In Paris 1723

[2.11]

Chapter Forty-Three - Aro

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"Goodbye! My young friends," Aro called after us, pausing before clasping his hands together and looking at me. "Oh, my dear Genevieve, will you stay back? Just for a moment?"

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*Genevieve*

I momentarily freeze, when I hear Aro's voice call out my name. 

Alice quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her, her eyes glazing over as her grip on my arm tightened. 

Edward seemed to pale as he looked from Alice to me in shock.

 Bella just looks between Aro and me in confusion, not understanding why Aro would be interested in me, but glad that the attention was turned away from her for the time being.

"It will only take a moment," Aro calls out, his hands clasped together.

"Edward, why don't you and Bella go and join the festivities," I offer, sending Edward a look.

 He hesitates, looking between Aro and me before slowly leaving the room, and dragging Bella behind him. Alice stays firmly by my side, our arms interlocked as we both carefully watch Aro step closer to me.

He opens his mouth to talk but is quickly cut off by Caius, who is sneering in Alice and I's direction. "What is the meaning of this, Aro? Heidi will be here any moment for our dinner."

Aro seems to falter, a hidden glint settling behind his eyes as he looks over at us, faux concern falling onto his face. "Oh, dear. I had simply forgotten all about that... too caught up in the moment I suppose. You two wouldn't mind waiting? Would you?"

Alice stiffened beside me as she stiffly nodded her head. I, on the other hand, pause, glancing over at Alice to make sure that it really was okay with her before nodding my own head.

"Of course not," Alice says patiently, her grip on my arm tightening as the large oak doors open once more.

"-and here we have our central rotunda..." Heidi waves her hand around the room, a dangerous smile overtaking her face as she looks at the large crowd.

Aro turns on his heels and claps his hands excitedly, "ah! Welcome, dear friends! Let me be the first to welcome you to Volterra and to thank you for your generous sacrifices."

He nodded his head and almost immediately the large group was swarmed with hungry vampires. Their screams echoed off the walls as the smell of blood filled the air. Alice and I quickly turned our backs to the sight, opting to look at the intricately carved walls in an attempt to fight off the growing burning sensation that had begun in our throats.

A small tug on my pants made me look down, my eyes quickly widening in surprise as a young boy, maybe only five or six, looked up at me in fear.

"My mommy and daddy- I don't know wh- where they w- went!" He balled, gripping onto his plush rabbit as he tried to find comfort within its furry fur.

I share a glance with Alice before bending down so that I could look into his eyes. "There, there. I'm sure that you're mommy and daddy are just fine... why don't you close your eyes and describe them for me... I'll do all the looking for you."

He nods his head after a few seconds and closes his eyes, hiccuping as he tried to calm himself down enough to talk to me. "Mommy h- h- has dark hair... and daddy has hair l- l-like me."

I felt a pang of sadness wash over me as I watched his father's limp body fall to the floor, only a few feet from his dead mother. Both of them seemed to try to make their way to their son before they were stopped by the hungry guard members. I bite my lip as I nod my head, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, helping him to focus on me and not the screams that continue to ring through the room.