𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬. sam uley

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

Aro wakes early in the morning. He stretches, yawns, the covers rustling around him. Sam sees him walk to the window and look out. There are no bags under his eyes. No sign that he's been tortured by knowing that Sage is dead. Sam almost snarls, but refrains. It's harder to keep himself out of sight during the day, so he can't make any noise. He can't risk them knowing, even though he's certain they already do.

He keeps down during the day, watches Aro through the windows. Aro likes his tea with sugar in it. Esme makes it the best, he thinks. But Carlisle's talks with him are Aro's favorite, the human seeking out the vampire on more than one occasion.

Aro likes Jasper and (sorry, is obsessed with) Alice, but they keep their distance. And Rosalie and Emmett, Sam notes with approval, hate him. Rosalie snarls at him when she comes down; Sam can't see her face, but she is very enthusiastic about her distaste for Aro and his stay with them. Emmett just laughs at her remarks and doesn't acknowledge Aro, ever. Sam wonders if that's out of respect for Sage or not. Even Sam's not sure if Sage would rather they treat Aro with malice or kindness. Emmett is in the middle of the spectrum, acting as though Aro doesn't exist.

He watches all day, listens as Carlisle whispers to Aro, his voice somber and solemn. Sam doesn't listen to the conversations themselves—he came to kill—but Aro keeps himself composed. He never raises his voice. Sam hates that about him, the coolness of him. Even with a beating heart, Aro is undead.

"We're going hunting," Carlisle says to him later, when the sun is setting into the trees. Aro is at the dinner table, eating a salad prepared to him by Carlisle. His hair is arranged neatly on his head, and it lifts, indicating he heard Carlisle. "Rosalie and Emmett will watch over you while we're gone."

Sam perks. This is what he had been hoping for. A chance to get Aro alone—and it took only a couple of days. He wonders if Ez listened into their conversations before meeting Seth that one time. If there was a chance Ez knew specifically so he could get Seth to kill Aro while he was unprotected.

It doesn't matter, he supposes, but it does make his life a lot easier. Sam watches Aro's reaction, but the man either thinks he's safe or he doesn't care about the dangers of the wolves because Rosalie and Emmett are there to protect him. How foolish and naive.

Even with no power, Aro thinks he's untouchable. The one thing he feared is gone. She saved him. He is fearless now, a god living amongst men.

Sam licks his gums. There should never be enjoyment in killing someone with a heart that beats, but Sam is going to revel in bringing this man down a peg.

"Easy there," someone whispers to his right, directly in Sam's ear, "I can actually feel your bloodlust from my house. Tone it down."

Sam isn't surprised. He had heard Reneesme walking a couple minutes ago, but he had thought Edward and Bella would ignore him completely in favor of taking their kid to the house. The anger that follows is a shock, for he didn't think it would be this vicious--this feral. He imagines himself biting Edward's head off, his wolf threatened, defensive, but it's because Reneesme would hear that he refrains.

Edward laughs anyways, as though Sam had thought up a comical joke. "I'm rather surprised you came back so murderous." Edward flashes to the front of Sam, obscuring Sam from peering eyes should they be curious about what he's up to. It doesn't matter since the vampires in the house will likely listen to every word Edward is saying and realize it's Sam that's here.

After that, Sam will most likely have to fight them.

"You won't," Edward says softly, and Sam looks into his blackened eyes. Sam huffs; there's no way that's true. "It is."