Perhaps the day out with the guard had been more tiring than I thought. I don't recall falling asleep on the bench but I woke up in my room at the castle and changed into more comfier clothes to sleep in. Figuring out I must have been changed while asleep, I felt highly uncomfortable at someone having seen the scar on my back without me showing it myself. They would've seen it considering I was wearing an oversized shirt that reached mid-thigh and well underwear.
I took my knife with me and went to the throne room, figuring that the possible culprits were there. Only I forgot to check if they were busy with a trial as I barged in wanting to know who changed my clothes.
I should've knocked as there was indeed a trial going on. The suspect of whatever he stood trial for decided that the human was a good shield. "Let me go or this human harlot gets ripped apart. And don't try your little witchcraft on me either." He demanded.
"Sweetie, let go of me. It's too early to play a living shield for strangers and I haven't even had my coffee yet. So, I am not in the best of moods right now." I grumbled.
"Pfft, as if a mere weak blood-bag like you can do anything to a superior being like myself." The man, I think he was around late twenties maybe early thirties, laughed.
"I did warn you." I stabbed him in the throat and cut his head off pushing his body away.
The vampires were shocked for a second. "Miss Leona!" Immediately I got in a defensive stance.
"No." They held their hands up as if to show they didn't mean harm. "Someone better explain to me why I woke up dressed like this when I don't remember changing clothes from what I was wearing when we went shopping." I demanded to know.
"Because I changed them for you, you don't remember because you were practically sleeping standing up. You were uncomfortable in those clothes as they were smelly and damp from the sweat. They are in the washer by the way." Heidi answered.
"Oh. Wow this is rather embarrassing then. I... should go then... bye." I was so embarrassed as I clearly overreacted. I could've simply asked later on.
"Hold on a minute miss Leona. Care to tell me what you had planned to do with that knife of yours if you hadn't used it on our suspect?" Caius demanded to know.
"Castrate someone if it turned out to be a guy that changed me. By the way you didn't see my back, did you?" I asked Heidi.
"No you were quite cooperative while you were asleep." That relieved me.
"Why? What's wrong with your back." Aro was curious.
With a sigh I put my knife down. "I'll show you." I turned around and showed them the scar.
"This is one of the two scars I gained from when James tried to go after Bella and me. He had thrown me against broken mirrors and the pieces ripped my back open. If it hadn't been for Carlisle being there when he was, I might have died or become paralyzed." The memory of seeing that scar for the first time had me down, worried what they might think.
"It's so big!" Caius exclaimed. Demetri and I glanced at each other knowing what we were thinking was the same as the other.
"Does it still hurt you?" Felix wondered.
"Not really. Only when I stand still for long periods of time. It just makes me really insecure as students did bully me because of it." Someone pulled my shirt back on my shoulders for me and covered me with a cloak. Looking up I saw the loveliest pair of ruby red eyes that belonged to Felix. He wiped a tear I didn't know was running down my cheek.
"You're still a beautiful girl, Leona. With or without scars." He spoke softly as I buried my face in his chest. He was a lot taller than me. "This just proves that you're a fighter and a survivor." That cheered me up. I need to talk to Marcus because something feels off about my bonds with the guard.
"Thank you, Felix." Then my stomach growled so I went back to my breakfast in embarrassment.
"Wait aren't you going to apologize for showing so much skin?" Caius asked in a demanding tone.
"Not really. My lady bits are covered and you've seen my scar now so there is nothing wrong with how I'm dressed as there is nothing to feel ashamed over. I'm going to finish my breakfast now." I sassed. Aro chuckled at my attitude, waving me off.
The following few days the Volturi kings got used to my shameless attitude towards state of dress as the weather began warming up so I kept wearing shorts and shirts. I got closer with the guard but came to think of the twins as younger siblings. Demetri and Heidi were good friends and somehow I felt somewhat attracted to Felix. It was all very confusing.
I had alchemy class with Marcus but I chose this moment to ask him. "Uhm, master Marcus, may I ask you about my bonds with the guard? You mentioned me being bonded like mates are with Alec but I feel no such thing towards him but more to Felix." I asked him.
"I have noticed that. Your bonds were strange already but they seem to get clearer. I asked the guard to be here in a minute as there are things you should know." The guard came in after a knock.
"What do I need to know?" I asked.
Jane decided to answer. "We met you before. Well sort of. We were on a mission to go after this trio of vampires, they had been killing soldiers who were already on the verge of death but it still drew attention. We found one of them draining this male soldier dry. Felix and Demetri made quick work of the vampire but the male soldier hadn't been fully dead yet. He asked Alec and me to make sure his wife and unborn child wouldn't meet the same fate. We didn't take it seriously until we found the other two vampires two days later. They had killed two soldiers who seemed to be on guard while a third one was repairing a Jeep." She explained.
"The repairwoman was you. You had tried to shoot the vampires but they merely attacked you feeding from your hands. I got them off of you with my gift and Felix and Demetri did their thing. Alec realized you were the wife the other soldier mentioned when we heard a second heartbeat weakening. Alec used his gift to keep you unconscious and without pain while he and Felix took the venom out. Felix acted odd after not wanting to leave you behind so we made sure you would be safe before going back." Strangely enough I felt more relieved than upset hearing how Mark had died.
"I made the mistake of confusing your bonds with them and for that I apologize. To each of you. Getting a proper look now I see your bonds have taken their proper form but I also see you aren't fully human. That is one thing that never changed." Marcus apologized.
"What do you mean?" How could I not be human?
"I am not quite certain but surviving not one but two vampire attacks has left you with what I suspect to be a very, small trace of venom making you maybe 1% vampire. Aro spoke of you experiencing tiny changes like better focus and reflexes than before both attack happened."
"Do you think that will change with time?" I was curious now. though a bit overwhelmed with the new information.
"We don't really know we have never seen it before. What I do know is that you are a special being, miss Leona." Marcus was honest.
"Can I please go for a walk? I need to think this through." I asked the old king politely.
"Of course. May I suggest the gardens? I find that being there helps with thinking." I nodded and left quickly.
Making my way to the gardens, I kept thinking about everything. Only to be slammed into a wall. The pain had me unable to recognize my assailant right away. But soon I stared into a face I knew too well. Maylene.
"Look who we have here. A bloodbag pretending to be a princess." I tried to reach for my knife but she was faster. "Oh no, princesses don't run with sharp objects. They will only get hurt." She took my knife and stabbed me. Six times I felt a stinging pain. Two in the chest, two in the stomach and once in each leg.
I wished I had armor on so she couldn't hurt me more. I felt a current run through my hands and I lost consciousness but not before hearing a voice telling me not to die.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now, Leona's last days in the army have been fully explained. And she finally knows what happened with Mark, and who her real mate is. I don't blame Marcus making a mistake. Leona being only one percent vampire is an oddity compared to the usual full human and full vampires he has seen before.
I wonder what happened in the end... Guess we'll find out in the next chapter.
As always let me know what you think in comments.
Have a nice week!!