heartbeat ⇢ demetri volturi

𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐂𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍.

It had been Demetri's suggestion, Aro had told her, and he couldn't have agreed more. 

Oddly, there was a familiarity about her that brought Alice to mind, or perhaps Katie, her human friend – but only in the sense of their slight builds. The truth, however, lay in the depth of emptiness dwelling in Corin's eyes, akin to the profound void within Marcus.

It was clear that Corin was nothing like the outgoing Katie, nor did she possess the charismatic allure of Alice.

In fact, spending time with Corin felt like witnessing a masterclass in boredom. Not that Corin seemed especially invested in spending time with anyone, as far as Eleanor had observed.

So at first, she hadn't really understood the idea.

But then, Corin started spending time with her and that's when Eleanor understood.

The nights no longer echoed with her tears. The haunting dreams of people traversing the great hall had ceased. The anguished cries and the ghastly scenes of children succumbing to their grim destinies no longer plagued her.

She didn't miss Nessie either. Or Katie. The life that had existed before the castle seemed like a distant memory, and while the prospect of returning to it was enticing, reality remained unyielding. Acceptance had woven itself into her existence.

And that was precisely what Corin's gift was all about.

And Eleanor hated Demetri even more for suggesting it.

Because when Corin was gone, when she was back in the tower with the wives, Eleanor could feel it – the encroaching darkness. Her thoughts took a sinister turn, and her nightmares resurged, more vivid and tormenting than before.

It was a cruel manipulation, one that left her without autonomy over her own thoughts and emotions.

And yet, despite the haunting tendrils of those nightmarish visions that had ingrained themselves within her psyche, Eleanor chose to hold onto them.

For they served as a constant reminder of the monster she refused to become.

But then again, when Corin returned, the clarity of her convictions wavered.

"I don't want her here," Eleanor's words slipped from her lips in a low murmur, her focus riveted on the apathetic vampire who observed her training from a distant corner.

"It's the only way for you to quit crying all over the place," Demetri snapped back at her, his tone harsh and impatient.

She hesitated, her thoughts momentarily caught in a whirlwind. Why should she listen to Demetri? But then a pang of doubt crept in. Maybe, just maybe, he had a point. Perhaps his intentions were more about assistance than aggression. After all, her current life wasn't as bleak as it could have been.

In the corner, Corin's lips curved upward.

A sense of confinement gripped Eleanor from within, though the source had become elusive, lost in the maze of her mind. Nevertheless, her purpose was clear—she needed to persevere with her training to secure her place there.

"You're being too straightforward with your attacks," Demetri reprimanded, effortlessly taking hold of her hand and bending it, causing Eleanor to wince in pain. "You're behaving like an inexperienced newborn, lacking control."