Tenebrous ↠ Volturi Kings {1} ✓

04

I nodded, uncertain, but whether or not Marcus was correct was yet to be seen. "Okay."

"I'll see you soon," he said with a smile, finally releasing me from his gentle hold. "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm not around, hmm?"

"I make no promises. But I'll try," I said with a smile. Unlike Bella, I didn't have an outrageous tendency for trouble, so I doubted he had much to worry about.

I paid Bella a visit at her home the following day, unannounced but not unwelcome. It seemed that Edward was the only one of the Cullens that Charlie had an issue with, as he invited me in warmly and told me that Bella was upstairs.

"Hey," she said, startled when I walked into her room.

"Hey Bells," I greeted, flopping down onto her bed beside her.

"Edward said Marcus left yesterday," she said. "How are you doing?"

I offered her a shrug in response. "I can honestly say I don't blame you for cliff jumping."

"I was doing it for fun!" she exclaimed indignantly. I offered her a grin, signaling that I was simply teasing, and she huffed. "You're horrible."

"Yeah, yeah. How did you bear it, with Edward gone? I feel like I'm trapped in my own skin," I said, resting my head on her bed and closing my eyes.

"I didn't," I heard her admit sheepishly. "I withdrew from everyone."

"Do you have any tips besides becoming a social recluse?" I quipped, and she smacked my shoulder lightly. I snickered.

"Just keep busy, that helped me," Bella said.

Fortunately, that wasn't hard. The Cullens and Bella were more than willing to keep my mind off things until Caius' arrival the following Thursday. The only forewarning I received that he had arrived was Alice mentioning this as we turned into our driveway.

"Alice, why are you like this?" I grumbled. "Can't you give me a little more warning than two minutes?"

"Absolutely not. Surprising you is so much more fun, especially with how mopey you've been," she chirped.

I hmphed. "I haven't been mopey."

"Don't worry, we don't blame you for it, it's really not your fault," she said, ignoring the glare I sent her way as she parked the car. "I'm just saying you have been mopey. You didn't even want to go shopping with me yesterday!"

"Because we went two days before that!" I protested, slinging my backpack over my shoulder as we headed up towards the door. "You are the only person I know that somehow runs out of new things to wear within a week."

"That's not true. I just like variety." She held open the door for me to walk through.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, Alice."

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm in your tone. I'm your elder, you can't talk to me like that!" she said playfully.

I laughed and threw my blue-knit beanie at her - she caught it easily. "I'll talk to you however I want!"

Esme appeared, wearing an amused smile and successfully ending our argument. "Welcome home girls. Caius is waiting in the living room for you, Rowan. He's speaking with Carlisle."

I was half-surprised that Caius was actually able to carry on civilized conversation with the Cullens, but remembered that he and Carlisle went much further back than the rest and Carlisle had likely earned at least some form of his respect.

"Thanks, Esme," I said, hanging up my coat. I left my backpack at the foot of the stairs, resolving to take it up to my room when I went, and headed off to battle.