CARLISLE WAS QUESTIONING EVERY ACTION HE'D EVER TAKEN IN REGARDS TO HIS CONNECTION WITH THE VOLTURI.
Aro had been more than a friend at one point, and Carlisle knew all too well what happened when that man was in love. He had been blinded by the idea that Aro, and by extension the Volturi, could keep River safe from any harm from vampires or otherwise.
How terrible that River had been attacked. She would be forced to take her first life soon, and that went against the woman's very nature.
"She isn't like you, Aro," Carlisle tried to guide Aro towards his point as he sat down, the phone stuck to his ear, "River has never desired to hurt anyone. Not even when she was attacked, you said she didn't fight back. She's not a fighter. She's not a killer."
"You don't know that," Aro denied over the phone. Carlisle hated when they got into this debate because they would never be on the same page. He was sure Aro hated this just as much as him. "Carlisle, River is not the same as she was before. Vampire venom changes people in ways we still don't fully understand. She is the same woman, but the vampirism has given her at least a bit of confidence in herself that I don't believe she had before."
"It has only been a day. None of mine changed overnight." Carlisle shook his head, trying to imagine the woman that he had helped pack to go to Volterra. She had to visit him soon as the same person, he didn't know what he would do if she was different. "Jasper wants to see her. Things have been overwhelming around here."
"You have money. All are allowed to visit my home. I've always been open to your children, despite two of them hating me personally," Aro snapped at the end, the reminder of Alice and Edward's thoughts on the Volturi and Aro as a leader cutting him deep with the talks with Carlisle.
Carlisle understood why Aro was upset, but that didn't change his own hurt and discomfort around this situation.
He had left River in Volterra and she had become a vampire because of it.
It was tragic.
"Alright," Carlisle conceded. "Jasper will be visiting soon then, I believe. It will be a short trip, we need him back in Forks as soon as possible."
"What could you possibly need your empath for so badly?" Aro questioned, knowing deep down that there was another reason why Carlisle was so peeved about the idea of River taking human life. "Are you keeping something from me, Carlisle? Because we have just had an attack on our Queen, if there is another issue, we must be informed."
He didn't want to tell him.
What had been happening in Forks was his issue.
Or at least, it was. It should have been. It would be eventually.
Aro would never let this go, and he would be in more trouble when he eventually found out. If there was one thing that Aro found unforgivable, it was lying by omission. Carlisle was no liar, perhaps sometimes a truth bender if he truly had to, but never a liar.
So he just let it out.
"Bella was attacked before we left, and the woman whose mate we killed is coming after us," Carlisle admitted as he shook his head back and forth. "I promise that it was warranted."
"You weren't the one to do it, were you?" Aro asked with a new genuine tone that reminded him of a calmer man that he once cared for more than life itself. "Edward did show the attack, he cannot hide anything from me, but I did not realize that she would come back. Victoria has always been an issue with her hunt."
"And you have not taken her out yet?"
"I thought you were the one that preached peace and love," Aro mocked for a second before moving back to his calmer self over the phone. "Never the matter, we will handle it. One vampire is no issue. We will send Chelsea and Afton, they will dispose of her. She's well aware that she is on thin ice, which is likely why she hasn't come to us to resolve the issue of her mate being killed by your children."
Carlisle paused before he would explain the truth, that full truth that Aro adored hearing. It would be a terrible thing to tell him. The army, the Newborn Army that could come after the Volturi any time that year. Aro had been so busy with his marriage and his mate that he must not have understood the full extent of this army, how much trouble they were causing in Seattle.
This was terrible.
"She made an army," Carlisle started, realizing the severity was going to impact Aro and his life as he continued, "Victoria created a Newborn Army in order to take out Bella and our Coven. We have been training for the inevitable fight. That is why we need Jasper, he is the one with real training fighting Newborns. Bella will be safe soon."
"Has she not been turned yet?"
"No, she hasn't, Aro. Edward is waiting to turn her. She has been working to leave Forks and come with us. She will be no threat to our secret, I promise."
"She has an army?"
"Yes, that is what I just said, Aro. She has an army but we are dealing with it. Leave Chelsea and Afton at home, they do not need to get involved in this. Forks is not the right place for this anyways."
Aro hummed in the phone.
While Carlisle was thinking about what to say next, there was a sharp chirp that came from the front of the house, from their newly installed and upgraded doorbell. It was past ten PM, so he assumed that one of his children had forgotten their keys and did not want to break down the door.
Well, at least they were using the doorbell and didn't want to destroy the house anymore. Edward and Emmett were the most common issues when it came to this.
"I am moving downstairs. I think that someone forgot their keys. We changed the locks, so the old spare doesn't work," he informed the Italian king before quickly going downstairs, freely opening the door.
He hadn't expected a bruised, nearly bleeding human to be at the doorstep, tears rolling down their face. Their body was notably androgynous, and Carlisle couldn't notice if they were male or female from the severe bruising on their face.
Carlisle carefully moved the human inside, a shocked expression on his face. he hadn't realized the human was carrying anything until a bruised hand showed him a package that was stained with old blood.
"Aro, a human is in the house," Carlisle warned the other side of the line as the human fell to the floor, tears streaming down their face.
"Should we call about these issues later, then? I am still wanting to send over my people."
Carlisle wondered if the Volturi would want to get involved in this dispute with this clearly damaged human. Nobody would send a human like this. Nobody human, that is. Carlisle wasn't some well known gangster with human women and men that he knew very well. Except for Chrissy, who was now the only human he was close with.
This wasn't Chrissy. The person had greasy, unwashed blonde hair. Beyond the bruising Carlisle could see bright blue eyes, the electric kind that would have been adored in a child and seen as sweet in a young person.
"No, not later, this human is in the house. They need medical help and I'm almost 100% sure that this was not done by a human," Carlisle admitted, grabbing a glass of water to bring to the human. When he came back, he turned the phone on speaker in order to deal with the situation better. The doctor imagined who would be so cruel as to do this.
"Aro, I think I know who did this."
"What do you mean who did this? A human has been injured by a vampire?" Aro questioned, his voice turning slightly frantic at the mentioned of an injured human in Carlisle's house. "Carlisle, what vampire would send an abused human?"
"A sadistic one with a message to send," Carlisle answered as he checked over the human, finding that this was indeed a young human female. He was hunched over on the floor with the water, which was taken graciously. "There's a package with blood. Doesn't smell like hers. She needs rest and an x-ray, perhaps an MRI and CT to check for any permanent damage."
"Are you planning on turning this new human?"
"I will if she wants to," Carlisle said as the human began to nod. "She seems to want to. I didn't think I would be doing this tonight, but this girl is so bruised that I believe I must do it now."
"Well, another member of the Cullen family has shown up on your doorstep, a victim of another vampire who harmed her." Aro stopped for a moment and gasped. "Carlisle- Carlisle-"
"What?"
"You said another vampire did this?" Carlisle confirmed with a hum. "What state did you find my mate in when you found her? From that ex-boyfriend of hers that kept her hostage?"
"Not this terrible of a condition, but I suspected he was a vampire because of how she described him," Carlisle gave the information freely, "I cannot confirm it due to never having met the man, but the pale skin and darkening eyes that had a hint of red was good enough information for me. Brown hair, tall build, handsome face. We couldn't get her to form an image for Edward."
"Get that image, please. Get it from this woman," Aro was now pleading. "We may have a crime scene here. Read that letter, I beg of you. I'm coming down there now and no, you can't tell me no. I am your king and if I can get this motherfucker I will."
Carlisle wished he had never come back to Forks.
---
Dear Carlisle Cullen,
You have done me wrong for the last time. I don't take kindly to vampires getting into the business of their elders. Nobody has crossed me so terribly, and those who have done less have died for their misgivings. Yet you have been made out to be a reasonable man, so I will allow your family or yourself to make up for this.
Two humans went missing from under my nose. They are very important to me, and I will not be satiated until they are returned to be. River and Christiana will be returned to me by your hands or others, but I would prefer that it be your kin.
Human-vampire relations depend on the two of them.
This one could not replace the two of them, could not replace the hole in my heart that comes with their absence. She is useless, do not feel sorry for her. If you think she has some use, use her whatever way you can. She's good in bed, but she can't go for very long. I understand you have a mate, but you have two unmated male vampires in your Coven, Jasper and Edward, who may enjoy her company for a night or two.
I sent her to you mainly because I do not want to house her anymore, and I would rather push her on my vampire kin than to the dogs. She screams too loudly, cries too much, and is only good for a blowjob. This is a bad gift, I know you don't drink human blood (I am disappointed in you for this, but I can look past it if you get back into my good graces).
But the love of a human is a hell of a drug. So, you can name her, do whatever you please. She is a gift. A bad one, but a gift. Remember that even when I am furious with you, I still know how to live a good life and keep good relations.
I have not spoken to you since the night of your turning, and I have been busy ever since, but you are still my son and you must do as I say. I am not afraid to kill you, Carlisle, and your children will die if you try and play me for a fool.
Bring Christiana and River to my home. I live in Canada. It is a cozy home with plentiful underground space for humans.
-- Xanthus