Warning: possible triggering scene up ahead. You have been warned.
Honestly speaking, you never believed you would actually make it out of Voltera, let alone reach Rome.
Always being around vampires made you realize it was utterly impossible to escape them in any way, but here you were, playing against the odds once again as if they were your own playthings. You had jumped out of a window, ran through the town, stole clothes and a motorbike and you managed to escape. Freedom was literally grasping you into its liberating embrace and it was the most intoxicating of things.
Alice had stayed true to her promise and the moment you arrived at Rome's airport, two escorts were already waiting for you, one with your papers and one with a whole new pair of clothes as well as a blonde/black wig. The small vampire had carefully instructed you to change your appearance and your clothes frequently, since it was the only way to stall them from picking up your scent from miles away. It wouldn't last for long, but you could surely buy some time like that. You quickly got dressed and boarded the plane, finding your seat in First Class, away from any preying eyes. It was the first time you would be traveling completely on your own and if you considered the fact you were being hunted down, no one would really blame you for always looking over your shoulder and out the window. It earned you a lot of questioning gazes from the other passengers, but truthfully, they weren't the ones being hunted by the best tracker to ever walk planet earth.
Among the huge crowds surrounding the airport, you were sure that you were about to see a familiar pair or purple eyes –red eyes covered by blue lenses- at any given time, but by the time the sun went down and the plane decided to take off, there was not a single indication of a pursuing Volturi. Only when the airplane wheels abandoned the steady ground underneath them did you really feel you were safe for the time being; if there was one thing vampires couldn't do, was fly in the air completely on their own. So, you allowed your heart to relax even for the very few hours of the flight. The kind flight attendants offered you a full meal and a really nice piece of cake, which you gobbled down like a true wolf; it was the first time in probably a week that you managed to keep the food down inside your stomach without Gianna's dying face popping up to reverse the procedure and you were literally famished. Plus, you needed the strength if you wanted to keep on going.
This night, there were no nightmares to plague your dreams. Only calm images of a smiling Embry waiting for you back at home. It was relaxing, calming and utterly filling you with hope; if only you could make it back, then everything would be alright once again.
Once the plane landed in Athens, one of the first things you noticed was how crowded the whole place was. People were going up and down non-stop in a sea of different faces, some happy and others serious, as they prepared to travel towards their destinations or meet with their families. Calling Alice to make sure which steps you should take next, you followed her advice and boarded a bus that went straight to Thessaloniki, where you would board another plane that would take you to Beijing. It saddened you a little bit when Alice told you the Volturi would be expecting you to come back to Forks, so they had made arrangements for you to hide in friggin China. Inside the large sea of million people, not even Demetri would discover you. Yes, it was the logical thing to do. Yes, you needed to think about the fact of placing everyone in danger if you returned. But no, it didn't pain you less. You longed to see your father, you longed to see Embry. To hug the two men. To be around them once again. But the logical and calm side of your brain already knew this was not going to happen.
The trip was as calm as it should be. The bus was relatively empty and you had the chance to look out of the window to the mesmerizing Greek countryside, which looked so alive in the first days of spring. Flowers were blooming even on the side of the road, farmers were already working on their fields and the vivid colors filling your vision were something more than simply calming. Unexpectedly, you realized you liked observing the silver olive trees which covered everything around you, since the ancient trees had a certain aura of Life and Immortality. Some of them must be quite old and have seen the world change in more ways than one, yet here they were, ready to speak of their adventures to anyone who was there to hear them. If you were able to feel the wind coursing around you, maybe you would be able to catch up a few of their stories, even with that damned restrainer around your neck –you had tried to take it off, alas nothing worked once again-. But no matter how calm the scenery made you, even that wasn't enough to chase away the pain.
No one was really able to understand just how much you missed your home. How much you missed the silvery, rainy mornings filled with humidity in La Push or the scent of freshly cooked breakfast with your father calling you to wake up. No one knew, because no one was in your shoes. It was shredding your heart into millions of pieces not being able to laugh and mess around with Embry in your living room or racing each other in surfing on the beach. You missed the simple things in life more than anything. All those things you took for granted and failed to realize that it was them that placed color in your life, which made it burst alive with life. With the purest kind of life. It is only among our loved ones that one can feel at ease and at home, free to do as he pleases in order to soar the skies higher and higher. And now that you were away from them, you felt the pain as a gaping hole in your chest.
If you wanted to be truthful though, the one you missed the most was Embry.
It was as if all the warmth had disappeared from your life. Anytime the werewolf was close to you, you felt yourself relax and be at ease, drawn in by the warmth his smile and body radiated. It was soothing in the constant coldness and once you were away from him you could feel the loss to your very bone. And you regretted; you regretted failing to keep your promise to him, failing to come back and keep his fragile feelings leveled, chasing away the pain that must now have taken over his heart. Out of all people, you hated causing pain to Embry among all others. Because you loved him. You loved that simple-minded, naïve but oh so sweet werewolf to the bottom of your heart and yes, you really wanted to go out with him. Even do more than that. It was for that sole reason that your heart was aching you non-stop. If only you could redo everything, you would have never boarded that car, you would have never left him behind. You loved him and you left him out of complete idiocy.
And now, you would never see him again.
Fleetingly, your eyes caught a glimpse of a few signs indicating you were finally reaching Thessaloniki. Speaking to the driver he indeed said you were, so you thought that now was as good of a time as ever to call Alice and let her know you arrived safely and learn if they were any changes to your future. Hopefully, there would be no disturbances and you would be allowed to board the plane peacefully, leaving behind the nightmarish life you led up until now. Searching through your pockets, you fish out your phone and dialing the number you bring it to your ear.
She replied after the second beep.
'Alice I am almost in Thessaloniki.' You say the moment you hear the phone pick up, waiting not for your best friend to greet you with her cheerful voice. For now, you didn't want to know that everything would go alright. You wanted to drown into the sorrow.
'______.'
Your body freezes to the core. It couldn't be. No, it surely wasn't. You were finally driven mad by the pain and you had started hearing things. Because for a split second there, your brain and soul actually thought that you recognized the male voice that answered the phone. Your mouth opened and then closed, opened and closed again as your lungs denied your vocal cords the necessary air to form coherent words. Tears bloomed on the very edges of your eyes, staining your vision and making you inhale a sharp, inaudible breath of utter desperation, but you refused to allow yourself to cry. All you wanted to do, was reach out through the phone and hug the man standing on the other line with everything you had.
'E-Embry? Is that you?' you choke, voice stuttering like a little child.
'Of course it's me baby-doll. Missed me?' Embry joked; his voice was soothing, warm and filled with excitement which was almost tangible. It sends a shiver down your spine.
And it was right then and there, that all hell breaks loose.
No longer being able to hold back your tears, not able to hold back the pain and suffering and desperation and fear that had made their way into your heart all those months in which you had been staying with the Volturi, living in constant fear for your very own life and pain for the loss of your loved ones, you finally begin to cry. Warm tears are fast to cascade your cheeks and a violent sob erupts from your chest, making you desperately try to breathe in. Everything you had been bottling up all this time, every little emotion rises like a tidal wave that emanates against you only to break all of your defenses and leave you a sobbing mess. You choked and sobbed and cried silently in your seat. You couldn't take it anymore; you couldn't take being held captive by the Volturi and you couldn't go back now that you had taken your final step. It was either freedom or death and if you couldn't have what you wanted, then there was no need to keep on going. All you needed was to be back inside Embry's protective and welcoming hands once again.
Inside the hands of the man who silently heard you cry and whose heart was breaking into millions of pieces and you knew it.
'Oh Embry, I missed you so much~!' you managed sloppily to choke out.
'Don't you cry baby-doll, I am right here.' He cooed gently but hoarsely on the phone, only to receive another sob from you when you realized he was on the brick of tears as well 'I'm right here and everything is going to be alright, I promise. I hear you have been giving them hell over there.'
He tried to change the subject, to lighten the mood a little bit and you knew it. Of course he knew you were giving the Volturi trouble, it was what you specialized in.
You chuckled 'I-I suppose you can say that... Oh Embry, I am so, so sorry for breaking my promise to you, I know you are angry with me but I swear I had to protect them. All of them. I am truly regretting breaking my promise to you I-'
'It doesn't matter anymore ______.' He interrupts your mumbling, trying to calm you down, his voice steady and reassuring 'All that matters is that you are coming back and I promise to protect you from them till my last breath. I won't let them lay a hand on you, I swear baby-doll.'
'I was sending you letters all this time, but they didn't send them to you. I was writing both to you and my father to let you know that I'm okay.' you admitted sheepishly.
There was a prolonged sigh from the other side of the line, which allowed you to know the man was doing his best to keep his calm 'Alice told me all about it, you don't have to worry. Your father is doing great as well, so all you need to focus right now is getting here safely.'
You paused a little bit, thinking that it was about time to speak your true mind to him and stop evading your feelings towards him. Silently, you prayed not to mess it up as you spoke 'I would like to go out for that movie you know. You'll be buying me popcorn, I warn you.'
Silence greeted your words and you mentally wished you hadn't screwed everything up with him by doing that. By confessing you wanted to go out on a date with him. Seconds seemed like eons but once he spoke again, you could hear the smile painting his voice 'Have I ever left you to starve? Of course I'll be buying you whatever you want.'
'We'll go for an action movie.' You demanded.
'Deal.'
'And I really want a big teddy bear.'
'I'm hearing the funfair is in town.' He chuckled.
'Will we go on the Ferris Wheel?' you happily suggested.
'I'll take you to the moon if you come back.'
'I am on my way.' You chuckled, truly happy for the first time in a really long while 'I got to go Embry; we have arrived at the bus station. I will call you all when I am at the airport.'
'Alright, we'll be right here.' He reassured you.
'I love you Embry.'
There it finally was. The words you wanted to speak to him for so long, so many days back before this entire nightmare started. It was the simplest words you had ever uttered, yet held into the greatest of meanings existing in Life. These were the words that could break down whole fortresses and bring people to their knees only when they were spoken truthfully. But speaking them now, even over the phone, seemed like the perfect opportunity for you, since you knew very well you were not going to see Embry ever again. Maybe you could ask Alice to bring him to you, but the Cullens had already done so much for you, it would be inappropriate to ask for more. So you said those words to your best friend, meaning them to the deepest sides of your soul, knowing that maybe it was the first and last time you uttered them to him. But you wanted him to know. You wanted him to know you loved him, even if he didn't feel the same.
'I love you too _____.'
And with the very same words, Embry returned the love you gave him.
And it was enough for now; enough for the both of you.
You smiled.
And with that, both of you hung up.
Walking through the bus station, you rush to make sure to get the correct bus to the airport right on time. Another package from Alice awaited you the moment you stepped a foot in the airport, with a kind flight attendant offering you the small bag with the supplies; from her golden colored eyes you immediately knew what she was so you didn't need her 'Good Luck' wish to know that she was aware of who you were and what you were doing there. Smiling kindly to the beautiful vampire, you grab the bag and rush to the bathrooms to change.
Once inside, you lock the door and begin to strip from your clothes, tossing your blonde/black wig in the trash bin. This time, Alice had chosen a dark, charcoal grey skirt suit with matching ash grey low heels that gave you a whole aura of authority and professionalism, just as if you were some high-classed business woman. The whole outfit came together with a coal black wig which reached a bit over your chin and a pair of designer sun-glasses which were a bit too big for you. When you finished getting dressed up and you looked yourself in the mirror, you barely even recognized yourself; let's just hope this trick will work for the vampires as well. You had come too far to give up now.
Coming out of the bathroom, dragging your small suitcase behind you, your eyes scan the crowd of people constantly as you grab your phone and dial the all too familiar number, listening to the loudspeakers who announced that boarding the plane to Beijing had just started. Thankfully, no vampire was in sight and you smiled when the other side of the line picked up.
'Hey vampires and wolfie.' You chuckled lightly 'I am at the airport and currently walking towards the gate.' You informed them, passing by some tourists.
'Is everything alright for now? Have you noticed anything ____?' a voice asked and you registered it to belong to none other than Carlyle, since his characteristic calmness was distinct.
'I haven't seen any shady sh!t, so yeah, everything is alright. I wore the clothes you send me and the wig, so there is no way for anyone to know it's me.' You mentally saw Alice's huge smile spreading over her face.
'Good. Keep your head down and move towards the gate as fast as you can.' Embry advised.
'It's alright Embry, they won't find me here no matter how much they try.'
You saw a man dressed in black stand by the window while holding his luggage on one hand, admiring the bright sunny day outside and you mentally smiled that some people seemed to like the sun as much as you did, no matter the strange feeling you got once passing by him. The crowd surrounding you was vivid and filled with life and a huge wave of happiness washed over you as you walked hastily among them, feeling part of the humans once again. You noticed the man following behind you right after another announcement was made and you asked yourself where he might be going.
At that point, something incoherent came from the phone. Embry talked, or rather screamed, but the line was a bit bad and you didn't quite catch what he was saying.
'Embry I can't hear you, can you please say that again?'
'THEY' static almost deafened you '-YOU' more static 'RU~!' his voice boomed, making you move the phone away from your ear.
'Ru- what? Can you-'
'There you are princess.' A sly voice spoke up victoriously.
Soft, careful and nimble hands came in careful contact with your waist the very same moment your face buried itself inside a heavy, black coat as someone embraced you with seemingly the greatest love and longing there was; you didn't know who it was and for a split second your mind was taken so aback, you remained there completely frozen like a statue, allowing the unfamiliar man hug you tenderly. But it was not the kind of hug you would want someone to give you. Because as the hands wrapped around your petite figure, as the man pulled you against his sturdy chest, his limbs felt more like iron vises ready to shred you in half in the middle of the crowded airport rather than a lover's tender hands. He was cold, as if his skin wasn't radiating even the slightest of warmth, leaving his clothes frozen while his whole posture was so unyielding like the blade of a sword. Instinctively, the empty valleys of your mind commanded you to inhale in preparation for a bone-chilling scream, but as your nose obeyed, the rich aroma of citronella, lilac and summer rain blinded your senses and you failed to comprehend the desperate need for air.
Because the endless and insatiable flames of panic mixed with pure horror penetrated your heart, making it drop to your stomach the very same moment you felt your soul ready to leap from your body and leave you an empty shell. Horror and panic radiated in a split second from your body in a huge heat wave which was immediately picked up by the man, who only now did you recognize. Demetri leaned down gracefully, his hand reaching and pulling your wig off softly, as his nose buried itself inside your freed (h/c) locks, inhaling the sweet fragrance like an addict having his dose on heroine. He sighed contently, his breath tangling inside your hair. Your brain barely even registered Embry's voice calling you from the other side of the phone, but as Demetri's cold fingers wrapped around yours, taking the phone from your hand, the contact send a wild shiver down your spine and into your stomach.
'My sincere apologies, ____ will not be returning home anytime soon. I found her first; I get to keep her.' he chuckled deviously and dangerously.
You heard him hung up. A piercing crushing sound reached your ears and the remains of your shattered phone fell on the floor.
'I have to give it to you; you have more fire and brains within than what I thought. To escape and use the abilities of the little Cullen to run was really clever. Too bad I can still track you no matter where you go.' Demetri purred to the frozen you.
If anyone was watching you right now, it would look like two lovers reuniting after a really long time. Even when Demetri let go of you and grabbing your hand in his iron own, literally dragged you towards the exit, with you fumbling on your own feet to prevent falling down and follow him –since there was no other thing to do-, the movements seemed so graceful and unbiased, that no one would ever suspect a thing. Especially since you offered no reaction against the man whatsoever.
What were you supposed to do? All you did was watch through your own eyes like a visitor inside your own body as Demetri kept his grip around your fragile hand and led you towards the exit. You could do nothing to oppose him for the simple reason that you couldn't. everything inside your mind had grown completely cold, with the mental frost falling over the valleys of your brain like a heavy mist, clouding your thoughts and drowning away the sound of the survival alarms which struggled to bring you back to alert. Everything was futile. Everything was lost. As realization dawned to you, you realized that no matter how far you run, how much distance you put between you and the Volturi, it will never be enough to escape them; you will always end up here, in some random place with one of them gently leading you back to your prison. There was no escaping them. Still, there would be no reason for you to worry about the future anymore. Because the moment you would be alone with Demetri, he would kill you. Obeying the Volturi laws which you broke, he was going to snap your neck like a little twig and leave you to rot on some random alley where no one would ever find you. You were already a walking dead-man and there was nothing you could do. Even if your brain commanded you to run, scream, place attention on yourself, you were so terrified, you could not even breathe in properly.
And Demetri knew you couldn't do a single thing as he dragged you out of the airport and where his Ferrari patiently waited for him. He opened the door for you and helped you inside, before walking all the way to the other side and plopping himself on the driver's seat.
Once the door closed behind him, he rested his hands on the stirring wheel and remained silent; neither of you said a single word, with him glaring outside the window shill with an unfathomable expression and you feeling the horror accumulate inside your stomach in a wave of tears mixed with sobs you struggled to drown down. He must have noticed your distressed state, since you felt his careful glare eye you from the corner of your eye, before the man sighed heavily and turned the engine on, throwing the car inside the traffic of the busy city. You could still see him throwing glances towards you every now and then, but having other urgent things to attend to, you tired your best to come up with what your next moves should be. Well, you were already a walking dead woman, so it was only natural for him to kill you the moment you are alone; hmmm, that seemed to be too far-fetched, since knowing Aro, he would probably like to kill you himself for your disobedience. How many Volturi laws had you broken? Most of them? Yep, you are going to die in a dark cell.
And of course, those thoughts did nothing to calm you weary heart down.
Demetri picked up the horror radiating off your skin immediately.
His jaw tightened along with his hold on the steering wheel 'You don't have to worry ____.' He pronounced your name in the same way that send shivers down your spine; lowly, calmly, deeply 'I am not going to hurt you. Not now, not ever.'
You swallowed hard 'You have other orders to obey right?' you finally whisper, your voice steadier than expected.
'Even if they told me to do so, I wouldn't. I only have to take you back.' He admitted, now looking fully at you, studying you with his deep red eyes.
'Just like you did with Gianna?' there it was! Now, you could literally feel his gaze burning your head off, so deciding to look out the window, you deny him the opportunity to read your expression. Because if he did, the hurt and pain you felt would not be caged inside your mind anymore; he would know everything.
'Gianna' Demetri said cautiously 'She wasn't needed by the Volturi anymore. Aro ordered us specifically to get....rid... of her. I tried offering the solution of keeping her for your sake, but Master had already made his decision. I am sorry.'
And he truly was; there was not a single spec of untruthfulness inside his voice but what can you do about it now that your best friend is long dead? None of you could do anything for her and you couldn't help but feel you were going to meet the very same ending the moment you would step inside the castle. Death was standing above your head with his dark scythe, waiting for the right moment to strike. What was there left to lose?
'Why not kill me now and be over with it though Demetri? Why drag me back?' you turn to look at him, and to your utter shock, you see pure anger flash over his majestic characteristics.
'You do not get it, do you?' he laughed humorlessly 'You are not going to die _____. You are far too valuable. No, Master Caius is waiting for you. MASTER CAIUS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!'
It was surely a low, double strike in your gut. To begin with, you had only heard rumors and short stories from Gianna for the animalistic hatred and vengefulness the Third of the Volturi held, along with his sadistic and ruthless nature. Stories that made you chill to the bone and make sure not to cross his path inside the vast castle at all. He was Jane's favorite Master and only by this mere fact, it was enough to drain all remaining color from your face. The second strike was actually, actually, witnessing Demetri's outburst. In the past, you had taunted, cursed and tempted the man in order to piss him off but seeing now his reaction, made you jump on your seat and shrink in it. It was a weird mixture of horror and anger all merged in one; his red eyes immediately went pitch black and the veins in his neck popped out while you wondered how the steering wheel did not budge as he pounded his fist angrily on it. It terrified you; it made all alerts inside your head go off and you quickly averted your gaze elsewhere. But he was not going to lash out on you.
As fast as the outburst came, he quickly recomposed himself and remained silent, offering you neither consolation nor an apology as he passed his hand through his sand-brown locks. It was desperation eating him alive from the inside and you didn't know why.
Silence fell among you and you refused to break it, instead focusing on the vast building you were approaching.
From the looks of it, it must surely take up the space of a huge city block, consisting of eight to nine stories high, with grand windows decorating each floor towering well above your heads. In the colors of pure white and light beige, it gives off an aura of prestige and class as the replicas of ancient Greek statues decorated each and every one of the many balconies, never throwing the clean decoration off balance. Grand window walls existed on the ground floors and a huge fountain took up the space in the very middle of the gardens and the drive-through, with the clear water making the whole place come together. Looking over at the main entrance, you read Grand Hotel Palace written in golden letters, just as Demetri pulls the car to a stop right in front of it.
Two bellboys rush to help you, with your own opening the door for you and offering his hand with a bright smile to help you outside. You take it gladly with a small 'thanks' and wait by the car until Demetri walks up to you and offers you his elbow, without uttering a single word as he escorts you inside the building.
Once inside, your eyes grow as big as two dinner plates in front of the luxury you are faced with. It wasn't just as luxurious as the Volturi castle, but it was equally breathtaking in its own way. The rustic decorations consisted of dark wooden furniture on both sides, with the fireplaces being lit with huge fires, their flames dancing gracefully on the glass decorations that surrounded them. Now that the sun outside had slowly begun to fall over on the horizon, the eerie mid-light of the flames along with the crystal chandeliers hanging by the arcs on the ceiling made the place look stunningly magical. Over the reception desk, where a kind woman and a man sat, was a huge oil painting of some traditional dressed men, dancing around a fire. Everything had a faint aroma of jasmine, while gold, white and wooden colors prevailed everywhere and as Demetri led you steadily towards the elevator, you didn't fail to catch quite a few people staring at the both of you approvingly.
Surely, it was quite rare for such a handsome man as Demetri to walk around alone, but from the few smiles you yourself gained, you barely believed that you suited to be by his side. Then again, maybe Alice's clothes made more tricks than what you could imagine.
When you reached Demetri's room in one of the top floors, following a silent elevator ride, you sincerely let out a relieved sigh. You would once again be away from any preying eyes. Not that this was a good thing altogether. The man let go of your hand the moment you were standing in front of the door and opening it wordlessly, he beckoned you to walk in first. Your heart tightened inside your chest for the strangest of reasons, but once the door closed behind you, your heart eventually sank deeply.
'I believe you might be hungry, so I took the liberty of ordering something.' Demetri spoke and the sound of something shuffling reached your ears, as you eyed the mouthwatering foods laid on the dining table.
'I'm not hungry.' You murmured lowly, yet you knew he could hear you loud and clear. Instead of touching the food, your hand grabs the frizzy drink and throwing your head back, you down it whole in one go. The alcohol burns the back of your neck, a burning so welcome now that you felt colder than ever. All the spaces surrounding you resembled more of a small apartment than a hotel room, with the living room and dining room being in the same rustic decoration as the entrance hall. Beige and white colors prevailed everywhere, while a luxurious dark blue carpet covered each inch of the floor. A double door leads to the bedroom right next to you.
You could feel Demetri's disapproving stare nailed on your petite form as you downed the second drink before throwing a hand over your lips, trying desperately to fight back the tears which blocked your vision and neck.
'Are you alright?' he asked his voice low and filled with so much concern, it was almost tangible.
It made you hate him though. Right there, right now, you felt so much hatred for the vampire across from you that if it was possible, you would have just jumped on him and shredded him in half with your bare hands. You hated him, you hated his clan, you hated all for what he was standing for. And it was such a strong hatred, it felt like hot, melted iron running through your veins and melting away your internal organs, leaving you an empty human. They had succeeded; they had finally managed to break you to the core and turn you into a shadow of yourself. Congratulations; you were no longer who you were and there was no way to return to your previous life and loved ones because of them. Right now, as Demetri took a calm, calculated step towards you, sensing the alteration of your emotions as if you were emitting them like a wave, you instinctively took a step away from him.
'Don't come close to me. Don't you f*cking dare even look at me. I hate you and everything that has to do with you.'
'______' Demetri managed to say, but it was the last drop you needed.
'I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU BLOODY F*CKING LEECH!' your voice roars around the silent room, reverberating off the walls and every single surface and taking Demetri by surprise 'DON'T YOU DARE COME NEAR ME!'
Leaving the surprised man to look at you with sincere surprise, you turn on your heel and exit the room, walking swiftly into the bathroom and closing the door loudly behind you. Your heart was pounding loudly inside your chest and the adrenaline made your ears ring loudly. If you hadn't walked out of the room, not even the restrainer would have stopped you from killing Demetri or at least die trying. Still, in one rare moment of clarity, your brain had decided to take things logically and save you the extra attention. Because it had come up with a plan; a plan not even Demetri would be able to stop. Because you were not going back to the castle, no matter if God or Satan himself wanted to drag you back. No, the Dark One was waiting for you back within the castle walls, preparing to put you into the most torturous things he could muster. But you were not going to give him the pleasure of surrendering without a fight.
It was right now that realization was dawning to you, right now, inside the bathroom, which was as luxurious and spacious as the one back at Voltera. Life had played a really violent game against you and no matter how much you tried, the tables were not going to turn to your advantage; no, instead, they had turned completely against you and you were now waiting to be dragged back, right into the lethal dungeons were Caius was waiting for you. Right at that moment, a familiar face flashed right before your eyes. Alastair. The vampire who was punished for love. And now, they believed they would catch you and torture you in a same way. Oh no. You were not going to bow down to anyone.
Before you had the chance of realizing it though, you were already hyperventilating.
Tears cascaded your eyes and violent sobs made your body shake uncontrollably, the pain and sorrow you experienced all this time finally coming out. Resting your hands on the marble washbasin, you raise your (e/c) orbs to gaze at your reflection. The girl that looked steadily back at you, once used to be really pretty and healthy. Right now, the black circles betraying her lack of sleep were permanent under her once vivid eyes while she had lost considerable weight in a matter of a few weeks, making her pale and thin like a ghost. Still, the fire was not absent from her eyes; on the contrary, it burned brighter and darker than before, now that she knew what she had to do.
The huge mirror covering the wall right in front of you over the faucet was adorned with carved butterflies on the edges of its surface, majestic carvings that were breathtaking.
You don't spare a single thought; you only takeoff your jacket, exposing your bare hands before you raise one of them. Your fist lands on the fragile surface, the moment your jaw clenches tightly, determination poisoning you to the core. And everything happens in a split second.
Glass shatters into millions of pieces under your fist, their sharp edges wounding your (s/c) skin deeply and allowing the deep red liquid drip down on the sink in majestic ruby patterns, adorning the rest of the broken glass which had fallen from the ruined mirror. Smiling widely in triumph, your good hand grabs the largest piece it can find tightly in its hold; your delicate fingers wrap decisively around it with power right before you raise it over your head and into the air, flip your left hand to expose the tender flesh and with a sharp, ruthless move you stab yourself with all the power you had.
Deep, luxuriously red blood immediately stains your perfect skin, dripping down on the floor, but you can barely feel the pain as you cut through your arm horizontally as much as you can. Your knees shudder and eventually give out from under you and despite the hot tears and ringing in your ears, you can feel yourself smiling triumphantly as a victorious scream bursts through your lungs and echoes through the room. You were finally free! You were going to escape all the pain and torture and humiliation and all the loneliness. Since it was impossible for you to go back home, you were not going back to Voltera as well; you were choosing the third option which was more permanent than both of them: Death. The complete seizing of existence, the cold embrace from which no one could run from eternally. Death is the only god who comes when you call him and yours was the loudest scream anyone could produce.
In an excited haze of pure bliss, you see the door of the bathroom fly to the other side, completely torn off its hinges before the breathtaking figure of Demetri steps into the room in high alert for any possible enemies attacking you. It only takes him a single second to locate you on the floor, smiling sheepishly with your veins wide open and producing large quantities of blood before his face drops into a mask of homicidal anger.
'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!' he roars, his voice sounding like the roar of a lion.
'I took matters on my own hands!' you smile, but the world spins around you the moment you feel someone grabbing you in an iron grip by the shoulders.
The ground is lost under your feet and your back connects violently with the wall behind you. The impact of the collision causes your head to hit against the wall with power, producing a bone-chilling 'crack' and the grip around the broken glass loosens, allowing it to fall to the ground as Demetri pins you against the cold wall and his cold, sturdy body. His red eyes are like two hellish firestorms the moment he gazes upon your dazed own and a low growl can easily be heard coming from the back of his neck.
'I. AM. NOT. GOING. TO. LET. YOU. DIE. LIKE. THAT! LIKE A COWARD!' he spits on your face, his voice acquiring a demonic hue that made your conscience drift and pull you back into alertness.
'NO! DON'T YOU DARE!' you scream.
But he completely ignores you, as his right hand lets go of you, only to grab your injured hand and pin it right beside your head on the wall, on the very same height as his lips. The open wound bleeds profusely and Demetri's lips tighten as hunger paints his bloodshot eyes, but he never loses it the way the Cullens or James and Victoria did. Instead, once his lips come in soft contact with your wound, you feel his tongue brush against the open wound, followed by a stinging pain that makes you let out a piercing scream. You fight against his tight grasp in order to free yourself, but his hand doesn't even budge. When he retreats his head, tongue licking the blood off his lips provocatively, there is nothing behind to prove you had just tried to hurt yourself. Demetri had just healed you, using his own venom. And it pissed you off more than anything.
Letting out a piercing scream of pure anger, you allow a rich variety of swears to grace the man as you struggle to free yourself from his grasp, as a futile task as chasing a rainbow would have been.
'WHY DID YOU DO THAT YOU F*CKING LEECH?!'
'YOU CAN SWEAR ALL YOU WANT, HATE ME, CALL ME NAMES, BUT I. AM. NOT. GOING TO LET YOU DIE. YOU ACCUSE ME OF BEING A COWARD, WHEN YOU CHOOSE THE EASY WAY OUT YOURSELF!' now, there was nothing of his calm composure resting inside his blazing angry eyes anymore as the vampire stared back at you completely consumed with anger, raising his tone to match your own for the very first time. It surely was one of the first times you see him like that and it was obvious by the lethal danger painted on his face that no one lived to tell the tale when that happened.
'WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN MY PLACE? HUH? WAIT FOR CAIUS TO DO THE JOB FOR YOU?' you spat back, voice dripping with venom from each word.
'CAIUS IS NOT GOING TO KILL YOU ______! DON'T BE NAÏVE, YOU ARE FAR TOO VALUABLE. BUT IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD ENDURE IT! I WOULD ENDURE IT IF THAT MEANT GETTING THE CHANCE TO LIVE!'
'BUT I CAN'T LIVE! I CAN'T LIVE WITH ALL OF YOU LEECHES SURROUNDING ME, TOYING ME, ABUSING ME, KILLING THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT, HUMILIATING ME AND TURNING ME INTO A KILLER! I AM NOT A KILLER! I AM NOT A MONSTER LIKE YOU ARE!' you exclaim.
A dark shadow passed through Demetri's eyes and he leans back a little bit 'LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS TO ABANDON LIKE THAT _____! OUT OF ALL PEOPLE, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT! AND DO YOU TRULLY BELIEVE I WAS GOING TO LET ANYONE HURT YOU TOO MUCH?'
'OF COURSE I DO! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME DEMETRI! I AM A HUMAN AND YOU ARE A VAMPIRE, END OF THE STORY!' you accuse him 'NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TRY TO CLOUD MY JUDGEMENT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TRY TO MAKE ME THINK YOU ARE LESS OF A CASANOVA TRYING TO PLAY WITH MY FEELINGS AND GET IN MY PANTIES, YOU DON'T FOOL ME!'
Anger flashes through his eyes once again and he presses you even harder against the wall 'I DO F*CKING CARE ABOUT YOU!'
No matter how much of surprised you were that you had finally heard him curse, you can't help but scoff mockingly on his face. When you open your mouth to speak once again, all the feelings of hurt and despair you felt all this time come rushing to the surface like a tidal wave, drowning your mind and breaking your heart. You were going to regret those words in the morning, but right now, you could no longer keep the inside.
'OF COURSE YOU DO! LIKE THE TIME I CAUGHT YOU READY TO BANG HER, LIKE ALL THE TIMES I HAVE TO SEE YOU AND HER PLAYING THE HAPPY COUPLE AND PRETEND I DON'T CARE. THAT IT DOESN'T HURT ME. AND I ASK YOU, IF YOU ARE WITH HER, WHY ARE YOU PLAYING WITH MY HEART? WHY DO YOU TELL ME YOU CA-'
Your sentence is briefly cut as his cold lips crush against your own.
Out of all the things you expected him to do to you, from killing to abusing, kissing you was absolutely out of the question. Still, the gorgeous man takes you by surprise once again, crushing his lips hard and urgently against your own.
At first, it was just that: urgent; he kissed you out of nowhere, enduring your wild protests as you tried to push him back with everything you had, but the man remained as unmoving as a statue, with your brain flashing and having the mere chance of re-evaluating the situation currently happening.
And it simply went off.
All of your resistances break and you feel your eyes close into the welcoming darkness as your senses overwhelm and eventually drown you. His lips were soft, careful but irritatingly steady as they seal over yours and as you finally melt into the kiss, his exquisite, vivid lilac aroma drowns you and makes you shiver to the core. Instinctively, your hands throw themselves behind his neck and the man tangles his nimble hands behind your waist, as he sharply bites your lower lip, making you gasp and allowing him an opening to slip his tongue into your mouth roughly. It was in that single moment he drops all pretences and defenses. His tongue explores every little crevice of your mouth, hungrily turning the kiss into a deeper one; his divine taste blinds you completely and you let out a shaky moan, making him growl in satisfaction. His body pushes you against the wall, cupping you perfectly on him as if you belonged there and your hands travel to tangle themselves into his luxurious sand-blond locks which were as soft under your fingers as they were when you imagined them.
This was one of the kisses you see in great movies: hunger, passion, desperation and lust all contorted in a dangerous mix that made earth get lost under your feet and your mind to go completely empty, leaving you wide open to him like an open book; it revealed you to him and he was more than eager to explore everything. It was as if every inch of you was electrified under his mere touch and craving for the cold touch of the oh-too-tempting man, making your body unwillingly turn its heat up, coming in complete contrast with his cold own. Every single touch, every little twirl of his tongue and every little moan of satisfaction you let out only drown you more, bringing your brain at the end of sanity and finally pushing you over the edge.
You were completely consumed by him.
You were entranced and you craved even more, like an addict, wanting the lethal embrace that would eventually kill you.
But you wanted him and you wanted him now.
Alas, the logical part of your brain finally takes over and you realize exactly what you were doing.
With your eyes flashing open, you take the man by surprise and push him away, with Demetri taking a few surprised steps back, looking at you as if you had just slapped him across the face; still, from your side, a luxurious red prevailed over your face, so bright it would match the color of your blood.
'T-this is wrong!' you desperately breathe out, trying to catch your shaky breath 'Aro will know about this Demetri! He-he......No!' you shake your head and picking up the courage that remained inside of you, you walk past him and out of the bathroom, sparing no glare behind you.
Hanging your head low, you make your way straight towards the bed, plopping yourself down and lying against the soft pillow, trying desperately to gather your scattered thoughts and calm your weary heart down. Part of you hated you for leaving him like that and urged you to go right back there and make up to him, but part of you knew that this would be a great excuse for Aro to bound you to the Volturi even more, one way or another. Demetri had to understand right? He should understand! Still, even when you felt his gaze falling on your turned back, you only closed your eyes and tried desperately not to cry.
It was only when you felt the mattress bend and someone lying right beside you that you felt your heart stop inside your chest.
Demetri snakes his hands around your waist delicately, pulling you against his own body and kissing your hair tenderly.
'I will not let anything happen to you _____. Stay with me and I will offer you the world.'