again, and he stared at her curiously.
"Do explain," he pressed. Then, rolling his hips beneath her and earning a breathless laugh from the woman in his arms. "...Quickly."
Bella bit the inside of her cheek. "I've been doing a lot of reading," she began, "A lot, a lot. And I know that you have a suspicion about what my Super Special Gift might be." She pressed a finger back against his lips. "And we're not going to say the word out loud, just in case it jinxes it."
Aro smirked. "Clever girl," he murmured appreciatively. "Pray, continue." His hands slipped under the hem of her dress, settling on her bare thighs.
"So... if I am the thing that you think that I am, wouldn't it make sense for me to strengthen that thing, so that I could use that thing... on everyone?"
"It... would," he allowed.
Bella smiled, and he about melted at the sight. "Because if I can use that thing on everyone, then it would stop any unwanted listening," she raised her eyebrows for emphasis, "To things that might help certain people talk their way out of trouble. And you'd be able to have the choice of what you want them to know, rather than it - and me - all being on... display."
She knew that that little tidbit would help her case: Aro might be enthusiastic about the world knowing that she belonged to him - as he belonged to her - but he wouldn't want anybody poking about in his head, seeing things about his mate that no-one but him had the right to see.
Aro kissed her. "Magnifica," he smirked against her lips, "Truly, amore mia, you are brilliant."
She preened under his praise. "I try."
Aro's hands slid up to grasp her hips, under her dress. She settled her hands above his, pausing him. "Nuh-uh. I want an answer."
He groaned. "I would need to discuss it-"
Bella clapped a hand over his mouth. "No, no. Don't give me that." She lowered her voice, moving her lips to his ear. "We all know that you're the one who's really in charge of this place, mio regino. And anyway, I'm your mate, so there's two great reasons to prove that it's up to you."
Aro let out a sharp breath. "Minx," he grumbled in submission, knowing she'd played him like a fiddle, because she was right, of course, and she knew it. "You're an excellent negotiator," he observed, and then sighed. "Yes, alright. Yes - to both. I acquiesce to your requests, you bad girl."
Bella gave a little squeal. "Oh, Aro, thank you! Thank you so much!" She pressed her lips to his and then began to dust them over his face, alternating thank-you's with kisses. "Thank you! Ah, I love you-"
She froze, feeling that he had also stiffened beneath her. She pulled back, seeing her own shocked expression on his face. They stared at eachother, silently.
A small smile began to pull at Aro's mouth. Bella pressed her lips together, her eyes wide.
"You... love me?" Aro asked her gently, cautiously, as if he was frightened that she'd bolt from his lap, "Truly?"
Bella took a deep breath. "Yeah," she replied, stroking his hair away from his face. "I love you." Then, firmer, surer, "Aro, I love you."
Aro captured her lips in a bruising kiss. "Isabella, I love you, too. Of course I love you, you beautiful, enchanting creature."
"Really?" Bella's voice was small. Hopeful.
"More real than anything I have ever experienced," he swore, pulling her more firmly against him. "The day that I met you, the axis of my world shifted," Aro confessed quietly. "I didn't recognise it for what it was, not until I saw you again. And you accepted my suit so readily..."
Bella smiled at him tenderly, emotion shining in her eyes. "For years I thought of you," she said, "Back in New York, in my old life. I tried to keep you in a box in the back of my head, because I thought I'd be killed if you found out that I was still human. But every now and again, I'd take you out of that box, and I'd wonder what it would be like... to be with you. My Italian got pretty rusty, when I lived in Forks, but after I came to Volterra that March and met you, I went back to it. My mom's mom was Italian, I don't know if I ever told you that. Anyway... I dreamt of you," Bella went on, "At least twice a week. We'd be dancing. Laughing. Hunting. Lounging around. Making love... And then I'd wake up, in my little apartment, and I'd be alone."
Aro smiled sadly at her, brushing his thumb along her cheek.
"The night I got kidnapped, it felt like a relief, in a way," Bella murmured, lowering her gaze, "I was so tired of going through the motions, you know? I was always waiting for fate to finally catch up with me. And suddenly I'm here, and the man I've been dreaming about for six years is holding my hand, keeping me safe, and it all felt worth it. Getting to be with you like this, Aro... It's worth everything that came before." He tilted her chin up, and her eyes stung.
"In all my years," Aro said solemnly, "You are truly the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Bella rewarded him with a beguiling smile, and then eased herself forwards, pressing herself flush against him, her arms slipping around his neck again as her lips found the mark on his neck. "Sei mio," she whispered, "E io sono tua. Ti amo, mio compagno, mio re, mio mondo."
Aro's hands slipped around to her inner thighs, his thumbs brushing against her silk covered centre. "E ti amo, la mia belissima regina, la mia anima gemella, il mio cuore. I must have you now," he pushed her legs wider, pulling the fabric of her thong to one side as two of his fingers buried themselves inside of her. "So wet for me, my dirty girl," he growled in her ear, his voice quiet but full of reverence. She gasped against him, her eyes fluttering shut as he coaxed her to a quick, devastating release. "Sei mia," he purred to her, his voice thick with seduction and love, capturing the breathy cry of her release as her body grew taut by sealing his lips over hers.
When Bella pulled away, she looked around, startled to realise that they were still in the library. "Shit," she giggled breathlessly, "Anyone could have seen us."
Aro shrugged, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. "It is no matter," he murmured against her neck, "You were quiet. Unfortunately."
"That's not the point," she laughed quietly in reply, looking up at him from under her lashes and grinding her hips down against his. He raised an alluring eyebrow when her hands found his belt, undoing the buckle and tugging at the fastenings of his trousers.
"Isabella," he purred down approvingly at her, feeling her hands encircle his cock, "Such a bad girl."
Bella raised herself up onto her knees and sank down slowly onto his length, the heat between her thighs enveloping him. Aro threw his head back onto the couch, his hands initially finding purchase at the fleshy bow of her hips. But Bella grabbed at the hand that he'd used to pleasure her, raising his fingers to her face and sucking them deeply into her mouth. A soft groan rumbled through Aro's chest as her tongue wrapped around his digits, cleaning up the evidence of her desire.
"Fuck," Aro hissed, his eyes falling closed as the rhythm of her hips dragged him closer to his own echelon of oblivion.
"Shhh," she murmured with a quiet giggle. Bella leaned forwards to press sharp toothed kisses to his neck, slightly altering the angle of her pelvis. He gripped a hand into her hair, wrapping his other arm around her waist, securing her against him as he bucked his hips up to meet her grinding pace. His lips dragged along the unmarred side of her neck, feeling a shudder wrack through her as his teeth nibbled at her porcelain skin.
"Bite me, Aro," Bella muffled a moan of longing into his ear, "Mark me, mio regino... I need it."
Aro smirked into the hollow of her throat, her sharp nails puncturing through the fabric of his suit coat. "With pleasure, my love."
Her climax swept through her the moment his teeth broke her skin, and she wordlessly bit at the ceiling, sharp waves of ecstasy engulfing her at the dual sensation of teeth and cock. The second his mouth released her, Bella's own teeth found the sensitive spot below his ear, and she moaned into his flesh as his fingers dug painfully into her hips. Aro shuddered beneath her, emptying himself into her with a final thrust.
They stilled, holding onto one another tightly as their lips met again in an affirming, claiming kiss.
"Mmmh," Bella murmured into his ear, "Negotiating with you is fun."
Aro chuckled, trailing a hand down her spine as she lifted herself off of him. They righted their clothes and stood, with Aro taking stock of the time. "Heidi will be arriving shortly with a tour," he said, pulling her hand into the crook of his arm. "Shall we retire to the throne room, mia Regina? Feed ourselves before greeting our special guests?"
"Sounds good," Bella replied with a smile. "Let's go."
It had been a while since Eleazar had been summoned to Volterra for a consultation.
He didn't much like the long journey, being that he currently resided with his mate and their coven within the Denali National Park. The trip required a minimum of two commercial flights - or one private flight with at least one scheduled refuelling stop - and travelling wasn't a past time that he particularly enjoyed.
But he couldn't exactly say no.
He'd once been a high-ranking Guard within the Volturi, his gift and adept fighting skills granting him quite the prestigious position within the Coven, and he had had a close friendship with Aro, once upon a time, but everything had changed when he'd met Carmen. She'd remained in Volterra with him for a while, but ultimately she'd abhorred the lifestyle, the brutal and often regimental nature of his role within the coven. He'd seen the depth of her sadness and had gone to the Masters to discuss his release from service. They'd agreed to allow his discharge, congratulating him on his mating and understanding the desire for him to see the world with his mate. He knew, though, that Aro had been sad to see him leave, and there'd been an agreement made that he would return to them on a request basis, should they need his ability to assess and identify the gifts of any new members of their Coven.
And so, there he was, sitting in the back seat of an impressive black Sedan, driven by a male member of the Guard, with an anxious Carmen tucked firmly into his side. His mate was a gentle soul, and Eleazar had never regretted leaving the Volturi to attend to her comfort.
The woman in question sighed and grimaced as their car approached Volterra's city walls, turning her face away from the window.
"We won't stay long," Eleazar assured her, for the twentieth time in as many hours. "Hopefully my presence will not be required beyond a few days - at most - and then we can return to Alaska."
Carmen nodded. "I despise coming here," she confessed, "I know that the Masters are your friends, and they have always been kind to me, but-"
"They're an acquired taste," Eleazar nodded understandingly. "Worry not, my love. All will be well."
.
Their car had arrived at the Palazzo shortly after a tour group, and the two vegetarian vampires had opted to settle into their guest suite. They'd been given the opportunity to change and then a Guard member - Afton, if Eleazar recalled correctly - had been sent to retrieve them.
Eleazar had squeezed Carmen's hand as the three approached the door of the throne room. The scent of human blood emanating from behind the doors was almost overpowering and Carmen blanched.
"The room has been cleared, for your comfort," Afton reassured them, "The Masters await you."
Afton pushed open the doors and stepped to the side, allowing the golden-eyed vampires to enter. Afton did not follow them inside, and Carmen jumped as the heavy oak slammed into place again behind them.
Eleazar and Carmen bowed. "Masters."
"Ah, my dear Eleazar," Aro had called out, his voice as silky as usual, "Welcome once again to Volterra, my friend. And the lovely Carmen has accompanied you, how wonderful."
Eleazar looked up, sensing a slight edge in Aro's tone, and whilst Caius and Marcus remained in their own thrones, Eleazar was surprised to find an unfamiliar woman sitting in Aro's. The enigmatic, dark haired Master hovered by her side, his eyes cautious and guarded. The woman was quite lovely, there was no doubt about that, and her features seemed to complement Aro's. She had long dark hair and a strikingly beautiful face, with symmetrical features, a gentle upturn to her nose and large doe eyes, and at a guess, Eleazar would estimate her to be around twenty five. She was young, he saw, but she had a certain maturity to her, along with a quiet self-assuredness that spoke of an inner steel. Most notably was the golden Volturi crest around her neck; only the Royal Family wore gold.
The woman looked up at Aro and she reached for his hand, murmuring something in Italian beneath her breath that seemed to relax him all at once.
Aro hummed as he swept across the throne room towards them, one hand holding onto the woman and pulling her along with him. She laughed softly at Aro's actions - Eleazar liked her immediately - and as their intermingled scents drifted across the room, Eleazar recognised their dynamic. She was a good match for Aro, Eleazar thought, seeing how the man-in-question was staring devotedly at her. The couple's movement across the room had caused their hair to shift, and the fresh scars of several mating bites were plainly visible on both Aro's and the woman's necks.
"Isabella, mia regina," Aro began, placing his hands demonstrably on the woman's waist - a very visual reminder of his connection to her, even if their relationship hadn't been obvious, "This is my old friend Eleazar, and his mate, Carmen."
Isabella offered the two golden-eyed vampires a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you, both," she offered, glancing warily up at Aro before offering a hand to the pair of them.
She had an American accent, Eleazar noticed absently as they shook her hand and bowed before her, wondering how she'd ended up with the Volturi.
"Eleazar, Carmen," Aro went on, seemingly approving of the manner of their interaction, "This is Isabella, my mate."
italian:
tesorina - darling
cara mia - my dear
fanculo - fuck
fottimi - fuck me
mio regino - my king
padrone - master
amore mia - my love (fem)
amate - beloved
sei mio - you're mine
perfetta - perfect
Tu mi tenti, mia regina - you tempt me, my queen
E io sono tua - And I am yours
ti amo - I love you
mio compagno, mio re, mio mondo - my mate, my king, my world
magnifica - magnificent
e ti amo, mia bellissima regina - and I love you, my beautiful queen
La mia anima gemella, il mio cuore - my soul mate, my heart
Chapter Text
.
Having spent the last two and a half years of her adult life working as a junior curator in a library, Bella was more than used to prolonged periods of quiet. She wasn't a person who felt the need to fill a silence with chatter, and she had long-since grown out of her need to fidget under scrutiny. She could easily hold her own weight in a stare down, given her hundreds of interactions with over-caffeinated grad students and exhausted, irritable researchers, all of whom had wanted to touch her beloved Rare Books and Manuscripts with their annoying oily fingers.
It was only this prior experience that held her upright as Eleazar appraised her curiously, as if she was an artifact or a sculpture, an odd expression marring his face. She made sure to stand straight, shoulders back, chin up, head held high - she was the mate of Master Aro of the Volturi, and she would not wilt under the gaze of a stranger. And in any case, Bella thought, if she could handle Caius' penetrating stare, she could manage Eleazar.
"The pleasure is all ours, Mistress," Eleazar replied finally, seemingly realising that he hadn't yet responded to Aro's introductions, "It is an honour to make your acquaintance." Eleazar had turned to Aro, then, managing to tear his analysing eyes away from Bella, "Please allow Carmen and I to congratulate you both on your mating, Sire."
Aro nodded, sage and magnanimous in his acceptance. "Thank you, old friend. Isabella's unexpected arrival was the most wonderful blessing. Truly, I do not know how I ever lived without her." He squeezed her hand meaningfully, thinking back to their earlier conversation in the library - and the events that had immediately followed. "And she certainly knows how to surprise me; a rare thing, I must say."
Bella glanced up at him, her eyes shining with amusement and love. "It feels like we've been together forever," she agreed, smiling when he pressed a kiss to her temple.
Caius stood from his throne, impatient with the pleasantries. "Eleazar, welcome." The blondle male descended from the dias. "We thank you for joining us, today."
Eleazar bowed again. "As always, Padrone Caius, I am at your disposal."
"We requested your presence for an urgent matter," Caius went on, his eyes landing meaningfully on Bella. "Young Isabella here seems to be significantly talented, and we would appreciate your assessment and input. Naturally, given her elevated position within the Volturi, it is crucial that her abilities are identified and mastered with all haste. As Aro's mate, Isabella must be able to defend herself, and I cannot permit her to begin her combat training with the Guard without first being aware of her other talents. We work around such things, as you are aware."
At the mention of Bella potentially learning to fight, Aro frowned across at his brother, but before he could speak, Eleazar saw Isabella return Aro's hand squeeze, and Aro's attention landed back on the brunette vampire beside him.
“We just talked about this," Eleazar heard Bella say, "I need to know how to fight. Or would you have me defenceless? You won't always be there to protect me, Aro, and I refuse to be a sitting duck, or dead weight for the Guard. Don't be the guy that takes my choices from me, especially when you know I'm right."
Aro sighed and nodded in agreement. “As you like.”
Marcus spoke up from the his throne. "Indeed, Aro's mate appears to be quite gifted," it was plain that he referring to both of Bella's abilities - namely her being able to persuade the often-immovable and overprotective Aro to see things from her point of view, and her potential Super Special Vampire Talent - but his monotone was placating enough, and Bella glanced across at him with gratitude.
"I would be pleased to be of assistance," Eleazar replied. He nodded reassuringly at Aro, hoping to ease his angst-ridden tension with the gesture.
Isabella nudged Aro, who seemed to come to life again at the her subtle contact. "Isabella was immune to telepathic abilities as a human," Aro informed Eleazar, gazing down at the woman next to him with a soft, unashamed awe, "Due to a unique set of circumstances, my brothers and I were able to meet her several years prior to her transition, and we established quickly that I was unable to access her mind. We then discovered that both Jane and Alec also could not affect her." He frowned at the memory, regretting that he'd ever had Jane try.
Eleazar considered this. "You encountered your mate whilst she was human? And you had willpower enough to allow her to remain mortal, forgoing your claim? That's an... impessive display of self control, Padrone Aro, and terribly curious. To allow her to continue her human life, with knowledge of our kind..."
Aro stiffened at Eleazar's inferring. "The situation was admittedly an unusual one," Aro cleared his throat, "When she was in her late teen years, Isabella was... affiliated... with another Coven. There was an incident with the other Coven that required Volturi assistance, wherein Isabella and I met for the first time, and we were reassured that the aforementioned Coven planned to change Isabella imminently, once the appropriate arrangements had been made to explain her disappearance."
"I can also confirm that neither Aro nor Isabella were aware of their connection at the time of their initial meeting," Marcus asserted to support Aro's recollection, more authoritative than Bella had ever heard him sound. "The events directly preceding their first introduction were unusual, to say the least. There were several mitigating circumstances that prevented Isabella's immediate transition to vampirism, namely that her father - a senior law-enforcement officer - was aware that she had travelled to Italy. Had her change occurred at that point, the resulting consequences would have been grave, potenitally risking the exposure of our entire race."
Marcus eyes seemed bright as he continued to speak. "It was only months later that I recognised that our brother was under the painful thrall of an unfulfilled mating bond, and as such I was not able to identify the other half of that bond until Isabella arrived in Volterra, several weeks ago. At which point, Aro naturally changed her."
Eleazar nodded along in understanding, but Carmen seemed more reluctant to accept Marcus' explanation, and politely interjected. "Forgive me, Masters, for interrupting. But I can only assume, then, that the other Coven did not rectify their mistake? They did not change her as needed? And subsequently Padrona Isabella was able to remain human? For... years?"
"Indeed," Aro's voice was tight with irritation, and beside them Caius perked up, well aware at the sutble nuances of Aro's manner.
Aro went on, "Not only did Isabella retain her mortality for six additional years, but an entire Coven defied a direct order from the Volturi. Unbeknownst to us until recently, of course. I assure you, dear Carmen, the matter is well in hand, and their blatant rebellion will be swiftly dealt with." His tone was silk-covered steel, now. "As you are aware, we do not offer second chances. Isabella was doubly fortunate, in that she was both gifted as a human and I recognised her as being my mate. Had she not been..."
It was at this point that Bella slipped in front of Aro, raising a calming hand to his cheek and directing his attention down to her. "Hey," she said softly, her lips twitching as she felt some of his tension ease at her touch. "It's okay. Everything worked out. We're together now, mio regino."
Bella turned to Eleazar with an exasperated sigh. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but none of this is relevant right now. The short version of the story is that the other Coven were given a terrible ultimatum by one of their members, and decided against changing me. They left, I got to grow up and go to college. What they did, leaving me human... there's no arguing the fact that they broke the law. Twice. That much is obvious. And they'll answer for it. But we're not here to talk about them, or discuss any of that stuff. The point is, when I was still human, I was immune to a lot of vampire mental mojo. And then a few weeks ago, I was brought here by a mystery vampire, beaten half to death, and left outside the castle to be found. Aro changed me - to save my life, to enforce the law, and to claim me as his mate."
Aro wrapped an arm around Bella's waist, pulling her flush against his side. "When Isabella awoke from her transition-"
"- Which was a bizarre experience in and of itself," Caius interrupted, earning an amused snicker from Bella.
"- I discovered that I still could not gain entry into her mind," Aro confessed, shooting Caius a glare, "And whilst Chelsea is able to see Isabella's bonds, she cannot impact them. Additionally, the essence of Isabella's mind is also entirely absent to Demetri - our tracker - as if her mind lacks a signature, or does not exist at all."
"You never told me that," Bella murmured, tilting her head to look in his eyes.
Aro offered her a benign shrug, and went on, "I do have my suspicions regarding her gift, of course. And there is the matter of Isabella being able to interpret deceit amidst speech, along with ill intent."
Bella glanced across at Eleazar, who was staring at her again. It was a few minutes until Eleazar spoke again. "Forgive me, Master Aro-"
"Just Aro will do, Eleazar," the man himself replied congenially, "We are amongst friends, after all."
Eleazar nodded. "Very well... Aro, you mentioned that Mistress-"
"Isabella is fine," she interrupted, "If you can call Aro by his name, you can use mine." Aro's lips twitched and he gave her a sidelong glance. Bella looked back at him with challenge and mischief on her face. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander," she told him, smiling when he gently tugged on a curly lock of her hair in a half-hearted reprimand.
"Aro," Eleazar very patiently tried again, "You mentioned that there was something odd about Mistr- Isabella's change. Would you elaborate?"
Aro gestured for Bella to explain, and she did so, again using the analogy of the burning land, the boat, the water, and Aro being her tether.
Eleazar nodded slowly. "You spoke of the detection of dishonesty and ill intent; how does that feel to you, Isabella?"
"Like my boat is hitting rocks in the water," she replied immediately, ignoring the way Aro's head whipped around in surprise to look at her. She frowned at her own choice of words. "No, that doesn't feel right for some reason. It's more..."
Bella tried to remember the phrases her dad had used once upon a time, when he'd given her warnings about fishing boats and shallow water. "It's like I'm starting to run aground," she said, pleased that she'd found a more accurate expression, "That fits better. When I recognise ill intent, it feels like the hull of my boat is dragging along an uneven riverbed, like an ominous kind of warning that the water is getting too shallow. Lies feel... jolting, sharper, like the bow has directly hit something in front of me. And there's this feeling, too, about my direction in the water." She glanced at up Aro and continued, "Before Aro and I solidified our bond, we had a... disagreement, let's call it. And the entire time we disagreed, it was like my boat was being dragged into a fast moving current, like I was heading for a waterfall or something dangerous. Something in me told me that I was going in the wrong direction, like it was essential for me to change course - to fix things with Aro. And when Aro and I talked it out and solidified our bond, that feeling went away, and it's been smooth sailing ever since."
"Incantevole," Aro rasped.
Bella could sense Aro staring at her like she was a goddess. She could feel it pressing in on her from the inside of her head; his awe, his pride, his desire, his pure worship of her. Bella pressed her lips tightly together, not daring to meet his eyes for fear she'd slam him against a marble pillar and have her wicked way with him. Aro pulled her in front of him, her back to his front, and even in her heels he was still tall enough to rest his chin on her shoulder from behind. His arms tightened possessively around her waist, yet again thrilled beyond measure that she belonged to him in every way.
"Truly fascinating," Eleazar was nodding in agreement, clearly excited and intrigued by her description, "Tell me; have you ever tried getting out of the boat?"
Bella considered this, and then shook her head. "It kinda feels like I'm stuck in it," she replied, closing her eyes to better visualise, realising that it wasn't quite so simple. "Wait... Okay, so I'm sitting in the boat. It's like my feet are chained to the bottom, but my hands are free and I can move my body. No matter what I do, I can't quite touch the water."
Eleazar thought on her words. "Is there room in your boat for anyone else?"
"I mean, it's me-sized," Bella offered, "Like a single person kayak, or a small canoe. But it's a boat inside my head... so I guess I could make it bigger and fit more people in it." She paused for a moment, experimenting mentally, then confirmed, "Yeah, I can do that. How big does it need to be?"
Eleazar grinned slyly across at Aro, an idea forming in his mind. "Say, old friend... is Jane available?"
.
Jane had been summoned, along with Alec, Demetri, Heidi, Corin, Felix and Athena, and whilst they waited for them to arrive, Aro chuckled.
"Are you laughing at my boat analogies?" Bella semi-pouted, "I can't help the way my mind works, you know."
Aro's hands squeezed the small of her waist, comforting her, the tips of his fingers meeting in the centre of her back. "The boat itself does not amuse me," Aro replied with a teasing smirk, "I simply find myself impressed by your breadth of nautical knowledge, cara mia."
Bella elbowed him gently in the ribs. "I used to go fishing with my dad when I was a kid," she explained, frowning at the distant sadness she felt at the memory. "I loved being on the water in Charlie's boat. There was something peaceful about it, like I was safe in this little bubble where nothing could touch me."
Aro sensed her melancholy and kissed her neck softly. "I am sorry for your grief, my love. Truly."
"It's okay," Bella sighed, "It feels like it's getting easier. I've been mentally preparing to leave him behind since I was seventeen. He has Sue and her kids, and all the folks on the reservation, and I know he'll be okay eventually, once he can accept that his daughter became yet another New York crime statistic. He never wanted me to move there," she mused, "Always said he had a bad feeling about it. Makes me wonder, now, if he had a mental boat of his own."
"Perhaps he did," Aro nodded thoughtfully, "It is entirely possible that your gift is somewhat hereditary. Though, without exposing yourself to your father and changing him, there would be no way to confirm."
Bella grimaced. "Yeah, no... we're not gonna do that. Charlie's happy where he is. Or, even if he's not happy right now, he will be again."
Aro held her close, his simple presence supporting her to manage her feelings. "I would have liked to have met him," his voice was wistful. "To have courted you, properly."
"Courted me?" The smile returned to Bella's face.
"It was the done thing," Aro said into her hair, "To introduce oneself to your intended's parents, acquire their permission to pursue their daughter. Eventually a dowry or a 'bride price' would have been agreed upon, and a proposal planned." He sighed. "I would happily have given all of my riches, would it have earned me your hand."
Bella swallowed at the thought of marriage. "I thought the bride's family paid the dowry."
"It differs between cultures. In my original time, I would have... bought you, for lack of a better word." He raised her hand to his lips. "Alas, here we stand."
"It worked out," she reminded him, "We're together now, right? That's what matters."
"Indeed, amore mia. And I would not change you for the world." Aro squeezed her shoulders, stepping to her side as the seven other vampires filed in.
Athena took a seat on Caius' vacated throne, accompanied by Corin and Heidi, and the others gathered around Bella.
"Jane," Eleazar greeted her, "It's nice to see you again. I was hoping that we could use your gift in a little experiment."
Jane smiled widely, stepping up to his side. "I'm happy to help," she said honestly, "What do you need?"
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Eleazar glanced across at Bella. "Padrona," he automatically reverted back to the honorrific now that they were in broader company, "Would you select an assistant, please? Someone for Jane to... utilise."
"Felix," Bella replied instantly, grinning at the thought. Aro raised a bemused eyebrow, and Bella licked her lips. "He was going to eat me," she explained with narrowed feline eyes, "The day I arrived. Before I persuaded Demetri to bring me inside. Don't be mad," she nudged Aro, who was now scowling, "You know I smelled pretty good as a human, and this way we can all hear him squeal."
Aro huffed out a delighted laughed at this, his gaze darkening with want as he considered Bella's devious smirk.
"As you like, mia regina." He lowered his lips to her ear, his next words so quiet that even she had to strain to hear him. "Your duplicity is so very delicious, my love. I will taste it later."
Bella shivered at his promise, and laughed at Felix's horrified expression.
"You do this for me, Felix, and we'll call it even," she offered, "Master Aro won't punish you further for threatening me. Will you?" She tapped Aro, who waved a dismissive hand.
"As you like," he agreed indulgently with a shrug, retreating to his throne to watch.
"Now, Padrona Isabella," Eleazar instructed, "I want you to picture the boat. Make it bigger. It needs to comfortably seat more than just you."
Bella nodded, concentrating. "Okay, done that. My one-person kayak is now a pretty little schooner."
Felix looked baffled. "Boat? Kayak? I don't understand."
"Jane, in a moment, I want you to use your ability on Felix. Padrona Isabella, as soon as Felix makes a noise, I want you to visualise Felix being in your boat," Eleazar went on.
"Wait, wait," Felix held up his hands, panicked and confused, looking around the throne room. "What boat?"
Eleazar nodded at Jane and Bella. "Ready, ladies?"
"I don't see a boat," Felix raised his voice, alarmed.
Jane nodded seriously. "Ready."
Bella gave Jane a thumbs up.
"Wait-" Felix's protest was cut off by his scream as Jane turned her eyes on him.
Bella casually examined her nails, quite enjoying Felix's cries of pain. She caught Aro's eye and gave him a wicked smirk. Aro understood immediately - she was going to let Felix suffer, just a little bit. He winked back at her, his eyes grazing appreciatively over her form.
Eleazar raised a stilling hand to Jane, and the screams stopped instantly, easing into grunts as Felix regained his composure. "Padrona Isabella? Are you well?"
"Oh," Bella replied breezily, "Did we start, already? My bad. Okay, I'm ready now."
Caius chortled knowingly into his hand.
Felix groaned from the floor. "Give me a minute-"
"Jane... Now," Eleazar pointed a finger at the smaller vampire, keeping his eyes on Felix as the behemoth began to scream again.
Bella closed her eyes and did as she'd been instructed, visualising Felix suddenly sitting beside her in the boat. The noise stopped. The throne room was silent.
Felix glanced warily at Jane, then at Bella. "I feel nothing," he frowned. Then, more confidently, "Si, I'm good."
"Jane?" Eleazar pressed, excited, "Are you still using your ability on Felix?"
Jane frowned. "I am. There's something blocking me. Perhaps a... barrier," she said, testing the word.
Aro stood at this revelation, staring across at his mate with awe, reverence and pride.
"Not a barrier," Eleazar acknowledged, fixing first Aro and then Bella with an impressed, knowing look. "A shield."
.
"Padrona Isabella, you have demonstrated considerable progression today," Eleazar complimented her, shaking Aro's hand. "It is my belief that, with practice, you will master your shield entirely. I would suggest continuing to practice where possible - regular and repetitive visualisation of your 'boat' and it's passengers will strengthen your control and stamina. Eventually, you may be able to escape the boat altogether, which would allow the likes of Master Aro and Jane to use their gifts on you. To achieve this I'd suggest that you examine the manner in which you are attached to the boat, or in finding a way to access the water."
Bella nodded eagerly. "Thank you so much for your help. I feel like I understand myself a lot more."
"You are already a significantly powerful vampire, Padrona Isabella," Eleazar said sincerely, "To be able to negate mental talents with minimal exertion is no small thing, and to achieve such rapid control over your gift, it is incredible. Do not underestimate yourself."
Aro was very pleased with his praise of Isabella and clapped Eleazar on the shoulder. "We are grateful for your input, my friend." Aro stepped closer to Eleazar and lowered his voice. "I would prefer that you and Carmen remain tight-lipped on the matter of Isabella and her abilities, for the moment, at least. Even to your coven mates. This is a delicate time of transition for the Volturi, and we are making every effort to ensure that Isabella remains comfortable during her Newborn period. I am sure we understand eachother?"
Eleazar's face retained it's earlier enthusiasm, despite the inherent order within Aro's words. "Of course, Padrone. Carmen and I will speak of today's events - of Isabella - to no-one." Aro glanced to the doors, a clear dismissal, and Eleazar bowed deeply and returned to the side of his mate, pulling her swiftly from the throne room.
"Aro?" Caius called out, approaching Bella and her mate with Athena hooked to his side. "A moment, please."
Aro withheld an annoyed growl. He could see the strain of thirst in Bella, and wanted to ease her discomfort. And then he wanted to fuck her senseless.
"Brother?" Aro sighed in reply, soothing a hand down Bella's back, settling it to rest on her hip. "What is it?"
"We won't keep you long," Athena said, gesturing to Corin, Heidi and Renata, "I am aware that we did briefly discuss the matter, but I wished to inform you that I have decided to arrange a ball. For the purpose of establishing Isabella's position as one of the Volturi, and to celebrate your union as mates. It will be three weeks from today. White tie, of course, as befits a Royal reception. The invitations will be sent out tomorrow, and dressmakers will be attending the Palazzo in two days' time, for we women to discuss designs, fabrics, the like."
Aro glanced at Bella, remembering her dislike of formal events from Edward's memories. "I see." He murmured his next words into her ear, "Should you like to attend this ball, my darling? I recall that you do not much enjoy such occasions."
To his surprise - and pleasure - she smiled. "I would," Bella affirmed, then to Athena, "I think it's a great idea. Thank you, Athena."
Caius' mate beamed. "Wonderful."
"Who will you be inviting?" Bella wondered, finding herself hoping that the answer would be everyone. Not because she was particularly excited to meet them all, but because it would be an opportunity for her to fully assert her claim on Aro, and secure her position beside him.
"Anyone who is anyone," Athena replied excitedly - predictably. "There are a few details to iron out, namely the trial date of a particular Coven, but-"
Caius interjected. "I had thought to have the trial the morning of the ball," he and Aro shared a dark look, "A day to doubly look forward to, perhaps. I was planning to speak with you on this later today."
"That won't do," Caius' mate protested, "We women shall need the entire day to prepare, and since Isabella's attendance at the trial is essential, she cannot possibly be in two places at once. This ball is for Aro and Isabella - it demands a day of it’s own, not to be shared with the trial."
Caius swept a hand across his face.
Athena turned to Bella. "Isabella, what would you prefer? Should you like your previous... acquaintances, in attendance at your ball?"
"I don't know," Bella replied honestly. "I'd rather Aro decide. I don't care if they're there one way or the other. But if they do come to the ball, I think there'll be drama, and I just want to be able to enjoy the night."
"Their trial will be two days after the ball," Aro said, finally, "And they will not be invited to the celebration. Isabella's experience of the evening is paramount, and I would rather not have old acquaintances spoiling it for her. Would that suit you, my love?"
"That'd be perfect," Bella replied.
"And the matter of the trial? Do you have anything to add?" Caius asked her.
Aro again looked to Bella, who shrugged. "Just tell me when to show up and I'll be there to give my testimony," she said, sounding a little hoarse, then cupped her throat. "I'm sorry, but I'm really thirsty."
"Oh, of course - you poor thing," Athena sympathised, "You have impressed us all today with your gift, dear Isabella. Go, get yourself fed and rested. No doubt Aro plans to pamper you for your efforts."
Bella nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I think this is the first time I've felt tired since my change."
It had been a mentally draining few hours, to be certain, and she was terribly thirsty from the exertion. But she was pleased with the improvements that she'd already made, having established that she could comfortably "shield" seven people.
At one point, she'd had Aro, Caius, Heidi, Felix, Demetri, Corin, Alec and Eleazar inside of her mental boat, and the more she concentrated, the more second-nature it became. But after a while, as her thirst had increased, she could somehow feel the boat in her mind growing smaller, pushing people out one by one, and it had shrunk back to a size that could only fit herself, Aro and perhaps a third.
This was still a marked improvement upon what she had originally started with - what had once been only a Bella-sized kayak was now able to permanently accommodate two others, which was double the size that it had been.
She'd expressed this to Eleazar, who'd theorised that her "Resting Boat Size" would continue to increase in capacity as she practiced, until it could be shrunk or expanded at will. As they made to leave, Demetri informed Aro that Eleazar and Carmen had left to hunt in a nearby nature preserve, and Aro had Heidi sent out to retrieve a meal for his black-eyed mate.
"Have it sent up to our suite," Aro called back over his shoulder, tugging Bella out of the door to the throne room and making haste towards their chambers. "Ah, amore mia... You are a marvel. A wonder. A rare jewel. And I will protect and treasure you, for the rest of my immortal life."
Bella glowed from his words of adoration, but wrinkled her nose as her teasing eyes found his. "You just want me for my shield, Master."
He opened the door to their suite, handing her politely through the threhold and following. Bella gasped as he slammed her back against the panelling beside the doorway. "Oh no, Isabella," Aro purred into her ear, his hands fisting in the neckline of her dress and tearing it off of her, "I want you for much, much more than that."
He fell to his knees before her, pressing open mouthed kisses to the join of her legs and hips. "Now, my love, let me reward you for your hard work."
"Carlisle? There's a letter from Volterra in the mail for you," Esme informed her mate with a frown, handing over the crisp envelope.
Carlisle sighed. He'd been good friends with the Volturi Masters, once upon a time, Aro and Marcus in particular, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid contact with them.
But he recognised- of course he did - that he would not be able to hide Bella Swan's ongoing humanity from Aro if he was to encounter the brothers again. And so - to keep Bella safe from the Volturi, to keep Edward within his family, and to keep his family alive - Carlisle had been forced to distance himself from the vampire Royals. This would be the sixth communication that he'd ignored. He hooked a finger into the envelope and tore it open, his expression increasingly concerned as he read the contents.
"What does it say?" Esme asked him softly, sensing his distress as he passed her the letter.
"Obviously we're not going," Edward interjected as he entered the room, having seen Carlisle's thoughts and nodding his head at the offending paper. "We can't."
Carlisle shook his head. "This isn't a cordial invitation, Edward. It's a summons. A demand for our presence. We have no choice."
"But-"
There was a shriek from upstairs, and then Alice and Jasper were in the living room, looking alarmed. "Our futures... They just disappeared," the seer whispered, clutching Jasper's arm. "I see us arrive at Florence airport. Then we're walking through Volterra city towards the Palazzo, and then... nothing. It goes blank."
Edward scoffed. "That's not possible."
Alice ground her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "Then explain it to me."
"I... can't," Edward replied, "But how can we just disappear in the middle of the city?"
"I don't know," Alice hissed back at him, "But we do. We're walking and then - poof. No more future."
"We need a family meeting," Carlisle said, clearing his throat. "Now, guys."
Edward sank down into the sofa across from Carlisle, Alice and Jasper following his example on a separate love seat. Emmett and Rosalie were the last to join them, with Rosalie looking annoyed.
"I was on the phone with Kate," she grumbled at their interruption, "She was telling me how Carmen and Eleazar were in Volterra, assessing a gifted Newborn, Aro's mate or something. And now neither of them are answering their cells."
"Aro found a mate?" Edward sounded disgusted, "How could anyone be with a creature like him for the rest of their lives?"
"Edward," Carlisle cautioned him firmly, "You cannot speak of the Masters like that. It's not acceptable."
"Mating isn't exactly a choice," Jasper added, "You can't control it. And if you leave the bond unfulfilled, it's painful as all hell. I've seen vampires try to ignore the connection before and it almost destroyed them both."
"Peter and Charlotte?" Esme murmured, and Jasper nodded but didn't elaborate further.
Edward ran a hand through his hair. "Can't you call Aro? At least to try and get us out of going?"
"I could," Carlisle allowed, "But I'm not going to. We've avoided this situation long enough, Edward. It puts us all at risk - having something hanging over us like this."
"Bella's humanity is not a situation," The immortal, bronze-haired teenager growled, "She deserves to live her life in peace. I'm not going to let you just go and ruin that for her-" he let out an agonised wail as he saw a vision in real time flash through Alice's mind. "No," he gasped, horrified.
"I'm sorry, Edward," Alice sniffed, venom tears gathering in her eyes. "I haven't looked for her for years, but I thought... with us going to Volterra, I wanted to see..."
"She can't be dead," Edward insisted, pained by the images he'd just seen. He whipped out his phone and typed Bella's name into Google. "She just can't-"
Result after result appeared on the screen: 24 year old Bella's disappearance from the streets of New York on her way home from work, articles about her family, her life, her promising career as a curator at the New York Public Library, interviews from her colleagues...
And then, a brunette matching Bella's description had been found in the Hudson River, deceased for over two weeks at the time of discovery, along with Bella's empty purse, her ID, and gunshot wounds.
A mugging gone wrong, according to NYPD.
Her remains had been practically unidentifiable due to the time she'd spent in the water, and her parents had arranged a small, private cremation and funeral ceremony.
Edward dropped his phone.
He was actually looking forward to going to Volterra, now. Maybe the Masters would be kind enough to grant his request for death this time around. Emmett reached for Edward's discarded device, scanning his eyes over the results before passing it around to the rest of the family.
"This is what you wanted for her, Edward," Rosalie said eventually, her voice quiet as she picked non-existent lint from her designer jeans, "You wanted her to have a human life. Humans die in these situations all the time, especially somewhere like New York. You had to have known that this was a risk. At some point, Bella was going to die, even if it was just from old age."
"How dare you-"
Edward's vehemence was cut off by Carlisle stepping between them. "Edward, I'm sorry, but Rose is right. We all loved Bella once, but humans are fragile. They die in accidents, they die from disease, they die in homicides, and sometimes they just... die. That is the essence of mortality." He placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You wanted Bella to remain human. We would have welcomed her into our family, but you made that impossible. And when Aro discovers that we left her human, despite what Alice had assured him - and he will discover it - we all must face the consequences. I can only hope that Bella's death provides some kind of resolution, and we get out of this with our own lives intact."
Edward saw the thoughts that Carlisle did not vocalise. "You think he'll put us in the Guard for this? Are you crazy? He'll kill us all for disobeying their orders."
Alice glared up at Edward. "And who's fault will that be, brother?" She scowled. "I would have changed Bella the day that I met her, but you just had to have your way, and now we're all going to be collected-"
"Bella is at peace," Edward tried to hollowly insist, "I am... heartbroken, that she is dead. But her soul is at rest. She wasn't damned to this existence. She's free..."
"She's dead!" Alice cried, leaping across the room at him in a rage, "She's dead and gone forever because of you-"
Edward tried to fight her off, kicking at her abdomen, feeling her tugging viciously on his ears, but Jasper dived onto the pair of them, pinning Edward into place. "I'll teach you to attack my wife, you fucker," the empath growled, "I'll kill you-"
"Enough!" Carlisle's voice boomed across the space, halting the tussle. "That is enough, all of you."
Jasper pulled Alice away, the pair of them glowering across at Edward. "This is your fault," Alice insisted furiously, "If we get out of Volterra alive, I will never forgive you for this, Edward."
Edward rested his head in his hands, defeated. "I'm sorry-"
"Your apologies aren't enough," Rose spoke up again, solemn but vicious. "Alice is right. You and that stupid fucking ultimatium you gave us about leaving if Bella was changed... This is all on your shoulders, Edward. All of it. I only hope that letting Bella," Rose spat her name, "Have six more years of humanity is worth the deaths of the rest of us. If the Volturi does kill us for this, I hope they keep you alive long enough for you to understand that your pigheadedness is to blame for everything. We're meant to be your family, and the day you threatened to leave us because of Bella was the day that you chose this. You chose a single human life over all of us. Over Esme and Carlisle and Emmett... You did this, Edward. Not us. But we're going to be the ones who pay for your mistake. You should have killed her the first day you met her. None of us would have blamed you for that, she was your singer. But oh no, you had to go and fall in love with her..."
"She was my mate," Edward desperately tried to explain, "How could I have turned my own mate? You don't understand. You couldn't resist Emmett when you found him, Rosalie. You weren't strong enough to live without him." Rosalie scoffed and shook her head, but Edward kept going. "Bella... She was pure and innocent and shy... I couldn't damn her. I didn't want this life for her."
"And what about what Bella wanted?" Jasper asked seriously, then he snorted, "You can't seriously believe that Bella was your mate, you dumb shit."
Edward snarled across at him. "Of course Bella was my mate."
"She wasn't," Rose confidently asserted. "If she was truly your mate, you'd have turned her the second that you made the connection. It's in our instincts. We're selfish and greedy. We can't not change our mates, if they're human. How do you think I managed to carry Emmett all the way back to Carlisle? He was dying in my arms and I knew that he was mine. I had to keep him. Forever. That is what it means to have a mate, Edward. You're clueless."
"You don't know what you're talking about," Edward argued, but Carlisle raised a hand.
"Enough of this senseless conflict. Edward would know if Bella was his mate, and no one else has the right to comment on it. We will all have to go to Volterra, we're all named on the summons. All we can do now is prepare for the worst, and hope that the Masters will be merciful."
Italian-
cara mia - my dear
incantevole - enchanting
amore mia - my love
mio regino - my king
mia Regina - my queen
Chapter Text
.
"... I'm going with the nude/champagne colour, I think," Bella settled on, flicking through the fabric selections and semi-drawn designs on her lap. She tapped a finger against a particular sketch, laying the chosen fabric against the drawing. "Yeah, this is the dress. Definitely."
The gown that Bella had chosen would be stunning when it was made; it had a figure-hugging sweetheart neckline, a boned corset overlaid with embroidered leaves and was subtly embellished with jewels in the pattern of vines. The dress would cling to the contours of her upper body, leaving her shoulders, chest and arms bare, and accentuating the fullness of her breasts, her slender waist, the bow of her hips and the lush curve of her backside. A few inches above her knees, the skirt would flare out in layers of sparkling taffeta-covered silk.
Athena smiled approvingly at the Newborn beside her. "The illusion of bejewelled nudity," she said, quietly impressed, "Sensual and suggestive, yet elegant and opulent. Angelo venuto Seduttrice. Aro will be quite unable to keep his eyes and hands off of you, dolcezza."
The two women were occupied in Athena's private sitting area in the tower of the North Wing, along with four of the higher-ranking female Guard members and three seamstresses. The three human women had arrived an hour earlier: this was their second visit in as many weeks, having attended previously to see Carmen, Lucy, McKenna and Renata. The seamstresses had brought with them two alteration platforms, five thick fabric sample swatch booklets and three sketchbooks full of drawings of evening gowns in various stages of completion.
Athena's private parlour was a stunning part of the castle, one of only seven rooms that was blatantly ostentatious when compared to the quiet, understated affluence of the rest of the Palazzo. It was above the suite she shared with Caius, accessible via a winding staircase that emerged from the corridor beside the entrance to Caius' study. It could have been taken straight from Versailles: it was a luxurious, romantic space with beautiful damask wallpaper, ornate furnishings with lush fabrics and dozens of cushions, rich brocade curtains and a balcony that looked over a stunning view over the inner courtyard gardens of the Volterra Palazzo. A true, no-expense spared, extravagant sanctuary for Caius' Queen.
Bella and Athena sat together on one of the antique love seats, cocooned in a long tangle of purple taffeta, as Heidi was discussing her own gown with one of the human dressmarkers.
Despite being only four weeks from her change, Bella continued to surprise the other vampires within Volterra with her demonstration of control, and though her teeth ached and her throat felt dry, she had so far managed to restrain herself from leaping on top of the petite Italian mortals. The women had been summoned to the Palazzo from Athena's favourite designer boutique, specifically to create of a host of custom-made ball gowns, and Bella had been informed that under no circumstances was she allowed to eat them.
Corin was deep in conversation herself with one of the seamstresses regarding the merits of a particular shade of blue, whilst Jane and Chelsea squabbled half-heartedly over which of the two of them would be wearing black.
Bella shared a conspiratorial smirk with Athena and lowered her voice to an almost inaudible volume. "Driving Aro crazy is exactly what I'm aiming for. He's always so composed and in control, you know? It makes me want to..."
"Undo him?" Athena suggested with a smirk.
"That's one word for it," Bella returned the smirk, "I want him panting after me for the entire night. I want to feel his desperation for me clouding up the back of my head like a migraine. I want to see magic in his eyes... magia sporca, oscura, bellissima. I want him to ache for me." Bella blinked, feeling her own arousal growing at the very thought of it, and her smirk widened into something predatory and feline. "He'll be along here soon, I bet. He'll feel my emotions in his head and he'll come to... investigate."
Athena laughed in delight and patted Bella's knee, understanding what she meant. "I am so very glad we got to keep you, cara mia."
"Come on, Athena," Bella groaned playfully, "You're a goddess, you must have some little tricks of seduction to share with me."
Athena spread her hands in front of her. "Perhaps it just comes naturally to me." She winked at Bella. "I'll share my secrets with you another time, little cigno," Athena gestured out into the room, "In a more private setting."
Bella grimaced as her brain connected the dots; the other women in the room couldn't exactly be allowed to be privy to the sexual interests of two of the three Volturi Masters. "Gotcha."
"I will say this, Isabella," Athena murmured, "Blood is always an... ideal place to start, for a vampire."
Before Bella could reply, the bickering between Chelsea and Jane increased in volume and Bella cleared her throat. "Guys, why don't you both just wear black, in different fabrics and opposite designs? Black velvet has a completely different look to black silk, as an example. You both have great taste, but your personal styles are nothing alike, so even if you're both in black it's not like you're going to match."
Jane frowned, thoughtfully considering this. "I do like velvet, Mistress Isabella. And it would go nicely with the gown I'm thinking of." Bella restrained herself from rolling her eyes at the word 'Mistress'. Jane went on, "I was imagining an off-the-shoulder, A-line silhouette, with half sleeves. Velvet would work with that, right?"
"Like a bardot style?" Bella asked, and Jane nodded.
"Yes, Mistress."
"With a subtly embroidered bodice, perhaps with a dark grey thread and some delicate beading, it would look beautiful," Athena chimed in. "Chelsea, have you thought of yours?"
"Si, Padrona," Chelsea respectfully answered. "I was considering a Grecian look, perhaps in satin or chiffon... something simple, romantic and floaty. But I'd quite like to make a statement, too - qualcosa di audace."
"What about feathers?" Bella suggested, rifling through the sketches to find something that looked similar to her idea, "You could add black feathers to the shoulders of the gown, or wear them as a small cape." She pointed down to a shrug design that included leather waist straps, "Or, if you added feathers to this, along with some embellishment..."
"Belissima," Chelsea beamed, "You have a good eye, Padrona Isabella."
Chelsea and Jane looked at eachother, and immediately launched into another conversation about embroidery vs embellishment. It all seemed so ... ordinary, Bella thought, to be sitting in the lavish room with the other women. And she felt comfortable, like she belonged here.
Despite Athena and Bella both holding equally elevated positions within Volterra, as the respective mates of Caius and Aro, it was markedly easier for the Guard to relax around Bella.
Athena was one of the oldest vampires in existence, and despite remaining externally youthful -having been changed in her early-twenties- she had an aura about her that exuded power. She was an experienced warmonger in her own right and had a love of violence, having fought alongside the Volturi brothers during their annihilation of the Romanian Coven, 1500 years prior in the 6th century. Her reputation as a battle hardened vampire was well earned, and Athenodora being Caius' mate only further enhanced her fierce notoriety. Since the attack on Didyme and the subsequent execution of Sulpicia, the once-warmhearted Athena had become significantly more reserved, maintaining a formal, somewhat epistemic distance between herself and the other members of the Guard. Athena had isolated herself to the point that she only really socialised with Caius and his brothers, and sometimes Corin, on the occasions when Caius felt Athena's spirits were getting too low.
Before Sulpicia's treachery had come to light, Athena had loved her almost as a sister, and had once hoped that Aro would officially take Sulpicia - who had been his paramour at the time - as his wife. It had been difficult enough for Athena to mourn the ongoing absence of Didyme, but when Sulpicia's actions were exposed, Athena had lost another dear friend as a result of one betrayal.
She'd never be able to forgive Sulpicia's treason against the gentle Didyme, even witnessing her execution with hard eyes, but Athena had still struggled enormously to adjust to a world without her two most beloved companions, and had resigned herself to a life without female confidants.
But Bella's arrival had changed Athena, making her recognise how truly lonely she'd been in the centuries apart from Didyme. Athena had bonded immediately with the Newborn vampire, and she knew that Didyme would love Bella should the two ever get to meet. Bella being Aro's mate had only enhanced her blossoming friendship with Athena, as the two found common ground in their roles, understanding one another in a way that the members of the Guard could not.
Athena very much enjoyed Bella's company.
To those who didn't know her well, Bella seemed reserved in a way that belied her youth, more of an active observer than an outright participant, but Athena had had the pleasure of getting to know the real Bella.
The forthright, dry humoured, open-hearted American was a breath of fresh air for Athena, and Bella had managed to effortlessly bridge the gap between Athena and the Guard in such a seamless way that Athena hadn't even noticed it, at first.
Athena herself was quite multifaceted, remaining formal but friendly with the Guard, only displaying the real warmth and exuberance of her character around Caius and his brothers. Despite her once-upon-a-time talent for brutality, Athena was also sentimental, passionate and whimsical, and yet often held that aspect of herself back for fear of being seen as weak for her effeminacy. And with only men for company, Athena often felt like she had lost a part of herself. It was for this reason that she preferred to remain in her private parlour, with her books and her paintings. The rumour was that Caius kept her locked up in the tower "for her safety", when the reality was that she could come and go as she pleased; she just didn't much like to go anywhere, given her lack of female friendships.
Yes, Athena had her pick of the Guard if she required assistance, and she did leave the Palazzo occasionally with Heidi, Corin and Chelsea, but truly befriending - trusting - the Guard had never felt quite right to Athena, always wondering about the motivations behind people's actions. Were the Guard friendly to her because of Caius? Did they feel sorry for her? Did people genuinely enjoy her company, or was it more to do with a perceived sense of duty?
Sulpicia's machinations had done a number on Athena's ability to believe in people.
But Bella and Athena had become incredibly close in the weeks since Bella's transition, and it was a friendship that they both already treasured. Athena was something of a mentor to Bella, being that Caius' mate had millennia of experience in providing emotional support to a powerful man, but there was also more to their friendship than that. Athena trusted Bella, in a way that she hadn't trusted anyone since Didyme's enchantment. Bella was easy to be around. She was self-possessed, modest, genuine, guileless and intrinsically kind.
It wasn't that the Guard didn't respect Bella, far from it. Bella was a gifted vampire in her many aspects; aside from her shield, she was tenacious and quick-witted, an apt diffuser of tension, and she learned fast. Vampirism had come naturally to Bella, and her calm, easy-going disposition was quite a balm to those who encountered her.
Bella seemed to inspire loyalty, and she was an easy person to like. Her being Aro's mate had only further reinforced the allegiance of the Guard.
And Aro - the oft manic, silver tongued, mercurial leader of the Volturi - Aro himself had mellowed in some ways, absolutely delighting in his mate's tenacious spark. But he'd also become decidedly more capricious, his deadly unpredictability only increasing in a primal, instinctive drive to safeguard Bella. He would happily set fire to the world to please his mate, and yet he'd burn himself to ashes before he'd ever let a flame touch her.
It was a well-accepted concept: Aro loved it when Bella disagreed with him, he revelled in her defiance, the way that she would push for a real discussion about the things that mattered to her, the way she'd answer him back and refuse to accept his convoluted platitudinous non-committal responses. The entire Guard had seen how Bella could seduce him with a single glance or a well-timed whisper of the word "Master". Aro's devotion and worship of Bella bordered on legendary, and it was plain that she potentially could have persuaded Aro to do just about anything for her sake.
But he would only ever accept such behaviour from her, and even then it was because she didn't exploit their connection, she didn't manipulate him, she didn't use his affection for her as a weapon. She simply made her case, gave her argument, and trusted him to do the right thing by her. A soft brush of her hand against his cheek could distract Aro quickly, calming his temper, pulling him back from a steep cliff of rage, helping to re-centre his focus and ease his temperamental nature.
Bella was the yin to his yang, the moon to his sun; the pair were a perfect complement, balancing each other perfectly.
She was his mate, they were equals in all things.
Towards everyone else, however, he was as erratic and as unrelenting as ever. Aro's protectiveness over Bella was a daunting thing to witness and it didn't at all soften him. If anything, Aro was more dangerous than ever, now that he had a mate to defend.
"... I was thinking about the burgundy," Athena was saying, and Bella shook herself from her reverie.
"Sorry," Bella murmured, "My mind went off on a total tangent. The whole Newborn distractedness thing is so annoying. It's like some part of my brain just disappears down a rabbit hole. Volterra is my Wonderland."
Athena nodded sympathetically. "I thought as much," she smiled and waved off Bella's apologetic explanation, "But I do need your opinion." She held up a swatch of wine-coloured silk. "I love this. I was thinking of a corsetted under-bust, with a cowl neck where the fabric drapes over my breasts. I just can't settle on a skirt."
"Fitted, with a slit on one side," Bella replied, "Your legs are to die for, Athena. You should show them off."
The curvaceous blonde laughed in delight. "Yes, Caius is rather... fond, of my legs."
"They're cavemen, all of them," Bella giggled, lowering her voice, "I've got a bite mark right here to prove it," she pointed to the spot that was high up on her inner leg, covered currently by her soft palazzo pants, "Aro was so pleased with himself, until I pointed out that I'd have to be flashing my thighs to the world for anybody to ever see it."
"And I take it that he didn't like that idea?" Athena chuckled, responding in the same low, conspiratorial tone, "I've got one on my backside, would you believe it?"
"Animals, absolute animals," Bella agreed, then sighed. "I actually need to do some lingerie shopping. He shreds everything."
Athena tucked her legs underneath her, winding another length of fabric - pink silk, this time - around her neck like a scarf and hugged a cushion onto her lap. "Should I call for my laptop? If it's lingerie you're after, I could definitely point you towards some online boutiques. You're still a little... new... to go out of the Palazzo, yes?"
"That's a great idea," Bella eyed the dressmaker's neck, and then forced herself to look away. "And maybe a drink or two would be good, since I've been forbidden to snack on the seamstresses. That one smells like a fruit basket."
Heidi snickered across the room. "Seconded."
Athena leaned around the seamstress. "Chelsea, darling, would you be a dear and call down to the kitchens? I require my laptop - Caius will know where it is. Our dear Isabella here is quite parched, and I believe we are all in need of refreshments; perhaps the 1982 Red for ourselves, and - would you three ladies care for a coffee?" She asked the dressmakers, "Our receptionist is quite fond of tall macchiatos, if that would suit?"
"Si, Padrona," the senior seamstress replied, "Grazie."
Chelsea nodded. "Yes, Padrona, of course." She moved to the telephone and spoke the instructions quickly into the device. "Refreshments en route, Padrona."
Athena smiled. "Grazie, Chelsea."
Chelsea bowed her head in deference and moved to the side as Jane took her turn on the dressmaker's platform, standing still as the junior seamstress took her measurements and talked through potential design options.
"What jewellery were you leaning towards wearing?" Athena asked Bella, "I think you should let the gown do most of the work, but a diamond or two is always a beautiful accoutrement. Perhaps a small ruby, delicately placed."
Bella absently toyed with the delicate Volturi crest around her neck. "I hadn't thought about jewellery, to be honest. I know that I'm going to wear my necklace," she gestured to the pendant in her hand, "I only ever take it off to shower, and during training. But everything else, I don't know. I'm going to have my hair up and my neck bare, other than my crest. I don't want to overdo it or look like I'm trying too hard to impress people."
"You're one of the three Volturi Queens, darling," Athena replied, clucking her tongue, "You don't need to impress anyone. It's everyone else who should be trying to impress you."
There was a soft knock on the door of the sitting room, and Athena called out a greeting.
Bella smiled knowingly as Aro swept into the room with a laptop stuck haphazardly under his arm, hardly sparing a glance for the other women as he made a beeline for his mate. Behind him followed Afton, carrying a tray holding eight opaque goblets, a large black decanter and three steaming cafetières of Macchiato coffees. Aro stopped suddenly when he saw Bella's eyes darken as they travelled over his figure, and Afton almost toppled into him.
"Careful now," Aro chided in a fatherly, indulgent tone, "We wouldn't want such expensive vintage to be wasted, would we?"
Afton snorted in amusement. "No, Padrone; it is an excellent red, after all."
Afton managed to set the tray down onto the furthest side table from the humans and hastily passed the cafetières to the seamstresses. Aro handed Athena her laptop and fluidly plucked the decanter from the tray, pouring all of the vampires a generous helping of the thick red liquid within, ensuring Bella's goblet recieved the most. (She was the youngest vampire in the room by almost fifty years, and she was his mate - of course he was going to provide more for her than the others.)
He cleared his throat. "Dear Caius will have my hide for a bedspread if Athena's parlour rugs are soiled by the red - perhaps a small intermission is in order, ladies?"
The dressmakers nodded in grateful agreement, stepping aside to allow the other women to move across the room and retreating to the balcony with their coffees.
"Athena, I think you've tied us into a knot," Bella laughed softly, unwinding the taffeta from around both of their shoulders as she stood.
Aro took her hand and bowed deeply over it, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
Bella sighed happily as he pulled her into his arms. "You look mighty fine in this suit, Padrone. I missed you," she murmured into his hair, hiding a smirk when one of his hands tightened on her rear, "I thought you were busy today, mio regino. And yet here you are, serving wine like a regular garçon."
Aro hummed noncommittally against her. "Perhaps I just wanted to see you, amore mia."
Indeed, Bella thought, feeling his 'want' straining against her hip. She took a drink from her goblet, a small sound of pleasure escaping her at the taste. "This is gorgeous," she said in a low voice, "Who is it?"
"Someone who died in 1982," Aro replied quietly with a dark smirk. "Finish your beverage, Isabella, so that I may steal you from dear Athena and these lovely ladies." He moved his mouth to her ear, his lips brushing sinfully against her lobe as he spoke. "I could feel your arousal in my head, tesorina. And now all I can think about is the paradise between your thighs." He sounded quite tortured, she thought, absolutely revelling in how much he wanted her.
Bella managed to refrain from shuddering. Aro inhaled deeply, scenting the perfume of her desire, and a soft growl emanated from his chest. "What I wouldn't do for a glimpse inside your mind, my love, to know what inflames you so..."
Bella drained her goblet and placed the empty chalice down onto the silver tray. She looked up at him innocently through her lashes, biting her lip and barely withholding a smirk when Aro swallowed.
"You inflame me, my king," she whispered, her breath tickling his throat. Bella pressed a kiss to one of the scars on his neck. "Thoughts of you. Your touch, your lips... Thoughts of us." Bella sighed in longing, "Unfortunately, I can't leave yet, it's my turn on the podium soon. But... I'll come find you when we're all done here. Okay?"
"No," Aro grumbled, pouting a little as he pulled Bella more firmly into his erection, and she let out a soft, pained exhale at the sensation. "It is most certainly not 'okay', my darling." He swept his nose along the length of her neck, his lips twitching as she shuddered beneath his ministrations. "Ah, Isabella, sei la tortura più dolce..."
"Aro, if you have quite finished," Athena interrupted their almost inaudible conversation, hands on her hips, "Isabella and I are occupata. Go away." She shooed him, and Aro rolled his eyes.
"Si, Padrona Athena," he mocked, his tone jovial. "As you say. Isabella, amore mia, I will see you later." He kissed her forehead gently, his lips lingering on her skin. "Don't take too long."
Bella returned his embrace. "Sii paziente, mio re, e allevierò il tuo dolore," she purred, delighted when his entire frame stiffened. "Wait for me in your study."
Aro shook his head as he walked away. "Cruel," he called back accusingly over his shoulder, eyes twinkling, "So exquisitely cruel, mia regina."
.
Bella's combat training had begun the previous week, the day after she'd met with Eleazar and the day before the dressmaker had attended, and despite Caius going hard on her, she already felt that she'd made some improvements. When they'd initially started - to see what Bella could already do, given the 'Fight Like a Girl' classes that she'd attended in New York - she'd had to work hard to fight against the inherent Newborn Vampire instincts that screamed at her to go for the obvious kill. But within a couple of hours, she'd found it becoming easier to ignore that innate sense.
Caius was an exceptionally talented warrior, and he took great enjoyment in making Bella mad. He berated her defensive moves, scorned her attacks, and laughed at her fury.
It also been well-established that Aro could be nowhere near the training area, having found himself apoplectic with rage within the first fifteen minutes - both at Caius for his derisive comments towards Bella, and at Felix, Santiago and Chelsea for them being Bella's opponents.
It didn't matter what Bella did or said to reassure Aro that she was fine, he simply could not stand still and watch his mate be attacked, even if it was just part of the standard Guard training.
But it was working, and Bella was absorbing the information like a sponge, her skills honing like a blade on a whetstone.
As uncomfortable as Bella's training made Aro, he'd accepted and embraced the notion of her needing to be able to defend herself, and would lovingly bathe her when she returned from a practice. The only thing Aro had absolutely insisted on as part of Bella's training was no teeth and no biting. He'd single-handedly threatened each individual member of the entire Guard - and Caius - claiming that if he found a single scar on Bella's skin from any teeth that were not his own, he'd start removing and burning fingers and toes.
He was adorable, Bella thought, entirely in love with all of him - even the dark, possessive, slightly insane parts.
Bella walked unhurriedly through the Palazzo, a spring in her step as she considered the improvements that she'd made. She was still no match for Caius himself, but with her stilted background in self-defense and the support of the Guard, she was proving to be quite an adept fighter.
Having been measured for her gown and discussed the finer points of her desired look, Bella had gone on to order over 10,000 euro worth of lingerie, with Athena egging her on like a devil on her shoulder. Not that Bella needed any encouragement to select underwear, especially not when her purpose was to gift wrap herself to better torment Aro.
She offered small smiles to those she passed in the halls, careful to dissuade conversation but remaining polite. She slowed as she approached the door to Aro's study, knocking quietly on the wood.
"Padrone Aro," she said quietly, knowing he'd hear her, "May I come in?"
"Enter."
Bella pushed open the door, finding him behind his desk, cellphone to his ear. Luckily for her, she thought, or he was sure to admonish her for knocking in the first place. He greeted her with a wistful smile, gesturing annoyedly to the phone. She stepped across the room, moving around his furniture until she was perched atop the desk beside his open laptop, facing him with her legs crossed.
Aro spoke in unhurried french, placing a hand above her knee and squeezing gently. Bella could hear the person on the other end of the phone - they sounded incensed, their french agitated and sharp. Aro rolled his eyes and jerked his head at the device in his hand, and Bella smirked.
She stood, slipping to stand directly in front of him and pressing her lips wetly to his throat. Her tentative fingers found his belt buckle and Aro let out a surprised exhale, but reclined back into his chair with narrowed, speculative eyes fixed upon her as she dropped to her knees.
"Don't hang up," she mouthed, nodding towards the phone and licking her lips.
Bella unhooked his belt, unbuttoned his trousers and reached for his cock, not bothering to hide her pleased smile when she found his length already hard and straining beneath her gentle touch.
Aro breathed out a soft hiss between his teeth, still conversing in increasingly rapid french as Bella ran her free hand along his thigh, her grazing fingernails achieving a shudder from his frame. He offered her a raised eyebrow and an intrigued smirk, but obediently lifted his hips when she pulled at the fabric of his trousers, easing them down his legs to rest at his ankles.
His eyes briefly fell closed in submission when her breath tickled his swollen flesh, flashing open again as her tongue licked a path along the sensitive underside of his cock, tracing a pulsing vein from base to tip. She gently eased back his foreskin, teasing the delicate tip with her lips and tongue, then licked him firmly and repeatedly around the girth of his cock, as if chasing the melting drops of an ice cream on a hot summer's day.
She heard him swallow, his free hand falling to her hair to sweep it to one side and exposing the length of her neck. Bella's tongue found the weight of his balls. She toyed with them, sucking one and then the other into her mouth, applying gentle pressure just as her hand encircled his cock again. Aro's breathing quickened, and he shifted in his seat, widening his stance.
Her lips moved to the head of his length, wrapping slowly around the tip before descending, agonisingly slowly, inch by velvet inch. Aro's hand tightened in her hair, but he didn't move or apply force, content to allow her to set the pace.
His french now sounded strained, and Bella dared to glance up at him. He was staring down at her, his eyes dark with lust and jaw slack, studying her hollowed cheeks, the obscene sight of her full lips parted around his cock. The perfume of her arousal bloomed in the air, and Aro's nose twitched. He swallowed, his gaze intent and hot on hers.
Aro groaned softly as she swept over him fully, the hot cavity of her mouth now enveloping the full length of him, her nose pressed to the thatch of curls at his base. Bella's hand trailed up to the skin of her neck, cupping the flesh there as if to show him that he reached halfway down her throat. Bella moaned around him, and Aro ground his teeth together, desperately trying to resist the urge to fuck her mouth as her tongue swirled wicked patterns against his cock.
"...Maître Aro? Êtes-vous là?" The voice on the phone pushed.
Aro exhaled roughly. "Oui. Continuez, s'il vous plaît." He tugged on Bella's hair meaningfully, and she hummed in understanding, the vibrations making his eyes roll back.
Bella pulled her mouth upwards, venom gathering in her mouth to lubricate her actions. She pressed the tip of her tongue into the neglected slit at the top of his cock, laving it with attention, and then her mouth opened again, lips parting and taking him deeply inside with an enthusiasm that sent his mind into a spin. She experimented with her pressure, her motions, touching and teasing him into a frenzy of desperation, accurately gaging what he enjoyed the most. Her head bobbed as she worked over him, feeling his small responses to her different ministrations, the tangle of his fingers against her scalp, the tightening of his balls as she rolled them in her fingers, the almost-silent exhales that escaped his lips.
Aro was now trying valiantly to end the call with his French acquaintance, but the other party was being extremely uncooperative.
Bella moved one of her hands to her own trousers, dipping beneath the waistband and down to her own sex to play in the accumulated silk between her thighs and rub at her clitoris.
She moaned deeply, the sound drawing a greedy gasp from her lover's lips. She looked up at him through her lashes, her gaze dark and hungry. He was a vision, she thought, appreciating the sight of him gazing heatedly down at her. She redoubled her efforts, determined to bring him to climax before the phone call ended. She maintained her pace, letting out low moans and hums; there was a delicious choking sound above her as she swallowed around him, the muscles of her throat rippling, squeezing his cock again and again.
She gently pressed her teeth against his length, drawing them lightly up his shaft, her free hand gently tugging on his balls and the tip of a finger dancing against the skin behind his sac. Her mouth was his heaven and his hell: her own need for him echoed in the depths of his mind, he could almost taste her arousal in the air.
Aro lost the battle with his hands. He balanced the phone between his ear and shoulder, wrapped her curls around his fist and bucked his hips up into her mouth, groaning when she made a muffled sound of satisfaction against his aching cock.
"Cazzo," Aro swore softly, his cock flexing in her mouth as he heard the sound of Bella's fingers moving against her own body. His began to thrust in time with her movements, and Bella gripped his base, squeezing and twisting deliciously with one hand as her mouth applied consistent pressure to his head.
Aro could feel the ecstasy beginning to roll over him in waves. His breathing was haphazard and uneven, his eyes unfocused and his mind was swimming.
"...Maître Aro?"
"I'll have to call you back," he managed in a strangled voice, just about hanging up in time to avoid announcing his orgasm. "Cazzo, Isabella. Una ragazza così sporca per me," he groaned out appreciatively, feeling his toes crack as his climax seemed to crash through his entire body. His back arched towards her and his cock exploded into her mouth.
Bella moaned at his taste, her throat working quickly to swallow every drop. The sensation of euphoria seemed to last for over a minute; Aro was lost to his pleasure, shuddering as she swiped her tongue delicately across his sensitive head, still applying gentle suction as stars danced across his vision and his cock throbbed in her mouth.
When she released him, Bella sat back on her heels, a pleased, mischievous smile on her face at Aro's dazed expression. He stared down at her, stunned, dazzled, mystified beyond belief.
He opened his mouth to speak. And then he closed it again. Bella cocked her head to the side and quite deliberately licked her lips.
Aro swallowed, his own mouth feeling dry.
There was a soft knock at the door of his study, and Bella was on her feet in an instant, answering the door in such a way that hid Aro from their sight. She thanked whoever it was - Heidi? - and took the goblets of blood from them, and then closed the door again. She flitted back towards him, pushing the drink into his hands as she sipped at her own.
He blinked down at the blood, gazing across at Bella as she perused the documents in on his desk, eventually easing herself down across his still-naked lap.
"How ya doing?" She smiled at him teasingly, rubbing her nose against his. "I've never seen you speechless before."
Aro took a long drink and wrapped an arm around her waist, clearing his throat a little before he spoke. "How did you-" he swallowed, "Where did you-"
"How? I have good instincts," Bella purred into his ear, "As for the 'where', well; today. Just now, with you. On you."
He gaped at her. "You're telling me that you'd never done... that... before today?"
Bella preened, knowing she'd be blushing if she could. "How did you like my first attempt? I'm a quick study, right?"
Aro had another drink. "Gods, I'm never going to win an argument again." His eyes danced with mirth as she giggled lightly.
"Was that phone call important?"
"It was," Aro confirmed with a wolfish smirk.
Bella grimaced. "Oh shit, I'm sorry."
"I'm not."
"Naughty," she commented, relaxing into his arms.
Aro scoffed. "My love, I don't know how you can say that with a straight face." He thumbed at her trousers. "Are you terribly attached to these?" Without waiting for an answer, his hands tore the fabric away, leaving her in a red lace thong and her shirt.
Bella shook her head at his actions. "I was, actually."
"Shame," he murmured, not at all apologetic, easing a hand up her thigh and settling his fingers against the mark he'd made there. "Take off your blouse."
"Why don't you take off my blouse?"
He raised an eyebrow. "So demanding of me today. First the merciless fellatio, now your clothes? Whatever next?"
"Mh," Bella shrugged, smirking as he ripped her shirt away, revealing a matching bra. "Maybe you should put me in my place, Master."
Aro's gaze darkened in understanding. "I see."
Bella raised herself to stand before him. "Do you?"
He eyed her like a predator studying his prey as she took a deliberate step away from him. "What is your game, Isabella?"
She flitted over to the door that joined his study to the living room of their suite, pulling it open and halting on the threshold. She turned, a coy smile on her face. "Catch me if you can."
"Hey, Rose."
Rosalie smiled at her phone. "Hey, how are you?"
At the other end of the phone, Kate sighed. "Stressed. So unbelievably stressed. I can't decide on a dress for the Volturi ball and I thought I'd call and ask for your advice. I'm leaning towards something green-"
"Wait," Rosalie cut her off, "Hang on, what Volturi ball?"
She could practically hear Kate rolling her eyes. "The ball on August 23rd? Celebrating Aro's elusive new mate?"
Alice appeared at Rosalie's bedroom door, looking ashen faced and shaking her head. "We don't know anything about a ball, Kate," Rose confirmed, "We have an appointment with the Volturi on August 25th, but-"
"Oh," Kate replied, "That's weird. I just got off the phone with Carmen like an hour ago and she said that Athenodora has invited everyone."
Alice sat down next to Rosalie. "Hi, Kate... It's Alice, I'm sorry to interrupt. Um, this ball... have the invites been sent out yet, or-"
"Yeah," Kate cut her off, "We got ours in the mail like a week ago. Tanya RSVP-ed the same day, and then we got a confirmation email asking about our travel plans, informing us not to 'sample the local cuisine', wondering where we'd be staying and if we needed rooms at the Palazzo-"
"We haven't been invited," Alice breathed, terror creeping through her. "Oh no... this is bad. This is very bad."
Kate seemed to fidget at the other end of the line. "That's crazy. I thought Carlisle was friends with Aro? Why wouldn't he get an invite to something like this? Maybe it got lost in the mail?"
"I doubt it," Rose said stoically, "We got a summons in our mail last week, demanding our presence in Volterra on the 25th."
"Oh shit," Kate replied, sounding a little panicked herself. "The fuck did you guys do? A summons? That's more serious than an appointment, Rose. And two days after the first Volturi ball in 50 years, a party that you've not been invited to... Shit," she hissed, "Carmen mentioned Aro being kinda scary-protective over his new mate, but that doesn't explain why he wouldn't invite Carlisle. Especially since you're going to be in Volterra like the day after the party."
Alice was in a daze. "This is so very, very bad."
"Look, I think all you guys need to talk. Maybe get Carlisle to call Aro, see if he can figure out what's going on. I don't know. But I'm gonna go, I should tell Tanya and Irina about this. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye Rose, bye Alice."
Kate ended the call before they could respond.
Alice and Rosalie shared a look. "We have to tell Carlisle."
.
"...And then she said that the Volturi are throwing this extravagant ball, to celebrate Aro's mating. It's two days before our meeting with the brothers, and we haven't been invited. This is bad, Carlisle," Alice emphasised, "Very, very bad."
"There'll be other parties, Alice," Edward dismissed her, "It's just a ball."
Carlisle ground his teeth. "Edward, it's not just about the party, although that in itself is concerning if we have been purposely excluded. If the Volturi have invited everyone they know to Volterra, for a ball that is two days before our family has an audience with the brothers, that means that there will be dozens of vampires visiting the city. Some of those vampires will still be in the city on the 25th."
"They want people to see our audience," Jasper realised, "They're going to make an example of us. Having so many vampires in one place..."
"Witnesses," Alice added, horrified. "And I still can't see..."
"Carlisle, you have to call Aro," Rosalie insisted, "We need to know what's going on."
Esme placed a hand on Carlisle's shoulder. "Rose is right. As it is, right now, we're walking into this situation blind."
"Alright," Carlisle nodded slowly, "Alright, I'll call him." He glanced at the clock and did some mental time-zone calculations. "I'll call now. No point delaying the inevitable." He looked around the room, his gaze settling firmly on Edward. "Nobody but me will speak. Understood?"
Edward nodded begrudgingly. The others murmured their assent. Esme passed Carlisle his cellphone.
Carlisle found the number in his contacts and pressed the call button, placing the phone on speaker. It rang several times before someone on the other end answered the call.
"Buonasera, Carlisle. I've been expecting to hear from you."
"Aro, my friend, how are you?"
"One moment, Carlisle." There was shuffling at the other end of the phone. "...Tesorina, would you care to step outside with me? "
Carlisle was able to recognise that Aro was not addressing him.
A melodic female voice replied in fluent, earnest italian, "Sì, Padrone. Sono ai tuoi ordini."
"Una ragazza così cattiva," Aro laughed in wicked delight at her response, his tone becoming tellingly husky, "Aspetta e vedrai."
Edward gagged quietly in the background as the woman giggled, "Promesse, promesse, amore mio..."
There was the sound of moving air, the closing of a heavy wooden door, and then Aro spoke again.
"...My apologies for the short delay, Carlisle. Caius does so abhor the use of cellular devices in the throne room. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Aro's voice now lacked all humor, and sounded quite serious.
Carlisle seemed to falter over his words, and Aro pressed, "I am a busy man, Carlisle. Very in-demand." There was a feminine scoff on Aro's end of the phone. "Don't look at me like that, dolcezza, you know that you have been an absolute menace today," Aro's warm voice admonished the woman, his fondness and adoration plain. Then, a sigh. "Carlisle, is there an actual reason for this call? Surely you cannot be contacting me after six years of silence to discuss trivial matters."
"Oh, uh... yes," Carlisle finally said, almost squirming at Aro's tone. "Would it be possible to speak with you in... private?"
"No," Aro succinctly declined.
Carlisle flinched.
"Carlisle, I am not a patient man. I suggest-"
Aro's voice was cut off swiftly by the feminine voice from before, "Dagli una possibilità, amore mio."
Aro let out a soft chuckle. "As you say, darling. Go on then, Carlisle... I'm listening."
"Very well," the blonde doctor went on, "I wanted to ask about the reason behind my family's... summons, to Volterra. And to politely enquire as to why we haven't been invited to the ball that is taking place two days before our audience with yourself and your brothers. I... I thought we were friends, Master Aro. I had hoped to meet your mate under more... relaxed circumstances, rather than during an official audience."
The woman at the other end of the line breathed a sharp, "Maleducato."
And without responding to Carlisle, Aro ended the call.
Italian-
cara mia - my dear
tesorina - darling
angelo venuto seduttrice - angel come seductress
dolcezza - sweetness
magia sporca, oscura, bellissima - dirty, dark, beautiful magic
qualcosa di audace - something bold
padrona - mistress
si- yes
grazie - thank you
padrone - master
sei la tortura più dolce - you are the sweetest torture
occupata - busy
amore mia - my love (fem)
Sii paziente, mio re, e allevierò il tuo dolore - be patient, my king, and I will relieve your pain
mia regina - my queen
cazzo - fuck
Cazzo, Isabella. Una ragazza così sporca per me. - Fuck, Isabella. Such a dirty girl for me
magnifica - magnificent
buonasera - good evening
Sì, Padrone. Sono ai tuoi ordini. - yes, Master. I am yours to command
Una ragazza così cattiva - Such a bad girl
Aspetta e vedrai - just you wait
Promesse, promesse, amore mio - promises, promises, my love
dagli una possibilità, amore mio - give him a chance, my love
Maleducato - rude
french-
Maître Aro ? Êtes-vous là ? - Master Aro? Are you there?
Oui. Continuez, s'il vous plaît. - yes. continue please
Maître Aro ? - Master Aro
Chapter Text
.
"...That went well," Emmett said nonchalantly. "Aro's mate sounds pretty cool."
"Pretty cool," Rosalie incredulously repeated, "She's got to be a psycho herself to put up with him."
Carlisle was staring with numb horror at the phone in his hand. "He hung up."
"This is so very, very bad," Alice said again.
"You heard how she talked to him," Emmett pushed, "Can you imagine anyone else ever getting to speak to 'Aro of the Volturi' like that?"
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes, Emmett, we all take shit from our mates."
"He threatened her," Edward added solemnly, "He told her 'just you wait'... that doesn't sound like he's 'taking her shit', Em. It was more like he was going to punish her for talking back to him."
Jasper clapped a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Pretty sure that was foreplay, bro."
"Right? She was totally into it," Emmett agreed with a chuckle. "Any girl shacked up with a dude like Aro must be kinky as hell, too."
"No doubt," Jasper was nodding, "The power Aro has alone-"
Edward groaned in disgust, his hands gripping onto his hair. "Can you guys please stop thinking about Aro having sex? I don't need... that... in my head."
Jasper snickered. "You can't tell me you're not even the slightest bit curious about the kind of woman that Master Aro would commit himself to. She must be quite something, to have been marked as his equal by Fate."
"Oh for sure," Emmett pointed at Jasper, "She must have a gift, right? Isn't Aro like the vampire version of the Child Catcher?" At Jasper's confused look, Emmett groaned, "Dude, the Child Catcher from that Dick Van Dyke movie with the magic flying car... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?"
Jasper groaned. "You're so fuckin' weird, Em."
"Wash your mouth out, you uncultured swine! Dick Van Dyke is a legend, Jazz! That movie is awesome," Emmett protested, "Man, sixties movies were the best. They even used one of the songs from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in a Tom Cruise movie, the one they based on Jeff Wayne's 'The War of the Worlds', the one with the Aliens from Mars. 'A gentle breeze, on Hushabye Mountain... Softleeeee blows for lullaby bayyyyy... It fills the sails of boats that are waiting, waiting to sail your troubles awayyyy'...that song. You have to know that song, right?"
"No, Emmett - I do not know the weird song from the old kid's movie," Jasper swiped a hand tiredly over his face.
"Bella used to know that song," Emmett grumbled defensively, his voice turning sad at the memory, "We watched the 'Chitty Chitty' movie like seven times that summer after Phoenix. She said it was one of her favourites when she was a kid. I miss that girl."
Emmett thought back fondly on that summer, on the moments he'd steal Bella away from Edward and they'd watch old musicals in the Cullen's movie room, complete with snacks and popcorn and fizzy drinks. Bella had the most eclectic taste in movies, and she'd been bizarrely good at the video games Emmett had forced her to play.
"Guys, enough," Esme chided them softly, then she nudged Carlisle. "Your cell is ringing, dear."
Carlisle eyed the device warily, and he grimaced. "It's Caius."
.
Having unceremoniously ended his phone call with Carlisle, Aro had returned to the throne room. He'd reiterated Carlisle's questions to his brothers, stating that he was unwilling to handle the matter. Given Aro's bond with Bella, Bella's previous association with the Cullens, and the added complication of Aro's prior friendship with Carlisle, Aro felt quite unsettled by the entire issue.
Marcus had raised an impervious eyebrow, wordlessly declining to take up the task.
Caius had grinned. An eerie, concerning sight.
"Well then, it seems that I shall be the one to contact him," Caius said. He'd retrieved his own cellular device from his study, and called Carlisle himself.
Aro, Marcus, Athena and Bella had joined Caius in his suite's sitting room, so as to be privy to the conversation.
"Ah... Master Caius," Carlisle had answered hesitantly, "Hello. Good evening."
"Carlisle. You telephoned Aro," Caius stated briskly, not bothering to engage with the pleasantries, "As you may have realised, Aro has little patience with your impertinence and bad manners."
The blonde Master eyed the man in question, who was sitting stony faced on one of Caius' couches, with Isabella in his lap, combing her fingers calmingly through his hair.
"My sincerest apologies, Master Caius. I hadn't intended to be... impertinent," Carlisle managed,"I was simply... curious, as to the circumstances surrounding my family's summons."
"Come now, Carlisle," Caius replied imperiously, "Let us not tell half-truths. You wished to know the reasoning behind your lack of invite to Aro's ball. Perhaps you feel that an explanation is owed to you?"
Carlisle audibly swallowed. "That was part of it," he acknowledged, clearly more mindful of his words and cautious with Caius than he had been with Aro. "I admit, when my family heard of the ball, it was... difficult, knowing that we hadn't received an invite, given our longstanding friendship-" on the couch, Aro audibly scoffed at this, and Carlisle paused at the sound, "-and I was concerned that my family may have offended the Volturi."
Caius' eyes narrowed. "And so you have. This matter will be discussed on the 25th of the month, as arranged."
"And... the ball?"
"You are not invited," Caius confirmed, quite pleasantly. "Aro's mate does not wish to be introduced to your coven, and Aro cares only for the lady's comfort."
"...I see," Carlisle eventually responded. "Have we... upset... the lady?"
Caius hissed. "Impertinent, indeed. We shall see you on the 25th. And no sooner. Disregard at your peril, friend."
Caius ended the call.
Bella shifted on Aro's lap, and sensing her discomfort, Aro tightened his grip on her waist. "This is not your doing," he murmured to her, "Do not blame yourself for their actions, my love."
"It's just... Carlisle was kind to me," Bella sighed, "And Esme, Emmett, even Jasper. They accepted me. When James was after me, Jasper and Alice took me back to Phoenix. And I was struggling so much with knowing I was the reason their whole family was at risk. Jasper told me that I was worth it. And I believed him. When I look back, that was the first step in me really starting to see value in myself, you know?"
She rested her head onto Aro's shoulder. "Rosalie was always hostile towards me, and I can understand why. I was a risk to all of them. If Edward had slipped up and killed me, or if I'd have disappeared after spending time with their family, my dad never would have let it go. Plus, once I'd figured out the secret, I could have told anyone. Of course, I never did, but they had to put so much trust in me. So I really do understand why Rosalie was the way she was. Edward crushed my self esteem and it took me years to repair the damage. That's a whole separate issue. But Alice... Alice hurt me the most, I guess. Her leaving me was the worst part of it all. She called me her sister, her best friend. She even stood in the throne room and swore to change me herself if Edward wouldn't. And she left right along with the rest of them. Their whole family did a really stupid thing. They broke the law letting me know their secret, even if I did kinda figure it out on my own after being put in a few impossible situations. And then they went against Volturi orders when they didn't change me. They basically left me for dead, knowing I still had Victoria after me. I know all of that, and I'm not defending their actions. I'll speak at their trial, I'll be honest about all of it. But now, with the life that I have, the love that I've found, the peace that I finally feel... How can I regret what they did to me? If they'd changed me despite Edward's ultimatum, I would have been stuck with them. Eventually they would have tried pushing me towards being with Edward to 'complete' their family. I'd be eating animals. And I'd never get to be with you." She nudged Aro.
"They would have kept me far, far away from you, because they knew that you thought I'd be gifted after my change. We might never have seen each other again. Or, if we did get to meet, there might have been too much water under the bridge. They would have already coloured my view of you, and of the Volturi. I would have... feared you, Aro. If they'd changed me, like they should have done... by the time we saw eachother again, I would probably have been terrified of you. I would have been so scared of our bond and I don't know if I would have accepted it. And we both would have suffered because of it. We wouldn't have the relationship that we do now... I'd have a ton of pre-concieved ideas about the Volturi. I'd still be stuck in the mindset of an eighteen year old girl, and not the woman I became in their absence. So it's good that they didn't change me."
"Yes," Aro said quietly, his fingers tracing patterns along her skin, "I do recognise that we are quite fortunate in this sense, my love."
The thought of Bella potentially being afraid of him, of their relationship being tainted by the Cullens' opinions of the Volturi... it made him feel violently angry. He was undoubtedly glad that Bella had transitioned into immortality in the way that she had, away from the influence of the golden-eyed coven, and far from whatever anti-Volturi propaganda they may have filled her head with. She was right - the Cullens would have told her all of the malicious rumours about Aro and the Volturi, especially if they themselves believed that the rumours were true, and Aro wouldn't have been able to set the record straight until the damage had long been done. Everything about the Volturi sounded bad when taken out of context, Chelsea's ability being a major example, but the truth of the matter was often much more complex.
Equally, as a leader of the Volturi, Aro absolutely could not ignore the fact that the Cullen Coven had all defied a direct Volturi order, nor that they had broken the secrecy statute in the first place. Bella should have been turned or killed as soon as she'd revealed that she knew the truth about the Cullens. And yet, she'd still been human at the age of 24, seven long years after she'd figured out their secret. Seven years of opportunities to tell the world about vampires. Regardless as to how Aro himself had incidentally benefited from Isabella's delayed transition, those seven years of continued human life were unacceptable. Unforgivable.
Caius was watching this exchange with interest, accurately gauging Aro's inner conflict. "Isabella is somewhat correct," the blonde Master begrudgingly added, "I must admit, I am concerned that should the Cullens become aware of your bond, they may attempt to manipulate the situation to their advantage. Argue that their inaction indirectly led to your union. Perhaps trust that Isabella is dear enough to you that they may escape justice altogether."
"Then we don't let them find out," Bella said. "If my being with Aro will complicate their trial, then they don't get to know that I'm with Aro until afterwards. It'll be a conflict of interests for everyone involved. So it'll have to be handled as if I was just an ordinary vampire, and not Aro's mate. I'll be 'Bella Swan, lowly Newborn vampire nobody', and not 'Isabella, Aro's Mate and Queen'. It's the only way."
"Edward will hear of your bond in the thoughts of those present," Caius pointed out. "Everyone who attends the ball will know that you are Aro's amata anima gemella."
Bella raised her chin, almost defiant. "Not if I shield everyone." She glanced at Aro. "We talked about this before, in the library. My using my gift to stop Edward... eavesdropping."
Aro said nothing. He considered her - her firm, resolute expression; the tension in her frame- and pressed a soft kiss to her palm.
"And you believe that you possess enough control over your shield to maintain such widespread protection? For the entire duration of the Cullens' time in the Palazzo?" Caius was skeptical. "I mean no offence, Isabella; but you are a Newborn, irrespective of your outlandish control. To shield us all, perhaps for hours..."
"I can do it," Bella insisted stubbornly, "I shield the four of you all the time anyway. Permanently. I sometimes drop the Guard in and out, depending on who's training with who, but I can comfortably seat all twenty of Volterra's permanent occupants in my boat, with room to spare. Honestly, the little boat in my head is more like a battle ship now. And I've been fine, I've had nothing like the strain of the day I met Eleazar for the first time. Eleazar said it would get easier with practice and I practice constantly. I don't even need people to be in my field of vision... once I've seen someone's face, I can shield them. The furthest distance I've been able to maintain was two miles - I tested it out when Demetri and Heidi went out to hunt, three days ago. I called Heidi as soon as I felt them drop out of the boat, and she told me where they were. I've been able to create a mental map in my brain with a big 'shield circle' - it even covers most of the city. It's pretty cool."
Aro's eyebrows shot into his hairline, impressed. "My darling Isabella," his voice was liquid silk, caressing her with his praise, "What a clever girl you are."
"My point is, I can just start adding vampires as I meet them at the ball, and I'll keep them all in the boat. If they stay within 2 miles of the Palazzo, I can shield them. I've done a lot of silent experimenting with it. If a vampire with a gift is inside the boat - under my shield - they can use that gift indiscriminately, even on other vampires that are also within the shield. But, if I take that gifted vampire out from under the shield, their gift becomes ineffective on those still within the boat. Shield. Whatever. So," Bella went on, "This means that Aro will still be able to use his ability on the Cullens, as will Jane, Alec, etcetera, but Edward won't be able to access the thoughts of anyone inside the shield, as long as Edward is outside of the shield. It's harder for me to explain things without talking about the boat, so I'm sorry if all of that sounds complicated."
Aro and Caius exchanged a greedy look. Bella rolled her eyes, knowing full well how pleased the two Masters would be at her ability.
"Aro," Marcus said suddenly, his gaze bright, "I should like Isabella to meet Didyme."
Aro glanced across in surprise at the solemn vampire. "Are you certain?"
Marcus nodded. "I am. If Isabella could shield Didyme, it would give me peace of mind, at the very least."
Bella swivelled in Aro's lap to meet his eyes. "You've never mentioned a Didyme before."
"Forgive me, my love... I did not deliberately keep you in the dark. I simply did not know how to broach the topic," Aro confessed softly, stroking a hand down Bella's back, hoping that she'd feel his sincerity and honesty with her ability to judge a person's intentions. "It is a... sensitive matter to discuss, as you will now discover. Didyme is my sister."
"Your sister?" Bella repeated incredulously, "You have a sister?!"
"Didyme is also Marcus' mate, and wife," Athena said quietly, squeezing Marcus' upper arm supportively.
"Tell her, Aro," Marcus pressed, "I... cannot."
Aro sighed sadly, shifting Bella gently onto the sofa cushion beside him, and then he stood, approaching the window of Caius and Athena's sitting room. "Yes, Didyme is my sister. I turned Didyme myself, ten years after my own transition. She was my human sister, you see, and I loved her dearly. She was ten years old when I was bitten. I was twenty nine, I believe. She was the apple of my eye, as the saying goes. I could not bear to part with her, and as soon as I had the necessary control to change her without killing her, I did so. And after her change, we discovered that Marcus was her mate. All was well. Until, in the 15th Century - some six hundred years ago - I took a lover. A paramour. Her name was Sulpicia."
Bella nodded. "Okay..."
"I could not access Sulpicia's mind," Aro went on, grimacing knowingly as Bella stiffened. "She told us all that she was a shield, but could not project her gift beyond her own person. Admittedly, I did wonder if she was my mate, at the time, for the same reason that the young Edward Cullen misguidedly believed you to be his. Our mates are our mirrors, granting us what we need most from the world. And so, her mental silence... it intrigued me. I considered marrying her, claiming her as my chosen queen, despite having never felt the urge to mark her. Naturally, knowing what I now know, having felt the visceral pull that I felt and still feel towards you, Isabella... believe me when I say that I am more than aware that Sulpicia was not my Fated, and given the lack of a need to mark her as my own... Well, let us say that I understand the differences between the two relationships inherently, and regret that I ever thought of her as a potential mate."
Bella said nothing, and kept her face carefully blank, though she did touch a hand to the mark on her thigh. It grounded her, in a way, and reassured her of the reality of her mating bond with Aro. They were always biting one another, sometimes by choice and other times by instinct alone, and so she fully understood what he meant by a 'need' to mark. It also helped enormously that Bella could literally feel it, inside of her chest, that he was being entirely honest with her.
"However, Sulpicia had been my... companion... for sixty one years, when Didyme fell asleep. We were a happy enough trio of pairs, for a time. Sulpicia and I, Caius and Athena, Marcus and Didyme. Our beloved Didyme was gifted beyond measure. She could inspire happiness in all who encountered her." Aro glanced across at Marcus. "We had no idea what caused Didyme to... sleep. One moment she was awake, talking with Sulpicia in the gardens, and the next..." He trailed off. "Well. An investigation was conducted, and we were none the wiser. Almost five years passed. Didyme became our very own angel of stone. As if she had simply closed her eyes."
Marcus sniffed. Athena squeezed his arm again, and picked up Caius' cellphone, pressing a number on the speed dial. "A decanter, please," she murmured into the device, "Something rich. Five glasses. Caius' study. Grazie."
Bella offered Athena a half-smile in gratitude.
Aro cleared his throat. "People began to talk. There were rumours that I was the person responsible for Didyme's absence, that I had murdered her in cold blood. Apparently because she and Marcus had been discussing the possibilty of leaving the Volturi. Nonsense, of course. Yes, I was and remain an ambitious man, but not even I would slay mine own sister. It is still universally believed that Didyme is dead, truly dead, as a result of my avarice and rage. And we have not corrected the rumours."
"Right. Because if you would kill your own sister, your real, biological sister... what wouldn't you do?" Bella asked rhetorically, "You'd be capable of anything. I understand. It's a smart strategy, really, to inspire fear in you. And in the Volturi."
Aro nodded absently. "It was fortunate that we encountered Eleazar later that year. I was planning to propose to Sulpicia on Beltane night, would you believe? Thankfully, Eleazar was able to identify the true nature of Sulpicia's ability before that happened." Aro shook his head ruefully. "I spent sixty five years with her, and it was all subterfuge. A plot, to weaken and defeat the Volturi from the inside." Aro turned back to face Bella. "Sulpicia was not a shield. Her ability was to invoke the total paralysis of other gifts. Render them entirely ineffective."
Bella nodded. "So when you couldn't read her mind..."
"It was as a result of her gift simply nullifying mine," Aro confirmed, "Rather than a defensive shield, like your own, Sulpicia's ability worked in the offensive. And with Eleazar's help, the utilisation of a werewolf-venom tincture in her goblet of blood, and the talent of Alec, we were able to temporarily render Sulpicia quite powerless. It was poetically ironic, that we could paralyse her as she had been able to so effectively paralyse all of our gifts. She was incredibly powerful, in her way, and objectively I can admit that she would have made a formidable ally, had she not been so blinded by her desire for revenge that she all but declared herself our foe. At that point - for the first and last time in sixty five years, whilst she was incapacitated by the combination of ingested werewolf venom and total sensory deprivation - I was able to access her thoughts. Wherein I discovered that Sulpicia had been responsible for Didyme's induced slumber, along with the true extent of her betrayal."
"What did she do?" Bella asked, tucking her legs up underneath her on the couch. "How did she do it?"
Aro steepled his hands beneath his chin. "Sulpicia was able to paralyse Didyme's gift. We can only assume that Didyme's gift was so essential to her life, so intrinsically connected to her very being - as vampiric gifts often are, that Sulpicia's paralysis created something of a chasm between Didyme's consciousness and her continued survival. Didyme lives, just as much as you or I live, and yet... she sleeps." Aro swallowed. "When I... When I take her hand, there are colours. Hazy images. Distant memories. Closer to dreams than true, deliberate thoughts. She is almost present, and yet... her actual consciousness remains elusive. There is little recognition of the world around her. But we have been able to confirm that she does feel the presence of Marcus."
"I read to her," Marcus said softly, in his low, raspy voice. "Every night, I read to her. I feel her emotions in my mind, just as all mated vampires do. But they are... muted. As if travelling a distance through smoke."
There was a tentative, unobtrusive knock at Caius' door, and Athena answered. Renata stood in the threshold, a wary expression on her face as she handed over tray that held the usual opaque decanter and five crystal glasses. Renata bowed, and left. Athena gently heeled the door closed, placing the tray down on an end table. Aro moved towards the decanter immediately, wordlessly pouring Bella a glass and handing it to her before filling his own, whilst Athena attended to Caius, Marcus and herself. Aro lifted his own glass with trembling hands.
Bella was the one to break the silence. "Why did Sulpicia do it? Why Didyme?"
"Sulpicia was mated to a member of the original Romanian coven," Athena supplied, "The Dacian Coven, as they were known as at that time. The Dacians were in power before the Volturi."
Bella nodded - she remembered this from her reading.
"The Dacians were truly wretched creatures," Athena continued, wrinkling her nose at the thought of them, "The absolute worst example of vampires, even now. They treated humans like livestock. Vampire kind were widely known of, then, during the Dark Ages of Europe. But the Dacians... they amassed what you - Isabella - would know of as a 'cult-following'. They elevated themselves to become God-like figures. The Dacian Coven thought nothing of running amok; torturing and killing whenever and whoever they pleased, humans and vampires alike. No-one was safe. They burned entire towns as a consequence for offering a poor selection of 'sacrifices'. Pulled out the innards of children, when their parents had displeased them. Tore off the heads of vampires and burned their bodies, all the while storing the severed, still-living heads on shelves in their throne room. They did as they liked: they had enough powerful coven members that nobody could rise against them. Their word was law. And who would dare protest?" Athena chuckled sardonically, and for the first time, Bella glimpsed the very-real darkness inside of the buxom blonde vampiress. Bella glanced at Caius, who was staring at his mate with a hungry look in his gleaming eyes.
Athena went on, "That was, until us. Until the Volturi came out in opposition against them, vocally, demonstrably so. We envisioned another way, a safer way, for vampires and humans both. Humans had by then realised that fire was a very real threat to vampires, and there were pockets of mortal resistance springing up as a result of the Dacian's atrocities. Who could blame the humans for protesting against such foul behaviour? We certainly did not. Yes, the Volturi feed from humans, but we do not kill indiscriminately, nor for the sole purpose of hearing mortal screams. We kill to survive, that is all. And, where possible, we harvest." She gestured to the decanter. "We foresaw a future wherein humans would one day grow strong and advanced enough to pose a significant risk to vampire kind, and we knew that human knowledge of our existence must transition from fact to myth. It was the only way to protect both our race and theirs.
"We were based here, in Volterra, but spread from France to Greece, dotted across the Mediterranean, and the Dacians had their stronghold in the territory now known as Transylvania. Our coven was close enough to theirs to be considered a threat, but distant enough that our numbers were able to rise in the shadows. We attracted plenty of support, both from old vampires who despised the Dacians and new ones that we created. Didyme, especially, was an excellent Maker. Utterly devoted to those she had bitten, and she was equally as beloved by them all in return. Eventually, we amassed enough numbers of our own that we were able to fully rebel. We picked off their talented Guard, one by one, until only the core family of twelve remained. After almost a century of open war in this way, the Volturi were able to oust them. We annihilated their coven, with the exception of Stefan, Vladimir, and Vladimir's mate, Emese. And, unbeknownst to us, Sulpicia. Sulpicia's actual mate, a gifted vampire named Petru, was killed. By Marcus."
"And Sulpicia wanted revenge for her fallen mate," Bella understood. "And so she needed to infiltrate the Volturi."
"We were too well-guarded for the Dacians to mount a direct counterattack," Caius interjected, "We had too many gifted vampires in our ranks, and we had decimated their coven. It took Sulpicia centuries to find an angle to exploit."
"But she found one eventually," Bella's voice was soft, sympathetic. "In Aro."
Aro laughed bitterly. "Indeed. And what a dolt I was."
Bella approached him cautiously, reaching for his hand with both of hers. He looked at her, surprised by her compassion towards him, allowing her to envelop his free hand. She clasped it against her chest, holding him close.
"You blame yourself," she realised, searching his gaze with hers, "What happened to Didyme wasn't your fault, Aro."
"You can't know that." He tried to pull his hand free, but Bella held on.
"I do," Bella insisted, "All you did was meet someone and fall in love. That doesn't mean-"
Aro cut her off, his tone sharp. "Yes, it does mean. If I hadn't been such a fool..."
"Nobody blames you, Aro," Marcus interjected firmly, "Sulpicia's actions were her own."
"I allowed her access to all of us," Aro whispered, pained. "I trusted her. I loved her." Bella squeezed his hand in support. Aro went on, "Had I not been so pitifully desperate for a companion, to complete the Royal Family..." He shook his head. "After Sulpicia, I made a vow to Didyme - and to myself - that the next person I gave my heart to would be my mate, and no other. I upheld that vow." He swiped a thumb over Bella's cheek. "Such peace you have brought me, my love. Such respite. Truly, I do not deserve you."
Bella could feel that his hands continued to tremble as they touched her. "What happened to Sulpicia?"
She suspected that she knew already, but in a way, she needed to hear it.
"I killed her," Aro replied, his tone even, unmoved. Detached. His hand lowered from her face. "Jane and Alec were quite ineffective against her, given her gift. A simple death would not have been enough - I needed to send a message to dear Stefan and Vladimir. I set her limbs on fire, whilst they were still attached. And as the fire approached her torso, I'd remove the limb. I burned one limb a week, followed by her lower and then upper torso, until only her head remained. I kept her head for another month or so."
Despite herself, Bella was intrigued. "And what did you do with her head for an entire month?"
"I peeled it," Aro replied with a grim smirk. "And when I inevitably grew tired of her incessant wailing, I of course gave it to Marcus, who burned it in the presence of the people in this room." Aro let out an unsettling, manic laugh. "Of course, Sulpicia's demise did wonders for my reputation. First I killed my sister, and then I tortured my paramour until I was bored of her noise. You can imagine the rumours that emerged as a result."
Bella let out a small, surprised laugh of her own at the thought. Aro's gaze narrowed predatorily on her, and he pulled her firmly against him. "You are so very lovely when you laugh, my darling," he told her sincerely, a small, dazzled sigh escaping his lips.
Bella stared down at his mouth. It was... worryingly jarring, to say the least, how inexplicably arousing it was to hear his silky voice describing the ways in which he'd tortured his previous lover. A dark part of Bella was thrilled that the monstrous creature that was Aro was hers. The things he had done with those hands, the pain he had inflicted... And yet, he'd only ever been gentle with her. Unless she'd been explicitly clear that she wanted him to be rough.
"Where is Didyme now?" Bella heard herself ask, still enthralled by the man in front of her.
When Athena replied, her voice sounded quite far away. "In Marcus' bedchamber. Safe, and whole."
Bella blinked, inhaling deeply to steady herself against the bizarre, primal lust that danced through her system. But Aro was eying her knowingly, his dark, enigmatic gaze burning into hers, unwilling to let her break the spell that had somehow enchanted them both.
"Come to my chambers tomorrow," Marcus said, moving to the door. "I will inform Didyme tonight of your intended visit. Now, if you would all excuse me, I am in need of some air."
Marcus didn't wait for their responses, simply exiting the room with a speed he didn't often utilise.
Aro hooked Bella's arm through his and murmured polite goodbyes to Athena and Caius on both of their behalfs, and then he and Bella were moving swiftly through the Palazzo, with a singular, shared goal in mind.
It wasn't until Aro had slammed her against the interior wood panelling of his own sitting room that Bella came back to herself. He was tearing at her clothes, destroying everything that hid her perfect body from his greedy eyes, and Bella gave as good as she got, ripping his suit away from his muscled flesh with nary a thought.
A knee pressed between her thighs and her legs fell open obediently. And then he was touching her, a fingertip swiping through the swollen delta of her centre, warm and silky wet, already desperate and throbbing for his touch.
"...Cazzo," he growled in surprise, plunging two fingers quickly inside of her and seeking her clitoris with his thumb. She moaned at his sudden assault, but did not stand idle.
Bella's hands encircled his cock, and she pulled him towards her, rearing up onto her toes just as Aro lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist. She sank down slowly onto his length, mewling and arching her back against the wall at the intrusion of his girth.
"Oh fuck, Aro," she breathed, "So big."
His grip on her thighs was almost bruising as his hips set a punishing, brutal pace, snapping up into her with a force that had Bella keening within moments.
"I am curious, my love... At what point did you realise that the thought of my being so violent was arousing to you?" Aro murmured sinfully into her ear, almost daring her to disagree, "I felt it," he went on, his teeth nipping viciously at her lobe, "When I told you what I did to her for her betrayal. When I told you of the pain I inflicted on her... I felt your crushing, consuming desire in my head..."
Bella thrashed against the wall. "Fuck, Aro..."
"I could smell it," he went on, his voice taking on the authoritative tone that turned her brain to mush, "I could smell your sweet cunt, Isabella. You turn me into a savage..." he emphasised this with a particularly harsh thrust into her heat, "Such a dirty girl, to be so inflamed by my brutality towards another. And you love it," his voice was low and gravelly, tortured with his own lust, "Don't you? You love feeling my hands on you, like this, bringing you endless pleasure... When I can bring so much pain to others," he slanted his mouth over hers in a fierce, claiming kiss. "You enjoy my power, don't you? My dirty girl," Aro crooned at her, and Bella's body began to tighten around him. "You want to feel it, don't you? Your demon wants to play with mine..."
"Oh fuck..." she half sobbed, feeling her climax rocketing towards her, desperately chasing her release. "Harder, Aro, please... fuck... Master, I need more..."
"Yes, my love, just like that," Aro ground his teeth as he encouraged her, using his hands to aid the rough momentum of her hips meeting his, thrust for thrust, "Take your pleasure from me, mia regina, take it. Fuck, Isabella..."
"Keep... talking," Bella demanded breathlessly, needing to hear his sinfully silky voice, "Tell me..."
"She would have taken me from you," Aro purred into her ear, "She would have made me hers..."
Bella growled at the thought, "No," she snarled, turning half-wild in his arms, her hands tightening into feral claws at his shoulders, "You're mine. I would kill anyone if they tried to take you from me."
"Ah, but I killed her instead," he laughed darkly, knowing he was only igniting her further with his words, "The one who would have claimed me..."
"Tell me," Bella growled again, instinctively fierce at the thought of him being claimed by another.
Aro hissed as her muscles clenched deliciously painfully around his cock.
"Yes, mia regina, as you command," he groaned, "I tortured her... I killed her with these very hands that hold you now... I ended her life with such great pain... and I enjoyed her suffering, just as you enjoyed hearing about it... It thrills you, excites you, arouses you beyond all reasoning that I am so deeply addicted to you, my love. You cannot hide your darkest desires from me... The thought of me hurting someone who would harm you, someone who would have claimed me, perhaps even killed me..."
"No," Bella gasped, furious, lost to her lust, "I'm the only one who gets to kill you..."
Aro was bizarrely pleased by this and his chest rumbled. "Indeed, my love. Only you will ever have that power over me. Only you. And you love it, don't you? Your power over me. My power over everyone else... My being in charge... My power over life itself..."
Bella moaned at his words. Because God help her, he was right. And she hadn't even realised that he was right until exactly this moment.
"My holding your life and death in my hands. You love the danger, don't you, my dirty girl... You love my darkness, my wrath... I would kill them all for you, la mia regina Isabella... I would burn this whole world to the ground and bathe you in their blood and ashes if it would make you happy..."
She cried out loudly, burying her face into his neck and biting down on the skin there. She clung to him, her nails gauging venom from his back, her teeth gripping his throat as her orgasm crashed through her limbs.
"Oh fuck," Aro was groaning mindlessly against her, "Oh fuck yes, Isabella, squeeze my cock, there's my good girl, fuck..."
A moan echoed through her chest when Aro's own teeth found ferocious purchase in her shoulder just as his own climax erupted, the sudden burn of his savage bite sending her body into another devastating release.
Her teeth unlatched and she screamed, the combination of pain and overwhelming pleasure making her half delirious.
"More," she demanded, her eyes a turbulent storm of black, her nails still anchored into the muscles in his shoulders.
She couldn't be certain if Aro's legs had neatly buckled beneath their combined orgasms or if he had simply eased them to the floor, but before she realised what was happening, Aro was flat on his back and she was riding his still-hard cock at what could only be described as a gallop, her hips slamming down onto his mercilessly as Aro's greedy hands seemed to clutch at her waist, her breasts, her backside, his palm snapping down onto her ass cheeks like sharp bolts of lightning that set her sex aflame.
His head was thrown back onto the floor as inhuman sounds of lust and want and need seemed to tumble from his lips.
Bella was breathless and grinding her pelvis down into his as she pulled one of his arms roughly towards her, placing his hand over her mouth. "Sei mio," she growled against his skin, overcome with an explosive, irrefutable need to reclaim her mate, and she sank her teeth into his palm, deep into the plump apple of flesh at the base of his thumb as a shattering orgasm cracked rapidly up her spine. She released her mouth from the mark, soothing the wound with her tongue in a primal urge that she could not ignore. He was hers to bite, hers to fuck, hers to kill, and she'd defend those rights until she was dust herself.
Aro flipped their position in an instant, pressing her chest into the floor, maintaining his pace to match her previously frantic rhythm. "So possessive," he growled back at her, his gaze darkly amused, "I love it. Possess me endlessly, Isabella. I am yours."
He rode her body hard, gripping her hair to arch her back towards him. Bella responded to this by dragging his free hand around to her clit, using her own hand to move his fingers furiously against the bundle of nerves.
"Yes, my love," Aro hissed in approval, "Such a good girl for me. That's it, take what you need from me..."
Her body began to quiver again around his and within a minute he was coming, roaring his pleasure into the room, biting into her shoulder with a rumble emanating from his chest. Bella's release peaked as Aro's teeth pierced her skin, and she cried out his name like a filthy prayer, her body pulsing around his cock.
As their mutual ecstasy slowly faded, Aro shook his head in disbelief. "You turn me into quite the barbarian, tesorina," he chuckled, his voice fond.
"I like it when you're a barbarian," Bella replied coquettishly, glancing back at him over her shoulder. "It's my private piece of you."
He gently released her hair from around his fingers, and caught her when she immediately toppled forwards, unbalanced by her orgasm. "I've got you, la mia bellissima regina," he murmured reverently, pressing his forehead to her shoulder as they caught their breath.
"Holy fuck," Bella smirked, still breathless, shaking her head in disbelief. "That was... amazing."
Aro rolled to her side and pulled her into him, unable to prevent an instinctual purr when she wrapped an arm around his waist, threw a leg over his thigh and cuddled into his chest. "You are amazing," he countered, sighing contentedly.
"Aro..." she murmured, ducking her head, "About what you said, before, about my being aroused by your violence..."
"You are embarrassed?" Aro asked her gently, tilting his head.
Bella shrugged. "I wouldn't say embarrassed. More... weirded out? Because I was... am... aroused by it. It feels natural, to find you more attractive because you're this powerful, dangerous vampire. But... shouldn't I find you attractive in spite of those things?"
"You are trying to look at the situation from the mindset of a human," he acknowledged. He wasn't condescending, nor did he belittle her; his explanation was just honest, and candid. "Vampires are a predatory species. Violence is an inherent part of our nature. It feels natural for such things to interest you sexually because it is natural. We are dominant creatures, and violence often walks hand-in-glove with establishing and maintaining dominance. Humans rely on words more than actions to solve their problems, therefore it would be unusual for most humans to find a more violent partner to be preferable over a calmer individual. Vampires are... different. Take lions, for example. The alpha male of the pride must earn the right to breed with the females by eliminating or defeating the opposing males. Vampires are not lions, true, but we are similar in that a vampire may appreciate certain traits in their partner that a human would not. Humans are our natural prey, especially if we have a traditional diet. It is contradictory, in a way, to try to follow human norms and attitudes, whilst also predating on them. The sooner you can accept this, the sooner you will accept your new nature. But these things come with time. Rome was not built in a day, and other such platitudes, my love."
Bella considered this with a frown. "That is surprisingly helpful, actually. So... the fact that I became... aroused... when you talked about torturing your ex... you're reassuring me that I'm not a crazy sadist?"
Aro shook his head and chuckled at her phrasing. "I am reassuring you that it is entirely normal and natural for a vampire to become aroused by their vampire-mate demonstrating violence. Especially if the recipient of that violence is a previous or potential sexual or romantic partner. Effectively, the perceived 'threat' to your mate-claim has been permanently removed, and by your mate's hand. In this case, your mind is telling you that I killed my previous lover because on some level I wanted to be with you. Despite you not being born at the time."
"I understand."
"Do you?" Aro was gentle, concerned. "I do not wish for this matter to distress you, my love. It is all instinct based, and not something you can hope control."
"Oh yeah, I understand," she confirmed mischievously, raising herself up onto an elbow to trail teasing fingers down his bare torso, "Just talking about you being a dominant alpha male is doing very interesting things to my body."
Aro rolled her underneath him, pressing his hands to the floor on either side of her head. "Is that so?" He purred appreciatively down at her, "Perhaps I'd better take a look, hmm?"
italian -
Grazie - thank you
amata anima gemella - beloved soul mate
sei mio - you're mine (masc)
la mia bellissima regina - my beautiful queen
tesorina - darling
Chapter Text
.
It had been decided that Aro and Bella would go alone to Marcus' rooms to see Didyme, to make the introduction feel more informal.
Bella was pleased by this, glad that Caius wouldn't get to see her vulnerability in her first moments with Aro's sister.
She had grown to like the blonde Master, given that he was essentially an extension of Athena (and Bella adored Athena) and because Caius was supporting her in her combat training. That was an understatement: he had absolutely championed the need for Bella to learn to defend herself, almost coming to blows with Aro over the issue at one stage, although Bella wasn't sure if that was Caius being pragmatic or Caius being eager to kick the shit out of her.
(Bella rather suspected that Aro knew the truth about his brother's intentions, though, and that was likely why he'd been so furious with Caius when the subject of Bella's combat training had come up again between the five of the 'Royals', in private. Not that Aro would ever actually confirm or disclose any of his brother's thoughts. But for anyone to dislike Bella for any reason, deserved or not, was enough to rankle Aro's protectiveness and ire.)
Out of the entire Volturi, Caius was the one person who seemed to struggle the most with Bella's sudden position of authority within the internal hierarchy, and he obviously revelled in the opportunity to be able to openly humble her. Caius reminded her at every single training session that in his eyes, Bella had to earn her place amongst them, to earn his respect, to earn the right to stand by Aro's side and support him in his rule.
And though she'd internally bristled at Caius' attitude towards her, more so because she knew it irritated Aro, Bella did understand.
She was a brand new vampire with freakishly good control over her emotions and her bloodlust. She had been blessed with an amazingly-useful immortal gift and had mastered that ability quickly. Her mind was her own, private to Aro's tendency to snoop, whether he did so unintentionally or otherwise. Her transition into vampirism had been relatively painless, lacking the characteristic burning torture. She was the Fated soul mate of one of the most powerful and dangerous vampires in the world. And all of that stuff had just happened to her.
Minus the deadly beating she'd received prior to her transformation, she had not paid a single one of her vampiric dues. She was like the vampire equivalent of a Nepo-baby, getting ahead purely because of her circumstances and not her actual capabilities or achievements.
He used these things to push her during her combat training sessions, and every time his malicious remarks hit their target. It was making her better, stronger, more resilient, and Bella could see that she was - slowly - earning his respect.
Because if she was honest with herself, it felt only natural to her that Caius - an ancient vampire without an extracurricular supernatural ability, who'd had to claw his way to the top - would resent her for the things that had landed in her lap. She was too goddamn compassionate and empathetic for her own good, sometimes.
And it helped a little that he was only ever outright mean to her during her training, something that she also recognised must be difficult for him. He wasn't the type to ever limit his hostility, towards anyone, and yet outside of the training sessions, he was always unfailingly polite to her. Sometimes even warm.
But she was still grateful that she'd get to meet Didyme without his annoyingly astute, platinum-blonde head lurking in the background.
Bella and Aro had left Volterra to hunt early in the day, returning late afternoon, sated and satisfied in more ways than one. Having taken advantage of the cloudy day to get out of the Palazzo, the two had had an altogether delightful excursion into Florence. Aro had driven them to the outskirts of the neighbouring city, and they'd gone from there on foot, strolling through the overcast streets hand-in-hand. Aro had dressed down for the occasion, daring to forgo his usual waistcoat and tie in favour of a simple trouser-shirt-coat combination, all in black, of course.
He looked suave and rich, manly and utterly delicious, but that didn't change the fact that his favoured colour scheme certainly did him no favours in his attempt to at least appear human.
Bella had rolled her eyes at the sight, leaning into the doorjamb of the bathroom as her mate had tidied his hair back into a simple low queue at the nape of his neck.
"Do you even realise how much you look like a stereotypical vampire?"
Aro had met her appreciative, assessing eyes in the mirror, smirking at her amused expression. "Forgive me for dressing like a gentleman, my love."
His gaze had scanned over her in return, then, absorbing her own figure hugging attire: tight black skinny jeans that might as well have been painted on, her dark grey top, fitted black leather jacket and black leather knee-high boots, and he'd been in front of her before she could blink. Crowding her back into the doorframe, a hand gripping her face to his as he'd claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss. His other hand had crawled down to her backside, lifting her into his embrace and pressing her tightly against him, his knee slipping between her thighs.
Bella had gasped in surprise at the sudden onslaught, allowing him to plunder her mouth for a moment and grinding her pelvis down onto his leg until she'd almost forgotten the actual purpose of them getting dressed.
"You're quite the vision of temptation yourself," he'd rasped against her neck, nimble fingers seeking beneath the bottom hem of her top to access the skin beneath. She'd swept her fingers into his hair, tugging against his scalp in the way she knew drove him crazy.
When his teeth had nipped at her throat, Bella had arched towards him, inclining her head to give him more room. Her hips had bucked up towards his and she'd let out a pleased hum at the feel of him hard against her abdomen.
"Hunting," she'd managed, sounding dazed, "We're going hunting. You were taking me into Florence. Before we see Didyme."
Aro had groaned in defeat against her, knowing that they did indeed have things to do today that would not be achieved if he continued to explore her creamy flesh.
They'd made love almost constantly through the evening, since they'd returned from Caius' suite the previous night, and Bella had lost count of the amount of times that Aro had brought her to climax. His mouth, his fingers, his cock... all the while whispering absolute filth in her ear, filling her head with dark and dirty words until they were both drowning in the sinful depths of their mutual depravity. And she'd loved it, the opportunity to engage in the more animalistic, hidden parts of herself. With him, she could let her darkness shine, without worry or shame or fear. He was safe, he would love her regardless - perhaps even love her more - and with that inherent knowledge of safety and security came the ability for her to explore in the aspects of her personality that she didn't often express.
Disregarding her own protests, Bella dragged his lips back to hers, eager for more of his touch.
Just as the scent of her arousal was noticeably permeating the space between them in the bathroom, given Bella's wanton memories of their shared evening, Aro had pulled away just as swiftly as he'd engaged her, both of their lips swollen and eyes dark with desire, and then Bella had snorted in amusement at his hair.
"Your hair makes you look like you've been thoroughly fucked, my king," she told him with a triumphant smirk, swanning out of the bathroom again as he'd gone back to the mirror to fix the mess created by her greedy hands.
On the drive to Florence, Bella had placed a hand on his thigh, ignoring the sensation of his lust that was beginning to crowd the back of her mind. He'd taken off his suit coat for the drive, draping it carelessly in the back seat as if it wasn't ridiculously expensive and perfectly tailored for him alone. She studied him as they drove, eying the grip of his hands on the steering while, the strength of his wrists, the ease with which he handled the car. It was a sleek, black Jaguar with a dark leather interior - very Aro.
He'd parked the vehicle in a smooth manoeuvre, one arm around the back of her seat as he reversed into the space, and flitted round to open her door like a gallant, bowing over her knuckles and pulling her against him. The slam of the car door had coincided with the slam of Bella against his chest, wherein she'd kissed him so unexpectedly passionately that he'd hummed in enjoyment and surprise.
They'd barely made it into the city, stopping what had felt like every two minutes to kiss and paw at each other like a pair of honeymooners, but as they'd entered into the more populated area, Aro had slipped on a pair of sunglasses and a pair of gloves, handing Bella a shades case of her own from an inner pocket of his suit coat.
Bella had surprised both herself and Aro by managing to remain calm in the busy city streets, seemingly immune to the overwhelm of sounds and smells. She was extremely controlled for a new vampire, it was true, but this was her first time in a truly crowded place filled with humans, and she'd fully expected to be a nervous wreck the entire outing. As it was, she'd clung to his arm, her own sunglasses in place and breath carefully held, focussing only on the smooth sound of his voice as he spoke of his memories of Florence from years gone by. He'd told her of his love of the opera, swore to take her soon if she'd like; recalled the Florence of the Renaissance, the Medicis, the Domican friar Savonarola, and the sheer artistic brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo. Bella could listen to him talk for hours, and was so engrossed in his words that she almost forgot that they'd come to the city with the intent to hunt.
As he'd done previously, Aro had allowed Bella to guide their hunt, seemingly appreciating the way in which she'd follow her nose, irrespective of where it was leading them both.
They'd eventually happened upon a warehouse and found two drug addled, scantily clad women inside, and Bella had turned away from the sight even before Aro could dissuade her from partaking. Vampires could not attain true first-hand intoxication, but drinking from humans who were under the influence definitely altered the taste of their blood and created an odd, somewhat euphoric feeling of unbalance and whimsy, and Aro did not wish for Bella to experience such in the centre of the city, wherein he could not directly control the situation.
She was still a newborn, still incredibly fast and strong despite her control, and it would have been too easy for her to escape him in the city, and in a way that undoubtedly exposed her vampiric nature.
He valued her life far, far too much to allow that to happen.
But she'd managed to alter her hunt at the last moment, leaving the two women behind with a quiet calmness that had impressed him. He'd told her as much, and Bella had basked in his praise, pressing her lips together bashfully and batting her eyelashes at him in a way that made his black heart ache with love.
They'd then ended up in a small rundown apartment above a disused laundromat, wherein the two vampires had sated their thirst on the three dozing occupants, having one each and sharing the third. Aro had been careful with their bodies, slicing into their necks to draw the blood with a sharp knife rather than allowing either of them to bite, which had ensured that the 'clean up' was easier; their deaths had been made to look like a double murder-suicide. Though she'd certainly felt satisfied by the hot red liquid running down her throat, it had been odd to touch her lips to their flesh and not engage the weaponry that was her teeth.
She'd taken that urge out on Aro afterwards, dragging him into a room empty of bodies - the kitchen - to slake her lust and fulfilled the urge to bite before they hastily climbed down the fire escape and journeyed back to the car.
The drive back to Volterra had passed quickly, with Aro practically throwing the car keys at Afton as they'd entered the underground garage in his haste to get Bella back to their suite. Once there, he'd carried her into the shower and stripped her bare, gently washing her hair and worshiping her body for over an hour with soapy hands beneath the spray. Being with him felt so natural, so normal, and Bella could almost forget that he'd had thousands of years of life without her. Aro could almost forget - it was as if he'd lived his millennia in muted greyscale, and now with Bella by his side, the world around him bloomed brightly in glorious Technicolor.
Afterwards, when they'd redressed - him in his typical 3-piece suit, Bella in a soft cashmere sweater-dress in charcoal grey, translucent tights and knee high boots - Aro had taken her to the garden, directing her to the place that Didyme had once loved, the place where she'd fallen asleep so long ago.
"I see much of her in you, actually," Aro remarked, his voice wistful, "Her boldness, her humility, her passion for life. You are quite alike. Marcus told me once, during your change, that Didyme would have liked you. And I agree."
Bella smiled at him softly, placing her hands on his chest. "I hope that I can meet her properly, one day."
Aro shook his head. "I fear that is a fool's errand, my love," he was sad, now, regretful. "Six hundred years have been and gone. Empires have risen and fallen. And Didyme remains unmoved, peacefully cocooned within her stasis."
"You say cocooned as if you envy her."
He sighed. "Perhaps, in a way, I do. She is entirely ignorant of the modern ways of our world. Untouched by the passing of time, by technology, by the glorious and terrible things achieved by science. You could argue that her essence is pure, free from knowing the of the many atrocities that humanity has committed in her absence. The horrors of the transatlantic slave trade. Two World-encompassing Wars. Genocides around the globe. The holocaust. Atomic bombs. Helpless animals cruelly shuttled into space only to die lonely and confused, of starvation, thirst or suffocation. Humans hoarding their trillions like the greedy dragons of legend, caring more for the capitalist machine than the suffering of others. Nuclear power. Thousands of species forced into extinction due to deforestation, over-hunting, poaching, global warming, carelessness and fear. To name but a few."
"Wow... I guess I hadn't thought about it like that. It's hard to even comprehend that you've lived through all of this, seeing those things first hand," Bella acknowledged, "Sure must make feeding from people feel easier to bear, in the long term."
Aro shrugged. "It certainly doesn't hurt."
.
Bella wasn't sure what had possessed her to want to take flowers for her 'meeting' with Didyme, but Aro had been happy enough to indulge her. She'd selected a handful of stunning pink peonies, along with a few sprays of French lavender, gypsophilia and some lovely yellow blooms that she didn't know the name of.
She wasn't entirely sure what to expect. She'd visited family members after their deaths, when they'd been at the funeral home, and tried to think of the situation with Didyme using the same mindset. She planned to talk to her like Didyme could hear her, a one-way conversation that offered information and pleasantries, and she'd just go from there.
They'd arrived at Marcus' suite at 5pm, and Bella had been momentarily surprised by the dated decor in his chambers.
Marcus had wordlessly welcomed them inside, smiling at the flowers in Bella's hands. She'd passed them to him, keeping one beautiful pink peony clutched in her fingers, knowing that her hands would be damp with nervous sweat if vampires could perspire.
It was almost like she'd stepped back in time: other than the electricity - and she assumed the plumbing - it was as if nothing had changed since the actual Renaissance. She hadn't commented on it, but Aro had squeezed her hand knowingly, and she was suddenly so very sad for Marcus.
To know that he still lived in this space, a space he'd clearly refused to change... it was obvious as to why. His ever-slumbering Didyme had once existed in these rooms, these exact rooms. She'd undoubtedly have touched all of the furniture, likely chosen most of it in the same way that Bella knew Athena had decorated the suite that she shared wifh Caius. Marcus clearly clung on to his memories of Didyme, valuing and treasuring them to such a degree that he couldn't bear to alter the suite that she'd lived in with him.
Bella was also momentarily surprised by the lack of a bed in Marcus' bedchamber. And then she remembered that vampires didn't usually sleep - Didyme being the exception - and that, once mated, immortals were also eternally monogamous.
So Marcus wouldn't really have need of a bed, given that his mate wasn't able to actively share in any bedroom activities.
The room itself somewhat mimicked Aro's in it's layout. There was an exquisite... coffin? casket?... along one wall, with a small end-table and an armchair beside it, along with a comfortable looking couch under a window. The rug on the floor was old, likely of the same era as the furniture in Marcus' sitting room, and the drapes were of a similar brocade to those in Athena's private parlour. But that was the extent of the furniture.
"Aro and Isabella have come to see you, amore mia," Marcus said softly, placing the flowers in a vase on the table by the coffin. "They have brought you some beautiful flowers, from the gardens. Peonies, Didyme - your favourite. Remember, I told you about Isabella - she is Aro's true mate. Your sister, almost."
Bella glanced at Aro at the emphasis placed on 'true', and he offered her a small reassuring smile.
"Buonasera, sorella," Aro greeted, moving slowly across to the casket. "You are looking well." He reached a hand out to Bella, gesturing her to his side. "Didyme, dolcezza, this is Isabella. Lei è la mia compagna. You are safe with her, I vow to you."
Bella stepped towards him, allowing him to wrap an arm around her waist. She looked down into the casket, and gasped at the sight. Didyme was beautiful, and very clearly Aro's sibling. Her black hair was longer than Aro's, and was more curly and luscious, but the colour match was exact. Her face, heart shaped and striking, could have been the effeminate double of Bella's mate. She was stunning, and possessed a softness to her figure that both Bella and Athena lacked. Didyme was dressed in a dark pink silk shift, the kind that would have been worn under a gown in an era gone by, and her curves - though modestly covered - were evident beneath the fabric. Didyme had a gentle beauty; a kind face, with high cheekbones and a straight nose, and her lips were settled in the ghost of a gentle smile, as if her dreams were pleasing.
"Hello, Didyme," Bella said quietly, smiling at the unconscious woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."
Marcus settled into the armchair beside the casket. "She is... happy," he remarked in his raspy voice, acknowledging the emotions in his head that were not his own.
Aro glanced at his brother. "May I..."
"As you like," Marcus replied, nodding his head to Aro's outstretched hand. "She remains your sister."
Aro smiled, and reached for Didyme's hand. He sighed, and stroked a thumb over her knuckles. "I am sorry that I have not visited for a time, sorella. I have been occupied, supporting Isabella's acclimation to our family."
He chuckled, apparently reacting to a non-verbal response. "I am sorry," he insisted, jokingly reproachful, "I am sure you recall the early days of your mating, Didyme; do not condemn me for savouring mine. And in truth, it is no simple thing, to speak of you."
Marcus shifted forwards in his chair, more alert than before.
"Keep talking," Didyme's mate instructed, his voice eager.
Aro went on, his tone persuasive, as if he was engaging in an active conversation. "It is difficult to explain your situation to those who are not already aware of the real circumstances. People think you dead, Didyme. We have talked on this before. I cannot merely announce your survival after five hundred years of silence on the matter." He shook his head, grinning. "I am aware that Isabella is quite different, sorella."
"Remarkable," Marcus breathed, a wide smile on his face, "She feels... close."
"She does," Aro agreed happily, "She is responsive to me. Isabella, amore mia... would you talk to her?"
"They're throwing me a ball," Bella offered to Didyme, "In two weeks. I usually don't like big parties, or being the center of attention... but I know it's important to meet everyone, to be presented as Aro's mate, his Queen... And it kinda feels like I'm publicly marking my territory on him, too, which helps. It's going to be a baptism by fire. Athena has gone all out. I haven't seen the decor she's got planned, but the dresses are going to be stunning. Honestly, it's really nice knowing that people want to go to all this effort for me. Not that I think I deserve it. You know, I really wish you could give me some advice on how to handle your brother," she went on, "I bet you have some amazing stories about him. The good stuff, that he'd never in a million years tell me."
Aro's eyes widened and he gasped. "She is showing me what she would show you." He blinked down at Didyme, amused and horrified. "You can't tell her that!"
Marcus let out a loud laugh and clapped his hands together. "Mirth," he said with delight, "I feel it. Clear and true."
"I thought you'd like this," Bella said with a smile, as if the two men weren't even there, "It's a dark pink peony. I was just going to tuck it into your hand, but I think it'll look great against your hair." She slowly eased the stem behind Didyme's ear, beaming at the way the colour seemed to glow against her alabaster cheek. "And I was right. Pink is definitely your colour."
"Isabella," Aro glanced at her, still clasping Didyme's hand in his own, "Would you tell Didyme about your gift?"
Bella shrugged and nodded. "It's nothing amazing, Didyme. And it's not dangerous. I'm just a shield. A boring, regular old shield." Aro sent her a half-hearted look of reprimand at Bella's modest referral to her ability. Bella ignored him, and went on, "It manifests in my head as a boat. I seat people in it, and it protects them against the mental abilities of other vampires."
"She is curious," Aro and Marcus said in unison, both almost breathless in their enthusiasm.
"I can neutralise Jane and Alec," Bella went on, "Which is pretty cool. Definitely keeps Jane in her place now that she can't actually torture people when she gets upset with them. A dirty look from Jane is now only a dirty look. And Aro can't read my mind. Helps a lot that he can't see some of the stupid things that I've done," she laughed self-deprecatingly, shaking her head. "I'd like to put you in the boat. Under my shield. To shield you," Bella tried to clarify, "Marcus thinks it would be a good idea, and I agree. What's one more person in the boat, right?"
Bella looked to her mate. "Aro, I'm going to take you out from beneath the shield and place Didyme inside. Can you keep hold of her hand so that I can make sure it works?"
"Si, amore mia," he nodded. Bella concentrated and Aro exhaled. "I cannot read her," he confirmed. Bella placed him back under the shield and he exhaled again. "Magnifica," he breathed, eying his mate appreciatively, clearly awed and proud. "It is as if a veil has been lifted. Are we both in the boat?"
Bella closed her eyes and nodded. "Didyme is between you and Marcus. Her eyes are... open," she said with surprise, "And she's looking around. She's smiling!"
Marcus sniffed, stepping up to stand by Bella. "Does she seem... well?" His voice was wistful, and yet he didn't seem envious that Bella could see Didyme's eyes and he could not. "Her eyes were always so expressive. She was an open book."
"She's perfect," Bella replied softly, "Didyme, you're beautiful." She gasped again. "She's waving at me. Didyme, how are you doing this?!"
"Are you... communicating, with her?" Aro managed, eyes wide.
"I kinda am," Bella confirmed with a wry smile, her own eyes still closed, "Usually my... passengers... are just passive. They don't move, they don't do anything except sit there in the boat, which I always understood because they were just images in my head. But Didyme is... alive. I don't understand. At all. She was trying to get Marcus and then you -Aro- to respond to her, waving her hands in front of your faces, and then she seemed to realise that you couldn't see her and she turned her attention to me. She isn't speaking, and I don't know if I'd be able to hear her if she tried, but it's like she's actually present in my head. This is a total first for me and the boat."
Aro grinned crookedly, and Marcus stroked the top of Didyme's head. "She was always exceptional," Marcus offered, "In whatever she did - in whatever she does."
Bella opened her eyes. "She blew the inanimate you a kiss," she said with a watery smile, "Oh wow. I didn't expect this today. This is amazing."
"Marcus," Aro said urgently, "She wants to talk to you."
Marcus' head tilted in Aro's direction. "I am listening, mia amata."
"She loves you," Aro's voice was solemn, "She misses you." He wrinkled his nose. "Dolcezza, I am your older brother. Please refrain from such indecent thoughts in my presence."
Marcus barked out a surprised laugh. "Ah, mia dolce Didyme. As wicked and as mischievous as ever, I see. Mi manchi ogni giorno, tesoro mio."
"I think we're gonna get along great, Didyme," Bella smirked, reaching over the edge of the casket to pat the other woman's hand fondly. "Now we just gotta figure out how to wake you up and bring you up to speed on the 21st Century."
"She's American, sorella," Aro grinned, "What was once 'The New World' is now the United-" he stopped with a huff, "I didn't realise Marcus had told you about America, Didyme. I apologise." He looked towards Bella. "She's curious about your accent. More specifically, your absolute butchery of the English language."
"Ouch. Kinda rude, Didyme," Bella replied with a laugh, delighted.
"I have told her everything," Marcus confirmed fondly, continuing to stroke Didyme's hair. "Every night. Every new invention, every scientific breakthrough, every event. Everything. I couldn't have her waking up to a world she didn't know of."
"She loves you so much," Aro smiled, his eyes filling with venom. "And she loves me, too. She is most eager to acquaint herself with Isabella, and wishes to speak with Athena soon."
"Not a fan of Caius, huh?" Bella said with a cheeky smile, "He's grown on me, even if he's thoroughly enjoyed kicking my ass in combat training like fifty times."
Aro scowled at Bella. "Amore mia, we agreed-"
"Alright, alright," Bella rolled her eyes, "Perdonami, Padrone."
They had previously reached an understanding that Bella would not speak of her combat training 'defeats' in front of Aro unless she'd actively learned something from an individual encounter, given Aro's overprotectiveness of her and his enormous dislike of her learning to fight in the first place. It was like Bella was in her very own Fight Club, and the first rule of Fight Club is that you don't talk about Fight Club.
"Such insolence. Aspetta e vedrai, cattiva ragazza," Aro clucked his tongue at her, his dark gaze narrowing meaningfully as Bella bit the inside of her lip at his tone. That tone promised wonderful things. "Marcus, brother, we will leave you to Didyme."
Bella offered Marcus a small smile. "Thank you. For letting me meet Didyme. I know it can't be easy, having people in here when she's vulnerable like this, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to know her. She's an amazing person, I can already see that, and I'd love to spend more time with her in the future. If that would be okay with both of you," she glanced between Aro and Marcus, "And, of course, it would have to be good with Didyme, too."
Marcus grinned back at Bella, patting her hand. "I would be truly honoured if my darling Didyme could get to know you, Isabella. You are a rare bird indeed. A blessing to our family and our Coven, both."
"Didyme is most agreeable to your proposal, Isabella," Aro confirmed, raising his sister's hand to his mouth. "Sorella, we shall see you again soon. Arrivederci per stasera, dolcezza."
He lowered her hand back to it's original position, and Marcus surprised Aro and Bella when he pulled Aro into a firm hug. "Thank you for tonight, my brother," he rasped, "I am more grateful than you know."
"I do know," Aro replied softly, clasping a hand to Marcus' cheek and patting it affectionately. "You never need thank me for being here, mio caro fratello. It is an honour and a pleasure, always."
Bella knew she would be crying if she could, to see them being so open with one another.
Aro cleared his throat, and took Bella's hand. "We will see you tomorrow, Marcus."
"Indeed you shall," the other man replied congenially, retaking his seat in the armchair and plucking the day's newspaper from the side table. "Go, Aro; attend to your delightfully audacious woman."
Bella laughed as Aro tugged her from his brother's suite.
.
"Now, my darling," Aro said to her as they approached their own rooms, a dark smirk on his face and a gleam in his eyes, "Perhaps we should teach you some manners, yes?"
"Don't act like you don't love it when I give you cheek," Bella replied with a coquettish smile, "Because I'm the only one who can."
"You're becoming quite a brat," he murmured, clearly appreciative despite the reprimand, dragging her across the sitting room and into their bed chamber.
Bella hummed, her eyes narrowing. "But I'm your brat."
"That's true," Aro agreed, pleased with her answer. "You're mine. And don't you ever forget it, my love."
"I wanted you for so long," she told him with a small smile, "Sometimes I still can't believe that we're together like this. For six years, you were the subject of all of my fantasies."
Aro's fathomless eyes darkened with greedy want. "Tell me," he rasped, pulling her tightly against him.
Bella licked her lips. "What do you want to know?"
"Your favourite," Aro replied instantly, and then a smirk seemed to creep across his face.
She could see, in this moment, why he was considered to be menacing by so many in their world. Standing before her now, he was the embodiment of a predator; his narrowed eyes fixed acutely on her, his lips quirked with bewitching desire, his very stance seemed to dominate the room. He loomed over her, crowding into her personal space; tall and strong and graceful, broad shouldered, feline and muscled. Bella felt like the very centre of his universe, and the thought made her head swim. She hadn't intended for her confession about her fantasies to lead to this, but she would do anything if only he would keep looking at her exactly like that.
His smirk grew into a dangerous grin. "I want you to show me."
Bella licked her lips, and then her own smirk pulled at her lips. "If you touch me, you lose."
Aro scoffed at the challenge, but his eyes gleamed in delight. "I think you'll find that I win either way, Isabella."
"I guess we'll see," she murmured.
Catching her by surprise, he threw her backwards onto the bed, smirking when she landed with an inelegant thump. "Ragazza goffa," he chided, his gaze centred hungrily on her nylon covered legs.
She bit her lip, considering, and then slowly drew the hem of her sweater-dress up her body, widening her knees and exposing the hidden feature of her translucent tights. They were crotchless, and she wore no underwear beneath them.
"Cazzo," he hissed softly at the sight of her dripping centre.
Aro swallowed as Bella pulled the dress over her head, tossing it to one side and leaving her in just her bra, tights and heeled boots. He moved to the bottom of the bed, gripping one of the posts, staring at her like she was a decadent buffet and he a starving man.
Bella crawled backwards until her back was against the pillows, and then she splayed her hands on her knees, trailing her fingers becomingly up the length of her thighs and along her torso. She held his blackened gaze, squeezing the flesh of her breasts and licking her lips when he swallowed.
"The first time that we met, do you remember?" She asked, coy despite her lewd display.
"I do."
"My favourite fantasy is always of that day." She tilted her head to the side, watching him watch her, stroking a hand along the side her abdomen and down, across the rise of her hip.
"Isabella," he pushed, half pleading, eager to hear her speak.
"In my head... I would walk into the throne room with Edward-" Aro's lip curled back at this, and Bella raised a bemused eyebrow. "- But instead of taking his hand from mine, you steal mine from his. As soon as you touch me, your eyes burn into me, turning black straight away with want."
Her fingers danced over the mound of her sex, she parted her legs further, pressing her heels into the bed. A rumble sounded from the depths of Aro's chest, and Bella's eyes twinkled across at him.
"You try to read my thoughts, but you can't. Whatever you're thinking makes Edward really pissed, and he lunges at you. But you grab him mid-air, and slam him into the floor. You tell everyone that I'm yours, and that you're keeping me... Forever."
The fore and middle fingertips of her hand swept through the wetness gathering at her opening, the sound audible in the otherwise silent room, and she slowly circled her clitoris, clenching her other hand around her breast. His eyes were black and their heat scalded her, and Bella moaned softly at the intensity in his gaze.
"Tell me," he demanded again roughly, shucking his jacket from his shoulders as the motion of her fingers on her clitoris quickened.
Bella rolled her neck, the hand from her breast reaching up to tightly cup her throat. Aro did not miss the way her nails clenched into her skin, nor the hooding of her eyes at the sharp sensation. He tore off his waistcoat, tossing it over his shoulder.
"I didn't know why that mattered to me so much... but every single fantasy had you claiming me," she confessed as an aside, in a breathy voice, "You order everyone to leave the throne room. And once we're alone, you say that you don't need to see my thoughts to know my darkest desires... because our desires are the same. You tell me you've been waiting a lifetime for me..."
Aro inhaled deeply, basking in the bouquet of her lust that filled the room, clenching his jaw so tightly that Bella errantly thought he might crack a tooth. His hands found his shirt buttons.
She pushed two fingers into her core and shuddered.
"You tear away my clothes and throw me down onto your throne," she went on, swallowing as he carelessly pulled apart the two halves of his shirt. Buttons rolled across the carpet. "You kneel in front of me and pull my legs over your shoulders, grabbing my ass and raising my pussy to your mouth. And then you feast on me like you're starving."
Aro groaned, picturing it in his own mind, his desperate gaze fixed on her fingers that plunged and curled deep within her core.
"You nibble at my clit, fuck me with your tongue, and then just as my orgasm starts, you bite me..." she extended one of her legs, her eyes flicking down to the scarred bite mark he'd left there, "In exactly the place where you marked me for the first time. I don't know how you knew, that day I woke up from my change... but somehow, you did. That first mark was so fucking perfect, Aro."
The heel of her hand pressed harshly against her clit, and she moaned. "You drink from me, and you say how all of me tastes amazing, my pussy and my blood... You tell me I was made for you. And then before the venom starts to burn, you thrust your cock so deep inside of me that it hurts. But it hurts so good."
Bella's fingers were slamming into her sex, and she arched her back, her pelvis rocking up towards her touch. "You fuck me so hard that your throne starts to break. You're so rough with me. Your grip on my hips leaves bruises... and I beg you to bite me again. Your venom starts to burn, but it's exactly what I need... and I orgasm again just as you bite into my neck."
Her grip on her throat tightened and her nails broke through her alabaster skin, anchoring deeply enough that Aro could smell her venom starting to ooze out.
"You tell me that I'm yours," Bella's moans increased in pitch. "I'm so close, Aro," she half-cried, "Tell me to come."
He tore his trousers away, crawling across the bed towards her. "Beg me, Isabella. Be a good girl... and beg."
"Please, Master," she keened, "Please, make me come..."
He was suspended over her, kneeling between her open thighs, staring down at her with a crazed look in his eyes. She relinquished her grip on her neck and clasped a hand around his cock, moving both of her hands in unison. His head half-fell back, though he couldn't tear his gaze away from the furious working of her fingers into her sex.
"Fuck," he hissed, "Just like that, such a good girl... Come for me, Isabella..."
Bella arched towards him and cried out his name as her orgasm ripped through her, squeezing his cock in her hand, dragging him towards her. "Fuck me," she begged, "I need your cock inside me, Aro, please..."
He knocked her hands away, helpless to resist, gripping the fleshy cradle of her hips tightly as he pulled her delicious body onto his cock.
Aro groaned as her rippling muscles contracted around him, clenching his jaw as he slammed his pelvis repeatedly up into hers. Bella wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms winding around his back and her nails scoring a path along his spine. She clung to him, rocking herself desperately against him, chasing another release.
"Come with me, Aro," she keened into his ear, "I need to feel you..."
Aro's teeth unexpectedly found her throat and she screamed, her climax crashing through her like a tsunami, wave after wave of pleasure rolling through her limbs, her body milking his own explosive release from his cock. She felt him moan against her, his teeth vibrating in her neck, and she gasped his name into the room.
His mouth unlatched from her skin, and she grasped a hand into his hair, pulling his lips to hers in a kiss that surprised him in it's softness.
"I love you," she breathed, cupping his face, "I love you so, so much, Aro."
He smiled crookedly at her, tenderness and worship in his eyes. "I love you too, Isabella. I will love you until I am dust. And even then, may they mix my ashes with ink and write of my endless devotion to you. My queen, my goddess, my heart. An eternity with you will never be long enough."
Bella tightened her limbs around him, burying her face against his chest. "Sei mio," she murmured, "Io sono tua."
"Forever, my love," he vowed, and lifted her, turning them so that she was cradled against him. "I am keeping you, forever." He brushed her wild hair away from her face. "You are the most beguiling woman I have ever known. The most compassionate, compelling, wonderful woman. You complete me, Isabella. Truly. You are the other half of me. The better half. I do not deserve you... But I will never, ever let you go."
"Promises, promises," she whispered, smiling up at him.
Italian -
amore mia - my love (fem)
Buonasera, sorella - good evening, sister
dolcezza - sweetness
Lei è la mia compagna - she is my mate
si, amore mia - yes, my love
mia amata - my beloved (fem)
mia dolce - my sweet (fem)
Mi manchi ogni giorno, tesoro mio - I miss you every day, my darling
Aspetta e vedrai, cattiva ragazza - Just you wait, you bad girl
Perdonami, Padrone - forgive me, master
Arrivederci per stasera, dolcezza - goodbye for tonight, sweetness
mio caro fratello - my dear brother
Ragazza goffa - clumsy girl
Sei mio - you're mine
Io sono tua - I am yours
Chapter Text
.
The ball had officially been three weeks in the making, and now, with it only a day away, Bella was almost 7 weeks into her Vampiric life.
A lot had changed for her since the last day of her humanity. (Understatement of the century.)
If she had known then, that Friday morning, that she'd be leaving her routine beige life behind once she'd set off for home after work that day, would she have pictured anything like this?
Friday 11th July seemed so long ago, now. She'd started that day running unusually late, snoozing her alarm enough times that she'd not had time to wash her hair, put on her usual makeup or stop for a decent coffee en route to the subway. Her last human meal had been her rushed-through packed lunch and her last non-blood beverage was a lukewarm cup of coffee that she'd tossed down her neck at around 7.30pm. She'd left the library at almost 10.45pm that evening, much much later than she'd planned to stay, but she'd had so much stuff to do before she'd be able to fully enjoy her planned time off that the whole day had just gotten away from her.
She resented those details, now. Her crappy metaphorical last supper. Never getting to have one final great cup of coffee. The dirty laundry on her bathroom floor. The expensive wine she'd never get to drink. Things she'd forever be unable to fix, people she'd never be able to see or speak to for a final time.
And then she'd been dragged into a van, taken to what she now-assumed was an airfield, carried onto a plane, drugged with a sedative, and the next thing she'd known she was being beaten and dumped outside of the Volturi administrative entrance, left to argue for her life with Demetri and Felix. (Who was now quite wary of her.)
With Aro's input, she'd been able to somewhat deduce what had happened. He'd told her that she'd been brought into the throne room at around 10pm on Saturday 12th July. The only way for her to get from New York to Italy in that amount of time was via airplane, and it was like a fourteen hour flight. But she couldn't specifically remember an airport, and surely if she'd been carried through a bustling terminal whilst unconscious it would have posed some difficulties for her kidnappers. So that left the option of some kind of private airfield, which would have allowed Bella to be transported from the US to Italy relatively easily, if immigration was avoided on either side.
She wasn't well-versed in flying privately, but Aro had assured her that with enough money, you could buy anything, including a way to get people in and out of countries, with or without passports and the proper documentation.
That little anecdote had lead to her asking him if he knew how she'd gotten to Italy, not-so-subtly enquiring about whether the Volturi were involved in her kidnap, and he'd sworn that they'd had absolutely no part in it.
Given their explicit instructions to Alice and Edward, along with Alice's promise to change Bella herself, the Volturi had assumed that Isabella had become an immortal and joined the Cullen coven long ago. It had never occurred to them that Carlisle, dear honourable Carlisle, would refuse to follow a direct Volturi order. He'd even lived with them for a time: he knew their attitude towards these issues well, and more importantly, he knew that the brothers trusted him. And he'd exploited that trust.
Aro had written to Carlisle five times since Bella had visited Volterra, nearly six and a half years previously, regularly enquiring about Bella's transformation.
His first communication had arrived a year after Bella's visit to Volterra. He'd sent all five letters via specific-signature-required special delivery, namely a trusted member of the Guard called Santiago, ensuring that they'd been recieved by the Cullens and not whatever housekeeper was caretaking the property. There'd been very clear instructions that the letter should only be handed to one of the Cullens, and if the Cullens were not at the presumed property - their house in Ithaca - then Santiago was to immediately contact Demetri, who would locate Carlisle and forward the information back to Santiago. Santiago was then to travel directly to wherever Carlisle was residing. As it was, the Cullens were at the Ithaca property.
At first, Aro's letters had been cordial and polite. Maintaining an appropriate but expected detachment, very much writing as Carlisle's friend, someone who had a vague interest in Carlisle's Coven.
In his second letter, dated almost a year later, Aro had wanted to know how Bella was settling in to the Cullen family, asking about her overall wellbeing. More obvious in his curiosity, but still distant enough not to raise alarm bells. He'd included his new cellphone number in this one, the same cellphone number that Carlisle had recently used to contact him, so Doctor Cullen couldn't even pretend that he hadn't received his letters.
His third letter, sent around the time of Bella's 22nd birthday, had expressed Aro's eagerness in finding out whether Bella and Edward had formalised their union, if they were true mates, and if not, had they taken eachother as chosen mates. Were they considering marriage? He'd also demonstrated an interest about the manifestation of the gift that he was so sure that she'd have, and offered to support Bella in mastering her control of said talent.
In Aro's fourth letter, nine months after the third, he'd asked the non-responsive Carlisle's advice as to whether Bella would be interested in hearing from him -Aro- directly. And he'd not-so-subtly wondered why Carlisle was failing to reply, offering tongue-in-cheek speculations as to the reasons behind his old friend's silence.
In his fifth letter to Carlisle, arriving in the early January, four months after Bella's 24th birthday, six months before Bella had been 'delivered' to Volterra via kidnapper, Aro had extended an open invitation to Bella (and the Cullens), asking her to come to Volterra for at her earliest convenience - namely as soon as Bella felt that she was controlled enough to handle the journey. And, if she wasn't restrained enough to fly commercially, or if she simply didnt want to fly commercially, for whatever reason, he was more than happy to send the Volturi jet to the airport closest to where the Cullens may be residing, at his own expense. He'd made it clear that the invitation to Volterra was for as long as Bella wanted to stay, even offering her the opportunity to remain with the Volturi with no commitment or obligation to join the Guard. He so very obviously wanted to know her, having been moved by her courage during her short visit to Volterra with Edward and Alice, though there were no overtures or undertones of anything beyond platonic interest.
Aro had even shown Bella the photocopies of his letters - because of course he'd always kept a diligent record of all of his correspondence - and admitted to Bella that he had been unusually fascinated with her for the last six years, becoming almost obsessed with her as time had gone on.
More than once he'd had to stop himself from making travel arrangements to Ithaca. He didn't want to just turn up on their doorstep with Renata and a suitcase, it would have been dreadfully presumptuous and impolite. So he'd looked at nearby hotels, intending to book two rooms: a two bedroom suite for him and Renata, and a one bedroom for Bella, just in case she wanted to see him away from the Cullen property. He had just been so inexplicably excited to see her again that he'd been more than prepared to cross an ocean.
Bella had smiled at this, seeing that Aro had blatantly not realised the reason behind that fascination was, in fact, the pull of an unfulfilled mate bond. Bella had been extremely touched by his continued interest in her welfare over the years, and seriously wondered how the hell he hadn't cottoned on that he fancied her. At this observation, Aro had snorted and told her -very clearly- that 'he was, indeed, very much aware' of how much and for how long he'd found her attractive, but that he'd been under the impression that she was settled with Edward, and had been trying to be respectful of their relationship.
And he'd assumed that Carlisle's lack of responses were as a result of disapproval from Edward, not appreciating Aro's obvious interest in Bella.
Or, Aro had told her, he had thought that it had been Bella, herself, who had asked Carlisle not to engage in discussion about her to the Volturi Leader, perhaps concerned as to Aro's motivations.
However, now that it was known that the Cullens had not changed Isabella, that they'd left her in Washington merely two days after Alice had prophesied to the Volturi that Bella would join their Coven... And - more importantly to Aro - since Bella was decidely not settled in a relationship with Edward, and the two were neither Fated mates nor Chosen mates...
Aro was pissed. To put it mildly.
Because he knew, if he'd found out that Bella was unattached- human or vampire- he would have found her, wherever she was in the world, and would have written to her directly, instead.
Carlisle's total lack of response to all five of Aro's letters did the Cullens' case no favours. It was more than obvious that Carlisle had been avoiding Aro, and given the content of his correspondence, Carlisle must have recognised Aro's blatant concern for Bella.
Even though Aro had been exceptionally cautious to only display a friendly interest in Bella, Aro also knew that Carlisle would certainly have suspected him of feeling more. Aro had definitely demonstrated that he was prepared to indulge Bella and attend to her comfort, considering the generous offer of the Volturi jet to transport her and the Cullens across the world.
And since Aro now had a very-willing Bella within his grasp, a more-mature Bella who had no love for the Cullens, well... he saw no reason not to punish the Golden-Eyed coven for their artifice, especially given the physical and emotional suffering that his mate - and arguably himself - had been forced to endure as a result of their inaction.
Aro and Bella could have spent the last six years building a genuine friendship, at the very least. Even if Aro hadn't recognised her as his mate, which he likely (sadly) would not have done, as long as their contact had been limited to letters, emails, texts and phone calls, the two might still have connected. They had discovered in the last six weeks and however many days that they had quite a lot in common, and seemed to genuinely understand one another, even without the mate bond. Of course, their sexual chemistry was incredible, but their relationship was so much more than the physical aspect. They could have had six more years of knowing eachother.
And Aro was not a monster: he'd seen that Bella was an intelligent, reasonable person. He knew that she would have recognised that her humanity had an expiration date, and he wanted to believe that he was capable of enough faith that he could have let her live a little more of her human life.
Especially if she'd agreed to a few terms; namely that she'd have a constant companion or two in the form of a Guard, and that she'd voluntarily come to Volterra to celebrate her 25th birthday. And from there, the two of them would finally meet again, their mate bond would surface, and their immortal life together could begin.
That was the once-upon-a-time, coulda woulda shoulda version of their vampiric fairytale.
But, of course, that was not what had actually happened.
.
"Aro," she'd said quietly, her red eyes peeking over the top of her book.
They were in his study, with Bella curled up in his silk robe on the couch and Aro at his desk, typing away on his laptop.
He'd looked over at her immediately, concerned by the trepidation he could sense from her in his mind, her drawn countenance and the uncharacteristic melancholy of her emotions. "Yes, my love? Are you well?"
Bella stood, placing her book down carefully and moving to his side. She eased herself across his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I want to know what the story is," she murmured, fiddling with the knot of his tie. "About me. My disappearance. I need to see it."
She pulled his tie off and unbuttoned the top three of his shirt buttons, slipping a hand beneath the fabric to settle on his collarbone. Bella glanced over to the laptop screen, quickly losing interest when she realised it was just a chain of emails about investments.
Aro's returned her embrace, pulling her against him and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Are you sure? It will hurt, to see."
She nodded. "I'm sure. I have to know." Bella nodded at the laptop. "Google me." He eyed her curiously and she gave him a small smile. "My dad is a police chief, there's no way he wouldn't have gone public. Use my full name."
"As you say, then," Aro agreed, using his left hand to control the laptop whilst his right remained settled at her waist. He opened a new browser window and accessed her proffered search engine.
"My middle name is-"
Isabella Marie Swan, New York
He had already entered her full name into the box, and he squeezed her waist. Aro hovered the cursor over the 'enter' box and paused, opening his mouth to ask her again if she was sure, but she saw his hesitation and determinedly clicked the little button herself.
Aro sighed in supplication but said nothing, leaning back in his chair as she scrolled through the results, feeling quite content with her in his lap despite their maudlin activity. His right arm was still curled around her, and the fingers of his left hand now combed through her hair.
There was a clicking sound, and then Bella gasped. "They found my body."
He peered over her shoulder, glancing momentarily at the screen and then back at the woman in his arms, almost as if to confirm to himself that his Isabella was most definitely still alive. Alive-ish, anyway.
Bella made a noise of displeasure as she began to read the details of one online newspaper article aloud:
"24 year old Isabella Marie Swan, known as 'Bella' to her family and friends, was last seen on CCTV leaving her workplace just before 11pm on Friday 11th July. Though a promising Junior Curator at the New York Central Library, Bella's disappearance was not reported to the authorities until Friday 19th July, after she failed to contact her father, Forks Police Chief Charles Swan, for their weekly phonecall the previous evening. Bella was not immediately missed by her work colleagues, as her disappearance coincided with a long-since-scheduled week's vacation. Described as intelligent, compassionate and introverted by a colleague, it was not considered unusual for Bella to 'drop off of the grid' during her personal time, but Bella remained in regular contact with her parents.
Hopes remained high for Bella's fate, until deteriorated female remains matching her description were recovered from the Hudson River, on Monday 28th July. A statement released by the Coroner's Office revealed that the woman had died from two gunshot wounds to the chest, and had been in possession of Bella's handbag, empty wallet and driver's license, enabling the police to confirm that the remains were those of the now-deceased Isabella Swan.
In a preliminary investigation into the circumstances surrounding Isabella's death, an acquaintance of the deceased has confirmed that Bella had been attending self-defence classes for over a year, and it is thought that she would have tried to 'fight off' any would-be attackers. Given the evidence on the remains and statements from the few who knew her, Isabella's death is being attributed to a stereotypical 'mugging gone wrong' by NYPD, who have labelled Isabella's death as a homicide. There are no suspects at this time, but the case remains open.
Born in Forks, WA, Isabella moved away with her mother Renée Dwyer nee Higginbotham after the breakdown of her parent's marriage when she was a toddler. From there, Isabella and her mother moved around for most of Isabella's childhood, until Renée married her current husband, Phil Dwyer, a former minor league baseball player for the Jacksonville Suns. Due to the nature of her new step-father's career, Isabella returned to Forks to live with her father, to complete her schooling at Forks High. Several acquaintances of Isabella's from Forks declined to comment, but her father made the following eulogic statement in a publicly available social media post:
-----
This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write but I hope that it stops the damn papers hounding us for a comment. I reported Bella missing on 18th July after she missed our usual thursday night coast-to-coast call. I knew right away that night that something was up. Bells never missed a call, not with me and not with her mom. And when they pulled her from the river, the ass fell out of my world.
Our Bells was always a bit of a loner, but she seemed really happy. She was the kind of girl who never knew how pretty she was, inside and out. She made friends easily but was comfortable in her own company too, just like her old man. She went through a tough couple of months there in her senior year after breaking up with her first boyfriend but she got through it, and her mom and I were so proud of her when she got her college scholarship. Bella exceeded all of our expectations when she graduated from college early and got a great job at the New York City Library. She loved her job and enjoyed nature.
There was this meadow she used to hike to like once a week, back here in Forks, and she was always in the yard with a blanket and a book. She loved to cook and was really great at it. Bella's nonna Marie was from Italy and she inspired a love of European culture in our girl. After a brief visit to Italy in her senior year, Bella was inspired to pick up her Italian again, and it wasn't unusual to hear her muttering the bad words under her breath when she was studying for her finals (and when she thought I couldn't hear!) She always wanted to visit Italy again to really see the sights and I was going to surprise her with a plane ticket for her 25th birthday, but that'll never be now.
I never wanted her to move to New York, and I always dreamed that she'd move back to Forks one day to work in Seattle or someplace. She left home over a month before she turned 19 and I still haven't touched her bedroom, I always kept it ready for her so she could come home anytime, and I keep going in there to look at the stuff she still kept here, to feel close to her.
No-one ever wants their kid to die before them. It' feels unnatural, you know, for a parent to bury their child. But something in me feels kinda proud that if my girl had to die, at least she died fighting. And I know I'm not supposed to say that, being a cop and all, no handbag or cash is worth your life, and I guess that's right, too. I'd rather my daughter still be alive than be writing this but here I am. Her trying to fight is something I'm clinging to to help me get through losing her.
She had a lot of people who cared about her and never realised how special she really was.
Bella's mom Renée and I would like to thank everyone who attended Bella's memorial service on 4th August and for your kind heartfelt words of condolence. Getting to hear people's memories with Bella has been such a gift.
In leiu of sending flowers, donations in memory of Bella are welcomed and will go to the 'Center for Fiction', an organisation that provides free books and hosts events for NYC Students from Kindergarten to 12th Grade to get kids reading. Bella would have really loved their mission.
Everyone says that their kid is the best, but our girl really was. It's funny how your kids do stuff that make you mad at the time, and then suddenly they're graduating college and you're telling folks all about that one time that your daughter ran away to Italy for a night, because her ex boyfriend needed talking down off a ledge, and only left a note! But that's the kinda girl Bella was, always ready to sacrifice herself to help people who needed it more, you know? I never ever told her this, but I was so damn proud of her when she did that for that guy... she had such a huge heart.
Wherever you are now, Bells, whether it's up in heaven or over the rainbow, I hope you're at peace. I know that I never told you enough, but I love you, kid. Getting to live with you for those last 18 months of your high school was the best time of my life. We will love you and miss you forever, Bella.' - From the Facebook page of Charlie Swan
----
Isabella leaves behind no children, and her memorial service was attended by her parents and a handful of guests, including several friends from the small Washington town where she completed high school and her colleagues from the New York Public Library.
In a statement from Professor Emelia Gerardi, a tenured Literature Professor from New York University, Isabella was described as a tenacious, dedicated and bright young woman. Credit was given to Isabella, who had completed both her Undergraduate and Master's degree programs in under five years, almost eighteen months faster than the average student.
"Bella had an incredibly bright future ahead of her in her chosen field. I was fortunate enough to share in a small portion of Bella's academic career, and was able to witness firsthand her determination to succeed. She worked through every summer break, taking on extra-credits that enabled her to graduate Summa cum Laude in her English Literature undergraduate degree, and an MA in English and American Literature, with a concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. I have only the highest praise for Ms Swan's achievements and personal qualities, and express my sincerest condolences to her family and loved ones."
To make a donation in Bella's name to the Center for Fiction, please click here
For information about staying safe on the streets, please visit www.nypd-" Bella's voice trailed off.
She cleared her throat. "Well, that was weird as shit."
Aro's arms tightened around her. "I am sorry, my love."
"They found my bag with her," she muttered, shaking her head. "The woman in the river, who they decided was me. She had my bag, my driver's license. And... gunshot wounds?"
"It is certainly odd," Aro agreed, not fully knowing what to say.
"Because obviously, I'm not actually dead," Bella rambled on, "Undead, maybe? But not dead, dead. I wasn't actually mugged, or shot. I was kidnapped, put on a freaking plane, drugged, flown to Italy, beaten almost to death, and then-" she stopped. "Whoever took me, they put my bag with that other woman. Did they kill her to cover up my death? Why not just have me disappear? Well, because, Bella, if you'd just disappeared then your dad would never have stopped looking. So how did they know to kill me? They must have known about my dad... Random kidnappers don't do background checks, right? So who..."
Aro watched her rant, noticing the thirst emerging in her eyes from the emotional distress. His right hand rubbed her back soothingly, keeping her grounded with his touch. With his left, he wordlessly pulled his cellphone off of the desk, opened a text window and tapped in some instructions. He received almost an instant confirmatory reply, and put his phone back in it's previous spot.
"My kidnap wasn't random," Bella said suddenly, whipping around to face him. "There's no way. Too many things have been neatly tied up. First, they knew exactly when to grab me. They took me when I wouldn't be missed, because I'd had that time off from work scheduled for months. I called my dad every Thursday, without fail, and I spoke to Renee every other Sunday. The Friday they picked me up, I wasn't going to be missed by anyone for at least 6 days, because I wasn't due to speak to my dad until the next Thursday, or my mom until the following Sunday. They knew my routine. Ohmygod this is all making so much sense to me now."
She stood up, and began to pace. "I'd been being followed," she said to him over her shoulder, "For over a year, I knew I was being followed. That's why I started those self defence classes. Plus, you know, the subway is full of creeps. I had some stuff get moved around in my apartment like three times, but nothing was missing. And the things had only been moved by like the tiniest amount, so it wasn't obvious. I just thought that I was going crazy."
Aro was at the door before the person on the other side could knock with their refreshments. He wordlessly took the decanter and glasses in hand and moved to a side table to pour Bella a glass. He handed it off to her and watched as she took a long, grateful sip, then he perched himself on the edge of his desk, content to silently admire her until she required any input from him.
"This is good," Bella commented, tapping the glass with a fingernail, "But there's something different about it." She took a long inhale of the blood and glanced back to Aro. "Is there... alcohol, in this?!"
Aro shrugged. "In a manner of speaking."
Bella gulped down the entire glass, and Aro took it from her with a knowing smirk, refilling it and passing it back to her.
"On the one hand, I kinda want to know how," she said with a sigh, "On the other hand, I don't even care. Because holy fuck do I need this, right now."
Aro nodded. "You were brainstorming, darling. Do go on. You're a delightful sight."
Bella rolled her eyes and scoffed an amused laugh, but she did return to her previous topic. "So they knew my work schedule. They'd clearly been inside my apartment, which makes me feel a whole kind of way. Intrusive, much? Anyway, they knew about my routine with my parents, and they knew that my dad would keep looking for me if there wasn't a body. And then they bring me here." She looked across at Aro, considering. "Why would a vampire bring me here, specifically? They can't have known about the whole mating bond thing. We didn't even know about it, right? I mean, I know we both had a weird, unrequited, long-distance attraction with one another, but even Marcus didn't figure it all out until I was lying right in front of him and he could see the bond. I mean, yeah, we had that romantic moment right before you bit me, but it wasn't really until I woke up after my change that anything officially happened for us. Right?"
"Mmh," Aro considered her words. "Physically speaking, technically it happened, as you say, for both of us when I saw you again for the first time in the throne room. I confirmed this with Marcus, during your transition. But, I also accept that you were not yet immortal, therefore you were unable to recognise the significance of the bond. It certainly strengthened and subsequently was... solidified once you woke up, yes."
Bella tilted her head coyly. "I really like hearing you talk about it."
Aro pointed a finger at her, his eyes glittering at her tone. "Don't look at me like that unless you wish to be undressed and ravished."
"Spoilsport," Bella huffed, but she went on, "Whichever vampire brought me here, specifically to Volterra, they had to have known that you'd all recognise me. It's too random."
"My brothers and I have discussed this," Aro nodded, sipping at his glass. "During your change. We had considered that it could be someone with a Vendetta against the Cullens." He noticed Bella peering at him curiously. "Your visit to Volterra - and your still being human when you departed - was certainly an anomaly, for the Volturi. Caius' unofficial motto for our Coven is essentially 'we do not give second chances', but in allowing you to leave, still human, the Cullens were given a second chance."
"An anomaly?"
"Quite widely known of," he confirmed, smirking. "Most of our kind know about the insolent little human who stood in our throne room, shouted at three ancient and powerful vampires, and fearlessly offered her own life in place of her immortal boyfriend."
Bella grimaced. "Not my greatest moment."
Aro smoothed out the frown line between her eyes. "On the contrary," he said, "You demonstrated considerable courage, despite the intimidating dilemma that you were faced with. It is no small thing, to surprise me, a man who has seen almost everything there is to see, either directly or within the thoughts of others. I have built entire cities within my mind, solely consisting of the memories and experiences of the thousands upon thousands of people that I have touched. People are predictable, humans and vampires alike. Typically, they lack ambition, creativity and heart, and ordinarily I am either bored, disturbed or disappointed by whatever I discover inside of their heads. Surprise is not an emotion I regularly feel, first hand. But that day, you surprised me. Another reason why your visit was discussed so extensively by our kind. And I - secretly - was enchanted by you, and quite desperate to hear more of and about you, the human woman who so bravely came and went, who had dared to raise her voice in my presence, who had quite bewitched and beguiled me, without my consent or even my knowledge."
"So I made a scene in front of Vampire Royalty, somehow walked away with my life, and everybody talked about it?"
Aro laughed, delighted. "Essentially, yes."
"But that doesn't help narrow down the suspect pool," Bella said with a sigh, "If everyone knew about me coming here, and the Cullens' involvement, then it could have been anyone who kidnapped me."
"I disagree," he replied, "Whoever it was, they were not aware that I cannot access your mind. So they were not so well informed as they think. Equally, you were blindfolded, and you mentioned that your kidnapper," he growled, "Interacted with you using a form of Artificial Intelligence."
"Siri," Bella supplied, "The iPhone voice thing, yeah."
"...The combination of those things leads me to believe that you would have known the person responsible. And I would think that they knew of the Cullens, too." Aro sighed. "They would have known that the display of your continued human life would contribute valuable evidence that the Cullens had committed a crime and disobeyed a direct order. Whoever brought you to us, they likely anticipated your death. Your injuries were exceptionally serious, and without the change, you would have drowned in your own blood."
Bella flinched. "Nice."
"Amore mia, I am going to slaughter the person responsible," he assured her calmly, soft joyful laughter bubbling up through his lips. "How terribly unfortunate for them that their victim was my mate. Ah, I do so appreciate the irony. Delivering you here, a gift to us to demonstrate another coven's guilt, hoping that we would either kill you ourselves or let you die, only to have the leader of the Volturi fall to his knees by your side and gift you with an eternal life as his Queen."
"You are a very strange man," she said, her voice fond and eyes warm as he continued to laugh. "I just don't understand why anyone would go through the trouble of kidnapping me, faking my death, and then bringing me all the way here. Why not just kill me? Or why not just come here and tell you themselves that I was still human?
Aro shrugged, still amused at the situation. "We're a very self-serving species. If somebody was to report you, they would have perhaps implicated themselves. If a vampire who had been aware of the circumstances had discovered your continued humanity, the correct course of action would be to either kill or change you themselves. To most vampires - most humans, in fact - an individual human life is trivial, and it would likely be no issue for a vampire to simply end one mortal existence. No, your kidnap was orchestrated by an individual with a larger agenda, someone who knew that they would need to steer clear of the Volturi. Namely to cause problems for the Cullens and have you die in the process, I suspect."
Bella stiffened, the answer hitting her like a slap in the face. "So my kidnapper is someone with a vendetta against the Cullens, and also was counting on me to die. That's a very short list. One name only."
Aro stopped chuckling. "One name, only?"
"Yup. An angry, deranged redhead. Edward killed her mate, James; the guy who bit me in Phoenix. Her name is Victoria."
"Are you certain?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Pretty certain, yeah."
"Victoria," Aro repeated, testing the name in his mouth. He was elated to finally have a name to put against the injuries that had been inflicted on Bella. Thrilled to identify his new target. "Victoria, Victoria, Victoria."
"I know her name," she scowled. "As we've just established, my idiot ex-boyfriend killed her mate. She stalked me, kidnapped me, flew me over the Atlantic fucking ocean and tried to beat me to death."
"Victoria..."
"Aro, stop saying her name."
"Victoria is already dead," he replied with a rather menacing smirk, "Victoria just doesn't know it yet."
"I don't like you saying her name," Bella repeated, feeling herself pout and then becoming even more annoyed that her face had betrayed her. "I don't like you saying any woman's name. Not like that. Like you're happy to say it."
Aro raised an eyebrow.
"I had to wait six years to hear you say my name again," Bella narrowed her eyes. "And then you hear hers and..."
"Isabella," he said, now recognising that she was serious. "I'll stop. I am sorry."
"Six years," she repeated, "Because you let me walk away."
Aro wasn't entirely sure how the situation had evolved into this. "Amore mia-"
Bella growled. "Don't 'my love' me. This is a joke to you. This is my life, Aro. She ended my life. I made that life all by myself. My undergrad degree? I did that. My master's degree? I did that, too. My job, my apartment, all of it. I lived a beige lonely life for six fucking years because you weren't smart enough to recognise who I was to you. I mean, why would you, right? I was just a human. Sure, I was Edward's 'singer', or - my dumbass eighteen year old self's personal favourite - 'exactly his brand of heroin', but whatever. Still just walking dinner, for you. God. Six basically pointless years that Victoria destroyed. And you hear her name and you start practically singing it-"
"That was insensitive of me," Aro allowed, cautiously.
"It was fucking stupid," Bella hissed, her glare spitting fire at him.
Aro swallowed. She was just so sexy when she was angry. And slightly terrifying. Which was such a novelty in and of itself that it made her even more attractive.
"That, too," he agreed, daring to move closer to her.
Bella's eyes narrowed. "I know what you're up to."
"Mmh?" his gaze travelled over her, suddenly very aware that she was still wearing his silk robe and desperately curious to know what was hidden underneath it.
"I'm mad at you," she insisted, holding up a hand to prevent him getting too close. "Victoria, Victoria, Victoria," Bella imitated his voice. "God, you're an idiot, Aro."
"I know," Aro's voice dropped a few octaves, "I am sorry, my darling."
"Six years," Bella repeated again.
"Six years," he agreed.
"Six years of my life. I couldn't connect with people. My mom thought that I needed therapy. I just knew that I'd been meant for... more," she finished lamely. "How would I even begin to explain this shit to a therapist? Can you imagine?
'Hi, so... yeah, when I was 17, I met this guy who turned out to be a vampire, and we broke up after 5 months because I cut my finger at my 18th birthday party and his empath brother got overwhelmed by the combined bloodlust of 5 other underfed vampires and accidentally tried to eat me. My ex made his entire family leave town, dumped me in the woods by throwing all of my insecurities in my face, and ghosted me. Ran off to fuckin' Brazil or somewhere. Told me it'd be 'LiKe He hAd nEvEr ExiSteD'. Then, just as I was finally moving on with my life, after months of literal catatonia, I went cliff-jumping recreationally with a friend, but then the empath's wife- who was also my ex-boyfriend's sister- saw me jump, because she's a clairvoyant, and assumed that my life was so pathetic in their absence that I was actually trying to kill myself. Then, my ex's other sister went and told him that I had committed suicide, and in the infinite wisdom of an immortal teenager, he went all 'Romeo and Juliet' and ran off to visit the goddamn Vampire Royal Family in Italy to ask for suicide by cop. His psychic pixie sister then dragged me all the way to Italy to save his moronic ass, which I agreed to because I apparently cared more about his family's wellbeing than he did. And whilst in Italy, I just so happened to meet the motherfucking King of Vampires, and oh yeah! Turns out, he's my soul mate, not that his Royal Majesty realises it. Psychic vampire girl swears she'll make me into a vampire if only the Vampire Royals will let us go. I get back from Italy, the moronic ex ghosts me again, because he still won't agree for anyone to change me into a vampire and tells his whole family he'll leave them forever if any of them bite me. They choose him over me, and off they all fuck, back to Ithaca, and I have to reassemble my whole life again. And I've still got this bitch Victoria after me, because my cliche vampire ex just so happened to kill her mate, because her mate wanted to eat me. Oh, and, I'm grounded until I leave for college, because my stupid ass hopped an international flight to Italy and only left a note. And then, to add insult to motherfuckin' injury, because of the whole ancient-Vampire-King-being-my-soul-mate thing, my subconscious decides that he's the only guy for me, he's the only guy I'm ever going to be romantically or sexually attracted to, ever again, but because it's in my subconscious, my actual brain doesn't recognise it, and I just think I've got a pathetic crush on him, and he doesn't even know I exist. And it's not like I can go knocking on his door, because hello- I'm still human and I'm supposed to be a vampire by now, and that Vampire King might just kill me. Which annoyingly just makes him seem even more dangerous and sexy and unattainable. So I make my peace with my lot in life, I haul ass through college just to be able to live, and just as I've settled in to my beige existence, Victoria comes back and ruins it all.'"
She was almost panting by the time she'd finished. "So you tell me, Oh Wise One, how the fuck would I explain all of that to a therapist?"
"Isabella..." Aro's voice was calm, understanding, compassionate. "You have endured far too much pain at the hands of those who were supposed to love, cherish and protect you. You were wronged, and I regret that I could have possibly prevented it."
She blinked in surprise. "You couldn't have prevented it," she parroted back to him, "How could you have known what would happen? You couldn't have."
Aro sighed. "Truthfully, had I not seen in Edward's mind that your father was a senior Officer of the Law, you would most certainly have been bitten six years ago, on the very day we first met."
"Bitten?" Despite her now-cooling anger, this piqued her interest. She dropped her outstretched hand back to her side.
"Yes, cara mia. Bitten," Aro confirmed, his tone nearing a purr now as he sensed a pathway to settling his mate's ire.
"Not killed?" Bella couldn't help but wonder, frowning.
Aro huffed a laugh. "No, Isabella. Not killed. As I told Eleazar, you were able to neutralise several gifted vampires even as a human. I knew, without doubt, that you would be a talented immortal. Plus..." he sidled towards her, delicately using his pointer finger to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, "I wanted you."
Bella looked between his lips and his eyes. "For my gift?"
His voice became tellingly husky. "The ache in my chest started the very moment I first saw you, tesorina mia. Despite my not instantly recognising the mating pull itself for what it was, I absolutely knew that I desired you, needed you, even. In hindsight, I suspect that young Edward saw that, in my thoughts," he frowned, giving this serious consideration.
He'd definitely have to examine this matter closely once he had Edward in front of him again. It potentially created an entirely new avenue of broken laws, and explained why Edward had been so inexplicably hostile towards him, even before he'd set Jane onto Bella.
Bella raised an eyebrow.
Aro smiled placatingly. "In the short time I was in your presence, I wrongly assumed that my intense and immediate craving for you was as a result of the young Cullen's insanity-inducing thirst for your blood. Had I been able to feed and then see you again, without him in our company, there is no doubt in my mind that I would have recognised who you were to me. Yes, you were going to be a gifted immortal, but it was more than that, Isabella. Even then, I wanted you."
Possessiveness surged through him at that thought, and he pulled her close, so close that she lifted one of her bare feet to rest between his ankles, brushing against the inside of his calves, above his shoes. Minx.
Bella swallowed at his intensity. "Then how come you didn't realise it in our six years apart?"
"Simply because I did not get to see you again. And rest assured, my love, I too suffered terribly during those years. I was either listless, volatile, or melancholic. It was an ordeal. To ache with longing, and not even know who you are longing for. To crave a specific touch, a specific body... To feel quite desperate for... release, yet your body shows no willing... I have no shame in telling you that I had been voluntarily celibate for decades, prior to meeting you, but eventually, to even fail to satisfy myself, well... It was a lonely existence, Isabella. And all the while, I was obsessed with you. You'll remember that I claimed you as my own within moments of encountering you again. You were claimed, then bitten," Aro murmured, his hand sliding down to her waist as the delicious scent of her arousal began to torment him further, "How could I not? To claim and change one's mate... It is as instinctive as feeding. Perhaps more than. I could have been a Newborn myself and still would have been able to change you. Six years ago I instantly wanted you," he repeated, his now-raspy, seductive voice sending a shudder through her.
"Yes, I wanted your blood, I wanted your body... But my soul needed yours, despite my not realising it. The day you came back... The day I did bite you, my dead heart sang, because I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything about you was made for me. To know you, as the girl you were, and to have you return to me as the woman you are... to claim you, to bite you, to taste you, to care for you, to have you, and now to keep you... it is beyond anything I had dared dream about. I would have never lost control with you in my arms. The urge to claim and keep one's mate is more powerful than even bloodlust."
Her free hand settled on his chest. "You said it took you ten years to gain enough control to change Didyme."
"Didyme was not mine," he countered darkly. "You, however..."
Bella hummed. "I see your point. But... I remember Edward telling me about Rosalie, how she had to carry Emmett all the way back to Carlisle. Because she was afraid to change him, that she'd kill him."
Aro's grip tightened on her waist. "Edward's recollection of that event to you was misleading. Deliberately so, I suspect."
"How so?"
"As of my last contact with the Cullens - which was 6 years ago, as you are aware - Rosalie had never tasted human blood. I firmly believe that she would have been able to bite and change Emmett without ending his life in the process, if he is truly her mate. For her to take him to Carlisle despite this, travelling a distance of over 100 miles, suggests to me three eventualities. It is entirely possible her... convictions regarding the ingestion of human blood are so strong that she did not want to bite her mate and risk ingesting his blood. If this is the case, it is an unforgivable exercise in vanity and pride, and speaks volumes as to her priorities. To put something so inconsequential as ingesting human blood, perhaps colouring her blessed golden-eyes with specks of red for a month, over the eternal life of her mate? Emmett was mortally wounded when Rosalie found him - I have seen the memory of the event, via the young Edward, who saw it in her mind. He was bleeding heavily, internally wounded more severely than even you were. In choosing not to bite him, there was a very real and immediate risk of Emmett dying in her arms, as she carried him back to Carlisle. The adrenaline rush and subsequent fall, from the bear attack and the journey back to Carlisle, that alone could have hastened Emmett's demise, stopping his heart long before Carlisle could attend to him. Personally, had it been us in the place of Rosalie and Emmett, I would have bitten you immediately, doing everything I could to ensure your survival.
My second theory is that, quite simply, she feared that he was not her true mate. Had she therefore bitten him, with her non-existent experience in drinking human blood, she would have become frenzied, and would have killed him. Finally - and perhaps the most likely explanation, in my opinion - it is extremely likely that Carlisle's created children are so far removed from their natural instincts that they cannot comprehend the vital importance of those instincts. We would be a short-lived species indeed if we were unable to change our mates, no? After all, what good is an eternity if you must face the entirety of it alone? The instinct to safeguard one's mate is the most powerful of all, and if your mate is human, well... safeguarding them begins with that first bite."
Aro seemed to crowd into her personal space. "And to have another take that right from me, to take that right from you, to be changed by your mate and forever connected to them in such a way... Frankly, Isabella, the second that I recognised you as mine, the mere thought of any other vampire having the honour of biting you, of another's venom reforming you..." he exhaled roughly at the notion, displeased. "With the exception of your change being so urgent that you would die within moments without the venom, I would never have allowed it, not if I was there to bite you myself. You were mine to claim. Your blood was mine to taste. Your body became mine to have. You are mine to bite. Just as my venom is yours to take, my body now yours to have, my skin yours to mark. I am yours to bite. Yours, in all ways. Wholly. Eternally."
Bella's eyes were long-since black with desire. Their possessiveness over eachother went both ways, and to hear him so openly devote himself to her...
She bit her lip, and Aro's fathomless gaze centred on the gesture. "Hey, Aro?"
"Mmh?"
"That day we first solidified our bond," her voice became breathy at the memory, "The day I woke up. The day you really claimed me..."
"Go on," he nodded, still quite entranced by her teeth nibbling at her delicious lower lip.
"Before that day... How long had it been for you, since you'd been able to... finish?"
Aro considered her question. "A while," he finally replied, not expecting it when she grabbed his hand and squeezed. "At least a year, since I'd even cared to... try."
"I'm sorry," Bella said softly, earnestly. "That sucks."
"Yes," he chuckled, "Quite."
"So even though you were really feeling it, for the first time in a long time... you still stopped us from solidifying anything until you'd explained exactly what it would mean?" She squeezed his hand again as he slowly nodded. "That makes you even hotter," she continued with a smile. "Informed consent is so sexy."
Aro walked her backwards until she was perched on the egde of his desk, facing out into the room, and then set both of their glasses down.
"Now then," he smirked, "With all of that... out of the way, I must ask, you understand."
"Ask?" Bella's hands settled on his lapels.
"What are you wearing underneath my robe?"
italian -
amore mia - my love
tesorina mia - my darling
Chapter Text
.
Bella had never felt quite so beautiful.
Sure, since her change, she'd had to adjust to seeing a different version of herself in the mirror.
She'd gone from slim and athletic to more of a 'Sport's Illustrated'-type curvaceous.
Human Bella's breasts had been more of a bottom-heavy teardrop shape. They were nice enough, a pleasant, small C-cup. She'd never felt a need to complain about her human breasts, anyway, feeling that their size and shape suited her frame, height and overall proportions.
Vampire Bella's breasts were slightly fuller at the top than before, giving her a more impressive cleavage and just about a two-cup size increase. Her vampire breasts weren't quite worthy of being called 'adult-entertainment-actress' boobs, but they were certainly more inclined towards the male-gaze.
Her waist was thinner, her abdomen flatter, more toned, and the flare of her hips was extra defined and noticeably more curvaceous. This was something that Bella hadn't been enormously happy about, which had surprised her.
She'd grown quite used to her rectangle-shaped frame, had liked the semi androgynous quality of her body, knowing she could create the illusion of a different body shape with carefully chosen clothing and accessories. Her transition into immortality, however, had definitely enhanced her curves. She was more of a slender, willowy hourglass, now, with a decidedly feminine shape. A larger bust, narrower waist, wider hips, and a generous, contoured backside that Aro loved.
Bella had supposed that the addition of substantial curves had somewhat promoted her predatory appeal. Made her physically sexier, in that specific, "we're designed to be alluring, it's so repulsive, I hate what I am and I have no soul etc etc" vampire-way that Edward had once mentioned. She absolutely had not expected to feel so unsettled by the changes. Yes, minus the super pale skin and intense scarlet eyes, she did look healthier, and it wasn't as if her body was Victoria's Secret level provocative.
She was still on the slender side, more of a curvy gymnast than an outright Playboy Bunny, but it made her feel pretty self-conscious, like people were looking. Not that anyone would dare to be too appreciative... Aro was still his omniscient, omnipotent self, and whilst he would likely be magnanimously receptive of people finding his mate attractive, there was still a very clear line in the sand as to what he would and would not tolerate. Bella thought that Aro quite enjoyed people admiring her, given that she was his mate and he did so love to grandstand occasionally. A compliment to Bella was, by extension, a compliment towards Aro. He revelled in having what others coveted.
But she still waited for the day when someone would inevitably trangress against whatever invisible boundary Aro had set. And she was somewhat reluctant to admit that she actually looked forward to that day, to have him get all hot and sexy and dominant and possessive as he defended her honour.
Not that she'd ever tell him that, his ego was big enough.
She still wasn't used to the boobs or the hips, and sometimes when she'd get out of the shower and catch sight of herself in the mirror, she'd find herself wondering if her human physique had been less than, even torturing herself by speculating whether Aro would have found her mortal body lacking, somehow.
She doubted it, given his absolute deification of her, but the tiny voice of self-criticism persisted, nonetheless.
It was the vampire equivalent of going through puberty all over again, but the changes had happened in two and a half days rather than coming on gradually over the span of five years.
Her facial features thankfully hadn't changed much, perhaps sharpening a little, becoming a touch more defined or gently exaggerated, but she still looked like her. It definitely helped to see her own visage staring back at her when she was looking into the mirror and her vampire body seemed like it should belong to a bikini model.
Aro, of course, had no complaints about her vampire body, and he at least twice a day complimented the beauty of her face.
But it was not her face that she was currently gaping at.
It was her dress.
Her gown was stunning. A garment fit for royalty.
The corsetted, sweetheart upper part of the dress seemed to mold sinfully against her figure, lifting her breasts in an enticing yet tasteful way, hugging the flesh to enhance her cleavage.
The slimness of her waist was dramatised further by the fabric that clung to the curve of her hips and derriere. The lining of her dress was a carefully selected champagne silk, with just enough of a metallic gold sheen to avoid being denoted as nude in colour. A few inches above her knees, an effervescent cloud of tulle, organza and chiffon created a flared trumpet skirt, allowing her freedom to walk and dance.
The champagne silk was overlaid with extravagant embroidery; delicate leaves, vines and flowers had been embellished with thousands of tiny jewels that sparkled when she moved. The details seemed to centre at her underbust, expanding out from that single point like a firework of opulence.
Even the edges of the skirt possessed these details, trailing along the hem in carefully chosen places that would highlight the length of her body, her slim waist, the fullness of her bosom, balancing her frame in a way that she wouldn't have known how to ask for.
Bella was also ridiculously excited to see Aro in his tuxedo and tails. The man cut a fine figure in an ordinary suit, so she was practically drooling at the mere thought of him in a white-tie get up.
The women had spent the entire day getting ready, with a multitude of hair stylists, manicurists and beauticians having been summoned to the Palazzo, alongside the seamstresses who had delivered ten completed bespoke ball gowns. Other than Chelsea and Jane - who were both wearing black - all of the women would be dressed in different colours, in a beautiful, varied tableau of styles and fabrics. The dressmakers had stayed at the Palazzo after making their delivery, Athena having provided an amazing late luncheon and a stellar pay packet for the humans, on the basis that they'd remain behind to assist some of the immortal women in putting on the more complicated ball gowns.
Bella, Athena, Chelsea, Corin, Heidi, Jane and Renata had all opted to get ready together, only retiring to their own chambers to actually put on their dresses and meet their male vampire escorts for the evening, and the "getting ready" time had been the most fun that Bella had had in a long time - without Aro, at least. She hadn't gone to her senior prom, or any of her high school dances, really, and she'd never experienced the unfettered joy that came from dancing around with her girlfriends to cheesy music and being 'done up' before a formal event.
Carmen, McKenna and Lucy had chosen to prepare for the evening with their mates, something that the other seven women had anticipated. All three of them had been invited to join in, of course, but had politely declined. And Bella was glad of it; Carmen was civil but standoffish at best, and McKenna and Lucy - though they had always been nice enough to her - were quite shy and introverted individuals, and likely would not have enjoyed the atmosphere.
Aro had appeared in his and Bella's empty suite at 5.30pm sharp, ensuring that he was showered, appropriately attired, hair styled and ready for the evening, then he had subsequently retired to Marcus' suite with Caius in tow, before Bella had returned to their suite to dress at 6.30pm.
She wanted to surprise him with the completed look, and it was only now, as she gazed at her mirrored reflection in disbelief, that nerves slowly began to unfurl in her stomach.
Bella wanted to seem like she visually belonged on his arm, needed to see it in Aro's eyes more than she cared what anyone else thought. He was a handsome man, her mate, with an aura of importance and power that dominated a room. In the throne room, when the three Volturi Masters were conducting their 'business', it was Aro who stood out, Aro's presence that could command the space.
Despite his (well-earned) reputation as mercurial, merciless and manic, he tended to be a fair ruler, and could judge most situations well-enough. He was the balm to Caius' quick temper, the spark to Marcus' usual stoicism; the ideal middle ground of the three, if he was feeling positively inclined towards whichever fool had landed themselves before the Volturi. But just because he could be a principled and shrewd overseer of vampires did not mean that he always was. He could also, of course, be completely ruthless, doling out executions, fines and dismemberments as easily as he could quirk his lips and smile.
Aro was more dangerous than his brothers purely because he was so unpredictable.
Caius was in fact the easiest of the three Masters to anticipate. He was fond of using violence to resolve issues, an excellent battle strategist, and a true genius when it came down to appraising and subsequently out-manoeuvring an opponent. Caius favoured The Rules, and was an absolute stickler for enforcing every facet of the law. He was an incredibly adept problem solver, often approaching a situation like a game of chess: Caius always aimed to be at least five moves ahead, and as such he tended to loathe all things that he could not control. All things except his beloved Athenadora, because Athena was many things, and 'under Caius' control' was absolutely not one of them.
Athena had several purposes as Caius' wife, mate and Queen, and in their two plus millennia together, she had perfected the balance of the three roles. As his wife, she was there to support and encourage him. Publicly, she almost always tended to be on Caius' side, arguing his point right along with him, even if she privately disagreed. As his mate, she was an excellent distraction, someone for him to lose himself in when the pressures and stresses of ruling started to impact him mentally. She could be his tease, his outlet, his calling. If Caius was being particularly difficult or hard-headed, and Athena knew that the alternative solution offered by Marcus and Aro was preferable to Caius' "attack first, ask questions later" approach, she knew to engage him in either a well-timed seduction, or a well-timed marital dispute. And it worked every time. Because despite fully recognising Athena's tactics, Caius would be so absorbed by her that he would usually stop caring about what Aro and Marcus were up to. And as Caius' Queen, Athena was there to inform him, very plainly, when he was being absurd. Albeit that didn't happen often, and it was a rare-enough occurence that it always made Caius sit up, shut up, and listen to his wife.
Marcus was wise, and favoured words over action. He could expertly de-escalate a crisis, at least when he felt it was necessary. His slow, measured speech would force his brothers to very literally slow down, to reconsider, to analyse a situation from every possible angle and not just the approach that was most likely to succeed. Yes, Marcus could rip off a head just as cleanly or as viciously as the best of them, but his calm demeanour often lead to people underestimating him, mistakenly thinking him to be of slow mind and an apathetic disposition. Which was not the case. Marcus was fierce in his own right, a true warrior that had lead the charge of dozens of legions of vampires through endless battles. He was an incredibly skilled fighter, strong and powerful and cunning in his own right, though he was very careful in how he allowed that information to propagate.
Aro, though... Aro often demonstrated that he was capable of being reasonable, logical, and pragmatic. He was incredibly loyal to those he considered his friends, and could be persuaded to bend the rules if it suited his wider, overarching agenda. Or he could come down harder in response to a rule break. It all depended on his mood. He was the wilder of the three, quick to frown and even faster to chuckle. Aro was a very erratic vampire, and could flit from delighted to enraged to indifferent at a terrifying pace. Three identical situations could be put in front of him and he was likely to react differently to each, making his attitude entirely impossible to discern, even to his brothers. And he liked it that way. Loved it, in fact. He could rile Caius up in an instant, disagreeing with him purely for the entertainment value, arguing his point in laborious detail, emphasising all the ways in which his preferred approach was the ideal... and then, he would just change his mind.
His personality permanently rested on a knife edge, and he took great pleasure in keeping everyone around him just a little off-balance at all times.
In fact, had he not identified the dying Isabella Swan as his mate when she'd been so thoughtfully delivered to the Volturi doorstep, the odds of Aro offering her eternal life were perhaps lower than him outright killing her, or dispassionately watching her perish on the throne room floor as her lungs filled with her own blood and she slowly drowned. Even more likely, he would have indulged himself in feeding from her until she died, purely to best his rival-telepath Edward Cullen.
He'd once said that Bella's prospective immortal gifts were promising. But there was also every chance that he could have decided otherwise, and labelled her potential vampiric abilities as too unpredictable, too uncontrollable. Aro could have designated Bella as a wildcard, arguing that with her immunity to telepathic gifts - like his own, like Jane's, Alec's, Demetri's, Chelsea's - Bella would be too dangerous a Newborn to be allowed to exist. He wouldn't ever be able to mentally control her, ensure her loyalty, or find her if she ran. With mastery over her shield, Bella could eventually nullify his entire Guard, and that, quite simply, was not an acceptable risk. Especially not after the disaster that had been Sulpicia. They'd been lucky, in a way, that Sulpicia's ability was so limited.
And he absolutely would have killed Bella if he thought that she threatened his empire, without a second of hesitation.
Caius had known all of this about Aro, and it was exactly why he'd tried to broach the topic with his brother during Bella's change. He'd wanted to hear Aro admit to his capricious, often volatile nature. Caius had not, however, realised the depth nor the enduring length of Aro's obsession with the formerly human woman. And so Caius had actually been taken aback when Aro had refused to even allow Caius to complete his sentence.
As it was, fortunately for Bella, Aro had recognised and subsequently claimed her as his mate - publicly, verbally, sexually, and with an obvious bite or thirty - and as such, her life was now intrinsically tied to his. She had protection for life in the form of Aro himself, and the Guard - as long as the Volturi remained the leading power of the Vampire World.
And so Bella wanted to be worthy. Not just of Aro the man, but of Aro the King.
It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Aro, nor did she feel insecure in their relationship.
She knew, more surely than she knew that her own date of birth was 13th September, that Aro loved her. More to the point, he was absolutely devoted to her.
Besotted. Enamoured. Addicted. Enraptured. Infatuated. Intoxicated. All the words.
He was utterly and euphorically in love with her, to the point that it made him very dangerous... to anyone that might be a possible threat to Bella, and their happiness as a couple.
He was always touching her, even if it was just to play with her hair or hold her hand. His compliments were thoughtful and heartfelt. He didn't just recite the words he thought she'd want to hear; Bella could see that he always meant every single thing he said to her. He couldn't ever seem to get enough of her, and the feeling was entirely mutual.
He had quickly become her entire world.
And it wasn't in a way that frightened her, or made her worry about it's intensity. It wasn't a toxic, intimidating or overwhelming feeling. It didn't chafe, it didn't make her question herself, and it definitely didn't hurt.
She didn't feel suffocated, she didn't question whether she was altering herself to fit what he needed her to be, and she felt blessedly and wonderfully whole.
Loving him, and being loved by him... it felt as natural and as normal to her as breathing.
Or, to be more accurate, given their vampiric nature, as natural as drinking blood.
In him, she had been shown a love that she had never felt. It was a connection that her heart and soul could never have hoped to deny. It was unshakeable.
They were unshakeable.
Her instincts cried out for his attention, his affection, and were only settled by his presence, his touch, his smile,
Aro was hers.
Eternally, assuredly, entirely hers.
It was... everyone else, that she felt the need to prove herself to. Tonight would be her first impression to the rest of the world, to any vampire who was anyone. The image of her tonight would be the one that would forever be associated with her as Aro's Queen.
Everyone who mattered would be present.
Bella needed to appear otherworldly.
And staring at herself now, in the full length mirror in the bathroom of their suite, in a very un-Bella-like way, Bella knew that she'd achieved her goal in spectacular, unarguable fashion.
Right now, in this dress, she truly felt immortal.
A timeless, compelling beauty.
Newborn Vampiress she may be, but she was gifted and powerful in her own right. And there was power, too, in being Aro's preteso compagno, in being wholeheartedly chosen, accepted, claimed by the complex man she now loved with her entire being.
Bella Swan with her beige life could not exist alongside this darker, stronger identity that was emerging from deep within her. And rather than feeling like she was losing something of herself, to Bella, it felt more like she had grown beyond what she had been, merely encompassing all of the previous versions of herself. The Bella of her past was still a part of her, a chapter in her story, but she had outgrown the woman that she had been. Forging herself anew amongst the trappings of her new life, without even realising it was happening.
Here, behind the walls of Volterra, she had been able to blossom. In the weeks since her transition, she had already evolved and matured, her wings taking shape within the cocoon of safety that Aro provided.
Tonight, she emerged from her chrysalis.
In was in this moment, perhaps for the very first time, she truly believed that she fit her new role.
Queen Isabella, mate to Aro; Master of the Volturi and Vampire King.
Her long, dark hair had been curled, combed and teased within an inch of its life, swept up into a voluminous, elegantly messy, romantically-tangled updo, subtly adorned with crystal vines and tiny pearl flowers to match the design on her gown. A single curly tendril had been allowed to trail down the back of her neck. Her makeup was in the style of soft glam, done in a way that would enhance her natural beauty rather than overpower it with product. She'd been given a subtle smoky eye and a nude lip, along with gently-winged eyeliner that made her crimson eyes look enormous. On her feet were gold strappy sandals with a killer heel, and she'd opted against wearing the elbow length satin gloves, preferring to showcase her freshly-painted pearly fingernails instead.
The only jewellery she wore was her ruby-encrusted Volturi crest on its delicate gold chain. Athena had strongly advised against selecting a pair of earrings.
A throat cleared quietly behind her and Bella startled, laughing breathlessly with a hand to her chest as Aro's reflection appeared in the mirror over her shoulder.
His eyes travelled over her possessively, his bottomless ruby gaze appreciative and sparkling as he greedily absorbed every inch of her appearance. Her skin glistened in the light, shimmering like she'd been subtly dusted in glitter. She looked ethereal, like an opulent woodland sprite or a faerie. A dark angel, come to life.
"Isabella," he breathed, drawing out her name like a caress, shaking his head as if in a daze. "Sei bellissima. I am both without and overwhelmed by words."
Bella met his eyes in the mirror, feeling absurdly almost shy beneath his awe. "Really?" She asked him quietly, her lips twitching in a smile.
"You are breathtaking," his voice was reverent and proud, it dripped over her like silk, pooling in the hollows of her collarbone and brushing against her nape. "Resplendent. Regal. Una vera regina. Una dea vivente, surely sent to tempt me into missing the first Volturi ball in half a century."
"Nope, that's not happening," she laughed mischievously then.
Aro wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him, and his lips fell to the multitude of scars on her neck. "Sei la tortura più dolce, amore mia," he murmured against her, and Bella's eyes were full of heat and longing as they met his the mirror, feeling his erection straining against her lower back. "This ball was a terrible idea," he groused, smirking self-deprecatingly. "Truly, I do not know how I will ever let you leave our suite, looking so stunningly beautiful. I may have to kill people."
"Considering that some of our guests have travelled thousands of miles to be here tonight, killing them is probably not a good idea," Bella replied with a coy smile. "I've been thinking about you all day. Look at you all sexy in your tuxedo. So suave and sophisticated and handsome. Those shoulders..." she sighed, wistful, admiring the strong, solid lines of his body in the mirror behind her.
Aro's gaze darkened at her very obvious, possessive perusal of him. "Do you want to leave this room? Or is it your wish that I should tear away this delightful gown of yours, and take you against the mirror?"
Bella managed not to choke on her mounting desire, giving a noncommittal jerk of her shoulders. "Well, I don't know if I can let you out in public looking this dashing, Aro: I might be driven to violence of my own. And as you can see, I'm clearly not dressed to fight. Look at you, Aro. Your hair, your jawline, your neck..." she delicately swiped her tongue across her lower lip. "You're all... gift-wrapped."
"Keep talking like that, and I may just divert us to the dungeons instead." He turned her in his arms, his eyes grazing over the offering of her décolletage, and he shook his head again. "I am half-afraid to kiss you," he confessed darkly, cupping a hand to her neck, "I don't think I'll have the strength to stop. Sei così tentatrice, mio angelo oscuro."
Bella unconsciously caught her bottom lip between her teeth at his words, and Aro's chest rumbled at the gesture. "And that certainly doesn't help."
He took a very deliberate step away from her, swiping a hand over his face, as if he needed to physically block the view of her from his eyes. "I have a gift for you, mia regina." He reached into an inside pocket of his tuxedo and produced a long velvet box. "Open it."
She did so, and gasped at the jewels within. There was a delicate gold tennis bracelet, with alternating rubies and diamonds, and the most stunning pair of ruby tear-shaped earrings that would sit against her neck like sparkling drops of blood. "They're beautiful," she touched a hand to her mouth in surprise, blinking in awe. "They match my crest perfectly. You probably shouldn't treat me like this, Aro, I might just get used to it." She smiled coyly, her nose wrinkling at her teasing words. "You're spoiling me, mio regino."
"Mia preziosa, bellissima Isabella... I would drape you in diamonds and blood and little else," Aro crooned at her, securing the bracelet around her right wrist. "Alas, then I would have to kill people." His eyes grazed longingly over her again. "But you would certainly be worth it."
Bella gently fastened the earrings into her lobes, and looked back at her reflection into the mirror. "They're perfect," she beamed, "Thank you. Really, I love them." She tilted her head, biting the inside of her lip for a moment. "I have something for you, too, actually," Bella said quietly, "Un regalo per la mio amata. In the top drawer of your dresser."
Aro's eyes gleamed with surprise and pleasure, and he disappeared from in front of her, returning a second later with his own little box. Bella nodded at it. "It's just something silly, really. But I saw it and thought of you, and then I had something added to it. I hope you like it."
He slowly eased open the leather box, and a wide, guileless grin spread across his face. It was a gold lapel pin; a cluster of diamonds in the obvious form of a small swan, outlined in tiny rubies, with a delicate gold chain connecting it to a small Volturi crest. His face became suddenly quite solemn, as he touched a gentle finger to the jewels. "I can't remember the last time somebody gave me such a thoughtful gift," he mused, his eyes shining with emotion. "Would you be so kind as to put it on for me, Isabella?"
Bella nodded, rapidly blinking venom from her eyes at his display, and she carefully pinned the swan to the lapel of his tuxedo, then fixed the Volturi crest in place on the breast pocket, with the small gold chain dangling elegantly between them.
He did kiss her, then, tender and loving and achingly passionate, being exceptionally mindful not to disturb her hair.
"Thank you," he told her, quietly sincere, and Bella could see that he was genuinely overcome. "I will treasure this gift, my love, as I treasure you." He held her gaze for a long moment, falling into the depths of her eyes. Her fingers tightened minutely on the shoulders of his jacket, and she swallowed.
Aro cleared his throat and offered her his arm. "Shall we depart? Throw you to the metaphorical wolves?"
She took a deep, steadying breath and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. "I'm ready."
.
"You do realise," Aro remarked casually as he escorted her through the Palazzo and towards the ballroom, "That I am going to marry you."
Bella rolled her eyes. "Whatever you want, Master."
Aro smirked. "That wasn't a no."
"That wasn't a proposal," Bella countered in the same tone.
"And... if it was?" Aro raised an eyebrow.
She glanced at him and scoffed. "You're insane."
Her mate grinned. "Yes," he agreed with a wolfish glee, "Quite."
"Aro, be serious," Bella sighed. "You can't just drop something like this on me. Do you really want us to get married?"
The man in question stopped beside her, Bella's hands encased in his own. "Isabella," he murmured, seriously, "For all of my brevity, you must know... You are the love of my life. My soul mate. La mia eternità. To be able to call you my wife would be the single greatest honour of my existence. We are bonded in every other conceivable way, and we will be together for the rest of our immortal lives. Married or not, my love for you will not change. And if you truly do not wish to wed me, I will accept it, and nothing between us will change. I am secure in your love for me, and to be labelled as your 'husband' is perhaps a relative trifle when compared with the everlasting and exclusive title of Fated Mate. But I am greedy. And I would have you be mine - and I would be yours - in every possible manner. I would give you my surname, officially. Or, should you prefer, I would take yours, and become Aro Cigno. Those details are not important to me. But you... you, my darling, you are important. Your comfort, your security, your preferences; those are what I truly care for. So, to answer your question... Yes, I want us to get married. Not for the sake of a wedding, but for the sake of the marriage. To join in formal union, before chosen witnesses, to vow to love, honour and cherish one another, forever. That is what I want. To have the world know that you are mine and I am yours. Officially. Forever."
The double doors opened, then, admitting them into the lavishly decorated space, and Bella gasped, not knowing if she was reacting to the ballroom or Aro's words. "...Wow."
Aro chuckled at her expression. "Indeed, my love. Think on it." He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed her knuckles gently. "I will respect whatever choice you make, I swear it, and I won't push you further. Please, don't worry about this."
Bella gave him a small smile. "Can we get through the ball first?"
"Of course."
And then he was pulling her into the room.
There were chandeliers upon chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling. The large windows had been covered by heavy, blue velvet drapes, blocking out the evening sun that still shone outdoors. The marble floors had been polished until they almost resembled mirrors. Taking up a fifth of the space at the far end of the room was an enormous orchestra, already playing, and off to one side was a raised dias, with six empty thrones instead of the usual three. Marcus, Caius and Athena were already standing on the platform, observing the bustling room with a practiced ease. On the throne to the far left lay a red velvet cushion, with a pristine white peacock feather atop it.
"To represent Didyme," Aro explained quietly, seeing the direction of Bella's gaze. He squeezed her hand as they moved around the outskirts of the room towards the other Royal Family members, the expression on his face apparently dissuading anyone from approaching.
Athena beamed a smile across at them as Aro drew Bella up the steps. "Isabella! You are a vision!"
"She is," Aro agreed magnanimously with a proud smirk, his hand settling on her lower back. "As usual, of course."
"You look gorgeous, Athena," Bella gushed in return, smiling widely when the blonde woman pulled her into a hug, returning the embrace with gusto. "And look, we both made it all the way here with our hair still done. They do have self control, after all."
The two women shared a conspiratorial laugh and Aro and Caius frowned at the implications of that statement.
"Women," Caius muttered in disbelief, smirking at Athena's half-hearted glare in his direction. "As if you're not just as eager to undress us in turn. Harpies, the both of you." Then, spying Aro's lapel pin, he stepped closer to examine it. "What an interesting jewel, brother. Very fitting, indeed."
"A gift," Aro informed him proudly, angling the pin towards Caius, "From my beloved."
"Exquisite work," Caius complimented, entirely genuine. "The joining of the two symbols is quite striking. A subtle but powerful statement."
Aro beamed, almost childlike in his enthusiasm. "I most certainly agree," he was practically gloating, "Such a clever girl, is she not?" He trailed a hand up Bella's back, his finger gently hooking into the singular wispy curl that rested on her shoulders. "I very am a lucky man. In fact, I have informed Isabella that I wish to to marry her," Aro announced, puffing out his chest a little.
Bella huffed a laugh, exasperated but amused at his persistence. "I told you we'd talk about this later."
Aro raised a challenging eyebrow. "No, no," he playfully protested, "You said - and I quote - 'can we get through the ball first'. Which, if anything, indicates that you would marry me, when the evening has concluded."
"You'd want us to get married... tonight?" She gaped at him, glancing somewhat helplessly at Athena, who was barely withholding a smile.
"Naturally," Aro replied, as if it was obvious. "We are dressed for the occasion, are we not?"
Bella considered him. "You said that you'd respect my choice."
"And so I will," he nodded sagely, "I am merely informing our family members of my honourable intentions. I will happily abide by your decision, whatever it may be. I have never lied to you, Isabella, I am not about to start now. In your heart, you know that to be true."
Honestly, the thought of marrying him didn't actually worry or concern her at all. He was right. They were already tied together for an eternity, and to call him her husband... Well, it certainly made her feel good, knowing how much he wanted that formality, knowing he wanted her to be his wife.
"I had imagined a more intimate wedding, Aro," she said, finally, uncomfortable at the thought of a ballroom full of strangers watching her get married.
Aro waved a flippantly dismissive hand towards the echelons of the crowded ballroom. "Not with all of them. Just us five, in the garden," he promised, "Marcus can officiate. He once ate a priest, you know."
Bella laughed again in disbelief. His mania was clearly rubbing off on her, and she wasn't entirely unhappy with that thought. "Okay, sure. Let's get married, you annoyingly impulsive, wonderful man. Why not, right? Soul mates are already a forever thing. Calling you my husband isn't any different."
She did not expect him to suddenly snatch her up into his arms and twirl her around. "Aro!" Bella cried in half-hearted reprimand, smiling at both his enthusiasm and that she somehow still managed to be surprised by his bursts of random energy. He placed her back on her feet, kissing both of her hands.
"Excellent," he replied, utterly blissful. "Meraviglioso. Magnifico. Then the matter is quite settled." He seemed to spy someone over her shoulder, and pressed another kiss to her knuckles. "If you would excuse me for a moment, my darling fidanzata, I will leave you with Athena and my brothers." He was gone before she could respond, and when she turned back to look at Athena, the blonde vampiress finally let loose her laughter.
"What the fuck just happened?" Bella joined in with the giggles. "Did I just get engaged?"
"I believe you did," Marcus acknowledged, chuckling himself as he patted her supportively on the shoulder, noticing Aro slipping silently out of the double doors at the other end of the hall.
"Congratulations," Caius grinned across at her, "Vampire, mate, Queen, now betrothed, and soon-to-be Wife. What an interesting couple of months this has been for you, young Isabella."
Bella shook her head in disbelief. "You can say that again. It doesn't feel real."
Athena hooked her arm through Bella's. "Come," the blonde said, "Let us introduce you to some people." Bella nodded her head in agreement, and allowed Athena to lead her down the stairs, towards two people she thankfully recognised.
"Ah, Eleazar, there you are," Athena greeted the other man, "And the lovely Carmen, who looks beautiful, as always. That shade is stunning on you," Athena smiled at Carmen's gown.
"Grazie, Padrona Athenodora," Carmen replied politely, ducking her head in a tiny bow. "And Padrona Isabella; how nice to see you both again."
Bella smiled in response, but it didn't reach her eyes. She could feel that Carmen's warmth was manufactured, forced, if not altogether false. Aro had told her of the manner of Eleazar's departure from the Volturi, and had informed Bella of Carmen's attitude towards the Royal family.
"Grazie," Bella said coolly.
"Padronas Athenodora and Isabella," Eleazar's voice was warmer and significantly more enthusiastic, "With your permission, please allow me to introduce our coven mates: this is Tanya, Kate and Irina, of the Denali coven."
Recognising the names from her teenage conversations with Edward, Bella managed to keep her face schooled into a cordial expression.
Eleazar turned to the Denali women. "Tanya, Kate, Irina; this is Padrona Athenodora, mate, wife and Queen to Padrone Caius. And this is Padrona Isabella, Padrone Aro's Newborn mate and Queen."
"Padrona Isabella has an interesting history with the Volturi," Carmen observed, and Eleazar's gaze snapped to hers in muted alarm.
Bella raised an eyebrow, her metaphorical hackles rising as she recalled how Carmen had previously questioned Aro in the throne room.
Kate cleared her throat. Tanya fidgeted.
"Well," Bella eventually replied, "By all means, Carmen, feel free to share my story with the class."
Apparently now realising that she'd spoken out of turn, Carmen's eyes widened and she blanched. "Forgive me, Padrona, I did not mean-"
"I insist," Bella smiled. Coldly. "Aro has assured me that it is widely known of, in any case. Please, go ahead."
Beside Bella, Athena inclined her head, wordlessly reinforcing Bella's instructions.
Carmen nodded in defeat, quite ashen faced. "Padrona Isabella was previously associated with another coven," she began, "There was an... incident... that required the Volturi to intervene."
Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes at Carmen's stilted explanation, and cut in, "I came to Volterra, as a human, when I was eighteen, to save the life of a suicidal friend I had once cared for. He'd come to the Volturi, believing I was dead, to ask for death himself. The brothers refused to kill him, and my friend decided to make a scene and tried to expose himself as a vampire, to force the Volturi to take his life. I managed to stop him from revealing his nature, and then I spoke up for him before Aro and his brothers, offering my life for my friend's. Aro did not recognise me as his mate, at the time, given the stressful situation. My dad was a police officer, and he knew that I'd come to Italy, so I couldn't be changed until some arrangements had been made. The other coven were meant to change me, but as you can see, they didn't. I went to college and grew up, and then seven weeks ago I found myself back here, and reunited with Aro."
Kate recognised at least half of the tale, and looked like she wanted to be sick.
The three Denali women were blonde and beautiful, with features so incredibly similar that they must have been siblings even as humans. Kate was tall and curvaceous: a pale Amazonian warrior to the life, with waist-length straight hair, and a more regal face than the other two blondes.
Tanya was the most petite of the three, being around the same height and build as Bella, with a face reminiscent of a pixie; an upturned nose, large round eyes, high cheekbones and a small but naturally-pouty mouth. She had a intrinsic look of mischief about her, with a full head of wildly curly blonde hair that ended on her chest.
Irina was somewhere in between the two, in both height and appearance. Her beauty was more classical, with interesting angles to her face, and her wavy blonde hair - though the exact same shade as Kate's and Tanya's - was cut to just above her shoulders. And like Eleazar and Carmen, the three women had deep golden eyes. All of them wore complimenting shades of green, with Carmen in sage, Kate in forest, Irina in a dusky shade of teal, and Tanya in a bright, leafy colour.
"Forgive me, Padrona Isabella, but you wouldn't happen to be Isabella Swan, would you?" Tanya was tentative and polite, but she was very obviously anxious to hear Bella's response.
"Already quite infamous, I see," Athena smiled slyly at Bella, who rolled her eyes but returned Athena's smile.
"Swan is my maiden name, yes," Bella confirmed, being courteous but hopefully dissuading any further discussion on the topic. She did not miss the way Kate and Tanya exchanged a worried, loaded glance.
"The final member of our family, Laurent - Irina's mate, should be returning momentarily," Eleazar interjected, and Bella's eyes narrowed slightly, a frisson of unwitting, anxious trepidation emanating through her at the thought of their last interaction. Namely, when he'd attempted to feed on her to 'save' her from Victoria's terrible plot.
"Laurent?"
Irina, apparently recognising something in Bella's tone, swallowed. "Yes. Ah, here he is, now."
The man in question reappeared by Irina's side, and his gaze settled on Bella. He stared at her for a moment, taking in her immortality, the golden Volturi crest on its delicate chain that adorned her chest, her arm through Queen Athena's, the numerous shimmering scars of mating bites on her neck and shoulders... and the frowning, raven haired, notoriously tempermental Vampire Royal that had stepped up protectively to her other side.
"Isabella, amatissimo?" Aro murmured, slipping an arm around her waist. "Are you well? I felt..."
Bella glanced up at him, a decidedly feline smile on her lips. "Aro, amore mio, there you are. Have you met the Denali coven?"
Aro's lips twitched in amusement, immediately identifying the hint of duplicity in the expression on her face, the dark glint in her eyes, and his hand tightened on her hip. "I have," he replied, looking pleasantly to Eleazar. "A very, very long time ago, and under much less happy circumstances, I am afraid. This is your found family, is it not, my friend?"
Eleazar beamed. "Si, Padrone. Carmen and I have been with them for many happy years. This is Tanya, Kate and Irina. And, the newest member of our family, Irina's mate, Laurent."
Bella shifted in his grip, her arm brushing gently against Aro's fingers that were curled around her middle. Aro's eyes narrowed in understanding but his pleasant smile remained, and he held out his hand to Laurent. "It is always a pleasure to meet any friend of Eleazar's, especially a convert to his unusual lifestyle."
Laurent seemed frozen for a moment, trying to absorb the unavoidable horror of his situation. "The honour is all mine, Maître Aro, sir. You have a beautiful home." He took Aro's hand.
"I'm not sure if you know this, Laurent, but Aro can see every thought you've ever had, every memory that you've ever experienced, with just a single touch," Bella supplied softly, a small, benevolent smile on her face as Laurent audibly swallowed. "It's quite an impressive gift."
Aro, meanwhile, stiffened at whatever he was witnessing, his grip on Laurent's hand tightening until the other vampire was visibly cringing. Aro blinked a couple of times before he glanced across at Bella. Bella stared back at him. Aro released Laurent's hand, and the French vampire subtly flexed his fingers.
"Demetri," Bella said, her smile becoming noticeably more genuine as the Volturi tracker immediately appeared by her side, bowing with a grin of his own.
"Buonasera, Padrona Isabella; Padrone Aro. How may I be of assistance?"
"Buonasera, Demetri. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, but I wanted to introduce you to an old friend of mine. This is Laurent." Bella gestured congenially between the two. "Laurent, this is Demetri. Demetri, would you be so kind as to explain your gift to Signore Laurent?"
"Si, Padrona Isabella, of course." Demetri offered Laurent a polite smile, and unlike the one he'd given Bella, it did not reach his eyes. "I am a tracker, Signore. Once I have caught the tenor of an individual's thoughts, I can find them, anywhere in the world. Distance is no consequence. I need meet them only once, and they will never be able to evade me."
Bella looked back to Laurent, still smiling. "Another impressive gift, wouldn't you agree, Signore?"
Laurent nodded quickly. "Yes, Mistress Isabella. Impressive indeed."
Bella glanced up at Aro, who gallantly offered her his arm.
Aro turned to Eleazar, his voice low enough that it wouldn't be heard by anyone beyond the Denali coven.
He was relaxed, affable, even, and his statement somehow seemed more concerning as a result. "Eleazar, old friend, I now think it prudent to make you aware, officially. There is an ongoing enquiry regarding several concerning reports surrounding the incongruous conduct of the members of the Cullen coven. Carlisle and his family have an official audience with my brothers and I, two days from now, on Monday at 12pm, wherein these grievances will be explored at length. Given the longevity of your Coven's friendly association with the Cullens, you are more than welcome to attend. However, I would like to take this opportunity to remind all of you that any correspondence between yourselves and the Cullens will be examined, at length, to discern as to whether your Coven had any knowledge of the Cullens' alleged activities.
I must, therefore, instruct all of you to refrain from speaking with - or otherwise contacting - Carlisle, or any member of his family, until after the investigation into these troubling matters has been fully concluded. Any noncompliance with this official directive is likely to negatively influence the ultimate outcome of the Cullens' hearing. Additionally, should I discover that anything about this evening has been illicitly communicated to the Cullens, it will not be looked upon favourably for those persons implicated. Have I made myself quite clear?"
There was a moment of silence, and then Eleazar managed to nod. "Si, Padrone, of course. Yes. Quite clear."
And then Aro leaned into Laurent's personal space, a rather unsettling smile on his face. "And you, Signore; we shall certainly be seeing you in the throne room on Monday. 12pm. Do have a pleasant evening, won't you?"
Bella's smile widened again. "It was lovely meeting all of you."
Aro swept her away, moving his mouth to her ear. "Once again, amatissimo, I find myself surprised and impressed by your insticts. Introducing Laurent to Demetri? And so charmingly, too. Such a very clever girl."
She glowed beneath his praise. "Grazie, Padrone."
He tsked her playful use of his title, drawing them to a stop. "Now, my darling, would you be so kind as to honour me with a dance?"
italian -
amore mia - my love
Una vera regina. Una dea vivente - A true queen. A living goddess
Sei la tortura più dolce, amore mia - you are the sweetest torture, my love
tesorina - darling
mio regino - my king
Sei così tentatrice, mio angelo oscuro - you are so very tempting, my dark angel
Mia preziosa, bellissima Isabella - My precious, beautiful Isabella
Un regalo per la mio amata - a gift for my beloved
Meraviglioso. Magnifico - Wonderful. Magnificent.
fidanzata - fiancee
grazie - thank you
padrona - mistress
padronas - mistresses
amatissimo - precious
Chapter Text
.
"Dancing?"
Aro chuckled. "We are at a ball, mia tesorina. The requirement to dance does tend to be implied."
Bella rolled her eyes, but Aro curled a long finger beneath her chin, tilting her face towards his. She stifled a gasp at his sudden, unexpected proximity, and his eyes narrowed predatorily at the parting of her very lovely lips.
"Isabella," he murmured, "Please allow me the very unique pleasure of dancing with my mate. In all of my years, I have never had the honor of doing such."
"We can dance," she nodded, her reluctance melting away beneath his quiet sincerity and the thought that she could give him something that would mean so much to him, an experience he had truly never been able to have before. The mere notion of being his first anything made her almost breathless with excitement. "But... I should warn you that I haven't danced in six years, and I wasn't great even then. Don't blame me if you lose a toe."
Aro chuckled as he arranged the positions of their arms and hands, sliding a foot elegantly between hers.
"It is all in the leading," he calmly assured her, very comfortable as a Master of this particular domain, "Merely allow your body to follow mine, and you will learn."
And then he was guiding her around the room, holding her body confidently as he manoeuvred them amongst the other dancing couples, his grip gentle but firm on her waist and her hand as they progressed in a counterclockwise direction.
He was right, and Bella actually found herself smiling as her immortal feet seemed to somehow discover the steps under his silent yet efficient tutelage. He noticed, and his grip tightened on her waist. "Look at you," he rumbled, softly appreciative against her ear, "Mia bellissima regina, così agile, elegante e piena di grazia. I am the envy of every man here."
"I'm sure you are, il mio bel re," she whispered back, delighting in the feel of his sharp inhale against her chest. "Did you know that suits and tuxedos are to women what lingerie is to men?" Bella informed him silkily, her hand on his shoulder tightening a little to better feel the muscles beneath.
Aro cleared his throat. "Che provocazione," he half-heartedly complained, but his eyed sparkled and Bella could feel his need for her - both against her abdomen and in her head. "Take your ease now, mia regina, for tonight will be quite endless for you. It is our wedding night, after all."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Master," Bella glittered back at him, her lips quirking upwards as he tsked.
"So insolent," he murmured darkly, "It is almost as if you are eager to be punished."
"Mmh," she nibbled her lip, knowing exactly what it did to him, "And what if I am?"
He chuckled. The sound was decidedly deviant. Bella shuddered.
"Aspetta e vedrai, amore mia," Aro's voice was rough in her ear. "Presto ti farò implorare."
She inhaled sharply. "Okay. You need to distract me before we commit public indecency."
"Dancing is an excellent opportunity to observe people," Aro offered with amusement, his voice loud enough for her ears only, spreading his fingers at her lower back. "To familiarise yourself with the dynamics of other covens, among other things. For example, to the right of the dais, staring so longingly at our specific thrones, are two vampires from the Egyptian coven - Amun, the leader, and his mate, Kebi."
Bella surreptitiously took note. "She looks... sad."
"Quite," he agreed softly. "Amun was turned in the time of Ancient Egypt. He is older even than I, by almost five hundred years." He spun Bella beneath his arm, holding her even closer when she turned back to face him. "He was one of the founders of the Egyptian Coven, and eventually they found themselves in a long and tedious war with the Dacians. When we defeated the Dacians, a task that Amun and his ilk could not achieve, Amun was quick to pledge the allegiance of his coven to us. Still, we keep an eye on them. He's quite an ambitious little cockroach, if truth be told."
She nodded, encouraging him to go on.
"His mate, Kebi, was initially a human slave. Amun specifically selected her for the change because of her beauty and loyalty, both traits which carried over into immortality, as you can see. They were not Fated mates, though Amun claimed Kebi nonetheless. He needed to strengthen his coven, and Kebi's beauty won her the position at Amun's side. He has never allowed her to claim him in turn, and though he demands her absolute loyalty, fidelity and obedience, Amun has betrayed their bond innumerable times through the ages."
Bella frowned, struggling against the urge to glare at the Egyptian vampire. "So he cheats on her?"
"Indeed," Aro replied, his disdain and judgement clear. "Alas, theirs is a pairing of over three and a half thousand years; longer even than Caius and Athena. Kebi does love him, dearly so. And yet their mating bond is brittle, their relationship terribly unequal. Amun did not and does not feel the pull towards Kebi. Their bond was not organic in origin, a notion not entirely unusual, in those who hold positions of power. Sadly, his claim on her ensures that she remains entirely devoted to him." His voice lowered further. "She once attempted to bite him, during a moment of intimacy, three hundred years ago. He in turn removed her teeth, and withheld them for six months."
"Jesus," Bella breathed, horrified, "I can't believe she stayed with him after that."
"She was well within her rights to report his cruelty to us," Aro went on, "To request punishment, restitution, or release. Marcus would have acted; mating bonds are especially sacred to him, as you are aware. Chelsea could easily have broken their bond, freeing Kebi to find her true mate, and an honest, requited love. Alas, Kebi did not seek our support. She was simply grateful to be given back her teeth, despite enduring six months of agony, venom constantly leaking from her torn gums, and being unable to properly feed."
Bella shook her head in disbelief, running her tongue reassuringly over her own teeth. "What an asshole."
Her mate chuckled. "Yes," he murmured, drawing them to a stop at the outer edge of the ballroom, "An accurate depiction, to be certain." He stared down at her, sighing contently as he took her in. "I have something for you, my love."
"Again with the gifts, Aro," Bella huffed, but her eyes sparkled. Aro's gifts always seemed to genuinely reflect his feelings for her, and the thought of them did not intimidate her in the way that Edward's once had.
Aro pulled a small box from an inner pocket of his tuxedo. He turned his back to the wider room, his looming frame providing them with a moment of privacy, and opened the box.
Bella gasped.
Aro shifted, and for a worrying moment, Bella thought he meant to get down on one knee. Thankfully, he did not, maintaining the discretion of their interaction.
"Vuoi sposarmi, mia caro compagno? Would you be mine, in every sense?" His voice was quiet, but absolutely devoted, and a small hopeful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Yes," Bella breathed, swallowing as he plucked the ring from its bed of velvet. "Sì, certo che ti sposerò, Aro."
It was unusual, for an engagement ring, and absolutely stunning. Completely and utterly perfect. The band was a soft burnished yellow-gold, clearly indicating the age of the piece, and was covered in small, round diamonds, like an eternity ring. The main central jewel was shouldered by two crescent emeralds. Either side of the emeralds was a delicate circluar ruby, joining the centre to the band of small diamonds. But the focus of the ring was spectacular; a large, kite-shaped diamond, upside down in the setting, with the elongated point at the top and the shallower part at the bottom. The diamond itself was incredible, an ostentatious and enchanting salt-and-pepper colour, with a swirling mixture of the two shades, noticeably darker at the top and bottom, encasing a sparkling white centre with an interesting black slash of colour through the middle.
"I had green eyes, as a human," Aro murmured, seeing her notice the green stones, "An unusual feature for a Greek of my heritage. I retrieved this from my private collection earlier this evening, when I left you with my brothers. I have accumulated many precious jewels, in my lifetime; I am what you would call a magpie," he chuckled, "Truthfully, I had another ring in mind for you when I went to fetch one. And I will, of course, find an occasion for that piece too. But this ring... When I happened upon this, this evening, quite by accident as I searched for the other... It was as if it spoke to me, demanded to be your betrothal ring. Just as you quite demanded my physical claim."
Bella extended a slightly shaking hand, and he took it, sliding the ring onto her finger. "It's perfect," she whispered, feeling venom build in her eyes. His thumb caught the tears before they could fall. "You know me so well, Aro."
A pleased rumble sounded from his chest, and he raised her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss first to her ring, and then to her palm. She turned her hand in his grip, cupping his face gently. "Tu sei il mio fidanzato," Bella said, smiling mischievously at the darkening of his eyes, "We're getting married. For real."
"Yes," he huffed a laugh, "Now that, la mia preziosa ragazza, was a proposal."
Bella narrowed her eyed teasingly. "And that, il mio bell'uomo, was definitely not a no." She lifted her mouth to his, stopping to say against his lips, "It was the easiest 'yes' that I've ever said in my life." And then she kissed him, holding his face to hers. It was a chaste kiss to be sure, but her passion was evident, and when she broke away, her eyes were black with desire.
She chuckled suddenly, and Aro's gaze twinkled down at her questioningly.
"Sorry," she snickered, "Didyme is clapping."
He pulled back further, brow furrowed in confusion. "Clapping?"
Bella shrugged, amused. "I guess the ring appeared on my finger in the boat. She's ecstatic. Bouncing up and down."
"I had quite forgotten the boat," Aro chuckled, shaking his head. "Is she well?"
"Oh, she's great," Bella confirmed with a slight exasperated huff, "She was weirded out when the Denali coven appeared in the boat, and pissed when I put your Egyptian buddies in there. She actually tried to push Amun over the side and was really mad when he wouldn't move. But she's good now that the ring has distracted her."
Aro let out a rich, deep laugh at the recollection of his sister's antics, drawing plenty of attention from the vampires in the ballroom. "Promise me you'll tell Marcus that."
Bella's nose wrinkled at the eyes that were suddenly on them. "You need to introduce me to everyone, and fast," she told him, moving her mouth to his ear. "Imagine how great this ring would look without the dress..."
Aro stopped laughing. His eyes narrowed. "You do make an excellent point," he agreed, his dark gaze sweeping over her gown again. "Come, my darling, allow me to show you off."
.
"Garrett, my old friend, this is my mate, Isabella," Aro kissed her knuckles demonstably, keeping a tight hold on her waist. "Isabella, this is Garrett."
Garrett bowed deeply, a hand extended in supplication towards Aro, who accepted the offering with a congenial head nod as he clasped the other vampire's hand in one of his in the universal motion of a handshake.
"Padrone Aro," Garrett said deferentially, "It is always an honour to make your acquaintance. And Padrona Isabella; it is wonderful to meet you."
Bella smiled warmly, feeling his sincerity in her chest. "Thank you," she replied, "I love meeting Aro's friends. He has so many."
"Allow me to congratulate you both on your mating," Garrett went on, "I am happy for you, Padrone Aro. You are a lucky man indeed."
Aro smiled broadly, releasing Garrett's hand to pat him affectionately on his upper arm. "I have no doubts that your own mate is in the near future, my friend. Who knows, she may be unexpectedly... delivered to you, as Isabella was to me."
Bella snickered as Garrett looked confused. "Inside joke," she offered, glad when he accepted this. She was not eager to unnecessarily discuss the circumstances of her recent arrival in Volterra. "Actually," Bella continued thoughtfully, frowning as she considered something, "I'd really like to introduce you to someone, Garrett, if you don't mind?"
"Not at all, Padrona," Garrett offered her another shallow bow, his lips twitching as she rolled her eyes.
"Never ever gonna get used to that," Bella muttered under her breath, looking around for the person she wanted. She couldn't see her, so instead she just said the name aloud, knowing the woman in question would hear her. "Corin? I need you."
Corin's head raised from the other side of the ballroom, and once she'd seen Bella's location, she moved across to her quickly. "Padrona."
Bella tried not to huff at the honorific. "Corin, this is Garrett," she gestured to the man beside her, "I really think you two would hit it off-" but her voice trailed off when she glanced up, and noticed Corin and Garrett staring dazedly at eachother. As if they were both seeing the sun for the first time. Garrett took a staggered step towards Corin.
Aro tugged Bella more firmly to his side. "Let us leave them to their introductions, dolcezza mia." He pulled her away, chuckling.
Bella nodded, mystified as she stared over her shoulder at the couple behind them. "Did I just... mate two vampires?"
"I believe you did," Aro chortled, "Such incredible instincts, my darling. Truly. We should install you as the official Volturi Matchmaker."
.
Bella's social battery was running extremely low, and her mental battleship was full to bursting. She'd been introduced to no less than one hundred and two vampires in the last three hours, all of whom currently occupied her shield alongside the entire usual Guard, and her throat was beginning to twinge with thirst. Nothing like the sudden exhaustion and overwhelming need to feed that she'd felt that day with Eleazar, but enough that it was noticeable.
There'd been no official announcement of their engagement, but the glittering ring on her finger wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and Aro's increased possessiveness - a thing in and of itself, given how possessive he'd already been - had certainly drawn enough knowing looks. They'd received dozens of 'congratulations' on their mating, along with even more pointed and perceptive glances at her ring. Aro had magnanimously accepted all of their well wishes, not commenting on the prominent diamond and all but daring people to ask if they were betrothed.
Nobody had dared, of course, which had amused Bella to no end.
And with each introduction, another vampire was added effortlessly to her shield. Aro had been careful to ask everyone how long they'd be remaining in Volterra or the surrounding area, and they'd figured out that only an additional thirty or so vampires - to the usual twenty-two - would need to be shielded during the Cullens' visit. Still, she was determined to maintain protection over everyone until they naturally dropped out after travelling too far from Volterra.
She felt completely confident that she could maintain her shield without issue, given the 'Resting Boat Size' was now the size of the USS Missouri - sue her, so she'd done some research on warships to better help her visualisation - but she still felt a tickle of thirst all the same.
"Aro," she murmured, squeezing his hand, "I need a drink."
His eyes found hers immediately. "Are you struggling, my love?"
"No," Bella denied quickly, truthfully. "But everything is a bit... overwhelming. The people, not the boat. I am a total introvert. It was even in my eulogy, remember? And I'm a Newborn. So you need to feed me."
"Ah," he pulled her against him, his thumb finding the diamond on her finger. "I quite forget your youth," he chuckled, "It all comes so naturally to you, dolcezza mia. You have the control of one with ten times your experience."
Aro gestured to Heidi, who was by their side quickly. "Padrone, Padrona; how may I assist you?"
"My beloved requires refreshment," Aro told her, tightening his arms around Bella, "Meet us in the garden in fifteen minutes, if you would, cara Heidi."
Heidi bowed. "Si, Padrone."
Aro pulled Bella back up onto the dais, gently pushing her to sit in his throne rather than the one that had been set out specifically for her. Aro stood by her side, holding Bella's hand and toying with the betrothal ring. "Have you felt any... running aground?" He asked her quietly, "From our guests?"
Bella glanced up at him, humming in confirmation. Yes, she certainly had.
"Later," she told him, "Not now."
"As you like," Aro nodded, following her gaze over to where it had settled on the Denalis. "They disquiet you," he observed, smoothing his thumb across the back of her hand, "Why? Is it the Frenchman?"
"No," she replied softly, her voice for his ears only. "I have no reason to worry about him," she scoffed, thinking of Laurent. "No, it's Tanya. Carmen, too, but that's more of an honest, mutual dislike. Carmen irritates me, yes, but Tanya is... different. Years ago, she had feelings for... him. I think she'll be the one most difficult to... contain. I think she'll try to speak for him, on Monday, or push the blame back onto me somehow. Out of all of them, she's the one most likely to give them information beforehand. She needs to be watched."
Aro made a noise of amused agreement. "As always, I shall cede to your excellent instincts." He gestured to Afton, who approached the dais and bowed.
"Padrone, Padrona. Buonasera. This has been a most wonderful event," Afton said sincerely, "How may I be of assistance?"
Aro wordlessly quirked an eyebrow, and Afton appeared to understand, moving immediately to Aro's side. Aro spoke low instructions into the other vampire's ear, and Afton bowed again.
"It is done, Padrone."
Bella's gaze moved across the room, ignoring when a vampire would meet her eyes, until she settled again on another pair. "He's very talented," she said quietly to Aro, and he followed her eyes again, noting that she was looking at the Egyptian elemental. "But under Amun's guidance..."
"Yes," Aro nodded, "His gift is extraordinary, I will admit. And ordinarily, I would be considerably troubled by his potential. But Benjamin does not covet power, nor does he even seek praise, or attention. He is a truly peaceful, genuine soul, content with his mate, and enjoys their simple life. I have not seen the slightest ambition in him, nor from Tia, or Kebi. Dear Amun is quite alone in his lofty desires of conquest."
"Aro?"
He looked back at her. "Amore mia?"
"Earlier, you mentioned about taking my surname," Bella ventured, "But... I want to know yours."
Aro raised an eyebrow. "It is old. And Greek."
Bella rolled her eyes. "I didn't expect it to be modern. Your surname wasn't about to be 'Smith,' Aro, you're like three thousand years old.
"Older, in fact," he smirked, shaking his head. "Closer to 3400, with change, as you say."
"You're ancient," Bella couldn't help but giggle, "I used to have to wear white gloves to handle artifacts younger than you."
"Yes," Aro lamented, leaning on to the arm of his throne as he stroked a hand down her face, "Yet you treat me so terribly roughly."
Bella's eyes darkened at his implication, but she valiantly persisted. "Aro - your surname?"
His gaze centred on hers. "My surname... is Hasapis," he murmured eventually, "In Greek, it means 'powerful, visionary, leader'."
The way that he punctuated this made it clear that the meanings were individual, but it was also obvious that Aro thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of the phrase itself.
"Aro and Isabella Hasapis," Bella tried out, "Mrs Hasapis. 'Hi, my name is Isabella Hasapis'." She giggled again when Aro growled beside her. "I really like that, actually."
"In mixed Italian and Greek, you would quite literally be 'Beautiful Leader'," Aro acknowledged gruffly, pulling her swiftly to her feet. "Come. The garden. Now."
"You weren't set on the whole 'Aro Swan/Cigno' thing, were you?" she wondered aloud, allowing him to tow her out of the ballroom, "Because now that I've heard it, I really want to take your-"
She was cut off by Aro's mouth furiously crashing over hers, slamming her back into the wall. His hands pulled her wrists over her head, holding them there with one of his as he gripped her face tightly with the other. His kiss was almost brutal, a passionate, fierce and possessive claim, and she melted against him, allowing him to pin her there. His lips were relentless and demanding as his tongue swept across the seam of her mouth and plundered within, tangling with hers as a rumble of lusty need echoed through his chest.
He stilled after a moment, withdrawing and resting his forehead against hers as he sought to regain his composure. He released her wrists as an afterthought, his thumb soothing the flesh of one as her other hand found his shoulder.
"My apologies," he managed, his eyes tightly closed. "I quite forgot myself."
"Aro," Bella whispered, "Open your eyes."
He did, his gaze softening immediately as he took her in. Swollen lips, black eyes, hair ever-so-slightly mussed. "Sei così bella," Aro breathed, tracing a gentle finger along her chin. "La mia cara fidanzata."
Bella swallowed at his intensity and Aro sighed. "Forgive me, sweet girl. Let us attend to your thirst, yes?"
"Tell Marcus and the others to come outside," Bella replied with a smile, intertwining their fingers. "I'd like to get married now."
.
Once she'd been fed - a goblet containing warmed blood had been blessedly delivered on a silver tray - Aro had sent Heidi back inside to retrieve his brothers and Athena.
When Marcus stepped out to greet them, he grinned widely, immediately recognising his purpose in the garden. "Ah, Isabella. You have decided to make an honest man out of my brother after all. How wonderful."
Bella smiled, wrinkling her nose. She glanced up at Aro, eager to tease him. "Are you sure we don't need a marriage license? This isn't Vegas where people can just do what they want. Caius is a total stickler for the rules, you know. He'd kick your ass if you didn't have the right paperwork."
Aro sighed with exasperation, but eyed her with amusement. "Yes, Isabella, I am quite certain that a 3,300 year old vampire requesting the correct documentation to wed his 24 year old immortal fiancée would pose no difficulties whatsoever." His tone - rightly - questioned her sanity. "No, we do not need... paperwork, in order to say vows of dedication, nor to have a hand-fasting."
"A hand-fasting?" Bella repeated curiously, almost vibrating with excitement, "Wassat?"
Aro groaned and swept a hand across his face. "Your Americanisms infuriate me at times," he grumbled, but his voice was fond, and he pulled her against him, his hands grasping her waist. "A handfasting is quite literally what it sounds like. Our hands will be bound together with fabric, to represent our union and commitment to one another."
"It is an old tradition," Marcus supplied, moving across to stand by them both. "More symbolic, now, in these modern times. Considered a pagan practice, in fact. Anyone can perform or oversee a hand-fasting, it is just a matter of using the correct terminology. I have joined two couples in union, in the past. Long, long ago. But people nowadays prefer churches or a justice of the peace."
"Can vampires even go in churches?" Bella's question was answered by several things - another groan from Aro, and three separate sounds of laughter, from Marcus, Caius and Athena.
"Oh yes, Aro," Caius enthused, delighted, rubbing his hands together as he continued to laugh, "We simply must keep her."
"Yes," Aro replied with indulgent affection, "Vampires can go into churches, Isabella."
Bella grinned up at him with twinkling eyes. "I already knew that," she told him, "I just like irritating you."
Aro rolled his eyes but laughed nonetheless. "I am quite aware."
Marcus cleared his throat. "Shall we begin?"
Aro adjusted the position of himself and Bella so that they were standing across from one another, with Marcus as their officiant and Caius and Athena standing opposite Marcus, to their other side.
"Wait," Bella said, "We need the fabric thingy to tie us together, don't we?"
Aro blinked in surprise. "We do," he confirmed. "Merde."
"Aro," she chided him, "This is our wedding. Don't swear." Bella bent over, lifting her tulle skirts until she found the layer of silk that rested against her skin. She could feel them all watching her, and she flinched at Athena's heartbroken gasp when she tore off a long strip of the opulent fabric. "Sorry," Bella offered, not at all meaning it, "Needs must."
It was only one invisible layer of her dress, after all, and it wasn't like Athena would ever let her wear it again anyway.
"I am nothing if not resourceful," Bella nodded, handing Marcus the silk, then pressing her lips together to fight off her smirk when she realised that Aro was staring at her with such surprise and wonder that it was almost funny.
Marcus adjusted his stance slightly. "Dearest friends and family," he began, "We gather here to show these two beautiful people our love and support. To celebrate them as they join their lives together in marriage. Marriage isn't something to be entered into lightly. The uniting of two paths into a single journey asks us to be thoughtful, intentional, and honest. Marriage brings with it a deep realization of our responsibility and commitment to our partner, and the understanding that love, loyalty, compassion, and compromise are the foundations of a happy and enduring Palazzo."
Caius chortled at the last word. Aro grinned back at his blonde brother.
Marcus went on "Please join your right hands."
Bella and Aro did so, with Aro squeezing her hand gently as the length of silk was passed under his wrist. Marcus looped the cord in a figure of eight, first around Aro's hand and then around Bella's.
"Handfasting is an old tradition," the solemn vampire continued, "As your hands are bound together by this cord, so too, shall your lives be bound as one. May you forever be one, sharing in all things, in love and loyalty for all time to come. With each wrap of the cord, you deepen your commitment to each other, vowing to respect and support one another, to grow with each other, to offer each other compassion and understanding, and to take each new challenge and adventure as it comes, together. Let this bond be strong, loving and eternal."
Marcus turned to Aro. "Aro Hasapis, do you come here today to marry Isabella Swan, and join your path with hers?"
"I do," Aro replied firmly, squeezing Bella's hand again.
"Isabella Swan," Marcus looked to her, "Do you come here today to marry Aro Hasapis, and join your path with his?"
Bella smiled. "I do."
Marcus continued. "Aro, Isabella; will you share in eachother's pain, and seek to protect your partner from it and ease them of it?"
Aro and Bella nodded, speaking in unison. "I will."
"Then let the binding be so. Will you share in eachother's joy, rejoice in it with your partner, and look for the best in them always?"
"I will," replied the couple.
Marcus smiled. "Then let the binding be so. Will you share in eachother's hardships and toil, so that the two of you may grow together?"
"I will."
"Then let the binding be so," Marcus glanced between them. "Will you share in eachother's dreams and work together to fulfill them?"
"I will," Bella squeezed Aro's hand as their voices joined again.
"Then let the binding be so. Will you use your anger to strengthen and temper the bond between you both?"
"I will," It was Aro, now, who squeezed Bella.
"Then let the binding be so. Will you honor and respect eachother, treating your partner as an absolute equal in this bond?"
Aro and Bella shared a tender smile. "I will."
"Then let the binding be so," Marcus decreed. "Should either of you like to say a few words, the time is now."
Aro cleared his throat. "Isabella, I am aware that I quite impulsively asked you to marry me. But please know, my love for you is the most sincere, pure thing I have ever known. Your love is a gift that I treasure, and so strive to deserve. You have completed me, la mia cara amata. I have felt more peace, more passion, and more joy in these last weeks with you than in the entire three thousand years that came before. I vow to be your shelter, your comfort, and your strength. I promise to laugh with you in times of joy, to hold you in times of sorrow, and to cherish every moment we have together. You are my heart’s desire, and I vow to love you for all the days of my life, as the sun rises and sets, as the moon waxes and wanes. Today, I bind myself to you, my love, my soul’s companion."
Bella's eyes were wide. "Aro," she breathed, "For so long I dreamed of you, of what our life could be. Before I ever knew that you were mine, I knew that I was yours. My whole life, I never felt like I fit anywhere. I was always too much, or not enough. But I've never felt like that with you. Being with you feels like I am home, and safe, and loved. These past seven weeks have been the most wonderful days of my life. I've found a family here, and in you I've found the most amazing partner. I vow to shield you, in times of pain. I vow to love you, through whatever may come. I vow to forgive you, even when you won't forgive yourself. I vow to tell you, in private, when you're being obnoxious. From the moment I met you, more than six years ago, you have brought light into my life. I feel seen, and loved, and truly cherished by you. The small things that you do that you think I don't notice - I see them all. I see you, all of you, and I love every crazy, unhinged, perfect inch of you. I will always support you, be your confidant and your partner in adventure. As our hands are tied today, I promise to always stand beside you, to share in your laughter, your dreams, and to face every challenge hand in hand. You are my best friend, and today, I choose you to be my forever."
Athena clutched at Caius' arm, her eyes full of venom tears. Caius patted her hand softly, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her temple.
Marcus smiled, spreading his hands above Aro and Bella's interjoined ones. "With your hands and hearts now bound, I would like to share with you a traditional blessing;
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon the fields. May the light of friendship guide your paths together. May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye. And when peace beckons, at the end of a long, long life heaped high with love, may the Gods embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your endless joy-filled days. ... And, today, may the Spirit of Love find an eternal dwelling place in your hearts." He paused, looking between them. "Do you wish to exchange nuptial rings?"
Bella's eyes widened in a moment of panic as Aro's free hand delved into yet another inner suit pocket, and then Athena stepped forwards, holding a small silk drawstring bag. She opened it, gesturing for Bella to hold out her left hand.
"This is a gift from Didyme," Athena said softly, as she carefully tipped the contents of the silk bag into Bella's palm. "Over a thousand years ago, now, she gave this to me for safekeeping. She wanted to keep it a secret from Aro. She said I'd know when to present it, and here we are."
Bella stared down at the ring with surprise. She knew enough about ancient curiosities to recognise that the small piece of jewellery in her hand was old. Bella glanced up at Aro, who was also gaping down at the ring, his left hand still inside his pocket.
"It is from the 5th century BC," Athena went on, smiling at Aro's expression. "Didyme... secured it. From the private hord of dear old Alexander."
Bella's head whipped towards Athena. "Alexander?" She repeated, wide eyed as her mind made the connections, "Alexander-"
"The Great," Marcus supplied with a smirk, "Didyme did so loathe him."
"And it was lucky that she did," Athena shrugged, "Given most of his treasure has since been lost through the ages."
"Tu piccola diavoletto, Didyme," Aro chuckled, finally pulling out his hand, containing yet another ring box. "Even now, sorella, you frighten me with your industriousness."
Bella lifted the ring closer to her face, examining it closely. It was a sturdy, gold piece, clearly well-kept if it's immaculate condition was anything to go by. It possessed three stones; a large, square, green jewel in the centre, much cloudier than an emerald, encased in a gold filigree frame, with two smaller, circular black stones that were set to either side of the gold frame. It was an unusual ring, true, but very clearly intended to be a masculine adornment.
"The centre is Green Agate," Athena murmured, "And the reason Didyme acquired it in the first place." The blonde woman glanced knowingly at Aro. "You know how she loved her precious stones." For Bella's benefit, Athena added, "Green Agate was popular in Greek jewellery. And it is linked to the heart chakra, from some of the more ancient, enduring religions of the world. It is said to promote emotional balance and love, help with emotional healing - particularly in areas of anxiety, frustration and anger, and it aids to clarify the mind. To enhance one's focus, and improve their decision making. Funnily enough, Alexander died two months after Didyme relieved his coffers of this ring."
"The black stones," Bella pressed eagerly, "What are they?"
"Onyx," Marcus supplied, peering at the ring, "Another favourite of Didyme's. Said to protect the wearer from negative energies, supports one to stay grounded and focused in times of strife, promotes emotional balance and is believed to sharpen the mind. Additionally, it is thought that Onyx enhances determination and inner strength. In ancient times, it was worn on armour and in jewellery and amulents, for protection and courage in battle."
"Both great stones for a wedding ring, then," Bella acknowledged with glee, biting the inside of her lip mischievously as she glanced up at her almost-husband. "Your sister is hilarious. She knows exactly what you need."
Aro huffed, but it was clear that he was pleased. He then offered his own ring box to Marcus, gesturing for him to open it. Bella looked over at it with interest, smiling widely at what would become her wedding ring.
"It was created by the same jeweller who crafted your betrothal ring," Aro told her, "Designed years later with the sole purpose of becoming a sister piece to the larger diamond."
The ring was in the same gold as her engagement ring, more in the shape of a wishbone in that it would fit perfectly underneath the shallower aspect of the inverted kite diamond. The jewel of the wedding ring itself was a cluster of sparkling white diamonds in the form of a V, with a small teardrop ruby at the pointed join of the two edges. The V would curve around the bottom of the kite, with the ruby appearing like a tiny, delicate drop of blood beneath the salt and pepper diamond.
"It's stunning," Bella said honestly, now incredibly eager to have both rings adorning her hand.
Marcus spread his hands again. "Now that the binding ceremony is complete, it’s time to seal your bond with the exchange of rings. The ring has a special significance as it is an everlasting symbol of unbrokenness. It is also a symbol of completion - as the two of you are now complete." He turned to Aro, passing him the ring that had been selected for Bella. "Aro Hasapis, please repeat after me: Isabella, I promise on this day to share your pain, your joy, your burdens, and your dreams, and to help you navigate the maze of life together as our love grows with us."
Aro did so, his eyes shining with love and devotion as he recited the words, pulling off Bella's betrothal ring and sliding on the wedding band, before securing the engagement ring above it. He pressed a kiss to the bejewelled finger, smiling as Bella brushed his mouth with her fingertip.
Marcus looked to Bella, pressing Aro's ring into her hand. "Isabella Swan, please repeat after me: Aro, I promise on this day to share your pain, your joy, your burdens, and your dreams, and to help you navigate the maze of life together as our love grows with us."
Bella nodded, repeating Marcus' speech in a clear, even tone, determined to get it right as she eased the agate ring onto Aro's finger.
Marcus grinned widely. "Aro and Isabella, having proclaimed the bond of your souls together in the sight of these witnesses, and based on the strength of that bond, and the power vested in me by the... eating of priests, apparently, I decree that you are now, and forevermore, married. Let your joy be as unending as your immortal lives. What the Gods have witnessed and blessed, let no man put asunder. Mr and Mrs Hasapis, you may now seal your nuptials with a kiss."
Aro tugged Bella forwards, fully intending to ravish her lips.
"Wait!" Bella cried, "The tie. Don't break it. I want to keep it."
Aro groaned but allowed his wife to pivot them towards Athena, who quickly undid the silk. "Your poor dress," Athena said mournfully, carefully rolling up the binding. "She was so beautiful."
Bella pulled a face. "I'm sorry, really. It was a stunning dress. And now it's forever immortalised as my wedding gown, in more ways than one," she replied, "But hey, this means you get to plan us a wedding reception, right?"
Athena immediately brightened at this thought.
"Another event, cara mia? You spoil me," Aro crooned into Bella's ear, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.
Bella lifted her's and Aro's left hands, placing hers above his and aligning their ring fingers, examining their beautiful new accoutrements. She sighed contentedly at the sight, admiring the way their rings looked together, and the reality of what they represented.
"Allow me to be the very first to congratulate you on your nuptials, brother. And sister, now, officially," Caius grinned, triumphant, "Marcus, Athena and I will go back to the ball and announce your marriage, yes?"
"If you like," Aro nodded, gazing down at Bella, who had twisted in his arms to lay her head back against his chest. "Alas, I have some rather nefarious intentions for my new wife."
"And now we're leaving," Caius asserted, shaking his head as he pulled Athena away. Marcus chuckled as he followed them, raising a hand over his shoulder in goodbye.
"Aro," Bella murmured, reaching a hand up to twine around his neck and settling herself more firmly against him.
"Mmh?"
Her glittering eyes narrowed, a feline smile curving her lips. "Do you want to know what Mrs Hasapis is not wearing right now?"
italian -
mia tesorina - my darling
Mia bellissima regina, così agile, elegante e piena di grazia. - My beautiful queen, so nimble, elegant and full of grace.
il mio bel re - my handsome king
Che provocazione- such a tease
Aspetta e vedrai, amore mia - just you wait, my love (fem)
Presto ti farò implorare - i will soon have you begging
Vuoi sposarmi, mia caro compagno? - will you marry me, my darling mate?
Sì, certo che ti sposerò - yes, of course I will marry you
tu sei il mio fidanzato - You're my fiance (masc)
la mia preziosa ragazza - my precious girl
il mio bell'uomo - my handsome man
dolcezza mia - my sweet
cara Heidi - dear Heidi
sei così bella - you are so beautiful
La mia cara fidanzata - my darling fiancée (fem)
Merde - shit
la mia cara amata - my dearest beloved
Tu piccola diavoletto - you little imp
sorella - sister
Chapter Text
.
"...Mrs Hasapis, are you provoking me?" Aro chided her softly, spinning her in his arms until they were chest to chest.
Bella smirked up at him. "Always, husband."
"Una ragazza così cattiva, even on your wedding night," Aro growled, and the feeling of her desire began to blissfully cloud in his mind. "My delicious, darling Isabella..."
"Mmh," Bella sighed as her eyes darkened appreciatively at the sound, "I want to touch you everywhere, Aro. Take me to bed and ravish me."
"But our suite is so very far away," Aro rumbled, his tone bordering on sulky. "The dungeons, however..."
Bella let out a peal of surprised and scandalised laughter. "You want to consummate our marriage in the dungeons? Aro, we have guests. What if somebody hears the noise and wanders down to investigate? You'd end up killing them all in some wonderfully arousing but ultimately disgusting way and then there'd be Vampire dust in my hair. Do you have any idea how many bobby pins are in my head right now?"
"Ah, I accept your point," he said, quite reluctantly. Aro looped her arm through his and they began to walk swiftly towards their suite, through private passageways that Bella hadn't seen before. "Rest assured, my darling wife, I have every intention of introducing you to the shackles in the near future. Perhaps when we don't have a Palazzo full of celebrants."
"Something to look forward to for the both of us," Bella hummed in approval. "You do realise that you haven't kissed me yet, Padrone Aro."
Aro swept her into his arms in very literal bridal-style. "Something that will be shortly rectified," he crooned in her ear, and Bella twined her arms around his neck. "I have no intentions of leaving you wanting, precious."
"Yeah, you did say something about having nefarious plans," Bella teased back, "Not gonna let you back out of those now, husband. Holy crow, I'm actually your wife," she shook her head and smiled. "Your actual, forever-and-ever, official kind of wife. Two months ago I was just ordinary Bella Swan, spending my time going to work, doing Pilates, drinking wine and dreaming about you, Mr Very Evil Vampire Overlord. And now I'm here in your arms, as the brand new Mrs Isabella Hasapis. It's like a fairytale."
Aro hummed against her as they walked. "Do fairytales typically involve Very Evil Vampire Overlords getting their happily ever after? I'm not familiar with that particular trope, I must say."
Bella's smile widened, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You should definitely read a few of my favourite books."
"And why is that?"
"I told you before that I was inexperienced sexually before I came back," she murmured, blinking in surprise as they somehow emerged onto the corridor close to their suite. "But in terms of books, I am a total whore. Some of the stuff I've read would even make you blush, Aro. I was a librarian, remember."
He raised a skeptical eyebrow, a crooked smile on his face at her insistence. "Not that I doubt your judgement, my darling, but I find it difficult to envision a librarian as the embodiment of sexual deviancy. Besides, after the bilge that was 'The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty', I haven't much patience for contemporary erotic fiction."
She missed the way his gaze had settled on her face as he'd casually dropped the title of the controversial novel.
Bella scoffed. "'The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty' is a hardly the best example of contemporary erotic fiction. It's way too heavy to casually enjoy, and goes too deep too fast on the whole 'consensual non-consent' thing. Prince Charming literally initiates sex with Sleeping Beauty whilst she's unconscious, it's assault used as a plot device. And don't even get me started on the hopeless portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle. God, the damage that book did to the reputation of all the harmless little kinky people in the world-" she stopped, seeing that he was thoroughly enraptured by her little ramble. "This conversation isn't over," Bella told him firmly, narrowing her eyes, "We will be circling back to 'The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty' at a later date, so that you can tell me all about what made you, Master Aro of the Volturi, the Very Evil Vampire Overlord, indulge yourself in some seriously smutty Anne Rice."
Aro cleared his throat. "Excellent. I'll pencil a reminder into my calendar."
"As I was saying before you distracted me," Bella went on, "Librarians are sexy."
"You certainly are," he purred at her. "Librarians in general, though..."
Bella chuckled darkly against his chest. "Well, picture this; me, in a pencil dress, an oversized knitted cardigan, knee high boots, and cute little reading glasses..."
"As you like," he replied indulgently, managing to use his foot to open the door to their suite. His voice turned fond. "I can see you in my mind. Continue."
"I look wholesome, right? Cutesy?" She observed his expression. "But underneath that innocent little dress and chunky cardigan... I'm wearing a leather corset with lace edging, a tiny lace thong, garter belt, suspenders and stockings. If I cross my legs at the knee, the hem of my dress would creep up, and you would definitely see the lacy edge of my stocking against a pale, creamy thigh, ready to be peeled off of me..." Aro swallowed and glanced down at her in surprise, and Bella continued, her voice now dropping into a seductive low timbre. "And hidden away in my bag is my Kindle, where I'm reading a beautiful, filthy love story about the depraved Vampire King, who's renowned for his ruthless but divine sexual treatment of his feeder slaves..."
She kept her gaze firmly on his, feeling the air move around them as he carried her across their sitting room. "Now, imagine me, wearing that little librarian get up... I look so appropriate and professional, right? But I'm reading that story... in a public place, with no one any the wiser that it's making me seriously horny... And in my head, the Vampire King has the face of Master Aro of the Volturi."
Aro set Bella onto her feet at the foot of their bed, and she placed two gentle hands on his chest.
"And with you as the Vampire King, I would picture myself as your newest feeder slave... And I'd still be sitting right there, in the library, looking all innocent and harmless, surrounded by people who don't have a clue... But, my body would be hot and swollen and wet, absolutely aching for your touch, all from imagination alone... But, if you were there, you would know, because you'd smell how much I wanted you..."
Aro choked on thin air, his pupils blown wide within the black depths of his eyes, and Bella smiled. It was decidedly feline, dark, sinful and full of promises. Slowly, her fingers slipped beneath the fabric of his tux coat. She gently eased it off of his shoulders, mindful of the lapel pin she'd given him earlier in the evening, and moved across the room to hook it onto a hanger.
Then she turned, a perfect predator, and walked back towards him, swinging her hips as she did so. "Now then, husband," she twinkled up at him, "I believe that you promised me an endless night..."
He was on her in an instant, a hand delved into her hair and another on her waist, crushing her body against his with his mouth at her neck as he desperately searched for the closure of the dress.
"Rip it," she breathed, tearing off his waistcoat and reaching for his bow tie, "Rip it off, Aro."
"Absolutely not, cara mia," Aro chided her lightly, in a musical tone that belied his physical urgency, hissing in success as he located the invisible zip and pulled it smoothly down. "This is your wedding dress, darling, it should be handled with care." And then despite his own protests he groaned, realising the tiny zippered seam had merely been concealing the dress' actual fastening - a significantly more complicated corset.
Bella stilled, temporarily giving up on the annoyingly complicated bowtie. She turned her back to him with a soft huff, allowing him to quickly loosen and undo the corset lacings, and then Aro was tugging down the dress, gently easing it past her hips to pool at their feet in a glittering puddle of silk and tulle.
She spun again, facing him now, and Aro groaned at the sight of her underwear; it was a boned half-length corset in burnished gold silk, cutting off at the narrowest part of her waist. Her breasts strained against the fabric as she moved, and other than her heels, she was completely bare from the waist down. Her toenails had been painted in blood red, and without the covering of the dress, Aro could finally appreciate the long lengths of her willowy legs.
Bella adjusted her Volturi crest, straightening the pendant to settle becomingly between the globes of her breasts, and then she stood still for a moment, allowing his eyes to graze over her body.
"La mia bellissima regina," he said reverently, staring heatedly across at her. "You are mine, Isabella," a darker, more possessive undertone creeping into his voice, "Mine in all ways. Your dreams, your blood, your change... Your soul, your body, your venom... All of it, mine." Aro's tone was nearing a growl at this point, and the decadent aroma of Bella's desire was thick in the air around them. Her chest heaved as she fought against the urge to throw herself at him. "And now, my sweet girl, you are more mine than you have ever been. My mate, my Queen, my wife..."
And Bella lost the battle with her self control, launching herself into his arms with her limbs wrapping themselves around his torso. Aro caught her easily, clutching a hand to her backside and one gripped into her hair, his nails scoring against her flesh as she ground her hips down against the length of steel in his trousers. He kissed her vigorously, exploring the depths of her mouth with a passion and intensity that felt essential to both of their very beings. In that one staggering moment, it was almost as if this kiss, this single magnetic embrace, would be their very last. Aro plundered her mouth desperately, and Bella arched against him, returning the kiss with fire and heat and teeth.
"And you're mine," she breathed in return, moaning as his lips found and tortured the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "My dreams come to life. My soul mate. My maker. My king. My world. My Master. My husband. My everything..."
He pressed her against the carved bedpost, distracting her now with a deliciously whimsical mixture of mindblowingly soft, drawn-out kisses and sharper, more teasing nips to her lips. He greedily squeezed the plump flesh of her rear with one hand, fiddling with his bow tie with the other. One of Bella's wrists and then the second were pulled behind her, and suddenly the silk from around Aro's neck was binding her arms tightly to the wooden post.
She could easily have escaped, snapped her wrists outwards and ripped the fabric quite effortlessly, but control was the name of the game.
Bella opened her eyes and laughed breathlessly against his mouth. "You asshole," she shook her head, his lower body supporting her weight as he tore away his shirt. He cast it carelessly off behind him, capturing her chin firmly in his hand. She tightened her legs around his waist, arching her back to push her breasts up towards him.
"Now then, la mia piccola moglie deviata..." he looked her up and down, tracing the tip of a finger down the centre of her heaving chest. "What am I to do with you now?"
She licked her lips, her eyes settled on his mouth. "Whatever you want, husband," Bella purred back at him, still toying with the threads of his control, provoking him with the words that would most inflame his longing, "As you said, I am yours, my king. Only yours. Forever."
This, apparently, was the correct answer, as Aro caught her lips in another bruising kiss, almost punishing in it's nature.
Bella's hips lifted towards Aro and he gripped her rear, aligning his clothed erection against her bare core. "Take me," she breathed, "Fuck me, Aro. Fuck your wife."
"Fuck, Isabella," he growled as he felt her wetness coat the front of his trousers, and Bella cried out from the delicious friction as he pulled her firmly down to grind against him. "Yes, my darling wife... You are mine."
"Yours," Bella cried softly, chasing a release that she swiftly realised Aro would not allow her to achieve, "Only yours. Forever yours. Fuck, Aro, please..."
Aro could not still the movement of his hands. He was very aware of Bella rocking in his lap, of her incredible sounds of passion, but all he could focus on was the fact that the delectable woman in his arms was his wife.
His, now and forever. His, body and soul, in every sense of the word; a vampire by his venom, his mate, his Queen, his wife... Beautiful, intelligent, charismatic, witty, compassionate, a sexual deviant and gifted with a powerful talent. And she was all his. What the Gods have witnessed and blessed, let no man put asunder. And by the bloody Gods themselves would Aro mercilessly destroy any who tried.
Possessiveness seemed to roar through him, and he was eager to lay claim to every single inch of her.
He wanted to touch her everywhere, all at once, to hold her throat in his palm, cup her face, squeeze her breasts, hold her waist, caress the curve of her hips, her luscious ass, her thighs...
But exactly none of those places gave her enough of the friction or the stimulation that she needed.
She thrashed against him as he chuckled in her ear.
"Patience, my precious Isabella," he scolded her, "Be a good girl and let me explore my wife's perfect body," Aro chided her in a teasing voice, punctuated by a nip to her earlobe.
"You're driving me crazy, Aro," she whined, "Are you trying to make me misbehave?"
"Mmh," he drawled, his voice dark and promising between laving worshipping kisses to her pearly skin, "I suppose, my darling, you will have to find out."
Bella was so aroused that she was close to delirium. "I need you, Aro, please..."
And all the while, Aro's mouth maintained it's brutal claim on her lips, neck and chest, tormenting her further with every swipe of his tongue and lips, until they were both so tightly wound and desperate with need that lust clouded their every thought.
"Aro," Bella growled, finally losing her shit at his teasing and tearing her hands free. The elegantly carved bedpost broke at her force, and Aro did not possess the mental capacity to chide her for it. His eyes glazed over at the sight of her delicious anger, and he lost himself to her ire.
"Enough," she told him, furious now.
He groaned as she clawed at his shoulders, one of her hands slipping deftly between them to reach for his trousers.
The bedpost toppled forwards as Bella shifted, the weight of the broken post sending a long crack up the edge of the bed, and the canopy of his four-poster sagged in the unsupported corner. Aro pulled her away, pushing her down onto the mattress as she fisted feral hands into the fabric that separated them, ripping his trousers and underwear away with a triumphant hiss.
"Yes," he hissed, "Misbehave away, darling. By all means."
Aro's chest rumbled as she lifted a hand back to her face, and he watched with greedy eyes as she swiped her tongue laboriously over her palm. And then that venom-slicked hand was encircling his cock, her movements too slow, too calm for what he was most ardently craving.
"Fuck," he groaned again, determined that he would not beg but coming extremely close to doing so all the same.
"I can be cruel too," she mimicked his taunting tone, throwing his old words back at him.
Bella dragged his mouth back to hers, a growl emanating from his chest as she caught his lower lip between her sharp teeth and pulled hard enough to draw tiny droplets of his venom. She hummed in savage pleasure at the taste, only to hiss angrily when he pinned her hands down onto the bed and chuckled darkly in response.
"Naughty kitty," Aro crooned down at her. "That wasn't very nice, Mrs Hasapis. Unless you want me to bite you back..."
"Aro, please..." she tried, "I ache for you."
Bella arched her back again, pressing the sharp ends of her heels into his backside to urge him on and growling herself when she heard the shoes snap against his unyielding granite flesh. The audible crack of her shoes was a very literal representation of the complete fracture of Bella's willingness to indulge his teasing.
"You're in so much fucking trouble for breaking my heels, husband," she snarled at him then, adjusting her pelvis beneath his weight in a dozen different ways as she tried to push him into reacting.
She managed to angle her lower body to swipe the head of his cock through the liquid heat between her legs, brushing against the sensitive bundle of nerves at her apex, and Aro's grip on her wrists momentarily relaxed in surprise at the sensation.
Bella pressed her advantage immediately, using her slightly superior strength to roll them over and sinking her body down onto his cock before Aro even realised what she'd done. "You underestimated your opponent, my love," she purred down at him then, "I thought you knew me better than that. Tsk tsk. Maybe I should just take what I need from you, husband. You are mine to fuck, after all. Mine to bite."
He let out a hiss of supplication, his prior determination to tease her slipping away as her supple body clenched around him. "Yes," he moaned, drawing out the word, "Yes, Isabella. Io sono tua, amore mia. Use me as you like."
"I will," she hummed, squeezing and relaxing her internal muscles.
"Così dannatamente perfetto," Aro groaned softly, now entirely at her mercy. "I am at your command, my Queen."
"This is my game now," Bella informed him cattily, raising her hands up to fondle her heaving breasts. She rolled her hips almost painfully steadily, giving him just enough momentum to make his eyes roll back and his mouth fall slack.
Aro's hands spread on her knees, content to let her set the pace, stroking a teasing, gentle path up and down her thighs until a particularly harsh downward thrust from Bella's hips had him clutching at her tightly.
She reached for his hands, pulling him to a sitting position, and then she wound her arms tightly around his neck.
The movements of her pelvis swiftly increased, her grip on his shoulders providing the perfect leverage, and Aro wrapped his arms around her waist, anchoring a hand at the join of her neck and spine.
The sound of their pleasure filled the room, and Aro was overcome with the urge to mark her again as the sensory overload crashed through his being. His bite caught her by surprise, his teeth finding purchase high on her neck, just below her left earlobe. The burn of his mark set Bella soaring, and she threw back her head and cried her ecstasy into the room, his name a blessed curse as it crossed her lips and echoed against the walls.
Aro kept his teeth set on her, drawing long, sustaining pulls of her venom into his mouth and instinctually pushing his own venom into the bite.
Bella clutched at his head, her nails digging into his scalp as she held him against her, her orgasm prolonged by the addictive and beautiful pain that only her mate - her husband - could provide. It was as if her body was absorbing as much of him as it could, with his cock set deep in her core and the searing ambrosia of his venom rushing anew through her veins.
Her centre rippled deliciously around his cock and it was all he could do to stave off his own release, knowing it would be all the more euphoric with her teeth buried in his flesh.
When his mouth released her neck, she collapsed against him, her legs shaking from the force.
Bella looked up at him and saw the holy possessiveness blazing in his eyes. She shuddered, just knowing that she was at the pinnacle of such a look from was enough to reignite the wonderful ache between her thighs. As one, their hips began to move again, first in a slow, languid, smouldering rut and building into a faster, more desperate tempo as their desire seemed to erupt, almost setting the very air alight with their mutual and uncontrollable lust.
Aro slammed her body down onto his cock, growling as she began to tighten around him again, and then she instinctually followed his example.
Finding the exact same spot beneath his left ear, Bella reared up and sank her teeth into him, revelling in the rich taste of his venom as it swept across her tongue and down her throat, taking as much of the sweet liquid into herself as she could.
Bella's own venom welled in her mouth and she had the urge to push the substance into the bite. She had the distinct feeling that this was more than their usual bites, having never before felt such an overwhelming, primal desire to brand him with her own poison. She moaned into his neck as Aro approached his own release, sensing his oncoming climax before she physically felt it. At the earth shattering, surrending rumble of rapture that echoed from deep within his chest, an orgasm of her own cracked sharply up her spine, triggered suddenly and unexpectedly by Aro's ascent into ecstasy.
Aro groaned her name loudly into the air, praising and worshipping her with his words just as his hands swept across her back and into her hair, holding her to him desperately and passionately, as if he was trying to push their separate bodies into one individual entity. Her cunt clenched and squeezed his cock, drawing out every drop of his nectar.
"Fuck, Isabella," he swore, "Yes... Just like that, my darling, fuck..."
When Aro's groan increased in pitch and his hips continued to jerk into her at the blistering feel of her venom entering his skin, she hummed in delighted pleasure.
Bella had never seen him so lost, so senseless during an orgasm; he was almost a different creature, unmoored amidst a turblent storm of sensations, and it made her feel powerful and worthy, knowing that she'd caused his state. In this fleeting moment, she nearly felt dominant over him, in an unexpected reversal of roles. She, Bella Swan, had reduced the magnificent and royal Master Aro to a shuddering, cursing wreck against her. She'd brought him to his figurative knees, in spectacular fashion. And she nearly wanted to smile at the utter ridiculousness of it all.
And Aro... Aro was experiencing the closest thing to a multiple orgasm that he'd ever felt. In 3,340 something years of life, he'd engaged in some extremely debauched sexual activities, with both men and women (admittedly it was usually with women, though there'd been the odd male affair), but this... To feel her body rippling around him, have their intermingled scents saturating the air, the silk of her little corset rubbing against his chest, her fingernails in his back, her teeth clamped sharply on his neck... To feel venom penetrating his body in a way that he hadn't since his very change, and to know that it was her venom that was entering him, possessing him just as he possessed her...
It was overwhelming, consuming, devastating, even, in a way that had launched him into a vast paradisal euphoria.
He floated, wonderfully and sublimely adrift.
Time itself had little meaning in comparison to this feeling. That it had been Bella - his delectable mate, his perfect wife, his celestial Queen - to create this unique piece of heaven for him...
His devotion to her had already been infinite.
And now, well, now he just had even more proof that she really was a Goddess.
As his breathing slowed and his grip on her slowly lessened, Bella withdrew her teeth, gently laving her tongue over the strangely angry looking mark on his neck. Aro purred in bliss at the feel of her tending to him, his fingers working into her scalp as he sought out and removed the previously mentioned - and significantly innumerable - bobby pins that held her hairdo into place. She sighed against his skin as his fingernails scratched across her scalp, shuddering when his grip tightened as he studied the newest mark he'd left on her skin.
"Incredible," he said softly, drawing his tongue deliberately across the deep mark, marvelling as her back arched at the sensation, "I envenomated you."
Bella nuzzled him, not really grasping the momentousness of the event. "Likewise."
Aro pulled back to look in her eyes. "No, Isabella... The amount of my venom in your system right now... It rivals that which started your change." He touched a hand to the brand new bite on his own neck. "And I feel yours within me."
"And... this is bad?"
"It is rare," he told her, seeing the concern starting to blossom in her eyes. "But I... could not stop myself."
She shifted on his lap, sighing as his length twitched again inside of her. "That's how I felt," she agreed, nodding, "Like... I had to do it. Had to make you a part of me."
"Yes," Aro murmured, still pulling bobby pins from her hair, "That is exactly the feeling." He grumbled then, seeing the mounting pile of hair accessories and Bella snorted at his expression.
"I told you. Dozens of them." Bella stilled suddenly, pressing a tentative hand to her temple. "Aro... What are you thinking about?"
He huffed a small, almost sheepish laugh. "I was considering removing your rather delightful brassiere."
"I heard it," she breathed, eyes wide. She stared across at him, calling his name in her head, desperate to see if this odd new tendril of connection between them went both ways.
Aro exhaled sharply, pulling back to look more directly into her eyes. "Isabella," he slowly drew out her name, a rasped, whispery caress as he acknowledged the tenure of her thoughts. "You love me."
Bella let out an excited gasp. "You can hear me."
"Che incantevole," Aro's gaze was brimming with wonder and love and sheer awe. "Such an unexpected pleasure, my precious girl."
"But, my shield..."
"The depths of your mind elude me still," he confirmed in a low, somewhat lamenting murmur, concentrating as he pushed against the invisible boundary surrounding Bella's mind, "But you say my name inside your head... and I hear it. The feeling, the words, as if you were speaking aloud."
"Do you think it's the venom?" Bella wrapped her arms more firmly around his neck.
Aro slowly nodded. "I believe our connection has deepened. I confess... I have only known of this happening to three other truly mated pairs. Marcus and Didyme, Jasper and Alice Cullen, and a duo from the Dacian coven, both long since dead. I thought it only possible between the more powerful and gifted of our kind. But to have this occur between us..." His hand traced the edge of her face, and a familiar, covetous gleam appeared in his eyes. "There is such power in you, Isabella," he breathed, exalted and prideful, "La mia bellissima, preziosa compagna. Sei un tale tesoro, un tale dono."
Bella raised a knowing eyebrow, familiar with his ambitious nature. And then she smiled coyly, dragging a trailing fingertip across his collarbone as she adjusted her position in his lap, feeling his cock stirring within her at the telling darkening of her eyes. "There is great power in you, too, my king," the tenor of her voice was husky, and Aro's eyes sharpened predatorily. "A powerful wife needs a powerful husband, after all, and I definitely need you."
"Do you, indeed?" he drawled, his grasping hands settling again on the curve of her hips, his long fingers curling around to her backside. "Then allow me to attend to those needs, my love."
"Brother, might I ask you something?" Aro inclined his head towards Marcus, glancing up at the slightly taller man as they walked side by side in the gardens.
It was late on the Sunday afternoon, seventeen hours after Aro and Bella had said their handfasting vows in the moonlight, and the day before the Cullen's trial. Bella was a creature who needed time alone, and Aro appreciated and respected her desire for some independence. And now, especially given their strangely lovely telepathic connection, he knew that she was even more in need of breathing space.
He'd left her reclining in a chair on the balcony of their suite, a book in her hand, promising to give her at least two hours on her own. Aro had then sought out Marcus, the only vampire he could question about his newly established mental link with Bella. Not only did Marcus have direct experience in the telepathic element of Aro's query, he was also an encyclopaedia of knowledge surrounding all things mating bonds, and Aro fully intended to make use of Marcus' mental archives.
Marcus shrugged. "By all means."
"Isabella is convalescing," Aro offered unnecessarily, "She enjoys her own company, and Volterra is currently quite... overfull, especially after the ball."
"I understand," Marcus nodded. "She is a modern woman. And an only child, if memory serves, alongside being a Newborn vampire. It is only natural that she requires some space to maintain her equilibrium."
"Indeed." Bella's husband sighed, swiping a hand over his face. "Marcus, last night..."
"Your wedding night," Marcus put in with a wide, somewhat proud smile, "Yes, brother. What of it?"
Whilst there were few things that remained taboo amongst immortals of their age, there were some things that made even Aro uncomfortable to talk about. And any conversation that would include his sister's sexual acts with Marcus - however indirect or implied those references might be - was one of the topics that he preferred to avoid.
Aro cleared his throat. "I require your assistance in a delicate matter. Something that you possess experience in and I do not. Or did not, until last night."
Marcus stopped and raised a wry eyebrow. "I am intrigued. I was under the impression that you were a remarkably fluid sexual being, Aro; following your passions wherever they may lead you, irrespective of the opinions of others or society's norms. I have never known you to be inexperienced in anything."
"Indeed," Aro struggled for a moment. "There has been an unexpected development, in my relationship with Isabella. We... envenomated eachother," he said finally. "And now..."
"You hear her thoughts," Marcus completed for him, blinking in surprise. "A rare thing, Aro, even amongst the gifted of our kind."
Aro frowned. "Yes... I am aware."
Marcus sighed. "You are troubled, brother?"
Aro instantly shook his head. "No," he said, "Not troubled. More... curious. Cautious, perhaps. Aside from the Cullen pair, yourself and Didyme, and the late Methuselah and Atarah, of the original Dacian coven, I am in quite uncharted territory."
"I see that your wife's use of nautical terminology is rubbing off on you, as they say," Marcus chuckled, and then he clapped Aro reassuringly on the shoulder. "From my extensive research on the topic, the very presence of a telepathic connection represents the fathomless depth of your mating bond with Isabella. A mental pathway can only be possible in a truly mated pair, and, as we have seen thus far, both individuals must be incredibly gifted in their own right. It is not possible in unequal or otherwise ordinary pairs. Caius and Athena, for example, have no such telepathic connection." He studied the air around Aro for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he examined the other vampire's bonds.
"Your bond with Isabella has changed a great deal," Marcus acknowledged, "Strengthened further, and altered in colour. When she first arrived in Volterra, and your tethers joined into one, in the moments before her change, your connection with eachother was a rich scarlet thread. As your mate bond solidified, the tie thickened, expanded as your relationship developed, and you grew to know one another. It has been fascinating to witness the transformation: a true and rare joy indeed. Observing it now, it has changed again, even from it's appearance last night - I suspect since your mutual envenomation. Between you now, I see an unbreakable rope of vermillion, threaded with interwoven cords of brilliant, vibrant gold. Pure, true and stronger than any I have seen in millennia."
Aro nodded slowly, immensely comforted by his brother's words, and he took a seat on the stone bench to their left. Marcus followed his example, and Aro smiled.
"It is an odd thing," he said softly, "To hear her voice so clearly in my mind. With my gift, I had thought that I was more than accustomed to the tenor of another's mind. With a single touch, I am usually afforded complete, unfiltered access to an entire lifetime of memories and experiences. But with this... I see only what Isabella wishes me to see, and only when she wishes me to see it. It is... novel. Wonderful and unexpected. And it is more... intimate, to connect with her in this way, perhaps because she is able to select what to show me. A delightful - if infuriatingly selective - workaround of her shield, I must say."
Marcus offered Aro a droll, knowing smile of his own. "You must be overjoyed to have such a powerful wife, Aro. Isabella is so young, and yet she has already demonstrated her significant talents."
"I would have loved her regardless," Aro responded. It wasn't an exaggerated protest, merely a quietly firm declaration that spoke volumes of the truth of his words. "I will admit, Isabella's gifts are certainly helpful for the Volturi," he went on seriously, "But she appealed to me long before I recognised her abilities. The day she came with the young Cullen... I wanted her, even then. Before I touched her, before I scented her. She called to me. Ignorant and influenced as I was, I did not recognise the pull." Aro paused, considering. "But when I saw her again... The urge was impossible to misunderstand. Unavoidable. She was irresistible to me, exactly as she was. I would have claimed her as my mate and married her were she an ordinary vampire."
Marcus studied him, saying nothing, merely allowing his brother to openly express his thoughts.
Aro furrowed his brow, reflective of his situation with Bella. "In a way, her gift only endangers her further; for her to be my mate - my wife - it already places a target on her back. And with her shield... Should war ever occur again, she would surely be identified by our adversaries as an immediate threat to be eliminated. Speaking solely as her mate and husband, and not as a leading figure of the Volturi, it would certianly make it easier for me if she was more... ordinary. She would be safer, without her talent. Less at risk. Alas, those are not our circumstances."
"You have grown, Aro," Marcus said solemnly, his lips twitching as Aro glanced up at him in surprise. "You have grown beyond the ambitions that you were so focused on. You are a man now in a way that you have never been before."
Aro opened his mouth to protest and Marcus held up a calming hand. "Peace, brother. I do not condemn you. Isabella has awakened something in you. Mating has awakened something in you, something impossible to know without first experiencing it for yourself."
"Yes," Aro finally replied after a long moment of pensive silence, sharing a grateful, understanding smile with Marcus. "You are right."
Italian-
Una ragazza così cattiva - such a bad girl
La mia bellissima queen - my beautiful queen
la mia piccola moglie deviata - my deviant little wife
Io sono tua, amore mia - I am yours, my love
Così dannatamente perfetto - so fucking perfect
La mia bellissima, preziosa compagna. Sei un tale tesoro, un tale dono - My beautiful, precious mate. You are such a treasure, such a gift.
Chapter Text
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"Are you going to wear a robe?"
Aro chuckled, shaking his head at her question. She flicked the back of his head, annoyed that he'd disturbed her activity. "Ouch," he said pointedly.
"Now I have to start over," Bella grumbled, undoing the half-finished French braid to brush through his hair again and flicking him a second time. "Keep still or you'll look like a kindergartener instead of a majestic Royal Master."
"As you like, precious," Aro rolled his eyes, huffing when she flicked his ear this time.
"We're sitting in front of a mirror," Bella pointed at him with the hairbrush. "Don't roll your eyes at me when I'm doing something nice for you out of the goodness of my little black heart."
"So dreadfully abusive," he tsked, his voice a low, strangely appreciative tone, meeting her gaze in their reflection, his lips twitching. "And don't even try to deny it, darling. I have innumerable scars to prove it."
From his position on the floor, where he was sitting cross legged as Bella sat behind him on their (new) bed, he had an excellent view down her flowy tank top when she leaned over to whisper in his ear, "And you loved every single moment of me giving you those scars, husband, so don't you dare pretend to complain about it." And then she nipped his earlobe, soothing it with a soft kiss, before returning to her task.
Aro cleared his throat. "To answer your question, my love; no, I will not be wearing a robe."
"Just the usual black suit, then?"
"Is there something wrong with my black suits?" he scoffed, mock-offended.
Bella smirked at his expression in the mirror. "You look sexy as hell in a suit, Aro. There is nothing wrong with you wearing a suit. I just wonder why you don't wear more colour."
"Colour?" He repeated the word as if it made no sense. "I wear white shirts occasionally. And red. Anyway, black is a colour."
It was Bella's turn to roll her eyes. "Something other than black."
Aro raised an eyebrow. "Black doesn't show blood."
"You don't eat every day," she bantered back.
"You do, il mia prezioso compagno Neonato," he pointed out, and Bella huffed. He smirked. "And sometimes, my beautiful, feral wife, you make a terrible mess."
"Nobody said you had to watch me feed," Bella groused, "And it was you who gave yourself the official title of 'Bella's Personal Bather'. Don't blame me for you getting messy in the process."
"Isabella," Aro's voice dropped a few octaves, and she looked up sharply at the sudden difference. "Watching you feed is one of my absolute favourite things. An activity I thoroughly enjoy. As for bathing you, well... What man wouldn't want to lather up and sponge down his beautiful wife? Would you truly deny me these small pleasures?
Bella bit the inside of her lip, knowing and resenting the fact that they absolutely did not have time to engage in their favourite pastime again this morning. "Your hair is done." She passed him the hand mirror, allowing him to see the elegant French braid that she'd woven his hair into.
"Thank you," he said honestly, admiring the style she'd created. "Ah, I feel as if I have travelled back in time. I haven't worn my hair like this since the seventeenth century. Grazie, my love."
"You're welcome," Bella smiled softly. "Now get dressed and get out so that I can shower without your wandering hands interrupting me."
Aro scoffed and placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, darling. I thought you significantly enjoyed my interruptions."
"I do," she laughed, "That's the problem."
Bella shooed him into their closet, and when he emerged moments later he was fully dressed in his typically monochrome immaculate three piece suit, complete with matching black shirt and tie. And then he slipped on the lapel pin she'd given him the night of the ball - the night of their wedding - and Bella softened immediately.
"You're wearing it?"
Aro scoffed at her expression. "Of course. I plan to wear it every day. I love it. And it was a gift from my incredible wife, which makes it even more special."
Bella stuck out her bottom lip. "Stop. You're adorable."
He did a little spin on the spot, and she smiled widely. "Come here, husband. Let me kiss you."
Aro was over her in an instant, his lips pressed to hers as he dipped her backwards in a romantic, fairytale-type kiss. She yelped at the sudden movement of the air, but the sound morphed into a sigh as she held onto his shoulders, her hand creeping up towards his head. He had her upright again before she could recognise the adjustment, and she shook her head in exasperation as he wagged a finger at her.
"I'm not going to allow you to mess up my hair when I just endured considerable violence whilst you created the style in the first place," he chided her, and she deliberately flicked the end of his nose.
"There," she said, "More violence."
He grinned, pulling her against him. "Do you like my suit, darling?" His eyes glittered down at her, his cool breath washing over her face, and Bella almost swooned at the adoration in his gaze.
"This suit is the one," she nodded with enthusiasm, humming with appreciation as her hands traveled from Aro's shoulders to his hands, then back again. "Yes, definitely this one."
"You are significantly fond of my upper body," Aro noted, amused. "And yet, it is my lower body that brings you such joy..."
Deliberately, Bella raised his right hand to her lips, pressing wet, open-mouthed toothy kisses to each fingertip. "Your upper body definitely has it's uses," she said coyly, laughing breathlessly as he pushed her roughly back against the mirror, capturing her mouth in a kiss that sent her mind spinning.
His tongue swept past her lips and she groaned, feeling his hardness against her abdomen, the sensation of lust that bloomed in her mind, the little thoughts he pushed into her head about what exactly he wanted to do to her in front of this mirror. She pulled away, breaking the connection of their mouths with a frustrated sigh. "You already know that we don't have time to play right now, Aro."
His bright ruby eyes were quickly darkening into black, and Aro lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb. "I would like you to do something for me, Isabella."
She swallowed at the seductive purr of his voice. "You mean something more than draining four people and sipping on blood until you call me down to give my testinony?" Bella huffed. "I feel gross as it is. I'm full to bursting."
He hummed, his eyes narrowing as his lips twitched. "An interesting choice of expression, mia regina. Would you like to be 'full to bursting'? I am sure that I could accommodate that request to your immense satisfaction..."
Bella huffed again, not enjoying his teasing when they were on a firm 'getting ready' deadline. "You wanted me to do something for you."
"So I did," Aro allowed. "We haven't discussed today's plans in much detail... I thought the matter would unsettle you, and so I have refrained." He stroked a hand down her side, his fingers eventually curling around her waist, thoroughly enjoying the way her petite frame allowed him to loom over her. "However... there is something that I would quite like for you to... wear."
"I'm listening," she told him, brushing non existent lint from his shoulders.
"As you are aware, one's appearance is half of the battle," Aro told her, "There is a reason we dress so... professionally."
"Sure," Bella agreed, only in fact half listening, "I mean, if you don't terrify people at least a little bit at first glance, then what's the point, right?"
He stifled a chuckle. "There is a... crown."
She stilled, raising an eyebrow. "A crown."
"A crown that I would like you to wear. For the trial," Aro tried to clarify. "I wish for you to make a dramatic entrance. Demonstrate to all present that you are a Queen. My Queen."
"No," she said.
Aro scoffed and raised an imperious eyebrow. "No?"
"No," Bella confirmed, "No, as in, you have got to be fucking kidding me, Aro."
"And the cursing begins," he rolled his eyes. "Isabella, I do not understand why you will not abide by this small request-"
"Asking me to wear a crown - for the first time ever - is not a 'small request'. And you know it. Which is why you're springing it on me now, at the last minute, to give me less time to argue about it." She folded her arms. "You're crazy if you think I'd agree to this."
Aro frowned. "Beg pardon?"
"I'm not wearing a crown so that you can mark your territory," Bella stepped out from under him, shaking her head at his lunacy. "That's ridiculous and juvenile."
"My wanting my wife to appear as such... is juvenile?"
She placed her hands on her hips. "Well... Are you guys all gonna be wearing crowns? Is Athena going to be wearing a crown?"
"...No," Aro managed.
"Then what in the actual fuck are you talking about? If you think that I'm going to walk into the throne room wearing a crown to feed your ego then you've got another thing coming. It's not happening, Aro."
Aro began to realise that he had made a significant error. He moved across to her, and she held out a hand to keep him from crowding her. "Darling, please don't push me away-"
She clenched her jaw. "Then don't try to manipulate me into looking like an asshole in a tiara."
"Isabella, please-"
"Just go," she shook her head, turning sharply away from him and stalking across to their bathroom. "Go. I need to shower and get dressed. Without you here. And without any pressure to wear your ridiculous bejewelled headgear."
She closed the door heavily behind her, leaving him alone in their bedroom.
Aro swept a hand across his face as she turned on the bathroom's newly added radio. He sighed as he heard her fiddle with the buttons, shaking his head at her selection as she found what she'd been looking for.
Eighties music rumbled through the door.
Aro pulled a face. "Oh dear."
"The Cullens' flight has landed in Florence, Maestri," Jane offered, looking up from her cellphone. "Would you like me to send a car?"
Aro hummed, considering this. "No," he said eventually, "Send a carefully worded text to Carlisle, informing them to use a taxi service, and not to hire any vehicles. We shall send a party to greet them, at the clock tower."
"The clock tower?" Caius snorted, "How very poetic, brother."
"Yes, I thought so," Aro's eyes narrowed. "Demetri, our friend Monsieur Laurent - he remains within the Palazzo?"
Demetri stepped forwards, tucking his own cellphone into his pocket. "Si, Padrone," he confirmed, "His coven hunted yesterday, and returned to Eleazar's suite. Where they now remain."
Aro nodded. "At the allocated time, you will retrieve him, with Alec. He will remain by your side throughout your journey to the throne room. Once you arrive, Laurent is to be placed between yourself and Alec, separated from his Coven. I have yet to decide on his fate. I think, perhaps, to leave that luxury to my dear wife. The Denali sisters will attend with him, but may stand together. Felix," his eyes found the larger vampire, "A moment, if you please."
The entirety of the Higher Guard had been gathered into the throne room, and stood in their varied positions, awaiting specific direction.
Aro gestured to a low table behind the thrones. "Jane, Chelsea, Santiago, Randall, Fred, McKenna and Charles - your presence is also required." He moved across to the surface in question, wherein a map of Volterra had been laid out, a perfect pink circle etched onto the material. "If you remain within these boundaries," Aro gestured to the circle, "Your minds will be protected from the young telepath, therefore it is essential that you do not expose a single thought to him - so study this map well. Felix - you will go with Jane, Chelsea and Santiago to rendezvous with the Cullens. Randall, Fred, McKenna and Charles, you will wait inside of the administrative entrance of the Palazzo, and once the Cullens arrive, I would have them surrounded as they are brought here."
"A show of immediate force," the blonde Master complimented. "Wise."
"You will remain silent," Aro went on to the Guard, ignoring Caius, "If my wife's name is mentioned, you will not react, no matter the context or the subject. I would have you hold immovable faces of stone. No matter how disrespectful, disdainful, or inflammatory their words, I will have the Cullens faced with absolute silence. Jane - you in particular will keep a civil tongue, and your gift will remain unused. Isabella is your Queen, and I know well the fondness that you have for her, but it is essential that they are not priorly notified or set awares and given a chance to prepare. They likely believe Isabella to be dead, killed in New York, and we will not be relieving them of that woefully incorrect knowledge. Chelsea, I would have you study the tenure of the bonds of their coven, and report to me immediately upon arrival to the throne room. Lucy, Heidi," Aro said, and the women appeared by his side, "In a moment, you will go to Eleazar's suite. You will keep the three Denali sisters in your eyeline at all times, if possible. Heidi, your focus will be on Tanya. If you find that the three separate, Heidi will remain with Tanya, and Lucy will stay with Kate - she is talented, and given her current placement beneath Isabella's shield, she will be able to use this ability on you, should you allow her to touch you. If she appears hostile at any point, you will call for Alec. Who will then neutralise her."
Caius nodded approvingly. "And Isabella, brother? At what point will you summon your new wife?"
"At the opportune monent," Aro hummed, quite noncommitally. "Perhaps when I have assessed what information the Cullens currently possess."
"And her shield?" Caius couldn't help but ask.
Aro smirked despite himself. "Exceptionally powerful," he acknowledged proudly, his eyes gleaming. "Currently maintaining telepathic protection over no-less than seventy-one people, and quite effortlessly. Still, I ensured that she fed this morning, almost to the point of gluttony, despite her rather... arduous protests."
"She humours you only for the sake of the trial," Marcus chortled knowingly, "Don't get used to it."
"I suspect you are right, brother," Aro replied, still smirking. "She does so enjoy to disagree with me."
"You say that as if you don't enjoy it in return," Caius snickered, "It is one of the true pleasures of having a mate, is it not? Their... defiance." His own eyes darkened at the thought of Athena, and he smirked at his memories. "And in being able to both accept and... correct it."
"Indeed," Aro shared an amused glance with Caius. "Still, the risk of unwanted eavesdropping has been spectacularly removed. Our minds will be entirely our own."
Caius nodded, pleased. "No need to translate Shakespeare into cuneiform, then?"
Aro chuckled. "Shakespeare? How romantic of you, brother. I thought you more of a Marlowe man."
"Forgive me, Aro, you were present at your own handfasting, were you not? Such beautiful vows..." Caius taunted him in turn, ignoring Aro's light-hearted rumble of displeasure. They were both absolute fools for their women, and they knew it well.
Aro unconsciously touched his lapel pin, thinking fondly of the woman that had gifted it to him, and then he sighed at the memory of their dispute, shaking his head. "Isabella is considerably cross with me."
Marcus chuckled. "Do tell."
"She is... singing," Aro expanded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "In my head. Deliberately. And I wouldn't complain; ordinarily her voice is really quite lovely, reminiscent of a younger Ella Fitzgerald, in fact. She holds a tune well-"
"Aro," Marcus interrupted, "I am failing to see the issue."
"It is her choice of song," Aro grumbled with a sigh. "A rather wretched rendition of an Olivia Newton-John record from the eighties."
Caius rolled his eyes and snorted. "An otherwise promising decade for music."
Aro huffed. "The problem is, she is altering the chorus of what was already an utterly abysmal piece of work, and the chorus includes the titular word. Instead of singing the correct phrase of 'Let's Get Physical', Isabella continues to say 'Let's Get Confrontational.' Repeatedly. The forcing of an additional two syllables into what is usually a three syllable space is bad enough, as in, 'con-fron-tational', but the deliberate, out-of-tune screeching..." He grimaced. "It is terribly distracting. I fear I may get a headache."
Marcus let out a booming laugh, and Caius cackled into his hand.
"Gods, Aro. Whatever did you do?" the blonde Master eventually asked, calming enough to form a sentence.
"Nothing that I would consider mentioning in present company," Aro said airily, raising a pointed eyebrow. "I will say, though, that it involved an item of... jewellery... that I expressed a desire for her to wear for today's audience."
"Aro, for shame. Tell me that you didn't," Caius immediately scoffed, scandalised at what he knew Aro had done.
Aro shrugged, pertaining ignorance. "I don't know what you mean, dear brother."
Caius cleared his throat, and the heads of the remaining Guard snapped to attention. The blonde Master glanced to the door, and within moments the brothers were left alone in the throne room.
"You asked her to wear the crown, didn't you?" Marcus ventured, shaking his head.
Aro scowled, but said nothing.
Caius nodded. "He did," he said knowingly, "And I'll wager that he didn't ask, either. Knowing Aro, I would bet that he tried to insist. Of course, our dear Isabella does not like being told what to do. And given her position amongst us..."
"Alright, alright," Aro muttered, "I acknowledge that I may have been a bit... heavy handed, on the issue. And Caius, she is my dear Isabella. My mate. My wife. Ergo, she is my Isabella." His eyes narrowed as if to emphasise his point. But then Aro sighed again, lamenting and frustrated to be quarrelling with his beloved. "I don't even have the time to properly make amends before the Cullens arrive. Or, as you so eloquently put it, Caius, to correct her defiance in a way that will adequately... satisfy her. She has the most intriguing appetites-"
Caius pointedly cleared his throat again, and Aro shook his head at his own thoughtlessness. He did so enjoy talking to (and about) Bella that it was difficult at times to know where to draw the line when discussing things with different people. Aro went on, "I have tried to apologise in my thoughts towards her, of course, but-"
"...She sings," Marcus chuckled again.
"Yes," Aro sat down heavily on his throne, rubbing his temples with both hands. "I dared to suggest she select a different song, at which point she began to show me the most torturous images of-" he cut himself off, then, realising what he was about to say, and huffed again. "In any case, I have definitely made it worse."
"Well," Caius took his place on his own throne, "This will certainly make for a more interesting afternoon."
"... Can't fucking believe we had to get a taxi all the way here," Rosalie grumbled, her supernatural strength and balance proving no help whatsoever in manoeuvring her suitcase over the ancient cobblestoned streets of Volterra city whilst wearing heels. "And they wouldn't even let us get dropped off at the entrance of the castle-"
"Palazzo," Jasper corrected absently, not looking up from where he was nose deep in his 'Visit Florence' guidebook. "The chapter on Volterra City states that-"
"Why are you even reading that?" Edward interrupted with no small amount of disgust. "They're going to kill us all."
"It's not a bad thing to prepare for the unknown," Esme said bravely. "We don't actually know-"
Alice hissed in frustration. "Our futures disappeared," she reminded her, ignoring the way Carlisle glared at her for her tone towards his mate, "It was right here. Right... Now."
The Cullen party stopped beneath the clock tower, and a moment later four cloaked, red-eyed vampires stepped from the shadows of a deep, tunnelling alcove, their silver Volturi cloak pins gleaming in the dim light. An enormous vampire that Edward recognised as Felix moved to the head of the group.
"Cullens," the large man said cordially, "Please follow us to the Palazzo's administrative entrance." Felix gestured down into the alleyway, and the Cullens began to pass through, following Felix through the darkness.
Jane situated herself to one side, with two other vampires moving to the other. "This way," Jane told them coolly, "The Court awaits you."
Alice whimpered and clung onto Jasper. Esme linked her arm more firmly through Carlisle's. Rosalie tried to offer Emmett a reassuring smile, though it looked more like a grimace.
Edward looked confused. "I can't hear their thoughts," he said aloud, glancing between the Volturi greeting squad and back towards his own coven. "It's... blank. There's just nothing. It's like they're not even there."
Though Edward missed it, Jasper's sharp eyes caught the errant and momentary upward twitch of Jane's lips.
"I don't like this, Edward," Jasper muttered in his ear. "We're walking into this whole situation completely blind, and they've purposely designed it that way. They must be deliberately blocking your ability."
"You don't think I know that?" Edward hissed back, pretending he hadn't seen Jasper flipping him off in response.
The eleven vampires walked at a human pace, moving through and out of the alleyway and into the smaller street beyond. After five minutes at this speed, travelling along various downward slanting, winding streets that brought them closer to their destination - as if they were both metaphorically and physically descending through the depths of hell - they reached their designated entrance to the Palazzo. It was like the entrance to any other tourist-attraction castle: a wall of glass with automatic doors, opening into a generic, empty room with a grey carpet.
Felix went down a corridor to the right, opening another door - at least two inch thick, opaque wood, this time - and Esme swallowed as she saw the enormous collection of locks on the inside of those doors. Alongside three huge metal keyholes, and two deadbolts with room for padlocks, was an electronic keypad-type locking device, and a CCTV camera blinked down at them from the threshold. There was no awkward elevator ride needed, this time, given that they'd come in through the administrative entrance and not via sewer.
Beyond the wooden door was a reception desk, where a very human secretary typed away at an expensive looking Apple computer. The sound of her steady, unconcerned heartbeat did nothing to assuage the trepidation of the Cullens. Pinned to her black dress was a little name badge: 'Bernadetta' - the secretary - glanced up at them disinterestedly, and then did a (worrying) double take.
She stood from her chair. "Buon pomeriggio, congrega di Cullen," she greeted them politely, if a little chilly. Then, in heavily accented english, "Please leave all of your luggage here. The Masters are ready for you." She gestured down another corridor, and it was then that Edward realised that the secretary's thoughts were also absent.
He stared at her in disbelief, shaking his head as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on. The deeper the Cullens ventured into the heart of the Palazzo, the more red-eyed vampires seemed to surround them. Never speaking, not even acknowledging the presence of the vegetarian immortals. And still Edward could not hear a single thought from anyone who was not a member of his family.
Edward tried valiantly to ignore the ominous sense of dread that was now looming through his system.
"When we enter the throne room," Jane offered solemnly, choosing her words carefully, "You will bow. You will not rise until instructed. You will not speak until spoken to. You will not address the Masters unless invited. I say this for your own good."
"Thank you, Jane," Carlisle replied, squeezing Esme's arm.
"Master Aro is not in a good mood," one male vampire said lowly to the female beside him. Had Edward not been standing directly by the man when he'd spoken, he wouldn't have heard him. It was said so quietly that it was almost inaudible in volume, clearly meant for the woman's ears only.
Edward quirked an eyebrow, glad of at least this tiny forewarning. And the male vampire realised immediately that he'd been overheard. His red eyes darkened to pitch black - from fear or fury, Edward didn't know. But the vampire glared at him all the same, and Edward found himself shrinking back at the blatantly threatening display, shaking his head and looking at the floor in an attempt to diffuse the tension.
After another three minutes of walking through the Palazzo, the Cullens who had not been to Volterra before were feeling distinctly confused and at least the slightest bit intimidated. The interior layout of the corridors resembled a rabbit's warren, or perhaps an anthill. Their party had remained on one main corridor, but they'd passed dozens of adjoining passageways that trundled off like arteries away from the central route. In addition, their corridor had opened up several times, crossing through airy, gallery-like spaces with various purposes. There'd been a large room similar to a museum, filled with art pieces, statues, carvings, and ancient curiosities behind Perspex frames and within display cases. There'd been a small library, with desks and shelves to either side of the pathway. And closest to the throne room was a formal yet comfortable looking sitting area, the furniture all noticeably antique and well-preserved.
Not a single offering of commentary or explanation was given for any of these things. The adjoining corridors led to places unknown. The museum could have been about anything. The library could have been full of blank books with pretty spines, for all the Cullens were told. And it was this unsettling lack of polite, generic hospitality that sent a chill down Carlisle's spine.
He knew, of course, where the corridors disappeared to. He'd studied in the museum and the library. He'd even lounged in the sitting room. But the fact that exactly none of this information was communicated to the Cullens by a single member of their (arguably excessively-sized) escort made Carlisle panic. If they weren't being told what corridor led to where, what each communal space was used for, then perhaps it was because they wouldn't ever need to know. And it was that thought that worried him most of all.
"We must be directly under the city right now," Jasper said quietly, still holding his book.
"We are," Carlisle responded, in an equally low voice, eager not to tip the uneasy balance. "It's a really interesting story, actually. I'll tell you all about it, Jasper, after we..." he swallowed, "After."
They did, however, eventually reach the medieval looking double doors of the throne room, and Felix pushed them open, extending a hand behind him to halt their party.
"The Cullens have arrived for their audience, Maestri," Felix said, and there was a moment of silence. Then the large vampire crossed into the throne room, moving across to deeply bow in front of Aro and extending the usual hand in offering.
Aro didn't take it, however, casually rising Felix up and away with a gentle twitch of his fingers and a nod of thanks. Edward's attention was drawn momentarily by the bejewelled pin adoring the lapel and breast pocket of Aro's suit, inwardly rolling his eyes at the stereotypically-lavish display of opulence.
The Cullens and their now-sizeable escort trickled in behind Felix, with all but one of the cloaked Guard members taking up silent sentinel positions around the outskirts of the room.
Caius and Marcus were seated in their thrones. To one side of Caius was his wife, a beautiful, glacial blonde - in appearance and in manner - and Aro stood at the foot of the dais, his hands linked behind him.
Edward surreptitiously examined Caius' wife - Athenodora, he recalled her name - belatedly wondering if she'd been allowed out of her tower/prison specifically to attend this farcical audience. She was dressed in a vintage-looking skirt suit in lilac tweed with gold engraved buttons, her long hair immaculately swept up in a smooth, blonde ponytail. Her skirt was immodestly short, in Edward's opinion: the hem was four inches above her knee and showed far too much of her legs. Edward wasn't sure how Caius even tolerated his wife dressing in such a manner. It was improper, especially for the mate and wife of a Volturi Master.
Athenodora looked like a pale Barbie doll, he thought, with her painted red lips, pointy-toed, patent heels and perfect eye makeup. She was possessed a cold, aloof kind of beauty, and visually she seemed to fit perfectly with Caius. Their relationship would have been almost obvious even if she had not rested a hand on her husband's shoulder, and her red eyes narrowed as she tracked the Cullens' movements. Edward had the distinct feeling that she was studying them, only to find them lacking, somehow, like a child might dispassionately watch a worm flounder and squirm in a patch of grass.
As advised, the Cullens then bowed in respect, and remained there.
One single woman - Chelsea, Edward thought - moved across to stand beside Felix, and she too bowed.
"Maestri; Padrona," Chelsea said, greeting Caius, Marcus and Athenodora. Then, to the remaining Master, extending a hand as she did so, "Padrone Aro."
Aro did take this proffered limb, however, and after a moment he nodded, releasing her.
"Grazie, cara Chelsea," Aro dismissed, and Chelsea took up her place amongst the other Guard. The enigmatic Master sighed, climbing the steps and retaking his throne with a bouncy, childlike energy that directly contradicted his earlier huff of breath. Aro absentmindedly rubbed at his temples, and Athenodora offered him a small, apparently reassuring smile.
"Rise," Caius was cold, and his eyes were narrowed into slits. The Cullens did as instructed, and it was at this point that Edward noticed that not only were the thoughts of the entire Guard absent, so too were those of Athenodora and the Volturi Masters.
"Well, Cullens, you are here at last," Caius went on, his sharp gaze studying each member of the family in turn.
It was at this moment that Edward saw that there were other golden-eyed vampires in the room, namely the Denali five and Laurent.
From his position between Demetri and Alec, Laurent looked petrified, and he stared helplessly across at Edward with eyes that narrowed and widened, as if he was trying to mentally communicate something.
Caius noticed and rebuked him sharply. "Signore Laurent, your efforts to disclose prohibited information to the young telepath are futile. Nevertheless, you will desist at once."
Edward eyed Laurent curiously. What exactly did he know?
But Laurent cringed and swallowed, nodding quickly. "Si, Padrone, forgive me, I-"
"Enough," Caius snarled. "I see that you have spotted your cousins," the blonde Master sneered, "Never fear, young Edward - we have good reason to suspect that some of them may share in your crime." Caius flicked a hand, and Kate, Tanya and Irina trudged across to join the Cullens in the centre of the throne room. Kate and Irina were calm, seemingly accepting of these events, but Tanya was... rattled. And Edward, with no small amount of anxiety, identified that he also could not hear the thoughts of any of the Denali coven.
It was Marcus who spoke next. "You have been summoned to Volterra to answer for your failure to uphold our most sacred law in regards to the human woman known as Bella Swan, despite being explicitly instructed to do so. For the purpose of this trial, I will outline the events surrounding your alleged misdeeds."
His emphasis on the word 'alleged' did not go unnoticed, and the Cullen coven tensed in unison.
Marcus' unusually animated gaze travelled over Carlisle, then Alice, and then fixed onto Edward. "Six years, five months and six days ago, two of you - namely Edward and Alice, of the Cullen coven - came here, to Volterra. Edward informed us that he had previously been in a relationship with the aforementioned human, whom he believed to be his mate. This relationship ended six months prior to your arrival in our court. There was an incident, wherein -we were told- the human had jumped from a cliff to take her own life. Edward was thusly informed of this event, and subsequently recieved what he believed to be confirmation of her death. Now firmly assuming the human girl dead, Edward sought Volturi assistance in ending his own life. We denied this request. In an effort to force our hand, Edward resigned himself to publicly exposing his immortality. Alas, he was unsuccessful: prevented to act, by the very human he believed deceased."
Edward hung his head at the cold recollection of his extreme actions.
"Members of our Guard, of course, witnessed this interaction: they were privy to young Edward's exaltation at discovering the girl alive after all, and the girl's obvious knowledge of our kind." Marcus' gaze narrowed on Edward. "Edward, Alice and the human were recalled to the throne room. We then established that Edward was entirely unwilling to gift the human with immortality, and it became apparent that the Volturi may have to end her life in order to uphold the law. Yet Edward still did not adjust his stance on the human's transformation into an immortal, seemingly preferring her death over the notion of her change, proving beyond a reasonable doubt that she was not his mate."
Jasper and Rosalie both glared at him, triumphant in their previous assumptions about Edward and Bella.
Edward snarled at this, and Marcus raised an eyebrow, but otherwise ignored the bronze haired vampire. Behind Edward, the Cullens were now shifting uneasily.
Marcus was still speaking. "... At which point, Alice Cullen prophesied that Bella Swan would become an immortal, stating - verbatim - that 'she would change her, herself'. It was on the basis of this promise, our previously cordial relationship with Carlisle Cullen, and our explicit instruction that the matter of Bella's humanity be swiftly dealt with, alongside the added complication of the girl's father - who was a senior law enforcement officer, and aware of his daughter's travel to Italy - that the three were ultimately permitted to leave Volterra. With the girl's humanity intact." Marcus' gaze settled on Alice again. "As we have recently become aware, Bella Swan did not become immortal at that time. She was, in fact, still human, at the very least until the 11th July of this very year... six long years after we saw you last."
Caius crossed one leg over the other, glancing at Aro before he spoke. "Which now calls into question - why was the girl allowed to remain human at all? There are seven in your coven: any one of you could have upheld our most sacred law, any one of you could have turned or killed the girl. Your coven was given a direct order to handle the issue. Aro himself wrote to you - Carlisle Cullen - five times in as many years, enquiring about your adherence to our directive, mentioning the girl by name, even asking after her very welfare," Caius scoffed, "You have, therefore, had many opportunities to directly address this matter with the Volturi. Again, we must ask why?"
Carlisle swallowed. "I can only ask your forgiveness, Maestri, for our transgressive behaviour."
Marcus shook his head, unsatisfied. "Aro will assess the truth of the matter. Brother," Marcus extended a hand towards Aro, and then moved that hand until it was gesturing at the Cullens, "If you would care to begin."
Aro stood again, and the throne room immediately felt... different. He had been silent and expressionless throughout his brothers' speeches. But now, his all-encompassing authority was suddenly absolute, his persona lacking the previous warmth in which he'd spoken to Chelsea.
He swept across the space towards the Cullens and said nothing. And yet, there was a distinctive shift. The Guard subtly straightened in their assembly of positions, their hooded cloaks hiding their faces.
Aro approached the Denali sisters first, taking their hands without their consent, and he quickly absorbed whatever information they had to offer. As he released the final hand - Irina's - he straightened, his eyes narrowed and contemplative. "Kate, Irina - you may rejoin your coven mates. Tanya; you will remain."
Kate said nothing, but Irina gasped, dismayed; her gaze flying to her petite blonde sister. "Tanya-"
"Silence," Aro all but hissed at Irina. "You will rejoin your coven, Ms Denali. Lest you share in your sister's fate."
Irina's head lowered and she allowed Kate to tow her back to their previous places, beside Eleazar and Carmen. Eleazar was carefully expressionless, respectful and calm in the face of the Volturi, his hand clasped tightly over Carmen's.
Edward watched Carmen, then; he knew of her strong dislike of the Volturi, sentiments she'd often persistently vocalised in the past, and he expected to see dissent in her expression, an indication that she was unhappy with the current proceedings against the Cullens. But Carmen was resolute, firm in her stance, and her face offered Edward no comfort or reassurance. She minutely shook her head and averted her eyes from his, and Edward's worry increased tenfold.
That Carmen - outspoken, almost rebellious Carmen - believed in the validity of this trial did not bode well for the Cullens. And Kate, Kate too was unyielding towards her fellow vegetarians. She glanced briefly at Edward, her eyes cold, and then she too looked away. Irina was more concerned with the trembling form of Laurent, separated from her by the width of the throne room. Edward was mildly disgusted by the male vampire's visual display of fear, feeling almost offended by the Denalis' refusal to engage with or outwardly support the Cullens.
Edward knew, of course, of the beliefs of the Denali coven. The Denali sisters were notoriously purist in their respect of vampiric laws, given that their mother Sasha had been executed for her illicit and illegal creation of an immortal child - a three year old boy called Vasillii - in the early 11th Century. Sasha had known that her offence would eventually cost her her life, and so had hidden Vasilii from her daughters in an effort to protect them from sharing in her fate. Sasha had succeeded in keeping her daughters alive, but she herself had perished along with Vasilii at the hands of the Volturi. Having witnessed the execution of their maker, Kate, Tanya and Irina had since been perfect vampiric citizens, obeying and upholding every law to the best of their ability.
But that still did not spare them from Edward's judgement, and his lip curled back in derision at their silent display of loyalty to the Volturi.
Aro touched each of the Cullens in turn, until only Edward, Alice and Carlisle remained. As he gathered information from Alice, Aro sighed, shaking his head.
"A pity," he murmured, and Jasper's eyes widened with terror at the words.
It was only when Aro stilled in front of Edward that Edward noticed Aro's neck. There were a lot of overlapping scars, clearly bite marks, the physical evidence of a mating claim. Edward had seen the like on all of his family members, and felt rather repulsed at the sight of them on Aro, of all people.
Aro took Edward's hand and snorted, actually rolling his eyes at the younger vampire's thoughts.
In less than a minute, Aro dropped Edward's hand.
"Foolish boy," Aro said softly, his narrowed eyes holding knowledge that Edward could not access. "You foolish, foolish boy."
And then Aro stepped towards Carlisle, frowning more deeply than before. Carlisle immediately offered his hand forwards, and Aro gazed at it for a moment, seeming almost reluctant to touch his old friend. After a moment, he grasped Carlisle's hand within his own, and as he'd done with Alice, Aro shook his head as he eventually released Carlisle.
"How terribly disappointing," Aro remarked quietly, "I had thought you wise, Carlisle. Apparently that is not the case."
Noticing the ornate ring on the fourth finger of Aro's left hand - along with the scattered scars along his neck - and seemingly desperate to salvage something of their prior friendship, Carlisle hesitantly touched the older vampire on the arm. "Would you allow me to congratulate you on your mating, Padrone Aro?"
The mention of his mate made Aro pause, and he considered Carlisle's earnest expression. "... You may," Aro finally responded after a moment of pensive silence.
"To meet your mate after so long a life... I am truly happy for you, old friend," Carlisle said. His quick, doctor's eyes took in the copious bites on Aro's neck, and then they settled on the deepest, most obvious scar located beneath the Master's left ear, and he blinked in guarded surprise at the sight.
Aro gaze clouded over a little as he proudly inclined his head to better display the mark in question, a semi-unhinged look in his eyes. "She is quite a woman," he remarked wistfully, though he gave nothing else away.
"She is positively feral, where you are concerned," Caius added in an amused voice from behind Aro.
Aro merely chuckled in response.
"I would be truly honoured to meet her," Carlisle said, attempting a smile.
Aro smirked, clapping the blonde doctor on the upper arm. "And meet her you shall, Carlisle. All in due course."
Now with an unsettling spring in his step, Aro retook his throne. He exchanged looks with Caius and Marcus, and then leaned forwards slightly.
"In spite of what I have witnessed, I should like to offer all of you the opportunity to speak in your defence," Aro spread his hands, and his eyes settled on Edward, "Let it not be said that the Volturi are unjust."
Carlisle cleared his throat. "If I may, Maestri..."
Aro nodded, gesturing with a hand. "By all means, Carlisle. The floor is yours."
"My family... We cared deeply for Bella," Carlisle began, running a hand through his hair. "And after what happened at her 18th birthday, Edward felt that we had to leave, to keep her safe."
"Ah, yes," Aro said, succinct as ever, "The unfortunate incident with the papercut."
Carlisle flinched. "It was an accident, of course, but..."
"But you are vampires," Aro quirked an understanding eyebrow, "And despite your... unusual dietary choices, it is only natural that an underfed empathic vampire - in a room full of other underfed vampires - would be overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of thirst that would instinctually occur from such an event."
Jasper seemed to straighten up a little, and mentally Edward could hear that he felt somewhat vindicated by Aro's assessment.
"Yes," Carlisle stiltedly agreed, and moved on. "We left to keep Bella safe. Edward believed her to be his mate, and so we chose to respect his judgement on the issue. And then when Alice saw Bella jump-"
"Cliff diving," Alice interrupted shrilly, almost breathless with anxiety, "She was cliff diving, recreationally... Silly me, I didn't know she'd gotten into extreme sports in our time apart, you know? ... and I only saw the first half of the vision, and I thought she'd tried to-"
Carlisle cleared his throat again. "Alice had every intention of changing Bella. When they returned from Italy, I had every intention of changing Bella. Not only to uphold the law, but to welcome her fully into our family. We all wanted that."
Rosalie scoffed quietly in the background, and Emmett nudged her.
"We all wanted that," Carlisle persisted, "Not just because it was the right thing to do, but because we cared about her. And then-"
Edward finally broke his self-imposed vow of silence. "And then I told them that if they changed Bella into a vampire, I would leave the family for good. Because I didn't want to damn her to this... existence. I couldn't do that to her. Knowing that I had condemned her... I loved her too much to see her turn into a bloodthirsty, red eyed monster. To imagine her like that, knowing that she'd crave blood, knowing that she'd have to fight against her instincts every single day to keep to our diet, knowing that she wouldn't remain the pure girl that she was, it was worse than picturing her death-"
Aro held up a hand, halting Edward's monologue, and pressed his eyes tightly closed. "I think that that is quite enough from you."
But Edward would not stop, incensed now. "And that day, when we came here, when she met you... I saw it, how much you wanted her. And I knew that if Bella ever transitioned into one of us, that she would never be safe from you, from your ambition, your greed. And the disrespectful filth that you thought about her that day, when you imagined her as one of us-"
Aro's eyes flashed open, settling on Edward and narrowing dangerously.
"-So I had to protect her. From you. From all of it; from this hollow, empty life. Because I had this awful thought. I thought, well, if she's going to die anyway, if my mate is going to die then I might as well be the one to kill her, right? It should be me, Bella would have wanted that. Because the memory of how her blood tasted had tortured me for months-"
Aro growled lowly in his chest. The Guard seemed to lean forwards, preparing for what they - at least - knew might happen.
"-And I was tempted. So tempted that I can't even explain. And that's when I realised that I had to leave her, for good. I didn't want anyone else to ever know what her blood tasted like, I needed that memory to be mine, only mine, and I knew that if I ever tried to change her myself that I would kill her. I wouldn't be able to stop. But I couldn't let anyone else have that knowledge of her, I couldn't let anyone else bite her to change her, and I knew that I couldn't bring myself to bite her, to change her, to damn her, so-"
But it was not Aro who erupted.
It was Emmett.
"So all of this bullshit about keeping Bella safe... What you really meant, this whole entire time, was that if you couldn't have her, no-one could?!" Emmett moved to tackle Edward, but Jasper and Rosalie caught him. "She couldn't be a part of our family because you didn't want to ''share'' her blood," he used air quotes, "But you also knew that you wouldn't be able to change her yourself, so you made all of us leave her..."
"No!" Edward protested immediately, horrified, "That's not it at all-"
"Yes it is, Edward," Carlisle groaned, "That's exactly what it is!"
"I was protecting her," the bronze haired teenager insisted, "I was protecting her from all of it. I was protecting her against this life, against being bitten, against enduring the change... I was protecting her from myself!"
"Edward Cullen," Marcus' solemn voice cut through the mounting hysteria, "If Bella Swan had truly been your mate, you would most certainly have been able to change her without killing her."
Rosalie's head whipped around to Marcus in surprise.
Marcus went on, "Even the most inexperienced of Newborn vampires could bite and begin the transition of their human mate without ending their life. It is in our instincts."
"I thought as much," Aro was nodding, pleased.
"If I had bitten Bella to change her, I am telling you, I wouldn't have been able to stop," Edward was almost pleading now, desperate for someone to understand him. "She was my singer-"
"And your singer is not your mate," Marcus admonished him, "You are a fool to confuse the two."
Esme hesitatingly stepped forwards. "So... Bella wasn't Edward's mate?"
Aro's eyes tightened. "No," he said coldly, "She was not."
"Bella was mine," Edward hissed, "She was mine until she was pulled from the river-"
"Yes," Marcus agreed tiredly, "She was your singer, child. I think we would all here agree that a singer is a gift to be momentarily savoured, not permanently kept. It is a shame that you so grievously misunderstood your own instincts, incorrectly believing her to be your amore eterno. That you chose to forgo the bouquet of her blood, well... That loss is something that you will have to live with for the rest of your days. But the girl was not your mate."
Edward opened his mouth to protest again, but Marcus let out a sharp, challenging bark of laughter. "Could it be that you doubt my authority on this, young Edward? Knowing my gift for what it is?" Marcus scoffed. "I saw six years ago that the girl was not your mate, you fool. And, in any case, the matter of Bella's mate has now been quite settled."
Infuriated by this casual reference to Bella's death, Edward scowled, stepping intentionally in Marcus' direction, but Carlisle moved into his path. "Marcus is right, Edward. I'm sorry, but he's right. And Bella is gone. All that's left to do now is for us to deal with the consequences." He placed a fatherly hand on Edward's shoulder, pulling the boy firmly into the circle of their family. "But you should have told us the truth, Edward. You should have been honest about why you didn't want Bella to be changed. It would have been obvious the moment that she awoke from her transition that she wasn't yout mate, but you could still have been with her. Chosen eachother. Been together. And now... Now Bella is dead, and you've lost her. Forever."
Caius smirked.
"Maestri," Carlisle tried, "I beseech you, please; do not punish my entire family for an error that occurred on my watch. I should have resolved this situation. I accept responsibility."
Edward scowled. "Allowing Bella to live wasn't an error," he growled, "She deserved-"
"She's dead, Edward," Alice shrieked, moving towards him, "Because we left her. She got shot and dumped in a river and we didn't even know because you're too selfish-"
"Alice-" Edward snapped, but Jasper was beside Alice in a blink.
"Say it, boy," the empath growled, "I dare you."
Edward tore at his hair. "None of you understand," he groaned, falling to his knees. "She should have been given immunity from the law. She was pure and good and honest and-"
"And she's dead," Alice hissed again. "Because of you. Because of us. I loved Bella, Edward. I knew her better than you. I saw the box she tried to squeeze herself into to make you happy and it tore her apart. But I wanted you to find love, so I watched her diminish herself for you. And you never appreciated any of it. If I could go back right now I'd take her from school that very first day and change her. And fuck you if you wouldn't do the same, knowing that she would still be alive."
Caius cleared his throat. "Well, not that this isn't all terribly bittersweet and heartwarming to hear..." he rolled his eyes, "The issue remains that the law was broken. Punishment is demanded. Retribution. Atonement. So what do we do with you now?" He glanced across at Aro. "My instincts suggest that we permanently relieve the troubled telepath of this wretched 'existence'... But what of the rest? Do we kill them? The Guard could surely accomodate at least two." He looked up at Athena, and gestured to the women on trial. "Have you need of a companion, my sweet? Choose one. As for the others..." Caius' eyes returned to Aro. "A prolonged stay in the dungeons, perhaps? In pieces?"
Aro - remembering his promise to Bella about the shackles - immediately shook his head. "No, no. Definitely not there. I have... plans, for the dungeons."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Then summon her, brother. Ask her opinion."
Caius' smirk returned. "What an excellent idea, Marcus. I concur."
From Caius' side, Athena nodded eagerly. "Yes, I agree. She should be involved in their judgment."
Aro considered this, and then a slow, sly smile crawled across his face. "Very well."
Italian -
il mia prezioso compagno neonato - my precious newborn mate
mia regina - my queen
Buon pomeriggio, congrega di Cullen - Good afternoon, Cullen coven
Maestri - Masters
Padrone - Master
Grazie, cara - thank you, dear
amore eterno - eternal love
Chapter Text
.
Having made the decision to summon his beloved, infuriating wife, Aro stood, steepling his palms beneath his chin for a long, contemplative moment. He observed the Cullens, their angst, the way they huddled around Edward's wretched crouched form, as if to protect him from his inevitable demise. To Aro's disgust, Tanya and Esme were almost babying him, with the former rubbing Edward's back and Esme holding his face to her shoulder in a comforting maternal embrace.
"Cullens," Aro's eyes narrowed as he recalled their attention to himself. "We intend to call a witness."
Carlisle blinked in surprise. "A witness, Padrone?"
"Yes," Aro replied curtly. "Heidi, a moment."
One of the Guard members stepped from the outer circle and moved across to Aro, bowing as she approached. "Si, Padrone Aro? I am at your disposal."
Aro raised her from her bow with a flick of his forefinger, and seemed to crowd into her personal space. He murmured something to her, his voice inaudible even to the other vampires in the room, and then Aro withdrew.
"At once, Padrone," Heidi bowed shallowly again, and left the room.
Aro turned back to the Cullens and Tanya. "Before the witness... arrives... to give her testimony, a word of warning to you all. You will not interrupt. You will not address the lady at any point without asking permission from me first. You will not raise your voice in her presence. You will not even look at her in a way that displeases me. Better still, perhaps do not look at her at all, lest you incur my wrath." By the end of this little speech, Aro already appeared inexplicably furious, and the Cullens were bewildered at his swift change in demeanor. "And should any of you raise so much as an eyebrow in her direction, I assure you... I will have your heads."
Laurent whimpered quietly from his position, and Aro's eyes snapped over to him, and the Volturi Master offered him a cruel smirk. "Ah, my French friend - I had quite forgotten about you."
Laurent began to plead. "Padrone Aro, sir, please, I did not mean to offend-"
"Hush now," Aro crooned at him reassuringly, "All in good time, Signore. We have an eternity, after all. Well," he mused as an afterthought, "Some of us do."
"Aro," Marcus said from behind him, and Aro spun on his heel.
"Brother," he responded pleasantly, "Are you well?"
Marcus pursed his lips, smothering a smile as he vaguely gestured to his head. "Has the music... stopped?"
Aro huffed a relieved breath. "Yes, at long last. She continues to ignore me, however."
The door to the throne room banged open, and Aro twisted sharply, seeing Heidi's alarmed expression and immediately stiffening. "What is it?"
"Forgive me, Padrone," Heidi managed, flustered, "But the... lady, she was not in her quarters, Padrone."
"What?" Aro's eyes darkened to a terrifying, flat black as he quickly considered the possible reasons for Bella's... absconding? Her... delay? Distraction?
Could she have merely ventured outside for some fresh air? Perhaps sought out another drink? Gone to the library and lost track of time with her head in a book?
Surely he hadn't bothered her that much with his suggestion of the crown that she'd... left?
Could Victoria have gotten to her again? Even here, within the Palazzo?
His mind was spinning, panic rising in him like a wave at the mere suggestion of her being taken from him so swiftly, less than two full days into their marriage.
He pressed a hand to his temple, briefly closing his eyes as he called out to Bella through their link, and shook his head as he recieved nothing in reply.
From his position amongst his family, Edward gasped - a strangled, frightened sound. "Your thoughts... Everyone's thoughts... they're gone. You're all gone... I don't understand..." he clutched his head, squeezing his eyes closed, "So quiet," he let out a sigh, getting to appreciate the sensation of true mental silence whilst in the company of his family for the first time in decades.
A frisson of awareness ran through Aro at this. Surely only Bella had the ability to prevent Edward from reading the thoughts of his family, but he knew that Bella needed to make visual contact with a person before she could add them to her shield. Had she somehow found a workaround of this visual aspect? Managing to shield the Cullens and isolate Edward without even needi-
And then, at the very back of the throne room, in the centre of the circle of cloaked guards - in a position that was directly opposite Aro's throne - a lone, also-cloaked figure stepped decisively out from the assembly. Every head snapped in their direction, aghast and apprehensive at this unprecedented display of divergence against the norm, and Aro's eyes narrowed at the egregious conduct.
The cloaked figure advanced across the space, cutting through the gaggle of Cullens with ease, sidestepping each person in their path. They reached the base of the dias, and Aro was before them in an instant, his expression an interesting mixture of rage, confusion and curiosity.
A hand extended from beneath the heavy folds of the cloak and familiar beringed fingers unclasped the cloak pin, and the fabric fell, pooling at her feet.
"There's no fucking way..." Emmett breathed from behind her, but Bella did not turn.
She merely stared up at Aro, her face carefully blank, yet her eyes sparkled with challenge and mischief.
Aro gazed back at her, frozen. The entire throne room was poised on the edge of their metaphorical seats. He blinked, his lips twitching upwards in the corners as his eyes travelled over her form.
"Isabella," he said at last, "You are here already, it seems. What an unexpected surprise."
Bella raised an eyebrow. He leaned into her space, touching his lips politely to both of her cheeks in greeting, and before he pulled away, she whispered to him in a voice that was so low he had to strain to catch it, "Was that dramatic enough for you, husband?"
Aro chuckled: her words, her majestic unveiling, her sneaking in in the first place...
He extended a hand to her, guiding her up the steps until they stood together on the dais.
He studied her, then, absorbing every facet of her appearance. She was wearing a short, figure hugging, plum-coloured pencil dress that nipped in to cling at her slender waist, with a low cut, square neckline that pressed deliciously against the upper swell of her breasts, and elegant cap sleeves. She was magnificent, curvaceous and lean and Gods did he want to peel away her dress and reacquaint himself with those glorious curves, to reassure himself that she was truly here, fine and well, after his moment of terror when he'd thought her missing.
The delicate gold chain of her Volturi crest was visible, but the crest itself was hidden beneath her dress, cushioned within her cleavage. She'd applied the lightest of makeup; a dusting of something on her cheeks, a sweep of mascara to her upper lashes, and the tiniest of licks of eyeliner to her upper waterline, with a small flick in the outer corners of her eyes. Her lips - Gods, Aro could write sonnets about her lips - were a luscious red, appearing stained rather than painted as Athena's were, making Bella look as if she was very freshly fed. She'd worn the ruby earrings that he'd gifted her with, and her hair was immaculately styled, in voluminous come-hither curls. It tumbled across her shoulders in a decadent waterfall of colour and texture, reaching to the small of her waist. Her hair arranged as it was, Aro could picture Bella nude, with only her hair to hide her breasts; a work of art, a brunette Botticelli's Venus. She was a siren, luring to him into the depths of temptation with the promising song of her heavenly form.
And - whilst she (of course) wasn't wearing a crown, as he'd originally asked - she was wearing a rather lovely little headband: a thin, gold circlet that crossed her head from ear to ear, opulently embellished with a uniform row of altenating rubies and golden topazes. Aro's lips twitched as he noted the accessory, enormously appreciating her gesture of compromise: it was subtle enough to pass as just a headband, but it did technically 'crown' her curls.
She eyed him knowingly, feeling his desire rising in her mind and seeing it in his penetrating stare as he absorbed her outfit.
Bella's dress cut high on her thighs, shorter than almost anything that she'd previously worn, and he knew that if the hem was just half of an inch higher, he'd be able to see the first ever claiming mark that'd he'd given her.
Her legs were covered in translucent nylon, and disappeared into knee-high black boots, made from butter-soft leather with a tall heel. Oddly, there was a claw-clip attached to the top of one of her boots, as if she'd hooked it there as an afterthought, perhaps with the intention to use it at a later moment.
And then Aro remembered - remembered what she'd told him on their wedding night, about her outwardly innocent 'librarian get-up'... and he remembered exactly what she'd described wearing beneath.
That night, she'd rasped into his ear, "But underneath... I'm wearing a leather corset with lace edging, a tiny lace thong, garter belt, suspenders and stockings."
His eyes narrowed on her with laser focus, and Bella smiled, predatory and seductive. And then an image appeared in his mind's eye, pushed there by the impish woman in front of him: the memory of her backside in their bedroom mirror. The lace edgings of her stockings, held up by thin leather suspenders. A tiny black thong, the delicate lace stark against her pearly skin. And it was here that Aro's enjoyment ended... But also exploded. Because there, along the waistband, just above the curve of her cheeks in indisputable, unmistakable gold-rimmed diamond letters, were the words "ᴘʀᴏᴘᴇʀᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴀʀᴏ".
Aro pressed his eyes closed, swallowing thickly against the rising demand to take her very delightfully to task over this thrillingly-wanton, merciless torment, his cock immediately standing to attention in his trousers. He sucked in a breath through gritted teeth, steeling himself to see the arousal he knew would be in her eyes.
Because of course she knew what this would do to him.
Of course she knew to play on his possessiveness, his blantant need for all to know that they belonged to each other. And this need wasn't something that went one way - Bella was just as eager to stake her claim on her husband, to make sure that people knew that Aro was hers, and only hers.
It was exactly why he'd worn her pin on his lapel, and it was why she'd adorned her ass with his name.
And she thoroughly enjoyed being able to affect him in this way, in having the singular ability of bringing a man as powerful and as wordly as Aro to his knees, a fact that he was very well aware of. Even more delicious was the fact that Aro knew, that somewhere deep inside of his beautiful, perfect little wife, there lurked a darkness and a hunger for power that he loved to engage.
His Isabella was cunning and clever and devious. She might cover it with humor and snark and sarcasm, might temporarily try to feign innocence when he coaxed that part of her out to play, but that part existed, and Aro knew that with him by her side it would only grow stronger, become darker as time passed. She loved to feel desired, revelled his craving for her, basked in his sheer and overwhelming need to satisfy and cherish and protect her.
Apparently, it was wicked and alluring Bella that had graced his throne room today. And Aro did not know whether to rejoice or worry, because in this mood, she could be just as unpredictable as he was. If not worse, given the oft-overpowering Newborn urges and hormonally-driven spontaneity. It was potentially a recipe for disaster, with Bella's whims threatening to consume them all and leave nought but rubble and ash behind.
Well...
At least he could fuck her - absolutely would fuck her - in the wreckage, afterwards.
Caius cleared his throat. "Brother?"
Aro blinked, having momentarily gotten lost in his thoughts. He smiled, sweet and saccharine. "Forgive me. A momentary lapse in my attention."
"I'm sure," Caius muttered, hiding a smirk.
Bella glanced across at the Cullens, more as an afterthought, and all of them - bar Edward, who was still freaking out over 'losing' his ability - were staring at her as if they'd seen a ghost.
No, it would be more accurate to say that they were staring at her with such horror that it was as if they'd watched her viscerally scramble her way out of a long-settled grave like a zombie, like she'd literally risen from the dead right in front of them.
Alice opened her mouth to speak, wide eyed, with joy and relief quickly overcoming her shock, but Aro stepped into Bella's eyeline, gently holding her elbow.
"Come, cara mia," Aro said to Bella, "Sit."
Bella raised an eyebrow, but allowed him to ease her over to his empty throne, wherein he all but pushed her down to sit. Athena adjusted her own position, moving to stand between Caius and Bella, and Bella offered her a quick smile of gratitude for the blonde woman's gesture of moral support.
Carlisle, in particular, was wide-eyed at where Aro had settled Bella. He'd always known Aro to be exceptionally precious about his throne, possessive, even. It was very literally the seat of his power. So the fact that he'd so easily placed Bella there... It set off alarm bells for Carlisle. A lot of alarm bells.
"Now then," Aro tucked his hands behind him, "Shall we proceed?" He didn't wait for an answer, turning to Bella with contemplative eyes. "Isabella, would you care to tell us-"
"Bella?!" Edward had finally noticed her presence, his voice bordering on maniacal worship, "Oh my God, Bella, you're... alive?! Bella, my perfect, beautiful Bella, you're here, you're alive! My Bella..."
Bella snorted. "...No."
"But... you are alive," Edward approached the dais, his tortured gaze locked on the woman sitting primly in Aro's throne, hands clasped in her lap, legs crossed at the ankle and tucked elegantly to the side.
"I am alive," Bella said, raising an eyebrow, "But I'm definitely not yours."
Edward frowned, perplexed, "What do you mean, you're not mine? You're my mate. We are... each other's. We belong together, Bella; we're soul mates. God, I've missed you so much-"
Aro ever so slightly jerked his head, and Felix was on Edward immediately, sending the smaller vampire crashing to his knees, the marble flooring fracturing under the sudden force.
"What the hell are you-" Edward's voice was cut off by Felix's knee landing between his shoulders, shoving Edward face down into the steps.
"Ah, Edward," Aro chided, benevolent and reasonable as ever. "So impulsive. Were you, or were you not, explicitly instructed that you were not to address the lady without first securing my approval?" He almost sounded fond in his reprimand, indulgent even, and yet the edge in his voice spoke of a hidden danger - a vicious, deadly riptide within gentle waves.
Unable to verbally respond, Edward choked on the floor, where Felix's enormous calf was pressing against his cheek.
"Padrone Aro, please," Carlisle moved cautiously towards Felix, "I am truly sorry for my son's disobedience. I am sure that he just... forgot himself, in the face of such a welcome surprise. Please, Padrone, allow me to see to him."
Aro hummed in response, displeased. He glanced to Bella, consoling himself with the visual assurance of her welfare - emotional and physical.
"Aro, I'm fine," Bella soothed him quietly, touching a gentle hand to his arm. Then she sighed, already drained by the interaction. "Felix. Let him up."
When Felix immediately retreated at her instruction, Carlisle looked sharply to Bella, who gave him a benign, hollow smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Hi, Carlisle. Good to see you."
"Hello, Bella," Carlisle replied, uneasy, gripping a hand onto Edward's shoulder and yanking him roughly away from the dais. "It's good to see you, too. You look well."
"I am, thanks," she murmured, though her attention was caught by Aro, who now stood immovable by her side.
"Uh, Master Aro, Padrone, sir," Emmett tried, "Can I, uh, can I talk to Bella?"
Bella bit the inside of her lip at Emmett's obvious nerves.
Aro glanced back at Bella. "Is this agreeable to you, precious?"
"Yeah, it's okay," Bella nodded, and Aro gestured for Emmett to come forwards, halting him with a single finger as the large vampire reached the bottom of the dais steps.
"You may speak," Aro informed him.
"Hey Bella," Emmett attempted to sound enthusiastic, "Uh... What happened to you? We thought you were dead..." he grimaced at the memory, "There were all these articles about you disappearing on your way home from work, and they found this body, and your dad posted on Facebook..."
"Obviously," Edward growled from beside Carlisle, before Bella could even respond. "The Volturi took her and staged her death. Didn't you?!"
There was a resounding chorus of defensive hisses and snarls from around the room, the Guard clearly rankled and summarily offended at this accusation against their coven.
"Dumb motherfucker is going to get us all killed for sure," Rosalie grumbled, shifting with unease as the Guard continued to vocalise their ire.
"Rose," Esme chided her softly, "That doesn't help."
"You did, didn't you?!" Edward continued to insist, enraged, "You're the ones responsible for her being... what she is. You turned her into a monster out of your own ambition and greed... because you wanted her gift. The Volturi are the ones who did this to you, aren't they Bella?"
Marcus tutted and rolled his eyes. Athena scoffed.
Caius laughed aloud at his idiotic presumption, an unsettling noise that brought Edward up short.
"Surely you cannot truly believe that, Edward," Caius chortled, "That we, the ruling members of vampire kind, should trouble ourselves so much, over the life of one insignificant human? Had we wanted the girl dead then we would have just killed her," he scoffed at the thought, "Not planted a body to be found. And had we wished to retrieve her for our coven, we would have simply taken her."
Without the support of his gift, Edward was floundering beneath Caius' logic.
The immortal teenager stuttered, "Well... How else do you explain-"
Bella held up a hand to stop him. "The Volturi saved me, Edward. I was dying and they saved me. Right now, that's all you need to know."
"How long have you been here, Bella?" Carlisle asked her gently, clearly trying to diffuse the situation even as he warily eyed Aro's tense posture beside the woman in his throne.
"Isabella arrived here in Italy, still very much human, on the 12th of July," Aro answered for her, gazing across at Bella intently, remembering the day he'd bitten her. Remembering the injuries she'd endured, the trauma of her kidnap.
He shifted closer to her, and ran a hand carefully through her curls, unable to resist the tactile comfort. She inclined her head into his touch, and they shared a small, intimate smile.
"Which circles back nicely to the issue at hand," Caius interjected in a firm, no-nonsense tone. "Isabella was still human at the age of twenty four. She should have been changed or killed years ago to uphold the law and adhere to our instructions. We have established and proved that a crime was committed, though we have yet to agree on the consequences for such outright defiance."
Edward's eyes settled on Bella again, and he noticed the subtle changes in her. Aside from her crimson irises and pale skin, she did look noticeably older, more mature than when he'd seen her last. She had visibly aged beyond his teenage appearance, not by much, but enough that their age difference would be noticeable should they stand side by side, and he felt no small amount of triumph that she had been able to live those six extra years as a human. If anything that made her even more appealling, though he still would rather have been reunited with her whilst she'd been a human, and not a vampire.
But the poor-quality photographs in the newspapers hadn't done justice to the clear differences in her, though the change had certainly perfected what had already been a beautiful face.
She was... ethereal, now, Edward thought dazedly, absorbing just how stunning she truly looked. The roundness of youth had long since left her, leaving her willowy and graceful and.. poised. Not an adjective he'd ever thought to use to describe Bella, given how clumsy and awkward and uncomfortable she'd always seemed in her own body, but looking at her now, it was significantly clear that she'd matured in more ways than one.
The Bella he'd known, for example, would never have dressed in such a blatantly provocative outfit. She'd never have worn a dress that was so low cut or so scandalously short, nor heels, and the fact that she was voluntarily wearing jewellery confused him to no end.
There was something else, too, a quality that he couldn't quite identify. She seemed darker, somehow, and whilst objectively this didn't detract from her obvious visual allure, the mere existence of this darkness unsettled Edward. He was bothered, because he did not know who she had become in his absence, or how or why those changes had occurred.
A low rumble emanated from Aro's chest as Edward continued to blatantly ogle Bella.
"Edward," Jasper's low warning came in his ear, startling him.
He turned to look at the empath and raised his eyebrows expectantly. "What?"
"You're seriously pissing Aro off," Jasper murmured lowly, "You gotta stop looking at Bella like that, man. I don't know what's happened between them whilst she's been here but he's obviously protective of her."
Edward shook Jasper off with confused irritation, but his gaze did not return to Bella. Instead, he turned his attention to Caius, clearly meaning to address him, and Athenadora's keen eyes centred on Edward immediately. Sensing his mate's ire, Caius tugged Athena to sit on the arm of his throne, placing a calming hand on her knee and rubbing circles into her skin with his thumb. Then Caius looked to Edward, and gestured for him to speak.
"Bella would never have told anyone about us," Edward began, "And she's a... She's a vampire now," he struggled to even verbalise her transition, "So I'm failing to see the issue here. We should be able to leave freely, and Bella will come with us, of course. We'll take care of her. Teach her. She doesn't need to be here anymore, she has a real family-"
Caius scoffed at this. "Isabella's transformation came far too late to absolve your coven of anything," he said scathingly, but before he could go on, Bella interrupted.
"And how do you know that, Edward?"
Edward blinked at her. "How do I know what?"
Bella sat back properly into Aro's throne, comfortably taking up the seat as if it was her own, her hands landing on the armrest. "How do you know that I never told anyone?"
(Alice's eyes zeroed in on Bella's left hand, on the rings adorning that finger, and she stifled a gasp as things clicked into place.)
There was a long moment of tense, still silence as Bella's question hung in the air. She'd spoken in such an even, reasonable tone, with such an evident challenge in her words that even Caius glanced at her in concern, the potential of her having exposed their secret now a very real possibility.
Edward hesitated, considering her as she stared stoically back at him. "You didn't," he denied, though it was obvious that his earlier certainty was now wavering, "You wouldn't have."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "And you know that... how, exactly?"
"Because I know you," Edward replied, flinching when Bella scoffed.
"No, you don't. You don't know me at all." She paused, allowing this to sink in, and then she smiled, knowing her next words were going to cause absolute chaos. "Actually Edward, I almost wrote a book about it."
Only Aro remained calm. He trusted her implicitly, with his very life, and he knew that she would have told him long ago if she'd actually done anything that could be considered 'illegal' or would have genuinely risked their secret. Still, he could understand the resulting dramatics.
The immediate cacophony of raised voices was almost deafening, as Caius began to shout at the Cullens for their stupidity in leaving her alive and the Cullens began to shout at one another.
Edward was blamed for the ultimatum he'd given them after they'd returned from Italy. Alice was blamed for the prophecy/promise that she'd given to the Volturi to change Bella herself. Edward was blamed for seeking death at the hands of the Volturi. Alice was blamed for telling Edward of Bella's death. Bella was blamed for recreationally jumping from a cliff. Jasper was blamed for the birthday incident which had been the catalyst for them having to leave in the first place.
Carlisle was blamed for allowing Edward to remove James' venom from Bella's system in Phoenix and preventing her transition. Edward was blamed for falling for a human. Bella was blamed for daring to figure out their secret. Carlisle was blamed for permitting Edward to ever return from Alaska after Edward and Bella had first crossed paths.
Edward was blamed again for not just killing Bella the day that'd he'd realised how much he craved her blood. Bella was blamed for moving to Forks. Carlisle was blamed for changing Edward into a vampire. And on and on it went, round in endless circles of pointed fingers and accusatory glares.
The Guard began to protest at the ongoing shouting and edged closer to the golden-eyed vampires, tightening their circle around them as they prepared to quell the discord.
"Silence," Aro's stern, authoritative tone sliced cleanly through the noise, a sharpened blade ready to be used. He was staring intently at Bella, amused at what she'd incited, and chuckled. "I do believe the lady said that she almost wrote a book," he pointed out blithely. "Nonetheless, you do make an excellent point, Isabella. Please - expand, and perhaps demonstrate to young Edward here just how serious this situation currently is."
Bella nodded serenely. "Yes, Master," her eyes twinkled up at him as she adjusted her position in the throne, and Aro's gaze instantly found her legs, no doubt searching for the tiniest hint of a lace stocking as she shifted. His eyes found hers again - his, bemused and unapologetic with barely leashed desire; and hers, teasing, knowing, needy - and he nodded, indicating for her to go on.
"Well," she began, "I have a friend from school who works in publishing, someone I did my undergrad with at NYU. She knew from day one that she wanted to work in publishing, to bring people's work to life. Her name was next to mine in roll call, so we got paired together on a few creative writing workshops. We got to know each other pretty well." Bella paused, noticing that every single eye was on her. And Aro was once again toying with her hair. She went on, "One night we were talking, doing a little underage drinking, throwing around some ideas for a project, and she asked me if I'd ever considered writing professionally. I said no, and I meant it. But I'd had a few beers, and I told her about an idea I'd had for a story, about a girl who falls in love with a guy, and then finds out the day before their wedding that he's a vampire. She assumed that I was talking about the stereotypical kind of vampire, with the pointy teeth, and I didn't correct her. She loved the concept. But I never wrote it. Never even made so much as a note about it."
Aro chuckled beside her, thoroughly enjoying the tension that Bella was creating as her melodic voice continued to hold everybody's attention. She was a natural at effortlessly commanding a room, he thought, truly born to be a Queen.
"We didn't have any classes together after our freshman year, our intended careers were too different. Anyway, when I turned 23, I went out for drinks to celebrate, and I bumped into her at a bar. She'd just gotten an entry level position at a publishing house, and said they were always looking for fresh new authors. She asked me again if I'd written that vampire story, because she thought it'd be a huge hit in the erotic fiction genre, especially with the supernatural element. I told her that I didn't want to write new things, I wanted to protect what already existed; I was already in love with the idea of curating and I'd just applied at the library. But she gave me her card, and swore that if I ever wrote it, she'd put my work in front of the right editors, and do her best to push it through to be published. I kept that card in my purse right up until the day I left New York, because you never know when you might want to try something new, right? It was never something I seriously considered, I just liked the potential - the possibilities - that that card represented."
Another pensive silence hung in the air.
"So no, Edward," Bella finished, "I didn't tell anyone. But... I had the contacts, and with the right descriptives about your kind of vampire, I could have easily told everyone. And what was stopping me? Loyalty to you guys?" She snorted, "Oh wait, no. That loyalty died the day you all left me, again. I forgave you for leaving that first time. I understood that. I even came all the way here to stop you from killing yourself, knowing that I'd be signing my own death warrant in the process. But I did it anyway. Not just for you, Edward... but for Alice, and Emmett, and Esme, and Jasper, and Carlisle and basically everybody else who had ever cared about you." Bella shook her head, "And then we came back from Italy, and you took away my only chance to live in peace. And to find out that you made that ultimatum because you couldn't bear having another vampire taste my blood?"
Edward cringed, and Bella ranted on, "Oh yeah, Edward, I heard everything. I walked into this room when you did - I was here the whole time. You having sole knowledge of the taste of my blood mattered to you more than anything else. You couldn't handle even Carlisle tasting my blood - your own maker, your father, for God's sake - even if it was just to change me. That's pathetic. You decided that gatekeeping the taste of my blood was more important than me being able to live. Do you not realise how fucking spiteful and selfish that is? I spent six years building a life, a career, and the whole time I was constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because of you."
Bella stood, and Aro moved with her, a protective shadow; close enough to defend her, to comfort her, to kiss her should she so desire, but allowing her enough space to freely express herself without him suffocating her in the process.
"And, not that you bothered to ask my opinion - as usual - but as for me leaving here with you? Being taught by you?" She grinned, entertained by the mere thought. "What could any of you possibly have to teach me? I have great control. I'm seven weeks into immortality and I can already be around humans without losing my mind or killing a bunch of them - something I'm really freaking proud of. I have an amazing life, in a place where people accept me for me. I have nothing to learn from you. It took me long enough to unpack all of that trauma the first time around. So thanks but no thanks. I'm perfectly happy exactly where I am, with the Volturi. This is where I belong."
Aro tenderly took Bella's hand, and Edward drew back, shocked at their overt familiarity with one another. "Bella," his voice was strangled, "What are you doing? Are you... friends with him?"
"Aro saved my life, Edward," she said, nonplussed, "And who I'm with is none of your goddamn business." Bella hardened, straightening and staring down at him as Edward fumed in front of her. "Remember, I was here the entire time, I heard everything. But you didn't notice because you were too busy losing your shit over not hearing what everybody was thinking. You're welcome, by the way-"
"Wait," Edward held up his hands, flabbergasted by this confession. "You're the one blocking me?! But... how?!"
She smiled coldly. "Yup. Turns out, I'm a shield. Pretty cool, right?" She jerked her head towards Eleazar, who was still in his position. "Eleazar helped me to figure out how to control it a couple of weeks ago and it's effortless at this point."
(At this point, Rosalie connected the dots: her previous conversation with Kate about the initial reason behind Eleazar and Carmen's trip to Volterra. They'd made the journey at Caius' behest, specifically so that Eleazar could assess Aro's mate, a 'gifted Newborn'. Rosalie's eyes went wide and she looked across to Kate, seeking confirmation, and Kate met her gaze, offering her a single nod in response.
"Holy fucking shit," Rosalie breathed, more worried than ever about her coven's fate given Bella's connection with Aro.)
Oblivious to Rosalie's turmoil, given the absence of her thoughts in his mind, Edward's mouth fell open at the notion of Bella's shield. "But... Even at the clock tower, I couldn't hear the guards. How-"
"I have a range of about two miles," Bella replied nonchalantly. "It's a whole visualisation thing. Whatever, I'm not talking about the boat right now."
As Edward processed this, Bella returned to her previous point. "What you said, about being tempted by my blood... Are you really so delusional that you think I'd have wanted you to kill me? Once upon a time I was infatuated with you, I would have done anything to be with you... Why the fuck would I have wanted my boyfriend to kill me?! Are you insane?!"
"Isabella," Aro murmured, concerned by the increasing pitch and volume of her voice. He squeezed her hand, "Would you like a moment?"
She turned towards him, taking a deep, calming breath of his scent, and shook her head. "No. No, I'm good. It's the Newborn thing. I get... swept up, you know?"
Aro nodded, raising her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I do," he said, and though he verbally accepted her explanation, his awareness of her mounting unease remained evident in his eyes.
Bella twisted back to the direction of the Cullens with a frown on her face. "You left me - you all left me - knowing that I was going to die eventually without the change. So everything that happens to you - to your coven - is of your own doing. I'm done playing along with this bullshit victim mentality."
Edward struggled with this. "Do you really hate me this much? Is this your revenge on me, Bella? For breaking your heart? For leaving you?"
Bella tilted her head, considering the obtuse, eternal teenager before her. "Hate you?" She asked him curiously, "No, Edward. I don't hate you. I am indifferent to you. You are who you are. I realised a long time ago that I needed more from life - more from love - than you could ever have offered me. You never would have been enough. And that's not entirely your fault. In my eyes you're practically an immortal child, incapable of emotionally maturing past the age that you were turned. And that's not Carlisle's fault either. He really believed that he was saving you, and it's sad that you've never been able to appreciate the gift that you were given. You've spent so long convinced that you're a tortured, soulless, unlovable monster that you've managed to actualise your own self-fulfilling prophecy. You believed and so you became. I don't hate you: I don't feel anything for you, except for a resigned sort of pity that someone with so many opportunities has been so determined to waste them all. You're a martyr to your own tragic circumstances. You did that, Edward. And none of this it has anything to do with you breaking my heart. We only knew eachother for eight months, spent six of them as a couple, and you spent the entire time preaching to me about how awful you were. It was exhausting. Alice was right, before, about my diminishing myself to please you. Honestly, you did me a favour when you ended things after my birthday, as hard as it was at the time. I'd become unhealthily attached to you, to your whole family, really, and it felt like I went through a drug withdrawal when you left. Before you guys, I'd never experienced what it was like to have a real family, not with my mom being like she was. And as much as my dad tried, as much as I know my dad loved me, he wasn't exactly emotionally available. So me losing your family... that's what hurt the most."
Edward valiantly shook his head. "Bella, please. I love you. I miss you. You can still be in our family, you can still be a Cullen. You and me... We can be together now. We could even stay here, for a while, if that's what you want. I mean, I'd rather we didn't, but as long as we're together-"
"What are you not understanding?" Bella huffed in frustration. "I don't want to be with you. Ever again. I don't want to be a Cullen. Your coven left me. You left me. Twice. When we were together... I became a version of myself that was smaller, quieter, determined to fit into the tiny role that you'd set out for me. And when you left... Yeah, I struggled for a while. But I survived. I grew. I matured. I saw you and our relationship for what it was - toxic. Eventually, I learned to live when you left me to die. The Volturi are my family now. Aro is my family, and Caius and Athena and Marcus and-" she managed to stop herself before she said Didyme's name.
And then Bella let out a secretive little peal of laughter, about to hammer another nail into the Cullens' metaphorical coffin. "Do you know what's funny, though?"
Edward blinked and opened his mouth to respond, but Bella continued on, not allowing him to answer.
"If I had decided to write that book, or if I'd chosen to expose the vampire race to the rest of humanity, I wouldn't have been able to point anyone in the direction of the Cullens. Other than Ithaca, six years ago, I didn't know where you guys were - your family would have been relatively safe, with your fake names and constant moving around." Bella shot a glance towards Aro, well aware of the impact of her next words, something she'd never explicitly pointed out to him. "But you know what I did know? The exact location of the Volturi Palazzo. The vampire mothership. I knew how to get in. I knew the names of Aro and his brothers. I knew enough to paint a pretty detailed picture. Luckily enough for all of us, since the Volturi saved my life and everything, I didn't get all bitter and jealous and obsessed with revenge. I moved on. I moved past you. But... I had the knowledge. I knew where your rulers lived. I knew that fire was the best weapon to use against a vampire. I knew plenty. So do you see now, Edward? Do you see what you could have caused by leaving me behind? You know what they say about scorned women."
Caius' face morphed into a terrifying, furious snarl at the very thought of what Bella had described. Because he recognised that she was right. Not only did human-Bella know about vampires, she had known exactly where to find the most powerful coven in the world, and had possessed information that could have lead to the Volturi being destroyed. The ramifications would have been... catastrophic. Cataclysmic.
Once again ignoring the words that he did not want to hear, Edward stood firm. "I left because I was protecting you, Bella. Protecting you from yourself. Protecting you from me, from this life. Protecting you from everything."
"Yeah," Bella sighed, disinterested in this old argument, "I heard. I'm sure you actually believe that, too. It's just like you to be so selfish and controlling when you think you're helping. You can tell yourself whatever you need to, but it didn't work. Victoria caught up with me, in New York. On Friday the 11th July, she managed to kidnap me. She drugged me, flew me to Italy, beat me almost to death hoping that the Volturi would either kill me or let me die, and dumped me outside of the Palazzo like a bag of trash. She brought me here to create this entire situation for your coven. She just didn't realise that Aro would save me before I could die."
Edward made a noise of disgust and glared at Aro. "Of course it would have been you who changed her and damned her soul." He growled at the very thought. "You bit her. You took her blood-"
"Uh, Edward," Jasper interjected, now entirely certain of the reality of Bella and Aro's relationship, "I really wouldn't poke at that bear if I were you."
Aro adjusted his stance and opened his mouth to reply, but Bella's movements made him pause as she reached for the clip she'd attached to her boot. Calmly, she drew back the mass of her hair, twisting it into a knot and pinning it up at the back of her head, revealing the multitude of scars along the length her neck.
"And why wouldn't he change me, Edward?" She raised an eyebrow, provocative and shrewd. "I was dying right in front of him and he wanted to save me. He wanted to keep me. Of course he changed me. And he changed me because I specifically asked him to. Because I wanted him to. I wanted it to be his venom. There is no-one else in the world that I would rather have been changed by than Aro. No-one else I would ever want to bite me, past present and future."
Edward gaped at the sight of her neck. "No," he breathed, horrified as he (incorrectly) absorbed her meaning, "You're his girlfriend?!"
"My girlfriend?" Aro sneered the word, swiftly losing his remaining patience with the young telepath, "Isabella is not my girlfriend, you infantile fool. Isabella is my mate, my wife; my gravitational pull, my oracle."
"That's not possible," Edward whispered, wide eyed, frozen between baffled and furious and devastated. "No! You're wrong! ... Bella is my mate. You can't keep us apart. I won't let you keep us apart. I love her... And away from your influence, I know she'll love me too." His face twisted into a scowl. "Wait... You said that she's your... wife? Bella, you married him?!" He roared this, clutching at his hair, agonized by this apparent betrayal. "No... No no no. Bella, tell me this isn't true. Tell me that he's lying. You can't be... married. Not to him... He's the worst example of our kind, Bella. He has no respect for human life, no compassion... There's no love in him at all. He's using you for your gift. He has to be using you. Please, Bella," he whispered again, "Tell me you didn't marry him."
Bella's eyes narrowed and she cocked her head, her lips lifting into a cool smirk. "Of course I married him," she confirmed, her tone almost goading. "Aro is my mate. He saved my life when he changed me and I'll forever be grateful for that, but there were feelings there for years before we met again. I fell for him the first time I saw him, I just hadn't realised it yet." She frowned then. "How dare you say that there is no love in him. I see his love - I feel that love - every moment of every day. Our connection is deeper than you could ever imagine. You don't know anything about me, or about Aro or about our relationship. So shut up with your stupid assumptions, before I let him kill you. Before I ask him to kill you."
Aro stared across at her as if she was the most incredible sight he'd ever seen. His gaze was an inferno of emotions; appreciative and loving and lustful, possessive and worshiping and awed.
"But... He's too old for you," Edward tried to furiously insist.
Bella scoffed. "I'm sorry, Mr 104-year old vampire, have you crept into any other underage girl's bedroom recently? Lurked in the corner and watched them sleep, without their knowledge or consent? You were a literal predator, hovering over me whilst I was defenceless and unconscious. And you wondered why I had nightmares... You know, I found that bizarrely romantic when I was seventeen. As an adult, let me tell you, that shit was beyond creepy."
"Bella, don't be like this," Edward was begging, now, desperate. "This isn't you. The cursing, the... biting," his lip curled back at the marks on Aro's neck, seeing them entirely differently now that he knew they were created by Bella. "He's changed you, manipulated you, turned you against all of us. Can't you see? He's keeping you prisoner here."
Bella smiled and wrinkled her nose, shaking her head condescendingly at his ridiculous, persistent obtuseness. "I'm not his prisoner, Edward. I'm his Queen."
Aro, who had been entirely absorbed and entranced by his wife, did not see Edward move.
But Bella did, and she accurately interpreted the direction of his leap. He was diving for Aro. She was off of the dais in a blink, Edward's throat in her crushingly-strong Newborn grip, and she slammed him down into the marble floor.
"Don't you fucking dare," she hissed down at him. "The only person who gets to attack Aro is me."
He tried to throw her off, his hand scrabbling at her wrists, but she was too strong. Her vampiric youth, her traditional diet, her rage - she was inescapable. His neck began to crack under her grip, the metallic keening sound of his slow decapitation echoing in the otherwise silent throne room.
"Aro," Edward choked out, dazed as his skin continued to fracture, "I challenge you. I challenge you for the right to claim Bella."
Bella growled at his audacity, increasing her pressure and gripping a hand into Edward's hair, intending to twist off his head, but then Aro's smooth, commanding voice rang out behind her. She froze, looking up at her husband in horror as he spoke.
"I accept."
Italian-
Padrone - Master
il mio amato re - my beloved king
cara mia - my dear
Chapter Text
.
"... Aro, no," Bella gasped, furious and horrified by his acceptance. She was by his side in an instant, Edward discarded and forgotten behind her. "I won't let you do this," she ground out, "I'm not a prize to be won. I'm not an object... I can kick his ass myself, I don't need you to-"
He placed gentle, understanding hands on her upper arms, soothing her with his touch. "Of course you are not an object, my love," he murmured, and she could feel thar he meant it, which strangely did not help, "I would never dare to make such a comparison." He eyed her carefully, as if she was fragile in his grip; a grenade with a pulled pin, waiting to be thrown. "...But I cannot refuse the boy's challenge. I will not."
Bella growled in frustration, tugging an arm free. "Why not?" She demanded, "I don't accept this, Aro."
"It is not your place to deny," he corrected her, tender but firm. "It is a matter of honour. In fighting for you, in fighting to keep you, I defend your autonomy, I defend your choices."
She raised an eyebrow, wanting more from him than that.
"You claimed me in turn," Aro told Bella softly, pulling her against him. "If I allow the boy's challenge to stand without response... It is unacceptable. I have no choice. It is your claim that I must protect. To leave this unanswered, I would be dishonouring you, amore mia, and in turn dishonouring our bond. For me to refuse would be a demonstration of weakness, and for a man in my position, well... My reputation - the reputation of the Volturi - would be ruined. What kind of ruler would I be if I would not fight battles of my own? It would prove me a hypocrite, and a coward." A dark, menacing smile pulled at Aro's lips. "The boy wishes to meet me alone, and so he will. It is no matter."
"This whole mate claim challenge thing is bullshit," Bella hissed. "Why does he have to bring me into it? Why does he have to bring our marriage into it?! Is he honestly so stupid that he really thinks that this is the right thing to do? Why can't he just fight you normally? Why can't he just be a normal man and throw a punch for fuck's sake?!"
Aro hummed. "I suspect that the Guard would never let him get close enough," he mused, "They're very loyal, despite the boy's obvious misapprehension. He'd be felled by Jane in an instant if he tried to attack me under any other circumstances."
"So Edward did this on purpose," Bella realised aloud, "To force you into fighting him without the Guard."
"Yes," he nodded, "This challenge may outwardly be for you, but the implications go far beyond our relationship. He tests me, yes; my resolve, my love for you... But in doing so, he challenges my very right to lead our coven. The mere implication of my refusal, the slightest hesitation on my part, would suggest that I am unfit to rule. I will not refuse," he repeated, "I could not - could never. Nor would I ever."
Some of Bella's anger eased at his explanation. "It would undermine you," she acknowledged, "If you said no. It would undermine your authority, your leadership." She huffed, frustrated at the situation.
His eyes glowed at her understanding, pleased that she'd grasped his reasoning. "You have nothing to fear, my darling. I will return to you."
"But..." she swallowed, "What if he gets lucky? What if-"
Aro held up a hand, halting her question. He brought her hand to his face, kissing her palm before setting his cheek in her grasp. "Should I fall, then Edward will have won the right to try for your heart. You would be under no obligation to accept his advances. His challenge seeks to eradicate me - and in the unlikely event that he succeeds, he does not automatically win you. Your wishes will be honoured, and your autonomy will remain absolute. Edward will not simply become your mate in my place, he merely aims to remove me to afford himself a chance. Your choices continue to be paramount. You will not, under any circumstances, be handed over to the boy. And you will be protected and welcomed here in Volterra for the rest of your days, with my brothers, with the Guard."
Bella scowled, glaring over Aro's shoulder towards Edward, who was being lambasted by his entire coven for his stupidity. "I'll kill him," Bella swore fiercely, "If he so much as disturbs a hair on your head, I'll kill him."
Aro smirked at her expression, enjoying her wrath despite the ludicrousness of their situation. "Mia bellissima regina. Così fiera, così coraggiosa. Così incredibilmente sanguinario." He stepped towards her, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her tightly against him. He bowed his head into the curve of her neck, dragging his nose slowly along the scarred flesh, inhaling deeply, availing himself of her scent. "You are quite stunning in your fury, my love. A Valkyrie indeed."
"Aro," Caius moved across to Aro and Bella, an arm wound around Athena's waist. Bella was somewhat reassured by Caius' calm, albeit anticipant demeanour. Clearly he had no concerns regarding Aro's success against Edward, and this alone relaxed her.
"Brother?" Aro returned, turning Bella so that her back was against his chest. He settled his chin on her shoulder and tightened his grip on her, pulling her body firmly against his, and then she felt a soft groan rumble in his chest. His mouth found her ear, and she shuddered. "I can feel my name on your flesh, you absolute minx," he rasped. Aro inclined his head to Caius and Athena, clearly inviting them to speak.
"The nerve of that boy," Athena frowned, glancing briefly across at Edward before looking at Bella. "How are you, Isabella?"
"Right now I'm really fucking pissed off," Bella honestly replied, her lips twitching with amusement when Aro sighed behind her at her language. "Who does he think he is, challenging my husband? What's his problem?!"
"A loaded question indeed," Caius snorted, "Never fear, Isabella. Aro is an efficient enough warrior."
Aro scoffed and raised an eyebrow. "Such extensive flattery, Caius. Please, stop, you will make me blush," he deadpanned, smiling in spite of himself when Bella grinned at her husband's dry humour.
"Aro will make short work of the boy," Marcus offered confidently, joining the four. "Truly, Isabella. It is young Edward that should be saying his goodbyes."
"There are things we must now discuss," Aro said to his brothers, "The information gleaned from my perusal of the Denalis, and Signore Laurent. I had hoped to do this in private, alas..." he motioned for the others to come closer. "I will begin with Ms Denali. I have discovered that it was Tanya who initially fed information to Victoria, surrounding Isabella's trip to Volterra and the directives given by us at that time. Given her close relationship with the Cullens, Tanya also knew that they had returned to Ithaca, leaving Isabella for the second time, and thus ignoring our instructions. Last year, when Victoria found Isabella again in New York, it was Tanya who provided monetary support, enabling Victoria to remain in the city. They remained in regular contact throughout. The details I have gained have been quite... enlightening."
"Pair of twisted bitches," Bella snarled, nudging Aro. "I told you there was something off about her!"
Aro chuckled. "Indeed you did, cara mia."
"Why?" Athena asked, "Why would Tanya help-"
"They were lovers," Aro replied quietly, "Tanya and Victoria. Five years ago. Tanya was lonely, and I can only assume that Victoria is an opportunist."
Caius shifted. "How odd. The Denalis have always maintained a familial relationship with the Cullens. Surely Ms Denali would have had other motivations-"
"She was bitter," Aro shrugged, "In this bizarre saga of Isabella's, it was Tanya who played the role of Edward's scorned woman."
"Yeah," Bella nodded along, remembering conversations long past, "Edward told me years ago that Tanya was always trying to... tempt him," she grimaced, "And he was constantly rejecting her."
"Then Tanya definitively knew of Isabella's continued humanity?" Caius pressed, eager to have a definitive crime to pin on her.
"She did," Aro confirmed. "I want her dead," he went on, deceptively calm, "For the role she played in my wife's abduction and torture, however passive or indirect it may have been. I want her in pieces, in a box, until I am in the mood to... deal with her. And after this challenge, if I am not... at liberty... to handle the matter, I would have Isabella be given the privilege." He looked to Marcus. "I would suggest having Chelsea do a little... trimming, within the Denali coven."
Marcus nodded. "As you like. It is done."
Bella grinned. "Aw, you're gonna let me play with Tanya? That's a nice gift."
"I quite agree," Aro smirked. "The issue of Signore Laurent is more complex. Whilst he has not committed a crime, per se, he did threaten to kill Isabella, before she attended Volterra for the first time. His words, his thoughts... He had planned to change her, though that is the extent of what I will say. Suffice to say that I am eager to have him disposed of."
Aro's face hardened at the memories. His own, from the evening of the ball, when he'd taken Laurent's hand. Laurent's; the meadow, and his plans to drink from Bella, his ultimate goal being to change her with the intention to claim her for himself - a way to one-up the long dead James. James had wanted Bella's blood, and so Laurent would have it; James had had Victoria when Laurent had wanted her, and so Laurent would have Bella.
"Clearly. He cannot be allowed to live," Caius said, nonplussed by the lack of an actual crime. "Isabella is a Queen. A threat to her is a threat to the Volturi, irrespective of the timeline."
Aro nodded. "Indeed. I believe a moment or two with Jane and a simple decapitation and burning will suffice for our French comrade. We are not entirely without mercy, after all, and Laurent could not have known of Isabella's future. He was merely hunting, and Isabella was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Objectively, I recognise this. But I still demand satisfaction for his intentions towards my wife."
"Naturally," Caius enthused. "A dismemberment, the use of Jane's ability, a burning. Ah, this is turning out to be such a lovely afternoon. Your potential and unlikely death aside, Aro, of course."
"Of course," Aro rolled his eyes, not offended by Caius in the slightest. He glanced across at Marcus. "Is there need for the Volturi to anticipate a reprisal? From Irina? Signore Laurent is apparently her mate, after all. I do not want to incite yet another vendetta."
Marcus turned to briefly look at Laurent, and shook his head. "It is nothing that Chelsea cannot manage. Their bond is... friable. I cannot be certain, of course, but I would suspect that they are often in conflict, given the appearance of their connection."
"And the Cullens?" Caius asked, "Are we to have a mass execution?"
Aro smirked and shook his head. "Alas, no. Not today, dear brother. I have much grander plans for the Cullens." He altered his stance slightly, angling his and Bella's bodies so that they faced out across the throne room. He cleared his throat and silence fell, and all eyes landed on Aro and the brunette in his arms. "Before we begin, Cullens, I think it necessary to enlighten you to the presence of a traitor in your midst."
The Cullens looked uneasily at eachother, and Tanya froze, knowing what was coming.
"Yes," Aro crooned, "It is disappointing, is it not? To imagine treachery amongst loved ones?" He let the words hang in the air, enjoying the mounting tension. Eventually, his gaze fell onto Tanya and he tsked. "Come now, Ms Denali - did you really think that your involvement in their demise would escape their notice?" Aro sighed sadly. "Yes, dear Carlisle; the architect of your betrayal is Ms Denali herself. She was quite taken with Victoria, you see; she enjoyed the attention, attention she felt she was owed. Along with Victoria, Tanya orchestrated these events, and rather spectacularly. She did not, however, anticipate the nature of my relationship with Isabella: she was rather hoping that Isabella would be dead, and that your coven would be taken to task for your failure to uphold the law. Rest assured, Ms Denali, you will die today. Mostly. Now then," Aro grinned, having disrupted the peace between the Cullens and the Denalis, "Shall we proceed with the challenge?"
"Bella," Edward's voice carried across the room, and she grimaced as she looked across to him.
"Fuck you, Edward," she said.
Edward looked shocked at her words, but his eyes narrowed with displeasure as he took in her embrace with Aro. "I'm going to kill him for you, Bella," Edward told her, shaking Tanya off of his arm with disgust, "I'm going to kill him to win your freedom, to force them to let you go. I'm going to save you."
"I have freedom," Bella hissed back at him. "I am free. My free choice is Aro. I don't want a life without him. I don't need fucking saving, I am happy here, you asshole. If by some miracle you do defeat Aro, I will never accept you. I will never go with you. I will never be a Cullen. If you kill my mate, Edward, I will tear you apart. Slowly. Without a second thought. I told you that I was indifferent to you, right? Well, that indifference is now hate. Revulsion. Fury. I will never, ever forgive you for this. I hope Aro destroys you. And if he doesn't, then I sure fucking will!"
Edward's face fell, and he shook his head. "Bella, please. I love you-"
"And I . Don't . Care!" She shouted back, "It's been six fucking years! I'm in love with someone else! I'm married to someone else. So believe me when I say that I don't love you!"
"You will," Edward seemed unsettlingly sure, "You will love me again, even if it takes a hundred years. You are my mate, Bella Swan, and if I die fighting for you then so be it."
Beside Edward, Jasper was hanging his head, despairing at his brother's words. Rosalie smacked her own forehead in frustration. Emmett had his head in his hands. Carlisle just looked... resigned, prepared for the inevitable death of his first created son. Even Esme was shaking her head in disbelief.
"My name," Bella growled, "Is Isabella Hasapis. Now stop talking to me." She looked back to Aro, who was observing her calmly, and spoke to Caius, Athena and Marcus without taking her eyes off of her mate. "Can I have a minute with Aro, please?"
It was Athena who replied. "Of course, of course. Join us when you are ready." The three royals retreated to the thrones, and Caius pulled Athena down on his lap.
"Aro," Bella felt her eyes fill with venom, "Please don't lose this fight. Please come back to me. You have to come back to me so that I can kick your ass for fighting in the first place. We haven't had nearly enough time together..."
Aro was in front of her in a blink, wrapping her in his arms and tucking her head beneath his chin. "I am going nowhere, precious girl. The boy has overstepped and shall be resoundingly corrected. Believe me when I say that he will pay for this transgression with his life."
"Aro," Bella breathed, "Kiss me. Please, mio regino."
He caught her lips in an instant, the kiss beginning as a sweetly passionate endeavour, but Bella growled against him, clinging to his neck, his face, drawing herself flush against him and pouring herself into the kiss. A rumble in his chest expressed his pleasure at her bold public display of affection and he deepened the kiss, his hand slipping to her jaw to change the angle slightly. His tongue swept into her mouth, his other arm fastening around her waist. Aro's fingers splayed against her lower back, lifting her into him slightly, pushing against those god damned diamond letters as she reared up onto her tiptoes.
He pulled away, leaving her dark eyed and breathless, and he smiled down at her softly. "That was not our last kiss, mia regina," he crooned, pressing his lips to the mark beneath her ear. "I fully intend to see what exactly is beneath this dress, and in the near future." He held her face, his gaze burning into hers. "This is not our goodbye, my darling. I will never say goodbye. I love you, Isabella. An eternity with you would never be long enough."
As he stepped away from her, Bella squared her shoulders in an effort to be strong. "Kill him, Aro," she said coldly, and then she smirked, a devilish idea crawling across her mind. "No," she corrected herself, "Bring me his head."
Aro quirked a bemused eyebrow. "Indeed? And what will you do with it, precious?"
"I'm going to peel it," she retorted, and Aro's eyes darkened at her reference to his treatment of Sulpicia, and to the enlightening evening they'd shared afterwards.
He shook his head at her daring, carefully pulling off his suit coat and draping it around her shoulders. Aro casually undid the buttons of his sleeves, rolling them to his elbow. Bella's mouth went dry as inch by inch of his muscled forearms were revealed, the veins stark in the planes of his wrists. He gazed across at her as his fingers moved, a crooked half-smile on his face at the lust in her eyes.
"Later," he promised her in a rasp, his own eyes hot on hers.
"Light the fire," Marcus instructed, tossing an elegant lighter towards Felix, who fiddled momentarily with the catch, and then the behemoth vampire touched the lighter to the edge of the brazier. Flames erupted within, darting backwards to fill the enormous ornate fireplace that occupied the centre of one of the throne room walls. It was the first time Bella had ever seen it lit, and she blanched at the sight, at the mere possibility that it could be Aro who would burn.
Caius stood, then, and took up a position in the centre of the dais. "Edward Cullen - you have challenged Aro Hasapis to a duel. Aro Hasapis, you have accepted this challenge. Are you both prepared?"
Bella blinked in surprise at the bizarre formality of it all, and Athena hooked an arm through hers. "Do not fret, dolcezza," Athena murmured to her, "This is an old tradition. Rare in these modern times, but not extinct. The challenger hardly ever succeeds, and when they do... Well, their lives are swiftly extinguished by the mate left behind."
Though she recognised that Athena was trying to be supportive, Bella was not at all reassured by those words.
Aro and Edward met at the bottom of the dais steps, standing side by side, less than a foot between them. Bella was shocked to see that they weren't much different in height, like this. Edward had always seemed so ridiculously tall, almost gangly, as if he'd had a growth spurt but hadn't quite managed to fill out elsewhere shortly before he'd been changed. Or perhaps he'd lost weight, during his bout of Spanish Influenza? And that slimness had carried over immortality? Maybe it was his diet, the animal blood not quite providing an adequate nutritional substitute?
In any case, despite being an inch or so smaller than Edward in height, Aro seemed much, much bigger. Not just in his persona - in visceral, primal appeal - but in width, in evident physical strength. Aro did not possess the same enormous musculature of the likes of Felix or Emmett, but she'd seen under his clothes often enough to know beyond a reasonable doubt that he was strong shouldered, with a pronounced tone to all of his limbs and torso. He appeared more like a man than ever, when visually compared so directly to Edward.
"I am prepared," Aro replied coolly, his quiet confidence evident in his relaxed stance.
"I'm ready," Edward muttered, and Bella frowned as he looked fleetingly over at her.
Caius clapped his hands together once, and the sound made her dead heart clench in angst. "Clear the floor."
The vampires that had been milling in the centre of the throne room - Tanya and the remaining Cullens - were ushered off to one side, decidedly away from the other Denalis, and Caius nodded in approval. "Take your positions."
Aro turned silently, standing steady at the base of the dias, keeping Bella to his back. Edward crossed the room, stilling when he reached the point where Bella had originally emerged from.
"A claiming challenge is a duel to the death," Caius' firm tone called out, "The first to take the other's head - wins. Interference is forbidden, and any outside support is an immediate forfeiture of their lives, irrespective of this challenge's outcome." Caius gently pushed Athena - and by extension, Bella - behind the thrones, to a position of safety. Bella pulled free in an instant, ignoring Caius' resulting frown, and retook her earlier seat in Aro's throne, hugging his jacket around her. She took deep calming breaths of his scent, steadying herself against what was to come.
"Any final words?" Caius asked.
Aro was silent. He had said all that he needed to.
But Edward again looked to Bella, a desperation in his eyes. "I'm doing this for you, Bella. For our future."
She scoffed in disgust. "I hope you suffer," she told him.
Caius clapped his hands again. "Begin."
.
Edward dived forwards, enraged and frantic, leaping for Aro with such a sudden burst of energy that Bella gasped, but she needn't have worried.
Aro was more than capable of handling the presumptuous teenager. At the last moment, just as Edward was about to make contact, Aro stepped calmly to the side, reaching out a hand to grab on to Edward's shoulder. Using Edward's own momentum, Aro directed the boy in a half circle, sending him crashing into one of the circular marble walls. The guards beneath the damaged wall scattered to the sides.
And so it went. Edward was scrappy and underhanded, enraged but sloppy without the support of his telepathy. He could not anticipate Aro's moves and so his main advantage had been removed.
Still, Bella vibrated with her nerves, her stare locked onto the duel. She didn't even blink when Alice wordlessly came to sit on the dias, curled like a cat on the ground at Bella's feet. The psychic said nothing, but when Edward did eventually make contact with Aro, Bella slid forwards onto the floor, moving beside her old best friend. Despite everything that had gone between them, Bella was grateful for this tiny gesture of support from Alice.
She needed the closeness of somebody who would understand, and intuitively, she felt that in this moment that was Alice. Plus, Alice was the only person in the room who'd approached her in the first place. Bella did not touch the smaller vampire, and they didn't even look at one another, but Bella appreciated her presence nonetheless.
The more that Bella watched, the twitchier she became. It was as if there was something building inside of her, a restless, demanding energy, a warming saucepan set to boil on a stove.
Aro dodged and absorbed Edward's hits with ease, hardly even responding to begin with. It quickly became evident to Bella that Aro was humoring Edward, and this only served to infuriate the bronze haired vampire more. And then Aro glanced at Bella, and - momentarily distracted by seeing her with Alice - Edward managed to take him by surprise, obtaining a decent grip onto the back of Aro's neck. Instinctively, Bella hissed and made to get to her feet, but Alice grasped her hand, keeping her in her place.
Aro released a deep growl at Edward's contact, and Edward thought that he had him, that he was on the verge of victory. Truly, all it would take at this point was a well aimed kick to Aro's face from Edward and Aro would be headless; defeated.
"Bella... We can't interfere," Alice reminded her sadly, her voice soft and remorseful and thick with emotion. She let go of Bella as soon as she'd made her point, and Bella's face hardened as she watched Edward's nails pierce through Aro's flesh. She retook her place on the throne, needing the space now, needing whatever solitude could be achieved in this overwhelming situation.
Aro did not hesitate: he twisted sharply, grasping Edward's forearm just as his foot found Edward's torso, and a loud metallic keening sound echoed through the air as the offending limb was effortlessly torn from the boy's shoulder. Edward cried out in pain and shock, and Aro chuckled darkly, tossing the limb across the room to land deliberately before the fire. Nothing would be burned until the challenge had been won, but the threat was enough. Edward regrouped, and rallied against the older vampire despite his missing arm.
And then Aro was fighting back, properly this time, vicious and precise and absolutely lethal, his ancient strength and honed skills easily overpowering Edward's previous clumsy bravado. Cracks appeared and faded quickly on Edward, as Aro easily gained the upper hand. He truly was a demon; red eyed, pale skinned and dark haired. Terrifying and utterly magnificent, and he was all hers.
Bella's trepidation swiftly began to evolve into arousal. Aro was very much the Alpha between them, she noted, very much the Alpha of the entire room. He was effortlessly in control, the undisputed Master of his Universe. To see him like this, dominating the space, his form dangerous and powerful and obscenely sexy... Bella was breathless with desire, almost trembling in her need. It was such an overt demonstration of his command, his inescapable sovereignty; her body ached at the sight, at the knowledge that this wonderful creature belonged entirely to her.
Athena's hand landed on her shoulder and Bella startled, glancing back at Caius' wife with surprise.
"You must calm yourself," Athena whispered knowingly, mischief, kindness and understanding in her eyes. "Your scent will only serve as a distraction."
Bella pulled Aro's jacket from her shoulders, draping it over her knees in an effort to dim the aroma of her lust, hoping that she hadn't indirectly caused her husband to falter.
Yet Edward and Aro continued to dance around the room. Aro was clearly playing with the boy, Bella observed with a hum of excitement; he was a lion, toying with a mouse caught between his paws.
His strength was evident, the raw power within him cultivated by three thousand years of human blood and battles; he was practiced and sure and absolutely deadly. It almost felt like a gift, Bella thought, to be able to truly see for herself just how capable Aro really was of tying his opponent up in metaphorical knots. He was a force of nature, a work of art - a gladiator in an Armani suit. To witness this for herself, to see the carefully cultivated pretence of civility entirely abandoned to unveil the real predator within...
He was incredible; robust and agile and fierce, and she felt her body warm further as she imagined being on the receiving end of that ferocity, wanting to feel his touch, to have Aro trace patterns against her flesh with-
"I tire of this," Aro growled, and suddenly Edward was on his knees in front of her, staring up at her with a frantic desperation in his eyes. Aro pulled on Edward's head, forcing him to look away from Bella. "Isabella, release me from your shield."
Curious as to Aro's motives, Bella did as he had asked, and Edward gasped. It was a pained wail, an agonised cry of sorrow and disbelief and horror. Bella could only imagine what Aro was showing him.
"Do you see now, Edward?" Aro hissed, gripping Edward's head back at an unnatural angle as he thought about every wonderful moment he'd shared with Bella.
His first bite to change her. Her waking up in his bed. Her first feed. Their mutual claiming (bites only). Her first real hunt. The first time they'd said 'I love you'. Dozens of Aro's memories with Bella flashed through Edward's mind, showing the teenager just exactly how adored and cherished and utterly worshipped she was.
"Do you see, boy?! Isabella is mine - blood, body, soul and venom. She is mine. My mate. My wife. Mine. Answer me," Aro ground out, "Do. You. See?"
"Yes," Edward choked out, "Please, no more..."
Aro lowered his mouth to Edward's ear. "I show you this only because you are going to die. The last thing that you will ever see on this Earth is Isabella's face as she married me, so that you will know two things as you burn: firstly, that she is happy and loved. And secondly... She. Loves. Me."
But that was not, in fact, the last thing Aro showed him, though he did kindly allow Edward to witness their vows. Aro knew exactly which thoughts would hurt Edward the most - he'd seen for himself just how much Edward clung to the notion of Bella's purity, and he was determined to educate the teenage telepath in just how deviant his wife could be.
And so the second-to-last thing that Aro thought of was a torturous assortment of Bella's body: her pale curves in the moonlight, her breasts full of soapy suds in the shower, the exact image she'd pushed into Aro's mind earlier in the day - of his name over her backside. The actual last thing that Edward saw was a montage of their wedding night; Bella - begging for Aro's touch; Bella - in the throes of passion; Bella - recieving Aro's venom; and Bella envenomating Aro.
And then Edward's body was toppling forwards, as Aro held the boy's head aloft with a muted growl of triumph.
"The matter is settled," Caius stated, resolute and unmoved, "Edward Cullen's challenge was unsuccessful. He has been defeated at the hand of his opponent. Into the fire with his remains."
Carlisle let out a muted shout of agony, and Esme collapsed into his arms. Felix was already carrying Edward's body over to the fireplace, nonchalantly lodged over his shoulder. He tossed the teenager's remains into the flames, retrieving his arm a moment later as Bella quickly drew Aro back beneath her shield.
"Jane," Aro spoke, "Hold this. I will need it shortly." He tossed Edward's head into the younger vampire's hands, victorious, and Bella was in his arms a moment later, kissing him with every ounce of energy and love that she possessed, now actively trembling in his hold, almost overpowered by the onslaught of her arousal.
"You won," Bella breathed, euphoric, "You killed him. You did it."
"Naturally," he smirked, "That was barely even a fight. To call it a 'squabble' would be more accurate."
Aro slid her down the length of his body, allowing her to feel the evidence of his own desire, setting her gently on her feet, retrieving his fallen suit coat and pulling it on. She was against him in a second, her arms slipping beneath the fabric of his jacket and curling tightly around him, her nails clinging to his back as she refused to let him go, staring up at him breathless and shaking.
His eyes remained on Bella - his black eyed, wanton and enchanting mate - and he spoke over his shoulder to Caius. "I require a moment alone with my wife."
"I'll just bet you do..." Caius chuckled behind them, as Aro pulled Bella swiftly up the dais steps and beyond, locating what turned out to be a storage closet at the very back of the room and pushing her inside.
His mouth found hers and he shoved her back against the wall, gripping her waist possessively as Bella moaned at his passion, her body pleading to be touched as she arched against him, an obvious invitation.
"It was your desire that won that challenge," he growled, worshipping her neck with his teeth, "I could feel you. Smell you. I had to get you out of that room... I was ready to bend you over and take you on the steps, to toss you onto my throne and feast on your body. My control was almost in shreds at the thought. And you would have let me, wouldn't you?" He inhaled, revelling in the scent of her arousal. "How you unhinge me, Isabella..."
She found his erection through his trousers, massaging his length with one hand as she reached for his belt with the other.
"Everyone awaits us, my love. We can't..." he tried, but then she grabbed his hand, firmly leading it under her dress and bringing it to her centre, and Aro groaned in surprise, both at her demanding actions and at finding her wet and swollen beneath his fingertips.
"Isabella-"
But her grip on his wrist was relentless, and she began to move her hips against his hand, her mouth recapturing his in an intoxicating kiss that melted away his resistance.
"Yes. Now," Bella insisted, breathless, "Need you now."
Aro chuckled against her lips, his protests forgotten as he drowned in her need. He tried to step away, intending to fall to his knees and bring his mouth to her sex, but Bella twined her free arm around his neck, holding him upright.
"No, no, no," she rasped, "I need your hands on me, Aro, please..."
"Your scent is a drug to me," he murmured darkly, "You are a drug to me. I am defenceless against you, my darling, and you adore it, don't you? My only weakness..."
Powerless to deny her anything, he took her mouth again, his kiss brutal and dominating and heated, and his fingers traced a line between her labia, feeling the soaked fabric of her thong and pulling it to one side.
"So wet," his voice was husky and appreciative, rasping and deep with his own arousal, "So wet for me, my dirty girl."
He slipped a finger inside of her, followed immediately by a second, and Bella arched against him again, lifting one of her legs to wrap around his waist. Aro's other hand descended to her newly exposed thigh, exploring the changes in texture beneath his touch before daring to see what she was wearing. He growled again as he absorbed the sight, working his fingers in the way that he knew she loved and grinding his palm against her clit as Bella desperately to hold back the sounds of her enjoyment.
Her thighs were gloriously encased in sheer stockings with lace edgings, and leather suspenders ventured higher up beneath the torso of her dress, just as she'd shown him earlier. He thumbed at the lace, fighting valiantly against the temptation to take her properly in the closet.
"More," she told him, desperate, "Harder, Aro. I need it harder..." Her head fell against his shoulder, her hips bucking in time with the thrusts of his fingers, riding his hand towards her release.
"Yes," Aro hissed softly, "Come for me, Isabella, there's my good girl. Come for me."
And then she was climaxing, breaking and shattering into a thousand pieces, drowning in blistering ecstasy by the continued coaxing of his fingers. Her low moan of rapture was muffled into his chest, though Aro gripped her waist to keep her upright with his free hand, feeling her knees buckling beneath her.
Her head sagged and she gasped quietly for breath, but when Aro tried to withdraw his hand from between her thighs, she stared up at him, predatory and commanding. Bella raised her hands to his shoulders, applying gentle pressure to push him onto his knees.
His lips twisted wickedly at her intentions and he quirked an intrigued eyebrow. "More?"
"More," she confirmed roughly, her tone and action brooking no argument, "I need more. Now."
A deep rumble emanated from his chest. "As you like, my queen," he smirked, pleased beyond measure at her command, pressing open mouthed kisses to her inner thighs, tracing the line of her suspenders with his tongue.
Aro hooked her leg over his shoulder, and his mouth descended on her core. He moaned at her taste, delighting in the honeyed heat between her thighs. He tortured her silky flesh with his tongue and teeth, whilst Bella clutched at his head, holding him against her as she chased her orgasm. She threw back her head, squeezing her eyes closed at the sensations, and then he stopped, momentarily holding her on the edge of her climax.
"You will look at me, Isabella," he said, dark and dominant even as he worshipped her on his knees, and Bella obediently dragged open her eyes, fixing her gaze onto the man between her legs.
His fingers entered her again, curling roughly within her molten centre. Aro's mouth enclosed around her clitoris: he hummed, crooning his love for her against her skin, and Bella was swept into ecstasy, raising her wrist to her mouth and biting down to hide the sounds of what would surely have been screams. She clenched around him, the flames of her release consuming her from the inside out, and it was only when the fire abated did her body somewhat relax. Internally, however, she was still tightly-wound with arousal, her need for him burgeoning on violent, and she knew she had to leave their little closet before she destroyed all of their clothes.
"I'm not going back out there," Bella informed him as he stood, watching coyly as he adjusted his trousers. "I don't care about the trial."
"But-"
She cut him off with a single look, reversing their positions as she pushed him against the wall and palmed his cock through his trousers. "You see, Aro," she said, deceptively calm given that she was on the verge of horny hysteria, "Right now, I'm feeling a bit unhinged myself. If I go back into that room, I am going to push you down onto your throne, pull out your cock, and sink my body down on top of you. My pussy throbs when I think of fucking you on your throne, Aro. It's a need I require fulfilled. Urgently. So unless you want me to actually do that, in front of everyone..." Bella smirked at his amazed, lust-filled expression and wiped a thumb over his lips, collecting the remnants of her arousal, enjoying the blackening of his eyes as she sucked it into her mouth. "No," she said, "I'm going back to the suite."
He caught the scent of her venom and raised her arm, seeing where she'd bitten herself. He shook his head at her, tending to the wound with his tongue and revelling in her answering shudder. "Never fear, my love. I will join you in our rooms soon." He stroked a hand through her hair, the claw clip having been smashed at some point against the wall. "The Cullens..."
"Fuck the Cullens, Aro. Fuck Laurent and fuck Tanya and fuck anyone who isn't us. Kill them. Put them in the Guard. Turn their heads into doorstops. Do whatever you want with them. I don't care. You're alive, we're together, that's all that matters. Hurry back or I'm starting without you."
She turned away from him, moving over to an external door that lead out into the wider Palazzo. Aro considered her. She was still trembling with need, the aroma of her lust still heavy in the air, and he could feel it in his mind, pressing down on him in an unignorable demand to be sated.
"Isabella," he loomed over her back, his breath tickling her neck.
Bella stilled, her hand on the doorknob, waiting for his words.
"Don't you dare take off that underwear," Aro's voice was a fierce order in her ear, and another rush of moisture flooded her underwear at the sound of his authority. He inhaled deeply, feeling half crazed himself with the need to fully reclaim her, and when he spoke again his voice was rough, barely controlled. "Go," he ground out, "Go now before I take you against this door."
She whimpered, not moving other than to press her ass back against his straining erection and to let her head fall back against his chest, turning her face up to his.
She seemed almost helpless in her desire, a slave to her very instincts, and it was intoxicating to him, to see her so openly insatiable. His hand found her throat and his lips met hers again, bruising and dominating, and when her hips started to move against his cock, Aro ripped himself away from her.
"Go," he commanded, sweeping a hand across his face. Which didn't help, as it was the hand he'd touched her with. He growled in frustration, hearing her leave through the exterior door.
Returning to the throne room with a deep frown, Aro retook his throne, ignoring Caius' obvious amusement.
"Let us bring an end to this," Aro said impatiently, allowing the Cullens, Tanya and Laurent a mere moment to assemble themselves before him.
"Isabella-" Caius broached, and Aro glared across at him.
"Has retired," he snapped, "And - as you can imagine, dear brother - I am eager to join her."
With raised eyebrows, and sensing the depth of Aro's irritation, Caius wisely dropped the matter. "Ms Denali, come forth."
Aro's narrowed eyes settled on Tanya. "Ms Denali - five years ago, you took Victoria as a lover. During a conversation with her, you disclosed Isabella's travel to Volterra and her subsequent abandonment by the Cullens. You informed Victoria of the Volturi's orders regarding Isabella's transformation into immortality. You cultivated Victoria's hatred for Isabella and the Cullens."
Rosalie tried to leap at Tanya, but Emmett held her back. "You spiteful, vicious bitch, Tanya!"
Aro ignored this outburst. "You supported Victoria financially whilst she stalked Isabella in New York. And you did all of this out of spite, given Edward Cullen's repeated rejections of your advances. Whilst you did not contribute monetary means towards Isabella's abduction, you provided emotional and moral support to Victoria, encouraging her to proceed with her plan. Additionally, within your coven, you alone were aware of Isabella's continued humanity and did nothing to rectify this. You took no steps to uphold the law, despite knowing that it had been broken. For this and the supporting role in which you played in Isabella's kidnap and torture, on behalf of the Volturi, you are hereby sentenced to dismemberment, and an eventual death."
Caius watched with satisfaction as Tanya shrieked with rage and fear. Carlisle turned his head away, just as the Guard descended on the blonde. She was dismembered and boxed, and Aro significantly enjoyed the chorus of the mournful lamentations of the remaining Denalis. These sounds quickly tailed off, however, and Aro nodded with satisfaction towards where Chelsea's cloaked form was standing.
"Signore Laurent," Aro crooked a finger. Demetri shoved Laurent forwards. "You attacked my wife, with the intent to change her and take her as a lover. Given Isabella's position within the Volturi, this is an act of high treason, for which the sentence is death." Aro stepped jauntily from the dais, approaching the French vampire with an unsettling smile. When he was close enough, Aro placed his hands on Laurent's neck, the touch almost friendly in nature. "And now you will die. Goodbye, Signore."
With minimal effort, Aro removed Laurent's head, flicking it across the room and into fire without even needing to look in the direction of the flames.
Aro sighed, pressing his eyes closed and clenching his teeth as a fresh wave of Bella's lust made itself known in the back of his mind. He swept back across to his throne, sitting heavily and turning frustrated eyes on the Cullens.
Jasper eyed him warily, and Aro smirked, knowing that the empath was likely confused beyond measure at his whirling torrent of emotions.
"Cullens," Aro said at last, "Given your crimes, I believe that it will come as no surprise to any of you to discover that your lives are forfeit."
Esme clutched onto Carlisle a little tighter.
Aro went on, "However. There is something that you can do for me, for the Volturi, should you wish for clemency."
The Cullens exchanged wary glances, and Carlisle cleared his throat. "We are at your service, Maestri."
"I want Victoria," Aro told them bluntly, "And you are going to bring her to me."
italian-
Mia bellissima regina. Così fiera, così coraggiosa. Così incredibilmente sanguinario. - My beautiful queen. So fierce, so brave. So breathtakingly bloodthirsty.
maestri - masters
Amore Mia - my love
Mio regino - my king
Mia regina- my queen
Chapter Text
.
Once upon a time, Carlisle Cullen had spent two full decades with the Volturi.
Despite their best efforts to convince him to adhere to their more traditional vampiric diet, he'd maintained his 'vegetarianism' - much to the disgust of Caius and amusement of Aro.
Carlisle was aware that, at first, Aro had simply been amused by him. He found Carlisle's resolve intriguing, despite having seen the mental torture that the Stregoni benefici endured in order to keep to his diet of animal blood.
Caius had always viewed Carlisle with disdain, considering him untrustworthy and strange given Carlisle's unconventional dietary choices, and Marcus had been friendly enough if distant.
But Aro... Aro had thoroughly enjoyed Carlisle's company. The formidable Volturi leader had fascinated in Carlisle's morals and unwavering principles surrounding human life, and the two had formed a genuine if unusual friendship. Aro delighted in speaking to Carlisle, a vampire with such compassionate masochism that he actively chose to feed from animal blood, a notion that Aro found repulsive and strange. And yet, amongst their many differences, the two had discovered that they shared a mutual love of learning, and would often be found together in one of the many Volturi libraries or deep within the cellar archives, huddled over one tome over another. Aro had become something of a mentor to Carlisle, regaling the younger vampire with tales of times long passed: ancient civilisations, the Roman Empire, the emergence of Christianity, the dark ages of Europe, the Dacian war. No topic was left untouched, no subject too taboo.
Upon identifying that Carlisle had no human memories of carnal pleasure - and had yet to take anyone to bed as an immortal - Aro had briefly considered seducing him, finding the concept of introducing the incorruptible Carlisle to the pleasures of the flesh to be almost as appealing as the act itself.
But he had refrained, dallying instead with one of Volterra's more transient residents, and in the years since Aro had often found himself grateful for the solely platonic nature of his relationship with Carlisle. Sex often muddied the waters, even for immortals, and he was glad that they hadn't taken that step. Yes, Carlisle was attractive, but his mind was painfully set against the traditional vampiric way of life that Aro had long-since embraced. A short-lived romantic or sexual encounter with the Cullen patriarch would have served only as a lifelong reminder of Carlisle's utter revulsion towards Aro's choice of prey.
Carlisle remembered his time in Italy fondly.
And he had visited since, never staying for longer than six months at a time, usually sojourning to Italy every thirty years or so. In the times between his stays, he would exchange letters with Aro, maintaining their friendship from wherever in the world that Carlisle happened to be residing at the time.
He had only permanently settled in the United States in the early 1900's, around fifteen years before he'd saved Edward from dying of the Spanish Influenza.
Aro had congratulated Carlisle upon Edward's change, inviting the two to visit Italy once Edward had gained control over his thirst. In the time between the invitation and the trip itself, Carlisle had changed and claimed Esme at his mate, and Edward had taken off on his own to rebel against Carlisle's way of life.
Carlisle had eventually travelled to Italy in the early 1930's, not long after Edward had returned from his rebellious period, taking both Esme and Edward with him. Aro had been delighted by Carlisle's mating and intrigued by Edward's gift, and he had of course wanted Carlisle to stay in Volterra. But Carlisle had returned to America, wherein he'd found Rosalie.
His next visit to Italy had been in the 1970's, wherein he'd gone alone with Esme, and they'd treated the experience as a prolonged romantic excursion.
Jasper hadn't wanted to cross the Volturi's path, and Alice had opted to stay with her mate. Edward had been brooding and had refused to attend. Rosalie and Emmett were living on their own, at that point, and were enjoying their time together as a 'normal' couple.
Aro had been suspicious of the Cullens' reluctance to visit, but he'd accepted their absence well enough, and he hadn't treated Carlisle and Esme poorly. He'd been a most generous and accompdating host, in fact.
Carlisle's stay in Volterra in the 1970's had been his last before the present day.
Over the centuries, Carlisle and Aro had grown to know each other quite well. And it was for this reason that Carlisle was not surprised by the demise of his eldest created childe. Devastated, yes. But surprised? Shocked? Caught unawares? Absolutely not.
As if the Cullens had not offended the Volturi enough already, Edward had just had to go and challenge Aro's mate claim.
Somewhere deep inside of himself, Carlisle did understand Edward's reluctance to accept the fact that Aro had found his mate in Bella.
It had been difficult enough for Carlisle himself to grasp that concept, but the moment that Aro had seated Bella in his throne, Carlisle had swiftly realised that the Volturi Master has staked an irrevocable claim on Edward's former beloved. And that was before the 'big reveal' of their relationship.
This had only been further solidified when he'd seen Aro shadow Bella's footsteps, Aro's protective manner crying out of his attachment to Bella even when the Master himself had remained carefully silent. And when Bella had clipped back her hair, and the marks on her neck had matched Aro's in their number, the metaphorical writing had been on the wall.
Carlisle was almost in disbelief, at first; not allowing himself to entirely believe what Aro and then Bella had subsequently confirmed.
But a single look between the two - the kind that Carlisle himself often exchanged with Esme; protective, possessive, loving, joyous and aroused- that was what had forced him to begin see the truth.
The ease in which they interacted, the playfulness and comfort in their gestures...
Not to mention Bella's absolute command over the Guard, demonstrated by Felix's quick concession to her instruction regarding releasing Edward, when Aro himself had been the one to (wordlessly) order Felix to bring Edward to his knees. She'd spoken against Aro's orders, and had been obeyed. As if she was his equal.
No-one was Aro's equal.
Not unless Aro had decreed it so.
Not Marcus, not Caius, and certainly not Athenodora.
So for Bella to (sort of) rebel against Aro's implicit wishes, and for her to be immediately listened to...
That, in itself, was momentous.
And then Bella had leapt from the dais, pinning Edward to the ground by his throat when he'd attempted to attack Aro, growling her threat without a moment's hesitation - that had been the absolute, undeniable solidification of the matter for Carlisle.
Because the Bella Swan that he'd known, years ago, had been utterly devoted to Edward. She would have hurt herself without a second thought if she'd thought that in doing so she could spare Edward the pain. Bella Swan had metaphorically and emotionally laid herself bare for Edward Cullen, and he'd rewarded her efforts with cruelty and abandonment, against the advice of everyone else. And now, to see that same Bella Swan defending Aro over Edward? Her anger, her speed, her unquestionable loyalty: it had entranced the entire room.
The woman she'd become in their absence, well... Carlisle may have been a mated man, a married man, but he was not blind, and he could admit that Bella had certainly matured from an awkward teenager into a beautiful, attractive woman. A woman that was sure of herself, of her needs and desires and of what she wanted from life. A woman who certainly had desires and appetites of her own. A woman who had effectively turned Aro into her very-willing puppet.
He'd never really thought of Bella in any regard that was separate from her being his potential daughter-in-law, perhaps even one day his vampire childe or grandchilde. Yet, away from the Cullens, she had blossomed into a Queen.
It was difficult to imagine Bella Swan beside Aro. To know that Bella was the woman who'd claimed the heart of the complicated Volturi Master... When Carlisle had congratulated Aro, and Aro had commented that his mate was 'quite a woman', what was it that Caius had said?
"She's positively feral, when it comes to you."
Carlisle could not picture the mild-mannered Bella Swan as being feral about anything, least of all a man.
However, having seen the scars on Aro's neck... It seemed as if he had sincerely misunderstood - better, underestimated - the woman that Bella had become.
When Carlisle had known Aro, the Volturi Master had been incredibly... protective over his unmarked flesh.
Proud, smug, even.
To most vampires, to carry scars - to carry visible scars - was to demonstrate one's violent past.
It was a way of demonstrating that other vampires had gotten close enough to injure. It was a sign that an immortal had fought hard and often.
To carry scars was a red flag, a battle cry, a warning to all others: I have fought and yet I remain.
Here I stand - fear me.
But Aro had been notably unmarked, his skin as pearlescent and perfect in the 1700s as it had been when he was first turned, pre-1000BC.
And that, too, had been a warning:
My skin is unblemished - would you dare to test me?
Aro had not escaped unscathed for nigh on 3400 years because he had avoided fighting. Aro remained unbitten - unscarred - because he'd never allowed a Hostile to get close enough. Aro had been able to effectively defeat - or subdue - every single vampire that he had come up against.
Of course, he had The Guard, but Aro was skilled enough as a soldier, a leader, a Ruler, that he'd somehow always managed to escape the teeth of his adversaries.
So to see him so openly and proudly display the collection of scars on his neck, it was an exalted demonstration of his utter devotion to Bella.
She had bitten Aro, not just because he had allowed her to bite him, but because - like other mated vampires - the notion of the 'self' had ceased to exist. A mated pair were just that - a pair. Two souls so entwined that each was an extension of the other. Aro saw himself as Bella's to mark, and it was something that he obviously adored the thought of, just as he relished in marking Bella in turn. It was her right to bite him, and it was his right to bite her.
The human ideals regarding consent would have had an absolute field day with the intricacies and instincts of vampire mating.
Aro did all things with an intensity and a fierceness that would have cowed a lesser man - a lesser vampire - therefore it made perfect sense that he'd embraced his mating with the same vigour. He was the embodiment of what self belief could achieve; in his early life, Aro had had ambitions to rule, and he'd painstakingly forged and fought his path to the top. And now that Aro had a mate, of course he would have become the perfect partner, including marrying the woman that he had claimed as his own. Aro would leave no room for any to argue that Bella belonged to him, just as he belonged to her.
Sadly, Edward's challenge had sealed his fate. Aro would never have allowed him to live after such a threat to his relationship to Bella. Carlisle had not been surprised by Aro's immediate acceptance, nor by Bella's subsequent outrage, both towards Edward and towards Aro. Bella was a woman of the 21st Century - she was her own individual person, not a thing to be bought, sold or traded, and certainly not a prize to be won.
And it was this that confirmed to Carlisle that Edward was dead, the moment those words had left his lips. Because even if Edward had won, Carlisle could see that Bella would happily destroy his eldest son.
Truly, Carlisle wasn't sure how Edward could be so wilfully ignorant of the blatant visuals. Bella was not afraid of Aro, quite the opposite in fact. Bella was obviously settled within the Volturi, and she seemed genuinely happy there. Bella would never have left with Edward, would never have willingly joined the Cullens. And though he didn't have proof, given her obvious newness to vampirism, he strongly suspected that she would have been drinking human blood - taking human lives.
Carlisle almost wanted to believe that Edward knew this. He wanted to think that Edward did see how content Bella was, and that was the real reason why he'd made his challenge. Not because Edward genuinely held on to any possibility of actually winning, but because he knew the he had lost Bella forever, and challenging Aro was essentially suicide. Edward had wanted to die for a long time. So was his challenge really about freeing Bella? Or was it just a way to ensure his own death?
Carlisle wasn't sure. He didn't want to even scratch the surface of Edward's troubling self-loathing.
But it had still been devastating to see Aro so easily best him. Edward had fought hard, but he could never have defeated Aro. Edward relied too much on his gift, and without it he had no hope of winning. There was no comparison between Edward and Aro.
Edward was impulsive and driven by his emotions. Aro had spent millennia cultivating and perfecting his control.
Edward had sparred with Emmett and Jasper in the past, but Aro was practised, and one did not become the figurehead of the Volturi without being able to physically best others.
Edward was fighting for Bella. Aro was fighting for everything.
Edward had lost the woman he believed to be his mate. Aro was stronger and more dangerous because he now had a mate to safeguard.
But Carlisle was still surprised by the depth of Bella's care for Aro. During the fight, her eyes had followed Aro's every move, her limbs twitching as if she was poised at any moment to intervene. Despite his love for his son, Carlisle could not feel sympathy for Edward. He could not feel regret or bitterness or even indignation.
Edward had instigated the challenge.
He would never have been allowed to leave the throne room alive. Because in challenging Aro, he had effectively revolted against the Volturi.
Carlisle had started mourning Edward before the fight had even started.
There had been a single moment where Carlisle could see true agony in his first born, and it had been in the seconds that directly preceded his death. When Aro had instructed Bella to remove her shield, Carlisle could only imagine the things that Aro was mentally torturing Edward with. The sound of Edward's horror - it would live with Carlisle for the rest of his days.
But he could also recognise... Edward had expressed horror - not envy.
In Edward's place, if Carlisle had been shown things about Esme, he would instinctually have been livid with jealousy. Vampires were eternally monogamous and they did not share. And the absence of envy in Edward made Carlisle see beyond a reasonable doubt, from Edward's point of view, that Bella had never been Edward's mate.
What was more surprising to Carlisle, and significantly harder to wrap his head around, was Tanya's involvement in the Cullens' current predicament. He had no idea that her hurt regarding Edward's rejection had run so deep. And Tanya hadn't even tried to deny it. To know that she'd supported Victoria was a bitter pill to swallow, and though he'd grieve for the friend that Tanya had once been, Carlisle equally knew that the Volturi were right to eliminate her. She'd manipulated this situation, been involved in Bella's... kidnap? Torture? Perhaps Tanya's death was for the best.
And... Laurent? Laurent had attacked Bella?! This, too, was news to Carlisle. He noticed that Aro had carefully omitted the specifics of Laurent's actions - namely the when aspect - and Carlisle knew that Laurent had been in Alaska for at least the past four years, doing his best to adhere to the 'vegetarian' lifestyle of the Denalis and settling into a relationship with Irina.
But with his gift, Aro was essentially omniscient, and so if the Volturi Master had seen Laurent's attack on Bella... Laurent's death was a done deal, especially with Bella now being married and mated to Aro. The Volturi would never allow anyone who had threatened a... Queen?... to go on living.
There were so many questions.
What was certain was that Carlisle really needed to talk to Bella.
.
"Cullens," Aro had said at last, "Given your crimes, I believe that it will come as no surprise to any of you to discover that your lives are forfeit."
Esme clutched onto Carlisle a little tighter, her nails digging into his arm as she prepared for their instructions surrounding their death sentences.
Rosalie was stoic beside him, and Emmett looked defeated. Only Alice and Jasper were calm, potentially even optimistic.
Aro went on, "However. There is something that you can do for me, for the Volturi, should you wish for clemency."
Rosalie inhaled sharply and took hold of Emmett's hand.
Hope? There was hope?
The Cullens exchanged wary glances amongst themselves, apparently all reaching the same conclusion. They would do whatever it took to get out of this alive.
Carlisle cleared his throat. "We are at your service, Maestri."
Aro leaned forwards in his throne, a calculating expression on his face. "I want Victoria," Aro told them bluntly, "And you are going to bring her to me."
"Padrone Aro, sir?" Jasper stepped forwards, holding his head high. "May I speak?"
Aro made a flippant hand gesture and nodded.
"In the past, my family discovered that Victoria is gifted," Jasper began, "She has an enhanced sense of self-preservation. She is able to evade capture, which will make retrieving her... difficult."
"That sounds distinctly like a you-problem," Caius retorted, amused.
Jasper remained calm. "I have no doubt that my family and I will be able to handle this," he said confidently, "But we will require specialist assistance from specific members of your Guard. Demetri, for example."
"Ever the strategist," Aro murmured, his eyes gleaming as he took Jasper in. "I see that your reputation does you credit after all, Major Whitlock." He cocked his head, considering. "No doubt your coven will be needing to hunt soon. Take a few days, think on who and what resources you will need to fulfill my demands. And-" Aro smiled, though it did not meet his eyes, "- You will decide upon which members of your family will remain behind."
"Remain behind, Padrone?" Carlisle looked alarmed.
"You didn't really think that we were going to allow you all to leave, did you?" Aro tittered, all lighthearted and pleasant, "No, at the very least, I would have one of you stay. I must give you some incentive to return, after all."
They heard his meaning. He'd be keeping a hostage to ensure their compliance.
Carlisle nodded slowly, understanding all too well. "Yes, Padrone, of course."
Aro stood, folding his hands behind him as he glanced to both of his brothers. "I believe that we can conclude for the day, yes?"
Caius chuckled. "Are you so eager to attend to your mate, brother?"
Aro raised an imperious eyebrow, but his mouth twitched in mirth. "You have no idea." He glanced across at Carlisle. "I took the liberty of having your family's luggage moved into the west wing. Eleazar will show you the way." Aro nodded dismissively to the door. "Given today's events, I am sure that you have much to discuss."
"Yes, Padrone," Carlisle replied quietly, and then he made a face, and Aro frowned.
"There is something else that you wish to say, before you depart?"
Carlisle nodded. "Yes, Padrone. We..." he corrected himself, not trusting that he spoke for his family in this regard, "I would much like to speak to Bel- to Padrona Isabella, if you would allow it."
"Yes," Alice agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "Please, Master Aro. May we talk to her? In a more... private setting?"
"Not today," Aro shook his head. "Perhaps tomorrow, when she has decompressed."
Emmett and Jasper exchanged a sly knowing look, just as Caius chuckled. "Yes, brother, I am quite sure that is the-"
"Caius, enough," Aro snarled, glaring back at Caius, "My patience is at its end. If you would all excuse me, I must return to my wife."
He swept from the room, and Marcus stood. "You must forgive Aro for his haste," he said, "He is quite devoted to Isabella, you understand, and today has been quite trying for her."
Carlisle nodded eagerly. "Yes, Padrone Marcus, of course."
.
"Isabella?" Aro called, opening the door of their suite that lead into their sitting room.
He stilled, inhaling, attempting to locate her, and then his eyes centred on the plum coloured dress that had been discarded over one arm of an overstuffed chair, and the boots that had been left on the floor in front of it.
Aro was now more eager than ever to see his wife, knowing that her top layer of clothing had been removed.
He crossed to the chair and halted again. "Are you hiding from me, mia regina?" He smirked. "How thrilling."
He pulled off his jacket and removed his own socks and shoes, leaving the items where she had left hers.
Gathering himself, Aro followed the path of her scent. She'd entered their bedroom, their closet and their bathroom, and yet she wasn't there. He tracked her through their suite, discovering that she'd used their wraparound balcony to move from their bedroom to his study...
And there she was. He was almost disappointed to see that she was wearing one of his shirts, partially buttoned and covering the treasures beneath. Bella was sitting on his desk, her nylon-encased feet settled on his chair, and Aro paused as he entered the room.
Bella lifted her head and their eyes locked. "You found me," she greeted him with a smile.
"I would find you anywhere," Aro replied, moving across to her. His gaze darkened as she lifted her feet onto the desk, and he pulled away the chair, standing directly in front of her. "Show me," his voice was barely more than a rasp.
"You'll have to be more specific," Bella murmured coyly, knowing exactly what he wanted to see.
"You know exactly what I want to see," he growled. "Show me."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "Make me."
Aro licked his lips.
Her eyes followed his tongue. "Better yet... earn it."
Aro smirked, impressed with her challenge, sitting down in the chair and placing her feet onto the arms. He was glad he'd had the foresight to tidy up his desk.
He hooked his arms under her knees, drawing her closer to him so that her backside was hanging off the edge of the desk closest to him. "Lie back," he told her, reaching across to push her gently down across the surface. Just as her back made contact with the wood, Aro's nose found her pubic bone, and he inhaled deeply, a growl emanating from his chest at her scent. He pulled her thong to the side and his tongue swept through her centre, and Bella sighed in relief.
"I feel like I'm going crazy," she confessed breathily, "I'm desperate for you, Aro. It's like my sanity depends on your touch."
"I assure you, my love," he replied roughly, "The feeling is quite mutual."
He embraced his task with gusto, effectively turning the woman on his desk into a quivering, keening wreck, bringing her to two wonderful sobbing orgasms with his mouth before she pushed a foot against his chest and sat up again.
Aro smiled crookedly, pleased at the lax nature of her posture, the cat that got the cream. "Do my efforts meet with your requirements?"
"Mmmh," she blinked across at him dazedly, leaning into his space and pressing her lips against his, sweeping her tongue across his mouth. "Aro," she whispered, "I need you to do something else for me."
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to go on.
"I want you to pull out your cock and touch yourself for me," Bella tilted her head to the side, "I want to see you. All of you. I want you to make yourself come for me." She placed her feet on his thighs, allowing her toes to crawl up to brush against the length of steel in his trousers. "I want to watch you. I need to watch you. Please, Aro?"
"Are you truly so eager to see me take my pleasure?" He chuckled, shaking his head even as he pulled his belt free and unbuttoned his trousers. He reclined in his chair, releasing his cock from its constraints and took himself in hand, his eyes locked on hers.
She slowly slid her knees apart, lifting her feet to lay flat on the surface of the desk, opening herself up for his perusal. Bella grasped Aro's hand, brushing his palm and his fingers against the moist delta of her sex, coating him thoroughly in her liquid desire, and then pushed his hand back to his cock. He hissed out a breath between gritted teeth at the knowledge that the evidence of her arousal was being used to lubricate his actions, and Bella watched with interest as his second hand joined the first.
"You're so big," she murmured appreciatively, licking her lips as moisture gathered at his tip. "So hard and thick and long. And you're all mine," her voice became breathy, and she began to stroke her fingers through her heat.
Aro was enthralled with her actions, staring desperately across as she teased and toyed with her body. He sped up the motion of his wrists, determined to give her what she wanted, and Bella moaned at his slack-jawed expression.
She was struck with inspiration and altered her position, gracefully manoeuvring herself onto her back so that her head dangled backwards over his lap.
He groaned at her position and stood, shucking his trousers and underwear entirely off, tightening his grip on his cock.
"Touch yourself, Isabella," he ground out, "Show me how much you want my cock."
Bella followed his instructions, delving her fingers into her core. "I'm so wet for you, Master," she moaned, shifting her head slightly so that her nose brushed against the swell of his balls. She opened her mouth and allowed her tongue to swipe against his sensitive flesh.
Aro swore at the feel and the sight. "Così dannatamente perfetto," he hissed, "Che ragazza sporca, Isabella. Fanculo."
"So good," she whimpered, half way to her own orgasm by now. Her fingers rubbed furious circles against her clitoris and her back arched at the sensation. "I can't wait to feel your thick cock inside of me, Master. I want you to fuck me until I can't walk, until I can't move at all without feeling you inside me."
He threw his head back and a tortured groan rumbled through him at her words, knowing he was going to give her exactly what she wanted for tormenting him like this. He wasn't adverse to bringing himself to orgasm, indeed during his decades of self-imposed celibacy it was a pastime he'd engaged in occasionally to maintain his sanity, but now that he was mated - now that he had Bella - he much preferred the offerings of her body, of hearing her pleasure as it joined with his.
And then she moved again, shuffling her shoulders forwards to extend her head freely towards him. Her free hand closed around one of his thighs, pulling his cock forth and sinking him to the hilt inside her open mouth.
His hips bucked and he groaned helplessly, lost in the sensation. "Fuck, Isabella. Cosa mi stai facendo, tesoro?"
Aro tried desperately to control himself, but he was entirely overwhelmed. The display of her laid out before him on his desk, her thighs spread with her fingers still buried deep inside of her delectable cunt, the scent of her desire filling the room like a cloud of the most intoxicating drug... It was all he could do to cling on to the edge of his desk and allow her to have her way with him. He was a marionette, happily dancing at the end of her strings.
"Mi togli il fiato," he murmured, a deep appreciative moan emanating from his chest as a consuming wave of pleasure began to roll down his spine. "Lasciami morire qui sulle tue labbra, mia regina; possano bruciarmi vivo."
The feel of her teeth grazing lightly against the base of his cock set him spinning; the ripples of her throat contracting around him as she swallowed; the positively wicked and inhuman undulations of her tongue, the vibrations as she moaned... Bella grasped his wrist and placed his hand on her neck, allowing him to feel the reach of his length from the outside. She used her hand over his to encourage him to squeeze her flesh: he did so, digging his nails into her skin and noticing as her body immediately tightened like a bow, her orgasm claiming her fiercely.
The sight, the sound, the scent, the throaty purr of her whines against his cock... Aro's climax erupted, euphoria engulfing him entirely as his world narrowed to the singular point of Bella's incredible mouth. His mind seemed to shatter into a hundred thousand pieces.
"Sono sicuramente morto e questo è il paradiso," Aro managed in a strangled voice, "Tu sei il mio paradiso, Isabella. Una così brava ragazza."
He unconsciously thrust his hips as deeply as he could, the need of his body overpowering his mind, and Bella hummed her satisfaction against him, glad that she didn't need to breathe. Her tongue continued to twist and writhe against him as his essence spurted down her throat, wringing soft moans from his lips.
He pulled away slowly, on the verge of dizziness, and it didn't at all surprise him that Bella still possessed enough sense of self to push him back down into the chair before his knees could buckle.
Bella rolled onto her front, licking her lips with narrowed eyes as she considered his dazed expression. She drew herself up onto all fours, and then came down low onto her elbows with her pert backside in the air like a cat in heat.
"You say the most poetic things when you orgasm," she mused with a smile.
Aro swept a hand over his face. "You have spectacularly ruined my ability to be productive in my study. I will never be able to work in here again," he groused with a smirk, "The first time was bad enough, but now..."
"Are you complaining?"
"Mmh," Aro hummed, "Absolutely not. Ruin away. Ruin it all. Ruin me, if you wish. I am yours to destroy."
Bella smiled, biting her lip. "Do you still want to see? You've earned the privilege."
He stared at her for a long moment, confused, and then his gaze darkened in recognition. "I do," he confirmed greedily, his eyes gleaming. "Show me."
She quickly pulled herself to stand atop his desk, affording him a glorious view of her stockinged legs. Aro stared up at her, curious and appreciative of the sight, and then she smirked, coyly reaching for the buttons of his stolen shirt.
She popped them open deliberately slowly, before slipping the garment down her arms with a coquettish display that had him actively restraining himself.
"Sei una tentatrice, un diavolo," Aro softly groaned, and Bella grinned.
"You're very creative today, prestante."
Aro huffed a laugh and shook his head, his eyes hooded with need as he patted his naked lap. "Come here, la mia moglie cattiva."
Bella jumped from the desk, landing elegantly on her feet on the opposite side of the table. Aro raised an eyebrow at her defiance and she smirked, stalking around the desk towards him. He didn't move, holding on to the arms of his expensive leather chair as she stopped just out his reach.
Slowly shucking the shirt completely off and finally exposing herself to his perusal, Bella watched him study her. The strain of her breasts above the leather of her corset. The slimness of her waist beneath the material. The garter belt, the black lace of her thong, the thin leather straps of her suspenders clipped into the lace of her sheer stockings.
Aro lunged for her, dragging her towards him with a speed that she hadn't anticipated, and Bella laughed breathlessly as he bent her over the desk in front of him, grasping her wrists at the small of her back and securing them together with his belt. He arranged her hands just so, angling her fingers so that her engagement and wedding rings were perfectly on display, and paused.
"Now be a good girl and stay exactly there," he told her firmly, disappearing into their sitting room and returning immediately with his cellphone. "I simply must immortalise this image before I am overcome."
He held the device aloft and took a few photographs, and then he smacked her ass hard with his palm, but other than letting out a soft moan, Bella obediently didn't move. She heard the sound of his camera shutter clicking rapidly again, clearly taking advantage of his handprint showing on her backside.
When he was satisfied, he discarded his phone onto the windowsill behind them, and traced reverent fingers over the words he'd been so eager to see.
"Should I tell you a secret, my love?" He pressed a kiss to her backside, soothing the area he'd previously slapped. "I am not a fan of tattoos," Aro murmured, "But I would make an exception to have these words a permanent fixture on your body, mia regina. And I would write your name over my heart, in kind. I am eternally yours." He tugged her thong to the side - for what felt like the millionth time of the day - and traced a long finger through her folds, pushing one and then a second inside of her.
She keened quietly at his touch. "Aro..."
"To see you like this, Isabella..." he inhaled deeply, and she gasped in surprise at the feel of his breath against her sex. "Bent over my desk, your hands bound, my name adorned over your incredible backside..." he kissed her cheek again, nipping at her plump flesh and chasing away the sting with a laving of his tongue. "You are a work of art, amore mia. And you are mine."
Bella was not above begging in her oversexed state "Take me, Padrone," she breathed, "Claim me. I am yours."
Aro hummed in approval, withdrawing his fingers and settling his tip at her entrance. He slowly eased forwards, his eyes rolling back as her heat enveloped his cock and his grip tightened on her waist. "You have been a very bad girl today, Isabella," he told her, setting a languid pace that had her gasping with unfulfilled need. "I would recount your many infarctions, alas I do not currently have the patience." Aro chuckled darkly. "Another time. Do not think I will forget, my darling... I will punish you. Eventually."
The continued slow roll of his hips into hers was becoming unbearable for Bella and she writhed beneath him. The leather of his belt around her wrists began to strain against her strength, and he noticed. "So terribly impatient," Aro tutted, but he did quite like that belt, and he obligingly freed her wrists to stop her from destroying it.
"Aro," she groaned, "I need more. Please, Master, more."
"Tsk. You'll have to do better than that," he crooned back at her, "I recall you being spectacularly descriptive about what you wished to do to me on my throne... Where is that woman now, hmm?"
"She's busy with your cock half-way along her spine," Bella responded in a hiss, and Aro chuckled again.
"I asked for specifics, darling, not your attitude."
"Forgive me, Master," she said sweetly. And then Bella clenched her internal muscles around him and there was a choking noise above her.
When he spoke again, his voice was even more strained than before, and Bella was glad that he was not as unaffected as he was pretending to be. "Tell me what you want, Isabella, or you will not receive it." He punctuated this with a particularly harsh thrust and she moaned appreciatively against the wood.
She licked her lips. "I want..." another thrust, "I want you to fuck me," thrust, "Like you're desperate for me," a harder thrust, "Like it's the first time," thrust, "Like it's the last time..."
Aro growled unconsciously behind her, not liking that thought at all, and his hips began to snap into her harder.
Bella withheld a smile, knowing exactly how to get what her body was craving. "I want you," thrust, "To fuck me," thrust, "Like I could be-" thrust, "Taken from you," another growl, paired with the roughest thrust yet, "I need you," thrust, "To show me," thrust, "That I belong," thrust, "To you," thrust, "And only," thrust, "You."
"More," Aro rumbled at her, needing to hear her breathy, pleading voice as he took her.
"I want the man from the throne room," Bella's voice turned almost goading, "I want the vampire who fought and won for me. I want the Aro who tore off a man's head-" she paused as a louder growl erupted from his chest, "Who tore off a man's head, for daring to try and steal me away. I want that man. That animal. I want that beast of a man to fuck me, with his strength, his cruelty, his malice..." she keened with delight as his fingernails broke through the flesh of her hips, "I want all of his fury, and all of his possession."
His instincts took over then, and he growled as his inner beast came to the forefront, clouding his mind with the singular notion of reclaiming and keeping his mate. His hips pistoned brutally into her and Bella whined as her climax approached, gripping on to the edge of the table. Aro clenched a hand in her hair, holding her down as the desk began to creak beneath their efforts.
"Mine," he hissed, "You're mine."
She groaned at his words as her orgasm rolled through her, the wood beneath her fingers splintering beneath the force of her grip, and then she was moving, being flipped onto her back. Aro was breathtaking above her, wild and lost to his baser needs, and it was all Bella could do to buck her hips up into him to meet his thrusts. His hands clutched momentarily at her corset, and then he was effortlessly tearing away the leather. His hooded predatory gaze settled on the bouncing of her breasts, and he bent, taking one rosy nipple and then the other into his mouth.
He was being so wonderfully rough, and Bella arched her back towards him, grabbing onto his head to pull him closer, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Aro felt a sliver of awareness penetrate through the haze of his mind, recalling the memory of another biting his mate, and he growled at the thought.
One of his hands found her wrist, touched the faint lingering scar of James' bite, and he sank his teeth deeply into her skin, covering the old mark with a new one of his own. Bella's body erupted in climax again at the sensation: she could feel Aro pushing his venom into her system, feel the glorious sting of his teeth and the burn of his very essence entering her arm. His orgasm claimed him at that moment, sweeping him along with her as her body clenched and released around him, squeezing his cock in ungodly ripples that made him delirious. He groaned as she tightened her grip on him, turning her face to his hand and biting onto his flesh, her teeth latching on to the ulnar edge of his left palm.
She was deliberately vicious, inflicting pain that would cut through his pleasure - her punishment for him daring to fight after her protests. Bella's venom flooded into his system: it would scar, there was no doubt about it, leaving behind an eternal imprint of her claim on either side. Everything - everyone - he touched would forever see her bite, directly below his wedding ring.
He gasped at the pain but made no move to stop her, purring when her sinful tongue soothed away the sting and sealed her venom within him. Aro lifted her, his cock still deep within her core, sitting her on the edge of the desk and adjusting her thighs around him as he tore away her stockings and garter belt. Bella mewled helplessly as his hips continued to move, unrelentingly driving her sensitive body to another climax.
But it was addictive, the sound of their joined bodies as he rutted between her thighs, the rumbles of ecstasy that vibrated from her husband, the feel of the wood starting to give way beneath their ardour...
The desk rather unceremoniously collapsed and they landed on the floor. This did nothing to halt their coupling. If anything, Aro seemed pleased, muttering to himself in Italian about 'fucking her in the wreckage, indeed' as his mouth worshipped her neck. Bella clung to him, a mere passenger on the journey of her body's route to sexual oblivion, adrift in the ocean of pleasure he'd shipwrecked her in.
She closed her eyes as he moved them and registered the feel of silk sheets along her left side, and then Aro was behind her, spooning her, lifting her leg and pulling her thigh back over his as he entered her again. Her arm wound up and around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers in a frantic kiss that left her breathless. Bella melted back against him, moaning her approval into the room when he slipped his hand between her legs and rolled her clit between his fingers. Aro growled at the image of his mate, lost in a decadent euphoria of his creation, and his possessiveness over Bella in that moment was almost overwhelming. He nipped at her again and again with his teeth, tiny pinpricks of pain that he chased away with mind-numbing swirls of his tongue.
This time it was Bella who changed their position, turning slightly onto her stomach, arching her back and raising her leg. Latin frothed from his mouth at the sudden difference and he gripped his free hand into her hair, roughly tugging back her head to lick sweeping paths along her neck.
He was close to another release, she could feel it in the firming of his body around her, the tension in the arm that was still trapped beneath her and between her legs. Bella pushed her hand to join his, linking their fingers as they mutually rubbed at her clitoris, and Aro's teeth sank deeply into the fleshy join of her neck and shoulder. At the feel of his bite and with a feral cry of her own, Bella embraced her own climax, her vision blacking out as her body trembled in his grasp.
Aro stiffened and groaned her name reverently behind her, following her into orgasm whilst he rambled in Italian. "Ti darò il mondo, amore mia, tutto ciò che il tuo cuore desidera sarà tuo. Finché sarai mia."
She returned to herself slowly. It was the most intense orgasm she'd ever had, to date. Aro had reclined them on their bed, and she was tucked against his chest. His fingers combed gently through her unruly curls, and he chuckled as her fingers toyed with the spare covering of hair on his wonderfully chiselled chest.
"I feel like I'm crazy," she confessed, "You've made me come like seven times and I'm still desperate for more. For you. It's like an addiction."
Aro hummed. "I am not complaining."
Bella let out a sinful laugh that made Aro's dead heart leap. How he loved to hear such sounds from her.
"I don't think you understand," Bella laughed again, her voice dark, "It's like every cell in my body needs to be filled by you. Ravished by you." She swallowed and grimaced. "And I'm thirsty," she informed him softly. "Feed your Newborn mate, Aro."
"My cellular device is in the study," Aro lamented, "Else I would happily tend to your thirst."
With a sigh, she released him, and Aro retrieved his phone. He stared down at her longingly, draped in red silk sheets, wearing only the lace that bore his name, and quickly took a few more photographs.
The scent - nor the mental sensation - of her arousal had not abated at all since he'd discovered her in the study, and now it grew stronger, as if to entice him back to her.
Aro was trying hard to remember why he'd left their bed in the first place.
She was such a temptation, her nearness, the decadent aroma of her desire utterly intoxicating him to the point that he moved closer to the bed, helpless against her need.
She studied him closely; her beautiful, naked husband. The subtle but defined muscles that adorned his limbs, the delicious strength in his broad shoulders, the pronounced tone to his chest and abdomen.
The enormous likes of Emmett and Felix were Gorillas, her Aro was a tiger. Leonine and lithe, but visibly strong beneath his clothes. An undisputed King amongst animals.
"You should take a picture, darling - it would last longer," Aro quipped, not looking up from where he was tapping away into his cellphone.
"Somehow I doubt that," Bella replied teasingly, sitting up and allowing the silk to fall and baring her breasts. "Your stamina is amazing. And anyway, I don't have a cell here."
Aro looked up and blinked at the sight of her chest, a lavicious smirk creeping across his face as he took yet another photograph of her. "A matter swiftly rectified," he promised, "I will take you shopping and you may purchase whatever you desire."
"Whatever makes you happy, husband."
A rumble sounded from his chest and his cock stiffened at her words. "Hearing you say that makes me happy, Isabella."
Bella licked her lips, admiring his length. "So I see."
"Blood first," he chided her lightly, disappearing into the bathroom to drape a towel around his waist just as there was a knock at the outer door of their suite. "Don't move, mia regina. I will be just a moment."
"Yes, Master," Bella retorted, frowning when she heard him actually leave their suite.
.
"Ah, brother, thank you. I am aware that such tasks are usually far below you, but I confess... I needed your advice," Aro took the decanter and glasses from Caius, who was shaking his head at Aro's attire. Aro bristled. "...What?"
Caius snorted. "Do you usually answer the door in such a manner of undress?"
Aro rolled his eyes but smirked. "Today is a special occasion."
"Is it?"
"Why yes, of course. You were there, were you not? When I ended the life of my wife's former romantic partner?" Aro was only a little bit condescending. "A special occasion."
Caius frowned and looked Aro up and down again. "You needed my advice," he said.
Aro hummed. "Isabella has not displayed many of the typical Newborn traits."
"This is not new information," Caius shrugged.
"And yet..." Aro tried to find the words. "She is quite... frenzied. Sexually."
Caius considered this. "Frenzied? Or... in frenzy?"
Aro huffed and swept a hand over his face, annoyed that he'd not been able to identify it himself. "The latter. Thank you, brother; you have lead my mind to the blatantly obvious conclusion that I had, somehow, missed." Then, more to himself, "Of course she's in frenzy. How could I not have seen-"
"Aro," Caius interrupted firmly, withholding a chuckle, "This is all very normal. You must be aware of this, surely?"
"Mmh," he nonchalantly replied, "I have seen it in the memories of others, of course, but to experience it first hand is another matter entirely. This is a truly novel time in my life, Caius. I have never... Her scent is even more intense than usual-"
Caius cleared his throat. "My advice would be to stop torturing yourself. Just keep her fed. And, to put it simply... enjoy it."
"Enjoy it?" Aro echoed, testing out the phrase.
Caius shifted, already fed up with the conversation. "Indulge her. You are her mate - it is your duty to satisfy her, is it not?"
"But-"
"Aro," Caius tried again, "There is nothing else to be done. It will pass. Eventually." He sighed fondly, remembering his past experiences with Athena. "Perhaps when you are... released... I will nudge Athena into her own. Such blessed days-"
This time it was Aro who cut Caius off. "Alright, alright. Spare me the sordid details, brother. I see enough of them already."
"Marcus and I will manage the court in your absence," Caius reassured him, "And I will inform the Cullens that you are both... indisposed, for the time being."
Aro smirked at Caius. "Indulge her and enjoy it, you said? How delightful."
Caius couldn't help but laugh as he took in Aro's pleased expression. He was like a child who'd been given free reign in a toy store. "I will see to it that you are not interrupted. Despite her outlandish control, Isabella may yet prove violent if provoked whilst her passions... run high."
Aro's grin actually widened at the thought of Bella attacking someone. "Charming indeed."
.
She was on him as soon as he had set down their refreshments in the sitting room, pulling away his towel, leaping up into his arms, and claiming his mouth with hers. He pushed her down onto the couch and entered her, relishing in her moan of relief as their bodies joined again. Bella dragged her nails down his back, the skin closing just as quickly as it opened. Their encounter was fast and frantic, quiet other than the sounds of their pleasure and the couch breaking beneath them.
Afterwards, he carried her back to their bed and settled her with a glass of blood.
And once she'd drank her fill, she half-refilled her glass, only to empty the contents directly onto Aro. Who was also in their bed.
He initially froze in shock as the blood gathered in the hollows of his muscles, feeling the thick liquid soaking into the sheets and the mattress, pooling in the dips of his body, and then her devilish little tongue was efficiently cleaning the blood from his skin, and time swiftly lost all meaning.
.
They were sticky. Despite her best and most laborious efforts.
The bed was ruined, their second since they'd married. Two of the four posts had been snapped, the frame was broken, the mattress and sheets soiled with blood and... other things, and they were currently lying on the floor. He'd fashioned something of a "nest" for them, with the cleaner of the pillows and a spare set of sheets he'd located in their closet.
Bella said nothing, merely trailed teasing fingertips back down to his cock, and he raised an eyebrow. She coyly held his gaze, her lips twitching with amusement when she saw his body's reaction to her touch, and moved to straddle him.
"Insatiable," he murmured, awed, his hands travelling along her thighs as the sheets twisted and subsequently tore around her.
She set her slick core against his length and began to grind her hips against him, playful and teasing, working herself to a shuddering climax before taking him deep inside of her. Bella took her time, her pace deliberately slow enough to leave Aro yearning for more, and when he unceremoniously took control, she melted against him. She needed his dominance, his authority. Submitting to him felt like it had become essential to her very survival, and Aro relished in it. He knew that she was a strong woman, independent and capable and brave, and he loved that she needed him like this.
He brought her to two more orgasms before allowing himself to come, though his release triggered another of hers.
Aro laid her back in the cocoon he'd created for them, temporarily ignoring her half-hearted grumble when he crossed into their bathroom to run them a hot bath. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the water, sinking down with her still nestled against him.
Wordlessly, he washed her hair and cleansed her body of the remnants of dried blood, humming an old opera song whilst Bella enjoyed his attention. She slowly turned in his arms to face him and tended to him as well, scratching her nails against his scalp as she massaged the shampoo into his own long hair.
It was Aro who lifted her onto his cock, and though she moaned softly at the feel of him inside her, neither of them moved. It enhanced the intimacy of the moment, to be simply joined together as they soaked in the warmth of the bath, sponging one another down in a comfortable silence. And then Aro smiled crookedly, turned on the jets, and their peaceful bath was entirely ruined.
But it wasn't the bath that caused the flooding in the bathroom. It was Bella's introduction to the delightful features of Aro's detatchable showerhead. Several tiles were smashed and the bath had a few considerable dents.
.
As he absorbed the extent of the damage they'd wrought over the last five days, Aro sighed, not regretting a single destructive moment. His desk and office chair needed replacing. The couch in the living room. Their bedroom was a wreck. The bathroom was essentially useless. They would have to move into another suite while the work was done, that was certain.
But Bella was somewhat back to normal, her 'appetites' having eased at some point during the last twelve hours.
"I am going to have to remodel," Aro muttered, rubbing his jaw.
italian -
padrone - master
mia regina - my queen
amore mio - my love (masc)
Così dannatamente perfetto - so fucking perfect
Che ragazza sporca, Isabella. Fanculo. - Such a dirty girl, Isabella. Fuck
Cosa mi stai facendo, tesoro? - what are you doing to me, darling?
Mi togli il fiato - you take my breath away
Lasciami morire qui sulle tue labbra, mia regina; possano bruciarmi vivo - Let me die here on your lips, my queen; may they burn me alive
Sono sicuramente morto e questo è il paradiso - i am surely dead and this is heaven
Tu sei il mio paradiso, Isabella - you are my heaven, Isabella
Una così brava ragazza - such a good girl
Sei una tentatrice, un diavolo - you are a temptress, a devil
prestante - handsome
la mia moglie cattiva - my naughty wife
Ti darò il mondo, amore mia, tutto ciò che il tuo cuore desidera sarà tuo. Finché sarai mia. - I will give you the world, my love, whatever your heart desires will be yours. As long as you are mine.
Chapter Text
.
"Do we really have to move out?"
Aro chuckled. "It is only for a week, whilst the bathroom is retiled and then refitted to the specifications I've requested. You will simply adore the new bath I've chosen. We are already somewhat extending into the empty rooms beside ours, adding some much needed closet space and a personal library. I believe there is also a plan to reinforce the floors to better hold the water weight of the new bath."
"You must really want this new bath," she smiled.
"I really want to see you in the new bath," Aro corrected her with a smirk. "The bath is merely the canvas, darling. You are the art." An idea seemed to suddenly light up her eyes, and Aro raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, Isabella. Whatever it is, it is yours. What do you want?"
Bella hesitated and bit her lip. "It's a tall order."
"And I'm a very rich man," his smirk widened, "Allow me to give you the world, mia regina."
"A sauna," she said quickly, before she lost her nerve. "Just a small one. And..."
"Go on," he pushed.
"I used to do reformer Pilates, in New York. I'd love my own frame, a professional one. I know I don't technically need the workout, any more, but I miss the mental side of it, you know? And I don't know if the frame would have to be reinforced or whatever to account for the whole vampire thing, but-"
Aro held up a hand. "Consider it done."
Bella's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "Consider it done?" she repeated, "Just like that?"
"I told you," Aro said with a grin, "I'm a very rich man. Accommodating your very reasonable requests will take more time, however, in which case we'd need to be out of our suite for a little longer whilst the necessary work is done." He seemed to deliberate for a moment. "Would you like to be involved in the redecorating? Such things are generally left to our in-house interior designer, but..."
Bella could see that Aro wanted her to be involved in the redecorating, and smiled at him indulgently. "That would be really nice."
"We can make it ours, instead it just being mine," he added. "A space where you can truly feel at home. A safe haven."
"Okay, sure. I wouldn't mind looking at paint samples and furniture," she said with a small smile. "You did offer to take me shopping."
"I did," he agreed with an enthusiastic wide smile, "Where should you like to go, mia regina? Paris? Milan? London? Tokyo may be a little far to venture on such short notice, but-"
"Aro," she patiently interrupted him, reaching over to cup his cheek, "I love that you're so excited to show me the world, and I'm excited to see the world with you. You can whisk me off to wherever you'd like, whenever you'd like. But... we just took a totally unplanned six day sexcation because of my hormones. We should think of your brothers too, right?"
He sighed, but smiled at the reminder of the days they'd spent holed up in their suite. "Yes, quite right. Still, we can look online, no? Most places ship internationally these days." He stroked a hand through her hair. "Have you any preference on a colour scheme?"
"Something moody," Bella replied instantly. "Something that feels warm and sensual and... maximalist? But tasteful, and not too overwhelming. I love how your study had all of those little curiosities on the bookshelves. I want our living room to look like that over time, where we can collect things that have stories to them. Especially since you knew some of the old famous ancients like Alexander the Great. Which is very cool, by the way, and I can't wait to hear all about some of the other people you've met. As for colour, I don't know, maybe a dark green? I really like how the bedroom is/was, already, though. The dark wood with the red." She nibbled the inside of her lip, considering. "I kinda want to throw ideas at someone and then get them to bring it to life, you know? We have our whole lives to decorate rooms together, but right now my mind is still working too fast to figure it out. I know what I like, I know what makes me feel comfortable, but actually having to bring all of that to life? Stressful." She glanced at him. "And what about you? These are our rooms, Aro. I want your input."
"You will have it," he assured her, "As I said, I have already commissioned an entirely new bathroom."
Bella hid a smile. "I liked our bathroom."
"So much that you destroyed it during your wonderful little frenzy," Aro nudged her.
"Excuse me, how rude. I think you'll find that we destroyed it," she couldn't help but grin back. "I didn't exactly smash myself into those wall tiles, did I? And you're the one who managed to rip out half of the shower. I take full responsibility for your desk, and the couch in the living room. And maybe the bloody mattress. But you were a very willing participant in all the rest." She sighed contentedly. "Such an amazing week, right?"
Aro pulled her down onto his lap, knowing she'd feel the physical evidence of his desire for her. "Yes, I certainly agree."
She shifted, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull herself closer. "Next time we'll have to ride off into the sunset somewhere, so that we don't have to refit the place after every frenzy. I'm sure we can find a little cottage somewhere, and then I can drag you off there to have my wicked way with you. Or we can use it as a secret bolt hole hideaway to get away from the Palazzo for a few days."
"I like the sound of that." Aro ran a thumb over her bare thigh, taking advantage of the newly revealed skin that had been exposed by her movement. She was dressed beautifully today - not that she didn't look beautiful every day, in Aro's educated opinion.
Bella was wearing a form fitting, dark red, cashmere sweater that hugged her upper body, the deep V-neck displaying her Volturi crest where it lay just above the dip of her cleavage, the sleeves cutting off at her elbows in a way that made the shimmering bite mark on her wrist something of a focal point. Her pleated skirt was made from a soft, light grey material, hitting her just below mid thigh, and her black, knee-high suede boots made her look casual, and yet their four inch heel and her loose curly hair added a touch of mature sensuality to the look.
"I must confess, I am rather enjoying this delightful little skirt of yours. You look significantly lovely today, la mia bellissima moglie," Aro murmured huskily into her ear. "Tu sei l'immagine stessa della tentazione."
Bella smiled softly, knowing she'd be blushing if she still could. "Thank you. You're quite dashing yourself, as usual, il mio bellissimo marito," she whispered back, enjoying the intimacy that their low tones offered them. "Tempting you is my second favourite activity."
It was still strange, to be so openly affectionate with him like this. Even now, though they were in the throne room, she was sitting comfortably on his knee, and everybody else was just going about their business as if seeing their King canoodling with his wife was a totally normal occurrence. Bella had certainly grown bolder, become less apologetic, in publicly displaying her affection for Aro since he'd fought and beheaded Edward, and Aro was greatly enjoying the changes. Still, decorum must be observed, and she wouldn't have dreamed of lounging on his lap had there been an audience in session. Marcus and Caius were absent, busy doing whatever it was that they did in their free time, and Bella and Aro were only in the throne room because their suite was in the process of being emptied, their personal belongings relocated to another part of the Palazzo.
The double doors were cautiously pushed open and Renata cleared her throat loudly, apparently giving the two a moment to collect themsleves. Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes - seriously, you have one little sex binge and suddenly people are making loud dramatic entrances into rooms to make sure that they're not interrupting anything illicit.
"Carlisle Cullen wishes to see you both; Padrone, Padrona," Renata bowed in the open doorway, awaiting Aro's instruction.
Bella huffed.
"Send him in Renata. Grazie, cara."
Despite his relaxed tone, Aro tightened his grip on her, wordlessly communicating that he wanted her to remain seated.
Carlisle stepped cautiously into the throne room and bowed deeply on the threshold. Aro let out an inaudible scoff at this, and Carlisle straightened, moving across to the foot of the dais before bowing a second time and extending one hand towards Aro in offering.
"You may rise. What is it?" Aro asked him bluntly, and Bella schooled her face into an expressionless mask.
Carlisle swallowed, taking in their positions before nodding. "Forgive me for the interruption, Padrone; Padrona. I merely wished to invite the Padrona Isabella to spend some time with my family and I, in our apartment. If you are not otherwise occupied, of course," he added quickly, "I do not wish to impose on you-"
"Isabella?" Aro interrupted him, "How do you feel about speaking with the Cullens?"
She shrugged. "What time do you want us?" Bella asked, noting how Carlisle's invitation had failed to include Aro and being certain to subtly inform him that wherever she went in the Cullens' company, Aro would surely follow. Especially after Edward's stunt.
"Whenever best suits your schedule, Padrona Isabella," Carlisle replied, only the slight widening of his eyes displaying his muted alarm regarding Aro's presence.
Bella stood, pulling Aro to his feet behind her. "We have some time now, if that works for your coven."
Carlisle nodded eagerly, managing to mostly-hide his small flinch at Bella's use of the word coven instead of family. "Excellent. Now would be excellent. Thank you, Padrona."
Bella said nothing, merely placed her arm securely through Aro's.
Aro smiled tightly. "By all means then, Carlisle, lead the way."
.
"Are you well?"
Bella shuddered instinctively and hid a smile as Aro's lips grazed against her ear. "I'm fine."
"You know that you don't have to do this," he told her, not at all caring that Carlisle was three feet in front of them and could hear everything that was said. "You are not obliged to see them. You owe them nothing."
"Maybe if I give them some answers, they'll realise that I'm actually happy here," Bella replied quietly, "And hopefully I'll only ever have to have this conversation once. After what happened..." she trailed off.
"With young Edward's ludicrous challenge," Aro supplied, and Bella nodded.
"After what happened with the challenge, I want them to know that I'm okay. I don't owe them anything, you're right, but I'm a good person. In my gut, I feel like I should talk to them. I know better than anyone how manipulative and controlling Edward could be, and I want to believe that they did care about me back then. I almost want to give them some closure, you know? For my own sake, more than theirs."
Aro pulled her more firmly to his side. "You are entirely too good, amore mia. This is more than they deserve."
Bella said nothing, and the rest of their travel through the Palazzo was silent. She felt oddly nervous, now, to be meeting the Cullens in such an informal setting. She had no doubt that they had questions for her, and was half expecting to be at least partially blamed for Edward's demise. They'd been family to her, even if it had only been temporary, and despite her previous assurances that she didn't care for their opinions, she was uneasy.
It wasn't that she felt like she needed their approval to validate the life that she was now leading, but she could admit that it would help to heal her inner-teenager. She didn't need their apologies or explanations, but found that a small part of her almost wanted them, even if it was just to hear the words and to be able to dismiss them. She couldn't predict how the meeting would leave her feeling, and that was an unsettling acknowledgement.
She could feel Aro's lingering concern - and his frustration, which was thankfully not directed towards here - and was glad when they finally arrived in the Cullens' quarters, in the west wing.
"Here we are," Carlisle informed them pleasantly, opening the door. "Please, come in."
Aro considered Bella for a moment, and then glanced at Carlisle. "I require a moment of privacy with my wife."
"Of course, Padrone. I will inform my family of your arrival. By all means, come in when you are ready." Carlisle left them alone in the corridor, and a moment later Aro turned to Bella.
He backed her up against the opposite wall and cupped her face in one hand, taking her waist in the other. "Isabella. You do not have to do this," Aro repeated gently, "These people... They are beneath you. You can walk away, right now, and put the blame on me. 'Aro changed his mind'. That is all you need say."
"I appreciate that. It makes me feel stronger knowing that you're always on my side, no matter what. I know that you respect me and will always support my choices, even if you wouldn't make the same decisions. I love you," she told him, smiling at the softness in his eyes.
He kissed her then, tenderly at first, until she pulled firmly on his lapels and deepened the embrace. Bella swept her tongue across his lower lip, seeking entrance to his mouth, and Aro pulled her closer, the hand on her waist creeping down to cup her backside and lift her into him.
She sighed and pulled away. "I needed that."
"I love you too, my beautiful Isabella. I would give you the world - you need only ask." He joined their hands and squeezed, turning them to face the entrance to the Cullens' rooms. He knocked twice, and Carlisle opened the door.
"Padrone Aro, Padrone Isabella. Please, come in. You didn't need to knock. Sit, sit. Please." He gestured to an empty love seat, and Aro congenially sat down, as relaxed and composed as ever, but Bella shook her head, preferring to remain standing.
She inclined her head, evenly meeting the eyes of the coven who had abandoned her so long ago. "You wanted to talk to me," she said eventually. "So talk. This might be your only chance to ask questions, so let's get it over with."
Alice exchanged a glance with Carlisle. "Uh, Padrona Isabella-"
"You can drop the 'Mistress' thing, Alice," Bella interrupted, "There's no need for it in here. Out there-" she gestured vaguely towards the door, "Out there, I understand, but Carlisle is an old friend of Aro's, so you don't need to call me Mistress. Not while we're in your rooms, anyway."
Alice nodded slowly. "But, you'd rather us call you Isabella? And not... Bella?"
She glanced momentarily at Aro, and realised that she wasn't overly comfortable with the Cullens addressing her with her 'old' name. Too much time had passed, and truly, she just wasn't that same girl now. Not anymore. "I'd prefer to be called Isabella."
"Okay," Alice took a deep breath. "Okay, Isabella. Could we ask you some questions?"
Aro squeezed her hand in support, and Bella nodded. "Sure. Ask away."
Emmett looked hesitantly at Aro, and Bella snorted. "You can just pretend he isn't here. He won't bite." She shared a sly look with Aro. "Well, he won't bite you."
Aro huffed a laugh at her daring, knowing that she was enjoying the Cullens' discomfort. "Isabella," he chided her, playful.
She winked back at him. "Mi dispiace, Padrone."
"You've changed," Rosalie observed, "It... suits you."
"I grew up," Bella replied honestly, untroubled by the blonde, "I had to. After I came all the way here to save Edward from himself," she ignored the way that the Cullens tensed at the mention of his name, but Aro's eyes narrowed. "And Alice said she'd change me, you guys all left. Again. The damage that trip did to my relationship with my dad, to my friendship with Jake... It took years to fix it. I dropped everything to stop Edward from getting himself killed and I betrayed the trust of people I cared about in the process. I had to take a long, hard look at myself in the mirror after that, and reassess my outlook on life."
"I'm sorry," Alice looked like she was about to burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Isabella. I should have never asked you to come with me."
Bella shrugged. "I'm glad you did. Or else I never would have met Aro. Call it serendipity, call it fate, I don't care, but coming here to save Edward was the right thing to do. I used to regret it - well, I used to want to regret it - but I'm too compassionate for my own good. Even now. Or else I wouldn't be here talking to you guys."
Carlisle shifted. "You lived in New York City, after Forks?"
"I did," she nodded. "The day that you refused to change me, I decided that I was going to create a life that I enjoyed. I had to work my ass off to pull my GPA up, I applied to colleges on the East Coast, and I was fortunate enough to get a full-ride scholarship to NYU. I spent a few weeks with Renee and Phil in Jacksonville, and then moved up to New York. I learned to depend on only myself. I went to college, got a job that I loved, did all the regular things that people do. That's partially thanks to you guys. So weirdly, I'm grateful to you all, for not changing me when you should have."
"Padrone Aro said-" Emmett tried, but Aro held up a hand.
"Just Aro, if you please. For now."
Emmett smiled tightly. "Right, right. So... Aro said that Victoria kidnapped you?"
Bella did sit, then, placing a hand on Aro's leg. "Yeah. Friday 11th July, I left work late. I was on my way to catch the subway back to Brooklyn and I was dragged into a van. Gagged, blindfolded, tied up, driven for a while. She drugged me. The next thing I know, I'm in another van and there's this guy speaking Italian saying we'd arrived. She, uh..." Bella trailed off. "Aro, could you...?"
Aro's hand came to rest over hers. "She beat her almost to death," he supplied quietly, his anguished gaze locking with Bella's at the memory of her injuries. "Her ribs were crushed, and both lungs badly punctured. We could hear-" he cut himself off, briefly squeezing his eyes closed. "We could hear the blood filling Isabella's lungs. She was drowning. In her own blood."
Esme gasped and pressed her fingers to her mouth. "You poor dear..."
"Her legs were... mangled," Aro went on solemnly, "Twisted and shattered beyond any human repair. Her spine had been severed. Internally speaking, given the immediate bruising... I suspect her spleen and liver had ruptured, at the very least. Her sternum had buckled-" he stopped again, glancing at Bella as if to reassure himself that she was indeed alive and beside him. "It was nothing less than torture. Had I not changed Isabella, she would have suffered a slow, brutal death. Deliberately inflicted, by the vampire your coven allowed to live." Aro's voice was tight with irritation, and it was obvious that he believed that the Cullens were at least partially to blame for Bella's fate.
Bella turned into him, pressing herself more firmly to his side. "Hey. I'm here. I'm alive," she said softly, "I'm alive because you saved me, Aro. Because you claimed me and changed me and protected me."
"Yes," Aro stroked a reverent hand down her back, leaving it to rest on her hip as he held her close. "How could I not have done? You were - are - my mate, Isabella. The instinct to save you, to keep you... It was overwhelming. But the memories of your injuries, of your trauma; they will haunt me for the rest of my existence. And I will have the head of the one responsible."
Carlisle ran a hand through his hair. "I can only apologise, Isabella, for believing that you'd be safer without us. We genuinely thought that the La Push pack would protect you, in our absence."
"Perhaps you did, Carlisle," Aro allowed, his sharp gaze settling on Jasper. "But some of you should have known better than to leave an avenging mate alive, no?"
Jasper ducked his head in admission. "You're right," the empath agreed, "Some of us did. Edward wouldn't listen to reason. That isn't an excuse, and I'm sorry if I'm makin' it sound like one. But we tried to tell him about the risks."
"Edward was a manipulative asshole," Bella blandly pointed out. "He used your own thoughts to turn things in his favour. He could pre-empt your arguments and find his way around them."
"You're right," Esme interjected, saddened but accepting. "He did that often. Too often."
"And you still chose to listen to him over saving my life," Bella sighed, "That's all on you guys."
Esme nodded solemnly. "Yes, it is." She shifted forwards in her seat. "You seem truly happy here, sweetheart."
"That's because I am happy here," the brunette replied, smiling softly. "I am living the life that I always dreamed of with the most amazing man by my side. I have a family. I am surrounded by people who care about me, and I care about them. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful. Volterra has become my home."
Esme couldn't help but smile back. "I'm happy for you, Isabella."
"Isabella," Carlisle sat forwards. "Would you tell us what happened with Laurent? I recall that he tried to... feed from you?"
Bella pulled a face and fiddled absentmindedly with the hem of her skirt. "Like two months before I came to Italy the first time, I went for a hike up to the meadow. Laurent found me there... He seemed really creepy, and I was pretty scared. He asked where you guys were, and I tried to lie my way out of it, but he told me that Victoria had this awful death planned for me. He said he was thirsty, and that he couldn't resist my blood, so he was going to do me a favour and kill me quickly, rather than letting Victoria get her hands on me. It was... terrifying, to be honest. I know that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and if it had been a different vampire - a total stranger - maybe I'd feel differently about it. But... he knew me. He'd met me before. So it felt... personal."
Aro frowned at her recollection, his arm tightening around her. "Perhaps a simple death was too good for him, in hindsight."
Bella went on, "I got lucky. The Quileutes arrived just in time to chase him off before he could bite me, and they saved my life. Honestly, I thought that he was dead. I thought the pack had killed him, until I saw him with Denalis at the ball. It was beyond weird to see him again, but I was able to make it pretty clear to Laurent that his days were numbered. Hopefully frightened him just as much as he scared me, if not more."
"Yes," Aro's lips twitched upwards at the corners, "Your rather impressive display at the ball, wherein you were able to discreetly alert me to his actions, and used Demetri to warn Signore Laurent not to run. Without uttering a single threat or unkind word. Magnificent indeed, cara mia."
Bella smirked a little at Aro's praise. "Well, he deserved it."
Jasper swiped a hand over his face. "Damn. We should have just killed all three of them on the baseball field."
"Wait," Rosalie spoke up again, "I'm sorry if this is rude, I really don't want to offend anyone, but..." she met Bella's eye, "Can we rewind? Victoria kidnapped and tortured you, I understand that. But how did you go from the back of a van to-"
"To a throne?" Bella interrupted, shaking her head. Aro bristled beside her, annoyed at Rosalie's impertinence, but Bella squeezed his hand, stilling him. "That's a fair question. Intrusive, maybe, but fair, under the circumstances." She squeezed Aro's hand again. "I can't tell you what it was like for Aro, but one minute I was lying on the street with blood in my mouth, and the next I was in the throne room. Marcus recognised me, and Athena - sorry, Athenodora - was going to change me, but then Aro arrived."
Aro hummed. "Demetri and Felix found Isabella outside of the Palazzo. She recognised Felix, and persuaded them to bring her inside. I recall that she was rather adamant that I would want to see her," he smiled fondly at Bella, "Demetri carried her into the throne room, wherein Athena assessed the seriousness of Isabella's injuries. As for me, well," Aro's free hand found Bella's knee, and he twisted in his seat towards her, "I was pulled there by instinct, I suppose. I'd felt the painful thrall of an unfulfilled bond for a long time - six years, would you believe - but it wasn't until I saw her again, lying in the throne room, that I recognised that Isabella was my mate."
"Isabella è mia," Bella murmured, remembering the words that had become sacred to her.
"Quite," Aro said with a smile. "Naturally, I claimed her as my own and instigated her change. I had lived alone for millenia - I was not going to allow my mate to die in my arms, not after so long a wait. And we have been together since."
"He stayed with me," Bella's voice was soft, her eyes shining. "My entire change, he was right there. Protecting me. And then I woke up... and I didn't give him much of a choice about the rest."
Aro laughed, then; a joyful and lilting infectious sound that made even Rosalie's mouth twitch upwards at the corners into a helpless if cautious smile.
"Ah, you admit it at last," Aro crooned, pleased. "You are a force of nature, dolcezza. As if I could have ever refused you." His cell vibrated in his pocket and he pulled a face as he retrieved the device. "Forgive me, amore mia, I must take this call. I will be just a moment." He pressed a kiss to Bella's knuckles and retreated into the corridor, closing the door behind him.
There was a stretched silence, and the Cullens exchanged nervous looks.
Bella sighed. "Go on. Get it out, while you can."
"This is weird as shit," Emmett shook his head. "He's like... a King, right? He's a scary dude, Bells."
"Not to me," a small smile curved her lips. "He's never given me any reason to be frightened of him. I trust him with my life. If anything, I think he's scared of me."
The large vampire gaped across at her. "Did you really marry him?"
Bella extended her left hand, showing her rings. "We had a handfasting, said vows and exchanged rings... So, yeah. I married him."
Alice was at her feet in a blink, cradling Bella's hand in hers as she admired the diamonds. "They're beautiful," Alice smiled sadly, "I wish we could have been there. Seen you in your dress, shared the moment with you."
"It was an intimate ceremony," Bella said, pulling her hand back sharply, unwilling to engage in Alice's regretful melancholy. "The night of the ball. Just us two, with Marcus, Caius and Athena, in the gardens under the full moon. It was beautiful, and completely perfect. Honestly, even if it had been a big wedding, I don't think I would have invited any of you." She stood, moving around to put the loveseat between herself and the Cullens. "None of you have any right to act like you are owed a place in my life, not when you're the ones who left me in the first place. I don't even want you here, in Volterra: I definitely wouldn't have wanted you at my wedding. I actually don't understand why you felt the need to speak to me at all. My connections to your coven were severed a long time ago, and now that Edward's dead..."
Bella clenched her jaw, feeling frustration and ire rise inside of her. "You're indirectly responsible for everything bad that has ever happened to me. James, Laurent, Victoria... Even Tanya's involvement is your fault. Or Edward's fault, whatever. It all comes back to your coven one way or another."
Carlisle grimaced. "Yes, I recall that you didn't want us to attend the... ball. I'm sorry if us being here is difficult for you. We're grateful for you speaking to us like this, I know it can't be easy for you."
"You abandoned me," Bella let out a droll, careless laugh, a cold sound that made Jasper flinch, "You all left me to die. You had to have known that sooner or later, either Victoria would get her revenge or the Volturi would have figured out that I was still human. My little trip here to rescue Edward meant that hundreds of vampires across the world ended up knowing about me. Any one of them could have stumbled across me and killed me, to uphold the law that you broke. I've thought about it so many times, and what I don't understand is why you couldn't have just brought me back to Volterra. If Edward wasn't going to let your coven take responsibility then the least you could have done was brought me here. Even that makes more sense to me than just leaving me alone and defenceless all over again. You had to have known that I wouldn't stay in Forks my whole life."
Alice shifted uneasily. "I couldn't see past the wolves, and Edward forced me to stop looking. We wanted to reach out to you, but I knew that you didn't want that. Edward was sure that you'd want to stay with Charlie, maybe go to college in Seattle or something... We really thought that you'd be safe. Edward said that Demetri wouldn't ever be able to track you-"
"The Volturi knew that Charlie was the police chief in Forks, Alice. Even if they couldn't find me, they could have found him," Bella retorted. "Plus, how could the pack protect me, even if I'd gone to college in Seattle? Were they supposed to put a wolf detail on me and guard me 24/7 for the rest of my life?"
"No... It wasn't like that," Alice tried to protest, "Edward thought that you and Jake would end up together. That Jake would be with you."
"Edward thought that he knew everything about everyone," Bella rolled her eyes, "Of course he made that assumption about my staying with Charlie. I was his 'shy, sweet, pure girl' - obviously my ambitions for a different life weren't part of Edward's plans because he didn't actually know me at all. And you were all dumb enough to listen to him." She scoffed. "You have no idea what it was like, constantly waiting to die. And just when I was settling into my normal human life, the life that I'd created for myself out of the mess you left behind, thinking that I might just get a chance to grow old, I got kidnapped and brought here. And I'm not ignorant, I'm not stupid - I know how Aro's mind works. He could have just as easily killed me when he saw I was still human, regardless of my being his mate. If anything, my being his mate could have given him even more incentive to kill me. Him having a mate in the first place only makes him more vulnerable... I'm his weakness. I'm the only person that could ever get close enough to kill him. And he'd let me do it, too. Not that I ever would, but for him to trust me the way he does..." She shook her head. "Let me be very clear: I am not your friend. I'm not your daughter or your sister. I'm not even your ally. My loyalties are with Aro, to our family here, and to the Volturi, in that order. This thing that Aro wants you guys to do - to retrieve Victoria or whatever - that's his deal, not mine. He wants her dead for what she did to me and I understand that, I'd feel the same if anyone ever hurt him. All I want is to live my life, in peace, with Aro. Be his wife, his mate..."
"His Queen?" Emmett finished, and Bella shrugged.
"I just want to be with him. Aro is the love of my life. I dreamt of him, almost every night from the moment that I met him. I thought I was crazy," she laughed self-deprecatingly, "Dreaming about him for six whole years. He was a stranger to me, and all I did was think about him. So actually being with him now... It's amazing. Literally a dream come true. I thought there was something wrong with me, you know? I couldn't connect with anyone romantically, and it was exhausting trying to pretend that I was normal. To answer your question, yeah - the Queen thing complicates things, sure, but I'm dealing. I'm an adaptable person, I always have been."
"But doesn't it bother you?" Rosalie asked her suddenly, "Surely you must know what everyone thinks of him."
Bella scoffed. "What, that he's an ambitious, cold-blooded murderer who cares more about power than anything else?"
"Yes," Rose said emphatically, "Exactly that. The Volturi haven't been in control of our world for 1500 years for no reason! It's no secret that you and I haven't ever gotten along but even I'm worried for you. Don't you think you're being a bit naive?!"
"That's enough, Rosalie," Carlisle sharply interjected, but Bella shook her head.
"No, Carlisle. Let her speak. I am just dying to hear this. Come on, Rosalie - how am I being naive?"
Rosalie glanced at Carlisle and decided to come straight out with it. "There are rumours. About his sister, about what people think he did to his sister..." her voice seemed to waver, "And it's a widely known fact that he tortured the woman he was last in a long term relationship with - after being with her for over sixty years. Surely you can understand why we're concerned about you being with him? You barely know him! You've been a vampire for less than two months and you're already married to the guy. What makes you think that he'll treat you any differently? You don't know my story, Bella; you don't know why I had to be changed. But believe me when I tell you that I know what it's like to be abused by someone who is supposed to love you, and I don't want you to go through any more trauma than you already have. How do you know that you haven't been manipulated into staying here? There's a guard who can impact bonds, right? He could be lying to you about everything and you wouldn't even know because everyone else here is loyal to him. I know he's your mate, but please, you need to listen-"
"Stop," Bella growled. "Don't," she said, "Don't you dare. You have no right to comment on my relationship with Aro. And as for the stuff about his sister and Sulpicia... You have no idea what you're talking about, Rosalie."
"Then tell us," Alice begged, "Explain it to us. We're worried about you. Please."
"No. You don't need to know. I don't even know you people. I never did, really, did I? I only ever knew what Edward wanted me to know. And I sure as hell don't trust you - you've never given me any reason to. If anything, you've proven why I shouldn't ever believe a word you say. You called me your daughter, your sister, and you left like I was nothing. Is that really how you think family members treat eachother? Speaking to you was a mistake, Aro was right... You don't deserve my time." She placed her hands on her hips, and it was then that Aro re-entered the room, his eyes settled appraisingly on her black ones.
"Isabella," he said, approaching her with concern, "My love, are you-"
"Thirsty? Yeah, I am," she answered, ducking her head to avoid his gaze and fiddling with her crest. "I'm going to take your Jag and drive for a while, clear my head. I'll hunt on the way back. Are you coming? Or should I ask Jane?"
Mentioning her thirst was one only of the guaranteed ways to distract him, and they both knew it. Unbeknownst to the Cullens, Bella had never actually been hunting with anyone but Aro, so the mere suggestion of her asking anyone else to go with her would certainly get his attention.
He eyed her cautiously, taking in her stance, the pursing of her full lips, the frustration he could feel seeping through their bond.
"You could always come with us," Alice volunteered, her voice shaky but bright, clearly trying to be helpful and ease the tension by offering an olive branch, "It'd be great to see you in action! The nature reserve here is great-"
Bella grimaced at the thought. "No thanks," she rolled her eyes, "I like my privacy. Aro?"
He frowned, sensing the atmosphere in the room as he looked between Bella and the uncomfortable-looking Cullens. He hadn't ever seen her so tense. "Do you want me to come with you, Isabella? Or would you rather go with Jane?"
She glanced across at him. "You know I'd rather go with you."
"Then I will meet you in the garage downstairs, dolcezza," Aro told her, raising an eyebrow when she nodded and left without a word. He turned to face Carlisle. "What happened? It seemed to be going well."
Esme stood, wordlessly offering her hand so that Aro could see for himself. "Master Aro, I promise you, we didn't intend to upset Isabella. Things just got a little... out of hand. We care about her, very much, and we would all do anything to properly make amends."
Aro grasped Esme's hand for a moment, squeezing his eyes closed as he saw Bella take offence at the mention of the rumours about Didyme, as well as the (semi)truth about Sulpicia. "I see."
He looked across at Rosalie, who was staring down at her trembling hands, knowing that she was the reason for Bella's departure and preparing herself for the consequences. They'd all seen how angry Aro could become on Bella's behalf, and there was no way to predict how he was going to react to the conversation he'd witnessed via Esme's memories.
"Rosalie," he said quietly, forcing himself to be calm, "I say this only because I do know your history: had your words come from any other person in this room, make no mistake... I would show no mercy. You would be dead already. However," he paused, "Unlike Isabella, I am aware of the extent of the ordeal which brought about your own transition into immortality, and it is for that reason alone that I allow you to keep your head. I do not lack all compassion. I believe that your heart is in the right place, and that you truly do care about my wife's well-being in this matter. You may believe me to be a monster; you may believe whatever you like. Truly, your opinion is of no consequence to me." He sighed. "Not that I am likely to change your mind, but... I assure you, I would never intentionally harm Isabella. Ever. She is the other half of me - the better half."
"Okay," Rosalie whispered, clearly still terrified for her life.
"I also feel it prudent to inform you - all of you - that Isabella is able to detect untruths, insincerity and ill-intent," Aro continued, somewhat finding that he wanted Rosalie to believe him, even if it was solely regarding the depths of his feelings for Bella. "An interesting aspect of her shield. The same shield that protects her mind from all telepathic abilities, including the manipulation of her loyalties. So you see, not that I ever would, but I could never lie to her, or attempt to deceive her. She would know instantly, and her trust in me would be irrevocably broken. I would rather tell her a painful truth and retain her trust than destroy our relationship with a kinder lie. There is nothing that I would not do for Isabella, there are no limits to the sacrifices that I would make to ensure her safety and happiness."
The Cullens exchanged glances - was that relief that Aro could see in their eyes?
He smiled benignly. "Incidentally... Do not mistake this single demonstration of leniency for my acceptance of your attitude, or for the appalling, disrespectful manner in which you addressed my wife. Should I ever again hear of such slanders being said - either to or about Isabella - I will not hesitate to live up to my well-earned reputation. My patience only extends so far, and I will not have it thought that Isabella has been manipulated into accepting our bond. She is far more intelligent and capable than your coven has ever given her credit for. She is compassionate, brave and incredibly strong. Wise beyond her years, tenacious and resilient. Your infantilisation of her ends today. Now."
Carlisle had the good sense to look quite ashamed. "Of course, Padrone. Again, please accept our sincerest apologies for-"
"I am becoming considerably tired of hearing your apologies, Carlisle," Aro frowned. "It is terribly repetitive and dull to listen to the same phrase time and time again, especially when not paired with an adequate change in behaviour. Tomorrow, I expect to hear your coven's plan regarding the retrieval of Victoria. You will attend the throne room at 3pm, sufficiently prepared. If you will excuse me, I have arranged to go hunting with my wife."
Aro didn't wait for their response and took his leave, too eager to reunite with Bella to care for the Cullens any longer.
.
"I saw what happened," Aro murmured, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "How are you feeling?"
Bella shrugged, not turning away from the window. They were in Aro's car, the man himself at the wheel as they travelled along the winding country roads on the outskirts of Florence.
"Like I want to destroy something," she told him honestly, "Preferably Rosalie's face. I'm regretting not doing it when I had the chance."
Aro chuckled. "There is always tomorrow."
"I want them gone, Aro," Bella said. "I don't want them in Volterra. I don't want to see them, I don't want to hear them, I don't want them in my home. I want them gone," she repeated, and Aro sighed.
"You know that I cannot yet grant your wish, amatissimo," he lamented, "At least two of them must remain whilst the rest retrieve my quarry, preferably three."
Bella huffed, uncharacteristically sulky. "Then Rosalie has to go. And Carlisle."
"And the others?" he murmured, "Who would irritate you the least, if they stayed?"
"Emmett and Esme," Bella replied. "I'm... undecided about Alice and Jasper."
Aro understood what she did not verbalise. She had been most hurt by Alice, in the past, and so seeing her around Volterra would be difficult. Equally, she knew that if Alice was to go, then Jasper would likely have to remain in Volterra, and Jasper's presence on the 'mission' would almost definitely be vital in the succesful securing of Victoria.
Aro hummed thoughtfully. "We shall see what they propose on the morrow, then."
Bella turned in her seat to look at him, the first time since they'd driven out of Volterra. Even if Aro had not been able to sense her emotions, her face was an open book to him. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" He parroted back, confused, "Whatever for?"
She gestured vaguely into the air. "For bringing all of this stupid drama to your door. The Cullens. Victoria. Edward. Laurent. It's all because of me, and I'm sorry."
"Isabella," Aro murmured, concerned by her guilt. He pulled the car off of the main road and into a small lay-by, parking swiftly and setting his attention solely on her. "None of this is your doing, il moroso. You have only ever tried to live your life in peace; that it has been so disrupted is not your fault."
"I really thought I was over it," she shook her head, "Them leaving me... It feels like it happened to someone else. I'm not the same person that I was, and I'm happy about that. I'm content with my life- with our life. But sometimes..."
"Their actions still hurt," he finished softly, unclipping both of their seatbelts. "Come here, precious."
Bella gracefully navigated herself over the centre console, allowing Aro to cradle her in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head into the join of his neck and shoulder.
"I feel stupid," Bella whispered. "For even caring. I wish I didn't. Volterra feels like home; you feel like home. And now they're there, and I hate it. I don't want them in my new life. Every time I see them, it reminds me that they thought that I wasn't good enough, I wasn't worth saving, I wasn't worth staying for."
Aro stroked his fingers soothingly through her hair. "You are worth everything," he assured her, "You never need fear abandonment again, I swear it. If I have learned anything in my life, it is that pain demands to be felt. Pain doesn't always make sense, it doesn't have to be logical or reasonable, and it doesn't have to be externally validated to be real. If it hurts, then it hurts. There is no shame in feeling. You can be both happy and sad simultaneously; emotions are not mutually exclusive. One does not invalidate or undermine the other. And you are still so very new to this life, my darling; your emotions are heightened and you will feel some things more deeply than before."
"I know," she replied quietly.
"However," he tipped her chin up so that he could look into her eyes, "Let me assure you... You are far from being my weakness, Isabella. You have given me strength, in every way. You are my strength. In you, I have found a joy that I had never before felt. I have experienced more love and passion and light in the last 47 days than in the entire 3,340 something years that came before. You have awakened something in me that I had long thought lost; my own humanity. Loving you - being loved by you - is the furthest thing possible from being a weakness. You have completed me. And I would happily wage war on the world on your behalf, should you ever require it."
Bella gave him a watery smile, her eyes shining with emotion. "Thank you," she breathed, "For being you. For always being honest with me. For lifting me up when I need it. For letting me express how I feel without trying to explain how I'm wrong. Thank you for the life that you've given me." She pressed her lips against his, pouring her gratitude into the kiss as her hands slipped around his neck and into his hair, and she smiled when she felt him harden beneath her.
She had never doubted the way that she could so easily affect him, but it was still such a beautiful feeling, to know that a simple kiss could embolden his desire.
He pulled away slightly, raising an eyebrow. "You said that you were thirsty," he pointed out, shifting her on his lap.
Bella wrinkled her nose, mischief in her eyes. "I was. I am. But now I kinda want to christen your car."
Italian -
mia regina - my queen
la mia bellissima moglie - my beautiful wife
il mio bellissimo marito - my handsome husband
Tu sei l'immagine stessa della tentazione. - You are the very image of temptation.
padrone - master
padrone - mistress
grazie cara - thank you, dear
amore mia - my love (fem)
mi dispiace, padrone - I'm sorry, master
Isabella è mia - isabella is mine
dolcezza - sweetness
amatissimo - precious
il moroso - sweetheart
Chapter Text
.
Bella twisted her body against his, raising her hips and moving until she was straddling his lap, his length hard against her leg.
Aro's gaze twinkled up at her, amused and intrigued by her intentions. "Ahhh... the car. I see."
"The poor neglected car," she agreed.
He very pointedly glanced out of the window, as if to bring her attention to the fact that it was still daylight outside despite it being the early evening. They'd driven for over an hour after leaving Volterra, and Bella had no clue where they currently were other than them being somewhere on the other side of Florence.
"Don't you look at me like that," Bella smirked, "As if anyone passing by who dared to peek wouldn't become your dinner."
He huffed a laugh. "Insolent."
"Where's your sense of adventure, Aro?" She hummed in his ear, "Haven't you ever had sex in a car before?"
"Given my decades of celibacy prior to your arrival, it should come as no surprise to you that I have not, in fact, been intimate in a car," his lips twitched with amusement. "Although, I confess that I am more intrigued by your answer, diletto." Aro's gaze darkened, and he took her chin between his forefinger and thumb. "It is something more common of your generation, is it not? Tell me, amore mia... does your previous sexual experience involve any vehicles?"
Bella shook her head, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Nope," she grinned, "I hadn't really done much, before you. Which you already know. You have given me quite a thorough education."
Aro could not fight the pleased smirk that crawled across his face at the reminder of their escapades. "Physically, perhaps. Mentally, you certainly need no tutelage."
"What I lack in experience I make up for in effort and enthusiasm," she said against his lips, "And I'm a quick study. I learn fast, if you remember."
"You are," he swallowed, thinking back to the day she'd first used her mouth on his body. "How could I possibly forget?"
"What's the naughtiest thing you've ever done?"
Aro blinked in surprise at her question, unsure as to how best to answer it. "Naughty is... relative, I think. Subjective, dependent on one's culture or the time period. What was considered taboo in years gone by would be rather usual or ordinary, nowadays. The acceptance of sexuality is quite cyclical. When I was a human, most practices were commonly... allowed. Then, with the emergence of monotheistic religions, Christianity and the like, those same things became thought of as sinful, unnatural, even. 'Then the Lord rained down, burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah'. Eventually those same sexual proclivities re-emerged: not as openly, perhaps, but in certain circles they were tolerated as eccentricities. Until -again- they weren't."
"So from that very clever and wordy non-answer, I gather that you've been with men in the past," Bella correctly assumed, unbothered.
"A few," he allowed, cautious. "Four, in fact. Although it was a very long time ago. Centuries, even. Does that... upset you?"
She bit her lip, her eyes glittering at the thought. "Actually... I think it's kinda hot. Thinking of you and another guy?" She fidgeted on his lap. "You're so strong and powerful; anything or anyone that could undo your super controlled exterior is a positive to me. There's something really sexy about it."
"Believe you me, darling, you undo me plenty," Aro muttered, still somehow blown away by the depths of his feelings and sense of possessiveness over Bella. "You certainly need no help whatsoever in destroying my self control."
She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I'm pretty open minded about sexuality. It's a spectrum, in my opinion. People are attracted to who they're attracted to, and the labels shouldn't matter. As long as everyone is a consenting adult then who cares?" Bella shrugged.
Intrigued despite his wariness, Aro felt his lips twitch into a darkly crooked smile. "And you, my love? Have you ever been with a woman, in the past?"
"Not... fully," Bella replied, biting her lip. "A few kisses, in college. There was this one time, though, when I was really starting to wonder why I wasn't finding men attractive..."
"Yes?" he gently pressed, trying his best to keep his voice even, but the thought of Bella being so fluid in the past was surprisingly pleasing. To know that she had experimented, explored her desires, yet had still been so willing to accept him as her own? It added a certain gravitas to the way in which she'd declared herself to be his.
Aro wasn't sure he'd ever be able to bring himself to 'share' her, not now that they were officially mated and married, but the knowledge that she'd done a little sexual-soul-searching of her own was arousing indeed. Especially if she'd be willing to describe the endeavour. There was something strangely less-threatening about the notion of Bella potentially enjoying herself with another woman, and he was eager to hear more.
"We'd been drinking," Bella murmured, trying to maintain her boldness despite feeling a little shy. "I went back to her place after a group of us had gone out, one of the few times I ever really partied. It was all strictly... digital." She deliberately waggled her fingers to demonstrate her point. "She touched me. I left her apartment physically satisfied, I suppose. But I was underwhelmed and disappointed, because it didn't bring me the mental clarification that I was looking for, and it was painful and really frustrating to realise that I wasn't any closer to figuring things out. She was beautiful, kind and clever, but I didn't... want her. Not in the way that I thought I should have done, since I didn't want men either. There was a moment, before things went further than a kiss, when I wondered if it had been women that I'd been missing all along. Had I been a lesbian the whole time? Was that why I felt zero attraction or interest in any of the red-blooded men who kept asking me out? Not to blow my own horn or anything, but I wasn't short of offers. I just didn't want anything with anyone. I mean, I could look at people and recognise that they were objectively good looking, but nothing ever went beyond that for me. That's when I seriously began to think that I was aromantic, because I couldn't imagine being with anyone romantically who wasn't the sexy, Evil Vampire Overlord from my dirty dreams. That was you," she wrinkled her nose at him teasingly. "I could only ever make myself orgasm when I thought about you. Even with her... I imagined that it was you. She was my last sexual encounter before I came here, and that was before I finished my Master's programme. You completely ruined me before you ever even laid a hand on me."
Aro hummed. "I understand that more than you realise, Isabella. I too was tortured during our time apart. Still, my love... You continue to surprise me. Edward thought you a sheltered, naive child, and yet... Here you are, explorative and wanton; wishing to be intimate in my car, confessing your illicit, experimental activities with other women... Getting to discover these new things about you, as you choose to unveil yourself to me... It quite delights me."
"I want your Jaguar to smell like me," she breathed against him, drowning in the rich melody of his voice. "To smell like us."
His hands found her inner thighs and crept up towards her hips. Finding that she was bare beneath her skirt, he groaned softly, dropping his forehead against her shoulder.
"Such a naughty girl," he tsked, his fingers curling around to cup her backside and appreciatively squeezing the plump flesh. "We've discussed this, Isabella. How am I to properly function as a King if I am constantly preoccupied by what may or may not be present beneath your clothes? Wondering if you are bare beneath your skirt... It tortures me. How cruel you are to me, my Queen. Whatever am I to do with you?"
"I only took them off before you met me in the garage, when we were about to leave the Palazzo, " Bella murmured coyly, her lips grazing his ear, "Just a little surprise for my husband."
"A welcome one, I confess," Aro murmured, lowering his mouth to nip at her neck. "Tell me..." he paused, one of his hands slipping around to toy with her core, his middle finger dipping into her body whilst his thumb rubbed slow teasing circles against her clitoris. "Did your female acquaintance touch you... like this?"
"Yes," She gasped longingly at his gentle touch, lurching forwards to claim his mouth in an effort to muffle her desperation against his lips. "But everything with you is so much better. You know my body so well, even better than I do."
"A perfect answer if I ever heard one," he crooned against her throat, rewarding her with a firmer caress.
Bella lowered her mouth to his ear. "When I was in high school in Arizona, everyone called fooling around in a car 'going parking'... I never got the opportunity - not that I'd have wanted to be with any of those boys. So now I'd like you to be my first... and I want to be your first."
Aro smirked. "You will be my only. My forever."
"Are you sure that I'm enough to satisfy the mighty King Aro for the rest of his days?"
"More than enough," he swore in response, curling his fingers inside of her. "You are more than everything and everyone that ever came before. They are ghosts to me now, amatissimo, and now my eyes see only you. My body craves only you. My soul needs only you. In the words of Plato, 'Every heart sings a song incomplete until another heart whispers back.' And it is you that has completed me, Isabella."
She reached between them, unbuckling his belt and lowering his zip, freeing his erection and trilling a breathless laugh as he twitched in her grasp. Holding his cock in one hand, Bella leaned away, widening her legs and flipping up her skirt to reveal her sex. She rocked up onto her knees, aligning the tip of his cock with her opening and slowly easing herself down onto his length.
Sighing deeply at the pleasurable intrusion, Bella kissed him, long and soft, and Aro held her by the hip and by her face, returning her sweetness with his own.
Their pace was initially calm and languid, the lazy connection of their lips seemingly setting the tone of the encounter. Despite the underlying passion between them, their coupling felt more like a reaffirmation, a tangible reminder of the other’s constancy and everlasting presence. She had him for eternity, just as he had her, and it felt only natural to reconfirm their love with physical touch.
And then Bella sharpened the most recent descent of her hips, and the pair exhaled roughly in unison at the shift, both suddenly quickening as their urgency increased. Bella's climax swept through her and Aro groaned at the feel of her body clenching around him, never ceasing the drive of his body into hers as he chased his own release.
As he reached his own peak, Bella sucked his earlobe into her mouth, nibbling on the sensitive flesh as he let out a rough sound of surprise and rapture, his arms coiled tightly around her torso and fingers splayed on her back.
"Mi togli il fiato, mia cara moglie," Aro murmured, trailing his fingertips down her spine.
Bella relaxed against him, sighing deeply. "I love you, mio marito."
He hid his pleased smile in her hair. "I could hear you say those words a million times and it would still never be enough, Isabella."
She pulled back a little, catching the side of his face with one hand and directing his gaze down to her. "And you love me."
"Endlessly, mia belissima regina," he agreed solemnly, combing his long fingers through her curls. "I love you with such dazzling, overpowering fervor that it robs me of breath, of my very sanity. You are a force of nature, il mia prezioso compagno. You have become as essential to my survival as the blood that sustains my life."
"How very poetic, mio regino." She smiled, and her eyes shone with appreciative emotion at his sincerity. "You put me to shame."
"Hardly," Aro scoffed. He raised an eyebrow and his length twitched inside of her, and there was a low sound of pleasure from the base of Bella's throat. He smirked, and her eyes darkened at the sight. "I assure you, my darling Isabella, you are more than capable of holding your own."
"Mmm," she swallowed, unable to resist circling her hips against his, "I suppose that's true."
Aro reached to the side, reclining the front passenger seat into a horizontal position and swiftly depositing her back there. She laughed softly at his rough manhandling and Aro grinned crookedly as he climbed above her, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist as his erection glided through the delta between her thighs. "You didn't think I was finished with you, did you? For shame, amatissimo. I thought you knew me better than that."
.
Their hunt was delayed significantly, and it was long dark when the two eventually returned to Volterra.
"The Cullens to see you, Maestri," Renata informed the three, and Aro looked up.
Caius bristled beside him, still less than pleased at having been denied his mass-execution in favour of Aro's plan. Save for the select few Guards that Aro had hand-picked to join the Cullens on their quest, and the Volturi masters themselves, the throne room was empty. Bella was occupied in the library, having declined Aro's invitation to join him and his brothers for their planning meeting with the vegetarian coven, and Athena had little interest in Aro's schemes.
"Excellent," the Caius grumbled, wishing he too could excuse himself from the matter.
Aro controlled the urge to laugh, knowing the source of Caius' ire, and twitched a finger, indicating that Renata should show them into the throne room.
Carlisle and Jasper lead the group inside, and Aro was not surprised when it was the Major who took up a position at the head of the family as they bowed lowly before the dais. "Maestri," the empath greeted, his tone settling into the practiced formality of a soldier speaking to an officer, "We have attended, as instructed, sire. Provisional preparations have been made and we are cautiously optimistic."
"Yes," Aro nodded, standing from his throne. "Rise." He swept forwards, grasping Jasper's offered hand and perusing the man's thoughts for a short moment. "...Interesting."
Jasper stood firm under Aro's intense scrutiny, his arm slowly dropping back to his side. Aro was begrudgingly impressed by the empath's stature, and not for the first time he felt the familiar urge to covet the vegetarian's gift of pathokinesis. And then Aro remembered: he had all of the Cullens in his proverbial pocket, and the Major had become one of the many weapons in the Volturi's considerable arsenal. He truly believed that Jasper could find true purpose in Volterra. The empathetic vampire had a wonderfully tactical mind, and with his military background... Yes, Aro could certain make use of him.
As if were, Aro had already directed Chelsea to begin subtly manipulating the man's loyalties - that is, to fray at Jasper's ties to Carlisle, and strengthen his urge to devote himself to the Guard.
Jasper held Aro's gaze. "Having subtly contacted our network of friends across the globe, and utilised Alice's visions, we have very good reason to believe that Victoria is in South Africa, just outside of Cape Town."
Alice wordlessly offered Aro her hand, and Aro took it eagerly.
"With dear Alice's gift, I see that you have more than good reason," Aro rebuked, though he was jovial as he released Alice's hand. "Ah, Camps Bay is one of the more picturesque suburbs of Cape Town, not far from Table Mountain. Victoria has indeed chosen a beautiful place to wait for her end."
"Aro, this endeavour is futile," Caius grumbled. "Even with the geographical element settled, the wench is practically a needle in a haystack. She need only leap into the sea and we will have lost her. An utter waste of time, money and resources. I still believe that publicly placing a large bounty on the retrieval of the woman would be the most effective solution. You could have every vampire the world over searching for her, eager to please the Volturi in this matter."
Aro rolled his eyes. "And risk our enemies acquiring her before we can? I think not. This must be handled with delicacy, not brute force. Plus... I do not wish for the issue to become too widely known of until after she has been apprehended. I would continue to let her believe that she is safe - that she has escaped our justice. She has been lulled into a false sense of security. How delightful, then, that she shall simply be plucked from obscurity, dismembered, boxed and delivered to us to meet her fate."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "Poetic justice, indeed."
"Entirely by design, I assure you," Aro smirked and his eyes gleamed. "She shall be given a significant dose of her own medicine. Additionally," he went on, "It would seem that dear Victoria has made herself a friend or two, and her actions have left their mark on the local populace. She is already drawing too much attention to herself. Should she have continued along this path, the Volturi would have had to intervene regardless." He looked back to Jasper, unquestionable authority clear in his voice. "Go on."
"If we leave tomorrow, I am confident that our target can be apprehended within the next two weeks. Alice has seen that Victoria plans to leave South Africa next month - to head towards India, we believe, perhaps even head up towards the Himalayas, although nothing is concrete - and so if we do not act swiftly, we are guaranteed to lose our window of opportunity. Leading a hunting party through those mountains? Stalking a pack of newborns across the roof of the world? Not a great idea," Jasper pulled a face. "When deciding who from our family would travel, we looked into multiple different configurations. Initially, we had planned to have Alice accompany us, but..."
"I would have been killed," Alice supplied, squeezing Jasper's hand in support. "Every time I was present, Victoria always managed to single me out and I died, one way or another."
Jasper's frown deepened at the verbal mention of Alice's potential death. "... So we've decided that Alice, Esme and Emmett will stay behind, if that suits you, Padrone Aro?"
"It does," Aro smiled, but it did not reach his eyes, knowing that Bella would likely be somewhat bothered by Alice remaining in Volterra. "In exchange, I plan to send Felix, Alec, Fred, McKenna, Corin and Santiago with you. Along with an old acquaintance of ours, Carlisle: you remember Alistair, do you not?"
McKenna and Corin looked across to Rosalie and the vegetarian nodded in greeting at the others - the only women within the company that would be journeying to capture Victoria.
"I do," Carlisle said. "Although... If you will forgive me, Padrone Aro... Knowing Alistair as I do, I am surprised that he has agreed."
Aro shrugged, but his eyes glittered with a hidden malevolence. "He was not given the option to decline. I will contact him shortly and inform him as to where to connect with your party. With the combination of Fred and Alistair's tracking abilities, and your own legendary military prowess - Jasper - I see no reason why the woman should evade us for too long."
Jasper blinked. "If I may, sir... Why not send Demetri?"
"Demetri must first meet an individual before he can track them," Aro responded calmly, nonplussed, "Given that he has never before encountered Victoria, his attendance would be futile. He will instead remain in Volterra, and track your progress." He glanced across at Fred. "No; for this matter, Fred is much more suitable."
"Fred's ability works differently to Demetri's, I assume?" The empath glanced across at the man in question, who looked first to Aro before speaking.
"I am drawn to abilities," Fred explained slowly, in heavily accented English, "Able to sense them, across great distances. It will allow me to locate Victoria, and identify any talented ones in her company ahead of encountering them directly. We will then neutralise and dismember the gifted ones, prior to returning them all to Volterra for questioning."
"And Alistair, Padrone Aro?" Jasper asked, already tallying up the combined strength and prowess of their group, "You said that he, too, is a tracker?"
Aro stood, steepling his hands beneath his chin. "Indeed. Alistair possesses the ability to sense any living thing and their distance in relation to himself. He feels a strong pull in the direction of the item or person that he is seeking. There is also the added benefit of him having previously met our troublesome quarry, enabling him to know exactly who he is seeking."
"Alistair knows Victoria?" Emmett said aloud to no-one in particular, scratching his chin. "Weird, English Alistair with the bad hair cut? That guy who's scared of his own shadow? That Alistair?"
"The very same," Aro chuckled, amused with Emmett's accuracy, "Alistair and Victoria have crossed paths several times - believe me, there is no love between them. In dear Alistair's defence, however, I will say that he wasn't always so... peculiar. Sadly, his paranoia has increased exponentially over the years, and now the man lives an isolated lifestyle. Which also cannot be helpful for his tortued psyche." He shook his head. "I will have the larger jet prepared for your party's departure, and see to it that funds and accomodation are both organised for your stay in South Africa. Our coven will feed in the morning, and I would suggest that your family do the same. As always, you are more than welcome to join us, should you decide on a more... hearty meal. Major Whitlock, Carlisle - might we relocate to discuss the finer details in the library?"
Caius rolled his eyes, knowing exactly Aro's motivations. "I am sure that Isabella is quite well, brother. She has surely come to no harm whilst surrounded by our books. You needn't coddle her so." The blonde Master smirked, eager to irritate his brother. "I daresay that one day soon, she may chafe beneath your leash."
Aside from clenching his jaw, Aro ignored the unhelpful jibe.
"Padrone Aro, sir," Alice ventured, "Is... Is Padrona Isabella alright? We were worried, after she left our apartments so quickly yesterday, and..."
Aro held up a hand, halting her speech. "Truly?" He eyed the Cullens for a moment, deciding whether or not to be honest with them. "Truly... I do not think Isabella would appreciate my speaking with you about her private feelings or wellbeing. What I will say, however, is that Isabella is not feeling at all favourably disposed towards most of your coven, and requested that I send all of you away. Of course, I am unable and unwilling to do that, and I have made that clear to her, which she understands. As I said yesterday, you have a terrible habit of infantilising her, and she resents it. Still, I suggest that you keep a wide berth from Isabella for the time being; yourself and Rosalie in particular, Carlisle," Aro fought the urge to scoff at Carlisle's expression of shock - really, what did the Good Doctor expect? - and went on, "Esme, Emmett - I believe that Isabella may seek you out, however, once your family members have departed."
.
Bella looked up as the library doors opened, smiling widely as Aro entered and crossed the room towards her. She made to get up from her position, where she was curled barefooted on a thickly cushioned windowseat with a heavy tome in her lap, but Aro held up a hand.
"No, no," he told her softly, "Be still my love, please. Don't get up." He crouched beside her, pushing her discarded flats off to one side and raising her hand reverently to his lips. "You are so very beautiful, my darling. Framed by the sunlight as you are, I could mistake you for an angel."
"I love it in here," Bella adjusted her seat slightly, making room for Aro to perch beside her. "It's peaceful."
Ignoring the space she'd made, Aro lifted her legs and sat a little further down, draping her calves across his thighs. He stroked his hands along her shins, glancing out into the gardens below and beyond the window. "Yes," he agreed, "The library has long been a favourite place of mine. Have I yet shown you the archives?"
Bella glanced at her page number and closed the book. "The archives? I don't think so."
"They are below the Palazzo," Aro said, shifting further towards her until her thighs touched his. "On the same subterranean level as the dungeons, although located under a different part of the Castle."
"Wouldn't want the scholars disturbed by all the screaming," Bella nodded understandingly, smirking at the chagrined expression on Aro's face. "Oh my god, I'm totally right, aren't I?"
Aro rolled his eyes but smirked back. "In a manner of speaking, you are correct, yes. Beneath the archives are our personal storage facilities, the Vaults, where the usable furniture from our suite is currently being kept, among other things. I had thought to take you down there tomorrow evening, perhaps see if anything catches your eye for the new decor? There is a multitude of artwork, for example. Jewellery, clothing from eras gone by..."
"You're going to take me into the bowels of the Palazzo and show me your treasure horde? That sounds like a lot of fun," she enthused, sitting up more as excitement bloomed in her eyes. "Right up my street. I can't wait to see what ancient curiosities are down there." She paused. "Wait, clothing? Like... Renaissance gowns? Suits of armour? That kind of thing?"
"The very same," he confirmed. His gaze travelled over her. "I confess, I would very much like to see you in such a gown. You possess a timeless beauty that would lend itself well to the styles of the sixteenth and seventeenth century." He sighed, and the sound was filled with longing. "How I do wish I could experience those years over again, with you by my side. I have no doubt that you would dazzle mortal Kings and Popes alike: we would rub shoulders with the nobility, you and I. Not to mention how you would adore the art, the music, the culture..."
Swept up in the picture that he was painting, Bella leaned towards him, captivated by his words. "What was it like?"
"Smelly," he replied, unexpectedly jovial.
Bella's mouth fell open in surprise, and Aro grinned. "Human hygiene was terribly lacking, before the arrival of indoor plumbing. Especially for the masses - the peasants, the poor. But it was very, very beautiful, all the same."
She opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off as a knock sounded from the library doors.
Aro blanched, predicting her reaction to his next words. "I asked Carlisle and Jasper to meet me here, to detail their travel plans."
"Why here?" Bella lifted her legs from his, feeling stung. "The library is one of the few places I feel comfortable now that our suite is being remodelled, and you invited them here? Knowing I was already here?"
Aro swept a hand across his face. "I wished to be close to you. Being apart from you... My skin feels too tight."
Bella stood. "I already told you that I don't want any involvement in this thing with Victoria. If you want to play cat and mouse with her then that's fine, but I'm not interested."
"I thought that you could come with me, tomorrow," Aro said, trying to calm the situation, "To see the party off. Once their flight leaves, I was intending on taking you into Florence. Shopping. If you recall, I promised to purchase some items for your use - a cell phone, for example. Perhaps some books by more modern authors? Our library is quite lacking in material written in the last forty years or so."
She rolled her shoulders, turning away from him for a moment. "You don't have to do that. I'm sure I could just get the stuff online."
"I want to take you," he assured her, moving so that he was standing in front of her. He tilted her chin up. "Please, Isabella. Stay with me, whilst they're here. You don't have to speak, you do not even need look in their direction. But please... Be here with me, diletto. Stand by my side. You may even glare, if you wish."
For what it was worth, Bella was conflicted by the entire Victoria debacle. She found herself leaning more towards agreeing with Caius' prospective plan - that a bounty should be put on Victoria's head.
She absolutely understood Aro's desire to see Victoria punished for what she had done, and truly Bella wanted the red-head dead, mostly so that the loved ones that she'd left behind would be permanently safe.
But she didn't want to be a part of it. And there was something painful and troubling to her about how invested Aro was in hunting Victoria down. He was so eager to apprehend her, to have her brought to Volterra and extract justice. A small, insecure part of Bella was bothered by his vehemence. Yes, Victoria had kidnapped and tortured her, but hadn't Victoria's actions essentially delivered Bella to Aro? Hadn't Victoria been the one to bring them together? The notion of Aro needing to have his revenge on Victoria for such a thing...
Bella was having a hard time separating her kidnap and torture from her reunion with Aro. To her, they were the same event. Without the kidnap and torture, she may never have been reunited with the man who had become her husband. And so it was emotionally difficult for Bella to understand where Aro was coming from. Not because he wanted Victoria dead - no, Bella wanted the woman gone just as much - but because his fury towards Victoria was so fierce that he was determined to torture the red head in kind.
She was questioning his motivations.
What was the true root of his anger?
Was it the injuries that Victoria had inflicted upon Bella?
Was it how she had orchestrated the Cullens' trial like a puppeteer?
Or was it because Aro - subconsciously - was upset that his fate, his heart, his very soul, had been snatched out from under him the moment that he'd laid eyes on Bella for the second time? Was it the loss of control over his own life?
Because he couldn't punish Bella for that. He couldn't take her to task over any of it. And she knew that Aro genuinely, truly loved her. She knew that they were eachother's everything.
But... she also knew that Aro was an absolute control freak with the odd psychopathic tendency, and despite what he'd said to her in the car (about her being his strength) Bella still worried that she was a weakness for him. Her arrival had almost sealed Aro's fate and once their mate bond had been cemented, Aro had lost control of his own life. He'd said it himself - it was intolerable for mated vampires to be apart. Now that they were truly mated, if Bella was to meet with an unfortunate end... It could and probably would mean the end of the Volturi. Aro would lose his mind. He'd be driven mad with grief, become incandescent with rage. Her love might well be his strength, but the potential of her death was a weakness for him - his only weakness, aside from Bella actually killing him herself.
And so Bella couldn't help but wonder, was Aro also ready to punish Victoria because of all of that? For creating those weaknesses? Hadn't he said it himself, just the day before in the car? That a person could feel more than one thing at a time?
Yes - he could genuinely love Bella and be thrilled to be married to her, but he could also be angry that Victoria's actions had taken away his control over his heart and soul. He could be multiple things all at once. And Bella wasn't even sure that Aro himself had realised all of these things. She also knew that if she brought it up, Aro would likely deny it all, and claim his motives were purely to punish the creature responsible for her kidnap and torture. And perhaps that was it - perhaps that was his sole motivation. But she still didn't want to ask.
"... Isabella?"
She started at the sound of his anxious voice and nodded slowly. "Okay," she said quietly, slipping her ballet flats back on, "I'll stay. But only because they're already here. And when all of this is over, and everyone has been dealt with - Edward's head, Tanya's pieces, Victoria - you're taking me on vacation. Forget what I said about being considerate of your brothers."
"As you like, precious." He wound an arm around her waist, chuckling softly at their height difference. "La mia bellissima mogliettina."
Bella huffed. "I'm 5'4. Hardly little."
"No," he agreed, "Sei perfetto, mia prezioso." Aro glanced to the doors. "Enter."
In typical Cullen fashion, it was not just Jasper and Carlisle who had attended the library. They were all present, though Emmett and Esme hung back, taking seats in overstuffed armchairs and not involving themselves in the discussion that erupted around one of the central tables.
Bella stood to one side of Aro, his arm firm around her middle as he discussed the logistics of the operation. She said not a word, only observing her husband as he spoke, admiring the determination in his face and the strength and sheer authority in his posture. At one point, Rosalie had tried to speak to her, to offer some benign comment or another about the weather, and Bella had wordlessly dismissed the taller blonde's efforts with a cold disinterested look.
Aro had squeezed her waist in support and she'd felt his compassion for her through their bond.
From her silent position at his side, Bella gathered that the party to capture Victoria would be departing from a private airfield in Florence at 2pm the following afternoon. The flight would take approximately fifteen hours and Alice had foreseen that it would be an uneventful journey, without turbulence, bird strike or any dangerous or disruptive weather events. The group had had several "safe house" accommodations made available to them in and around Cape Town, all adequately outfitted with the appropriate storage containers in preparation to hold the pieces of whichever dismembered vampires were retrieved alongside Victoria.
Despite her lack of interest in the endeavour, Bella couldn't help but be slightly impressed at the sheer amount of forethought that had gone in to ensuring that the plan was a success. Jasper and Carlisle had explored several avenues of decisions ahead of time, allowing Alice to 'see' which decisions would lead to success, and with the factoring in of specific members of the Guard, a detailed outline had been created.
Victoria would be accompanied by at least eleven other vampires - not quite an army, but enough Newborns that Jasper's experience in corralling them would be essential - and four of those Newborns would be talented in their own right. That meant that there would be a minimum of five dismembered vampires, Victoria and the (un)lucky four, being brought back to Volterra, to be interviewed by Aro. Their pieces would be kept in lead-lined, steel boxes, which could be packed three to a suitcase. The heads would be stored in sterile water containers - globular, fish-bowl like contraptions with flat bases and lids - and held in the chest freezer of the aircraft.
The added weight of all of these boxes, plus the vampire parts within them, meant that the larger Volturi jet - a Boeing 737 - would be being used to transport the party there and back, to ensure that the two smaller planes remained available for use in Italy, just in case of emergency.
"Padrona Isabella?" Alice said, and Bella raised her eyes to hers.
"Yes?"
Alice blinked. "Uh, Esme and I were wanting to go into Florence, maybe the day after tomorrow. You speak fluent Italian, right? Mine is a little rusty, and..." she was babbling, and smiled hesitantly. "We'd love it if you could come with us?"
Bella caught Esme's cautiously hopeful expression over Alice's shoulder and felt a tiny crack form in the armour she wore against the Cullens. With the memory of Esme's steadfast compassion in mind, Bella sighed, feeling somewhat defeated. "Sure, okay. Florence sounds nice. We can take my new car."
Aro glanced at her with curious mirth, knowing that she did not yet have a car of her own.
Alice - who could not see any glimpse of Bella's future, given her shield - was obviously trying to reign in her glee at Bella's unexpected acquiescence. "Oh, wow, that would be great. What car do you have here? I bet it's a classic, right? Like your old truck?"
"Nothing yet," Bella replied sweetly, "Aro is going to buy me one tomorrow, after these guys fly out."
"I am?" he raised a bemused, challenging eyebrow at her and she raised one right back, cocking her head to the side whilst her eyes flickered deliberately between his throat and mouth, her gaze pointedly darkening with wanton promise. "I am," Aro confirmed smoothly, actually excited to buy her a car, to buy her anything - no, everything - that she wanted, and his lips twitched when he felt her amusement unfurl in his mind.
Emmett began tunelessly whistling a song and Bella tutted, though she grinned across at him as she recognised the melody. "You are butchering a classic, Em."
"Am not," he retorted. "Here, listen..." The others looked between them with surprise as Emmett boomed a raucous, delighted laugh and began to sing the song aloud. "Near, far, in our motor car. Oh! What a happy time we'll spend! Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Our fine, four-fendered friend!"
Aro raised a perplexed eyebrow.
"I can't believe you actually remember that song," Bella giggled, shaking her head. "You complained for hours about that movie every single time I wanted to watch it!"
"Did not," Emmett protested, approaching Bella from his seat. "I love that movie. I have the soundtrack album on my phone."
Bella's mouth fell open in surprise. "You do not!"
"He does," Jasper sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Emmett grinned. "Hey Bells, do these guys have a movie room here?"
Bella frowned. "I don't actually know. Aro? Do we have a movie room in Volterra?"
"Indeed we do, darling," Aro smiled crookedly, pleased at her use of the word 'we'. He pulled Bella in front of him and rested his chin on her shoulder, winding his arms around her waist to hold her close. "Marcus is quite fond of the cinema. And there are several games consoles, too, which should be available for use now that Alec and Felix are leaving. Although, mia regina, you may have to pull rank in order to wrestle a controller from Demetri or Jane. They are quite a competitive pair. We have a fine collection of video games, I believe, though I rarely partake."
To Aro's amazement, Emmett groaned and Bella whooped and punched the air. "I bet I can still kick your ass, Em! You'll have no chance at all now that I have these awesome vampire reflexes."
Emmett looked helplessly across at Aro. "She's freakishly good at video games. Don't ever play opposite her in Call of Duty, no matter what she says. She can't be trusted. She's a friendly fire fiend."
"Noted," Aro replied, amused and enthralled to see Bella seeming so at ease with one of the Cullens, and enjoying her lighter mood. This particular aspect of her character was one that he had only seen in the memories of the Cullens, and it was truly lovely tor him to witness the easy, familial banter between his wife and Emmett.
"I have been meaning to take you on a proper tour," Aro confessed to Bella, "Alas, my darling, we often get distracted in one another's company, and there are many rooms you have yet to see."
Interest piqued, Bella turned a little to look at him. "Like what?"
"The swimming pool, the Games Room, the kitchens-" Aro stopped when he realised the rest of the Cullens were watching the interaction with no small amount of fascination. "Later," he promised her, "I will give you the full tour, I swear it. I'll even procure a beverage for you from our vintage stores, warmed to your liking, as to better sweeten my apology. If you approve?"
Bella nodded happily, and as Aro went back to his conversation with Jasper and Carlisle, Emmett elbowed her.
"We often get distracted in one another's company," he mimicked Aro's earlier words to her teasingly, "You've been here since mid July and didn't even know they had a pool?!"
"Shut up," Bella grumbled, but her eyes twinkled and she smiled. "I'm a newborn, my mate is a King, I've been learning to fight and to control my shield and I'm always thirsty. I can just about go two days without needing to feed but that's it, so far. I'm less than two full months into this life and I think Aro forgets sometimes how new I am. My entire personality and control feels like it's resting on a knife edge at times. Honestly, I've had other things on my mind. It's been an enormous adjustment, dealing with the kidnap and the change and the mating and just... everything. Being a... Queen, it can all get really overwhelming."
"I bet," Emmett chuckled, "So, uh, how's the feeding thing going?"
Bella looked up at him curiously. "Why do you ask?"
Emmett shrugged. "Haven't seen you out in the woods, Bells. It's good sport here, sure, but the reserve is only so big and we'd have run into you eventually."
"You wouldn't have seen me," Bella evenly met his gaze, unafraid of the rebuke she knew would come from somewhere, if not from Emmett. "I'm sure you've realised by now that I don't feed the way that you do. I don't think I'd be half as controlled or steady if I was eating animals."
"I knew it," Rosalie interjected in a sharp voice, visibly annoyed at how chummy Emmett and Bella appeared, "You're killing people."
Bella yawned. Aro muffled his huff of laughter into her hair, entertained and impressed by Bella's lack of care.
"Rosie, it's none of our business," Emmett said, more firmly than Bella had ever heard him speak to the blonde before. "Bella has the right to feed how she wants to. We all make our own choices about our diet."
Rosalie scowled. "How can you even say that?!" She threw her hands into the air, "You can't seriously be defending her! She's a murderer! Her dad is a police chief and she's killing people!"
Emmett seemed to stand a little taller. "Hell yeah, I'm defending her," he retorted, "Back off, Rose. You shouldn't talk to her like that. Bella hasn't done anything to you to deserve that shit from you, and this isn't the time or the place for one of your lectures."
"Emmett?! What the fu-" Rose tried to respond, but Emmett cut her off.
"Not everyone can do the animal thing, babe. Their blood is like metallic sour milk. You wouldn't know because you've never tasted the alternative, but honestly... I don't blame Bella for feeding from people. Don't forget, in a world full of vampires, we're the freaks. Human blood... baby, there's nothing like it in the world. The scratch in your throat goes away, and you feel really alive. Feeding from animals... Yeah, it keeps us going, but taste-wise there is no competition. Human blood wins. Every time. Hell... sometimes I wish I could feed normally, but I don't want to let you down. You're too important to me, so I feed the way you want me to." Emmett shook his head sadly. "Rosie. Use those big beautiful eyes of yours and see who exactly is standing in the room with us. Think about what you're saying and who you're saying it about. You're smarter than this, Rose. You don't have to agree with Bella's choices but you have to respect that those choices are hers to make. It's not up to you to dictate how other people live their lives, or to judge them if they do shit you don't like. If you can't be civil then maybe you should go back to our room and cool off."
Bella gaped at Emmett as Rose slammed out of the library, muttering under her breath about her 'kiss ass, traitor husband'.
But Aro spoke before Bella could. "Thank you," he said to Emmett. "I appreciate your words, Emmett. Truly."
Emmett flinched, suddenly panicked. "Dude, uh, Padrone Aro, sir, I'm sorry, really. I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes, or speak out of turn-"
Aro held up a hand, and slowly lowered his palm to Emmett's upper arm. The gesture was almost familial, paternal even, clearly meant to be comforting in nature, and Emmett blinked in surprise.
"Please, don't apologise," Aro told him quietly, "You spoke as any brother would, when defending their sister. You have nothing to apologise for. I am happy that my wife has found such fraternal support in you."
"She doesn't understand," Emmett lamented, "Rosie. She doesn't know. She's never fed from humans, never... tasted it."
Aro nodded. "I am aware."
Of course, he'd more than once had a glimpse into Rosalie's mind, and he'd seen the truth of the matter with regards to her reasons for abstaining. The blonde was an exceptionally uncomplicated person. She was vain, and yet terribly insecure. Aware of her dazzling beauty and yet continually finding herself lacking because she couldn't bear children - something which emotionally crippled her - and even after 80 something years of immortality, she was still grieving the loss of motherhood. The thirst for human blood was unavoidable for a vampire, even Carlisle experienced the need but was an unequivocal master of control, and yet, for Rosalie, the thirst was just another reminder that she was different. She was just as repressed as Edward was, but in terms of her instincts rather than her sexuality.
Oh yes, Rosalie wanted human blood, but her restraint was borne of self-loathing and fear, and not the moral facade that she touted. Frankly, Aro was convinced that human blood would ease her mental anguish.
As it were, Rosalie would give up her immortality- and, by extension, Emmett - in a heartbreak, if she was given the opportunity to become a mother.
If Rosalie couldn't reach acceptance, about her fertility, her immortality... she would be a deeply depressed vampire for the rest of her days. And Emmett would forever be tied to a woman who hated the very essence of her own being.
But Aro said none of this. Instead, he smiled reassuringly at Emmett, and Emmett seemed to relax a little.
"Please accept my apologies for her words," the large vampire said, "She isn't usually so... uptight."
"Apology accepted," Aro shrugged, eager not to dwell on the unfortunate outburst given that Bella was altogether unbothered. Had Bella been truly offended, well. The outcome for Rosalie would be quite different indeed. "You impress me, Emmett," Aro continued affably, "Your compassion, your in-depth understanding of the people around you. Not to mention your strength."
Jasper glanced between the two other men with hidden-alarm.
Emmett shrugged. "I'm just me. Nothing special. But, uh... thanks."
"Not so," Aro shook his head. "I am glad that Isabella has a true friend in you."
Bella smiled at Emmett. "We should hang out soon."
"I'd like that," Emmett replied, managing to hide his surprise at the genuine offer. "Seems like there's a lot of stuff here to do, so..."
Aro glanced across at Carlisle, his eyes hard and tone cold. "I suggest you speak to your daughter, Carlisle. I will not be so forgiving again. Disrespect shown to my wife - to my mate, your Queen - is disrespect shown to me, to the entire Volturi. And your coven is now officially out of chances."
"Yes, Padrone," Carlisle nodded, looking at his hands. "I don't know what's come over her."
"Volterra can change people," Aro said. "It can bring out the best in them..." he ran a possessive hand down Bella's back, and then his palm stilled on her hip. "Or, seemingly in the case of Rosalie, the worst." He looked outside, seeing that the sun was beginning to set. "I believe we are done here. Come, Isabella. Allow me to take you on that tour, yes?"
"Please," Bella grinned.
Aro grasped her hand. "Where to first, amatissimo?"
Bella hummed and narrowed her eyes. "Kitchens. Then you can take me wherever."
He raised her knuckles to his lips as he lead her across the library to the doors. "An excellent place to start."
Italian-
diletto - beloved
amore mia - my love
mia regina - my queen
il mia prezioso compagno - my precious mate
amatissimo - precious
Mi togli il fiato, mia cara moglie - You take my breath away, my darling wife
mio marito - my husband
maestri - masters
La mia bellissima mogliettina - my beautiful little wife
Sei perfetto, mia prezioso - you're perfect, my precious
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