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ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ:
ꜱᴇxᴜᴀʟ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ
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Were it not for the frigid climate, Marcus and I would have stayed outside in that park for much longer. Alas, I had to control myself and my divine form, sliding back into a human-like shape (although that was a tricky thing, I myself did not look very human even in mortal form).
The next few days were spent meticulously preparing for Valentines day. I had never experienced this holiday, just as I had never experienced any holiday other than Hebe's birthday, which took place a week after my odd birth. These holidays... they seemed fine enough. My sister's birthday consisted of presents and hugs, two things I think I like. Especially the hugs, I know I like those.
Seasons were odd things. Humanity and Olympus alike have their own set holidays, but I think most of the ones that the Volturi celebrate are to commemorate the gods and goddesses of Olympus, which is funny because some of the things that we do are to commemorate humanity and some of their best achievements. I mean, I'm pretty sure Daddy made up most of them, or perhaps brother Ares and brother Apollo. Nature, the trouble those two got in once Daddy realized they let me have a sip of wine. They were thrown out of the house until the next week!
I still had no idea what was to come on the day of love. Aphrodite has insisted on taking me out shopping, which means I'll likely come home with a whole new wardrobe, knowing her. The goddess of love took no chances when it came to my appearance, dressing me up at every chance she got. I look like a pretty little princess all day and am able to relish in the comfort of some of my mate's silk shirts at night.
Those shirts of his. Mmmm. If my cousin allowed me to wear them around the castle, I would. From what she had been caught wearing yesterday, one of Alec's oversized hoodies, I suspect that wearing your mate's comfy clothes is a normal thing. A hypocrite, she is, but she's my family and I love her all the same.
"We have to get you into something sexy," Aphrodite says, picking out a scandalous outfit. "It's my day to make you shine. Oh, the day of love. Now I have my mate. Everything in my soul is complete. True love has finally been granted after thousands of years. It's almost too much to handle!"
Everyone was used to her dramatic flair by now, and by all nature she is dramatic as all underground. My cousin held her own in the world, caring more for love than anyone else. Her life was centered around the desire for love, and now she had it with her mate. Alec really is a lucky young man.
Her ideas of what I should wear on a day of love differed from my own. I doubt Marcus cares about sexiness, I was his mate, didn't that make me sexy to him already?
"I'll wear what I please, Affie," I tried to deflect. "It's not like I'm a month old."
"Don't you use that on me, Callie." She pulled me closer to her. "Oh, you're getting something stunning and there isn't anything you can do about it. Marcus is already wrapped around your finger, but maybe he'll be wrapped around your-"
"AFFIE!" I exclaimed, not wanting to hear the end of her joke, "That is enough."
"You're wearing something decent for tomorrow, Callidora. No more silken mate shirts, no matter how comfortable they are." I whined, longing for that wonderful comfort. It wasn't even the material anymore, just his smell made me want to dive head first into his closet. Scent lingered everywhere around our room, making nighttime far more enjoyable. "Maybe not risque, but enough to tell some salacious stories later on the next day."
Of course, the next day. I didn't... there would always be thoughts of when I would complete the bond and how that went about. To be honest, nobody had exactly told me what losing my innocence would imply, or how I would go about doing so. The idea is fresh in mind, but I didn't know how sexual relations between two people work, or if that was what Marcus wanted from me.
Mating... what an interesting subject matter. Marcus had never mentioned when he wanted to complete our bond, but he did say he could see a complete bond through his gift of bondsight. That was off topic. I'm drifting again.
"How about leather," my cousin suggested, bringing out a suggestive dress. "Your mate, from what I can recall, likes his women racy. Aro didn't allow his baby sister to wear such things, but he doesn't have any control over what a tantalizing goddess such as yourself wears outside. It should be overcast, but things are starting to heat back up. There's snow, but it isn't a blizzard."
Aro Volturi had no control over what I wore, even if he was a king. As queen, I did have a reputation to uphold, but then again my being a goddess could overtake that small bit of decency most queens would need to retain.
To wear a spicy outfit or to go against Aphrodite's advice and wear one of Marcus' hoodies, that was the question of the week.
"Completion of the bond should be amazing for you two," she said, taking the dress and putting in her basket even though I hadn't said if I wanted it or not. Oh, Aphrodite, ever the bossy icon. "Callidora, are you even listening to me? By nature, do you even know how to complete a mating bond? Did Artemis and Hebe not explain this fundamental part of creation and life to you?"
I shook my head, ignorant of the many ways of being. Even if Aphrodite made jokes about things on the daily, I hadn't a clue what any of them meant! I knew that they were meant to be inappropriate, which is why I blushed at all of them.
"Best not explain that sort of jazz in a store, little one. I'll tell you when we get back to the castle. That is, if I can snag you away from Marcus. He's always trying to hog you. I want my baby cousin as well!" I laughed, but nodded along. My cousin saw something she liked, squeaked, and put it in her basket.
This cycle repeated a few more times. After that, she took me to another section, picking out some heart earrings. I tried to stop her from grabbing an actual gold bracelet, but she insisted that it was a very late being-born-present from her to me since she never got me on. According to her, those were customary and I would be getting sent a plethora of gifts during the next few months. The next time I would be getting gifts in that amount would be at my wedding and every time I had a child.
Nature, children. I didn't want to think about that right now. I had so much time in the world to think of making my own mini-me's.
"Do you think Alec will like this?" Affie held up a scandalous red dress that I would never be caught in. I nodded, knowing that any man would like that. They would be fools to not. Alec is smart, he'll like the sexy dress.
Even I like the sexy dress.
"Alec will love it, Affie." She smiles, putting in yet another expensive piece of jewelry. Her backet had to be over a thousand Euros, perhaps even two thousand Euros. Affie seems to have a few shopaholic bones in her body, spending money everywhere she went. I don't know how Daddy hasn't tried to stop her yet. Maybe he had, but it hasn't worked at all. "Why all of this stuff for me?"
"I'm making you look irresistible, darling, let me buy you an entire wardrobe for this one day of your life.' I whined, but allowed her to put a pair of sunglasses into the bin. All of this money was going to go to my head. I loved clothes, don't get me wrong, but I would end up exhausting the Volturi's limitless money if I allowed myself to gorge on my whims.
"Checkout and then I'm taking you out to eat. Human food may not be nutritious, but nature does it taste good."
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Marcus' POV
"What are you going to do, Marcus?"
"Something, Aro, something," I groaned, curling up in my purple bed sheets. I needed to find out what I would get Callidora for Valentine's day and currently all I could do is die on the inside. What did a goddess want? I couldn't just ask, that would be to... obvious.
"This can't be that hard for you, brother, you always find meaningful gifts for us," Caius says, picking up one of my many snow globes. "Hell, I bet you could get her a snow globe. What does she like? That's always a good place to start."
"I think that's our problem, Caius," Aro shoots back, looking at me with pity, "Our brother has spent more time snuggling Callidora than he was trying to learn more about her. I would aide you, but it would be illegal to use my gift on your mate. Perhaps looking to Aphrodite would do you some good."
If only it were that easy. Everyone knows Aphrodite runs her mouth at every turn. She could blubber off my plans and ruin any potential surprises. I need an idea, but I don't even know her favorite color! Does she like purple? I know she loves Wisteria- wait!
"Flowers." My brother's laughed at my abrupt mention of them. "I'll get her flowers."
"After all of these years you've finally gone stupid," I growled at the jab from Caius. My blonde brother chuckled, putting down the small snow globe Athenodora had gotten me last St. Marcus Day. That holiday is fast approaching as well. Would she care about my honorary day? Would that make sense to her? She isn't stupid, she understands birthdays, even if I was technically born in the middle of the summer. Honorary, obviously. Nice day in March-
"You're drifting again, Marcus," Aro's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "The effects of your bond are getting to you, brother. I can no longer retain your full attention."
"When have you ever been able to gain his attention, Aro," Caius snarked, walking over to where I was on the bed. "Fear not, brother, this flower idea will either be your greatest gift or your worst failure."
"Way to make him feel better, Caius," Aro reprimands, fixing his cloak on one of my chairs, "We should rejoice in the knowledge that our beloved brother can be happy again. I don't think I've seen you smile in a good millenia."
My brother was right. I had no reason to smile before. Lord, I really was a depressing old fool. To think, I was turned at nineteen, and I acted like I was a middle aged man ready to go through a midlife crisis. Oh, I guess I am much older than fifty. Thirty-five hundred years at this point. I'm an old man-
"Marcus," Aro tutted, "Tell me more about the flowers." Right, Wisteria flowers. "I know they're your favorite."
"Blasted flowers."
"Now, now, Caius, let me hear the story behind this sudden idea. He did seem to blurt it out," Aro quelled our hot-headed brother before taking a stand, walking over. I hissed as Aro ruffled my hair lovingly just as he often did before I started hitting him for it. "You didn't even hit me. I can finally touch your fluffy hair."
"Aro." He laughed, stopping and sitting down next to me on the bed. "Do you think she'll like some flowers from the Wisteria tree I used to care for?"
My brother took some time, thinking of what more to say.
I knew she loved Wisteria just as much as myself. The days when I could water that plant and not feel bad about it came back to me, filling me with wonderful memories of a time when things were easy. No wars, not many responsibilities. Honestly, there weren't that many vampires in the world.
That tree was the last straw for me. My brothers knew my depression was getting worse once I stopped watering my Wisteria, leaving some of the guards to do it for me. By that time, I started to spiral, no longer attending court more than once a week. It took an intervention from my brothers and a few of our closest guards to get me in attendance. Even then, I only attended perhaps once or twice a day. No matter the schedule, I couldn't do the whole day. It was too much, too stressful.
Being alive had become too stressful.
"If it is from the heart, I think that those flowers could be a perfect gift for tomorrow. Does she know about the tree?" I looked down, remembering the fight we had in front of it only a week prior.
"You should have heard the shouts, Aro, it was terrible. If you were not with Sulpicia you would have heard it all." I mentally cursed Caius. I didn't want my raven-haired brother to know that Callidora and I had fought in front of my favorite tree. That tree is special to me... "We helped you through that hurdle, didn't we, brother?"
"More like Aphrodite helped me through that hurdle," I sassed. Aro and Caius huffed before laughing. "She likes Wisteria."
"Then it is settled, Marcus, she will love your gift."
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Arranging those flowers would prove to be challenging. What would look best here? We have a white Wisteria tree that I mixed flowers in from to make a bouquet. What if she hates these? She never said if she liked the white ones! I hate this so much. Why do I have to be so damn shy all the time? Come on, Marcus, you've been on dates before! This shouldn't be this difficult!
I sighed, remembering all of the small details from the past. I waited for so long that I forgot what it was like to feel normal, to be happy. Things were looking up for the first time in two thousand years and I couldn't figure out what to do with that knowledge.
Another sad question dawned on me: What if I couldn't give her what she wants? I didn't know her well enough to know exactly what she wanted with life, only that she wants to be around people she loves. She loves her family, Olympus, and Wisteria. Everything else is a mystery to me and my worried mind.
Family. The one thing I tried to recreate with my coven. I couldn't give her a family. As a vampire, infertility was expected, guaranteed. I had always wanted children, but learned after my turning that those dreams were not for an immortal creature of the night. My own species negated my ability to procreate. Don't think about that right now.
Even if- No, stop.
"Marcus," it was Sulpicia who stopped me in the middle of the hallway, flowers in hand. "You're beaming."
"I..." I trailed, not knowing how to respond.
"It's a good look. We've missed having you around," she said, voice soft as ever. "You haven't let anyone in for so long, my old friend. I know she'll get all of your love. Are those for her?"
"Who else would they be for?" she laughed, soft in her stance. Never a very tall woman, Sulpicia's once brown eyes now glowed a dark red, similar to my brother, her mate's, eyes. "I suppose Callidora will have to like these ones."
"Do you hold so little faith in your mate?" Sulpicia jokes, "You are smiling again, a goddess as a queen. Perhaps Aro will give me the signal to leave the towers once again. He even allowed me to join him on a date outside. Can you believe that?"
She had not changed in the months since I last saw her. Always hoping to be let outside. Of course, it was all consensual, Aro could never keep his own mate locked away without her permission. Outside? Aro must be loosening his hold on her. He never said anything about it before. Caius must be taking the lead, he'll go wherever Aro does when it comes to those towers.
Then again, there is a goddess in the castle now. What Child of the Moon or vampire would dare to mess with a princess of the gods? It would be basic suicide, even worse when they're dead. The torture methods they have down there seem severe. One thing is clear: vampires and werewolves don't mess with mom and dad goddess.
"Ah, I think that meeting her will be nice, don't you think?" I nodded, knowing that Sulpicia and Callidora would become great friends if Aro just let them meet. "Athenodora is coming down as well. With all of this buzz, it seems that Caius has started to show her even more care than usual. You should see how happy they are, better than ever. Two peas in a pod, isn't that the saying?"
"It is, my queen," I say as Jane starts walking towards me. "Dear Jane, what is it?"
"News of a potential newborn army in Seattle. We know the motives, Demetri and Felix decided to do their own searching on their day off this weekend," Jane informs, smiling at the woman she saw as a mother figure. "Do you have time, Master?"
"All the time in the world, Jane."
"Motives related to the Olympic Coven killing her mate." I took in a deep breath and nodded. "We suspect that they created this army in order to completely take down the Cullens. Nobody has informed us of suspicious activity, but homicides are rising in Seattle."
"What is your take on the matter, my Jane?" Sulpicia asked. She often dealt with these matters. A master strategist, just like Aro. "I know you must have an opinion."
"I say we let it go down. The Cullens... they dodge their meals anyways. Most of them have never paid tribute to father Hades. If queen Callidora hears about someone not paying the price of immortality, she may tell him herself." It was true, as a goddess Callidora has a connection to her uncle Hades, but...
"To wait this out could be dangerous. Aro is good friends with Carlisle." While I had not shown much care for the man, I knew my brother did. That was all that mattered. "Who is behind this army?"
"Demetri sensed two minds and was able to decipher that there is one man creating the newborns and a woman who is directing him." I nodded, seeing this as a simple case of revenge for a lost mate. If they had killed someone's mate, it was not our place to interfere. Tearing apart mates is... horrific. I couldn't imagine what I would do without my Callidora. "One of Heidi's old covenmates, from the sound of it."
"From Hilda?" Jane nodded. "It is not our place. If she wants to avenge her mate, she will. As long as this doesn't expose us, it will not be anywhere near our top agenda. Inform Aro, but do tell him about the mate part, that may sway him to see logic and reason."
Sulpicia and Jane gave me smiles before running off somewhere together. I smiled back, looking at the Wisteria flowers in my hand.
I would make this the perfect date.
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Callidora's POV
"So... that's really what happens? His... thing... goes into my thing?" I asked for confirmation. This whole mating thing seemed very intimate.
"Yes, little Callidora, his thing goes into your thing. Ugh, why didn't you get told about this sooner? I learned about the ways of sex when I came to Olympus from the seas after my birth! So innocent, little one," she said, lying down on the bed in my room. "Maybe he has some stuff in here-"
"Don't snoop, Affie." She groaned, shoving her face into one of the many pillows on the bed. "You'll be mating with Alec tomorrow, right?"
"If he wants to," she said, less confident than before, "I would never make him sleep with me if he didn't want to. Oh, Callidora, what do I do if he doesn't want me? I know your mate will want you, especially with that bra I got you, but what of my Alec? Will the red thong be enough to make him want me like that or will I have to wait? Mating bonds are usually completed within three months, on average completed by the second. Am I moving too fast?"
"Marcus and I only kissed a few days ago. Have you two kissed?" She nodded.
"We kiss a lot. I love to kiss him. I have to say, he's the best kisser for me. How is Marcus?"
"Amazing," I say, throwing myself onto the bed. My cousin laughed and pushed a pillow in my face. I whined, throwing it back at her. "Affie! Let me be in my bed!"
"No," she let out a creepy stream of giggles before accidentally falling off the bed and onto the hardwood floor. "OW!"
"That was your fault, Affie," I say, throwing another pillow at her. She stumbled, but made her way back on her feet. "He's an amazing kisser and he's all mine and he's-"
"Alec!" Aphrodite exclaimed, looking at the door. "Baby you're here! I missed you so much. Callie threw me on the floor. She threw a pillow at me. It's fine, I'll get her back for that later. What do you want to do?"
The vampire smiled and came closer to his mate, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Affie blushed bright white, giving him a big hug. The two of them are so sweet and corny that it makes Marcus and I look... boring. I mean, we do all of the normal stuff. We now kissed each other hello and goodbye, but things are slow. Aphrodite isn't a slow person, she needs things fast and I know she's falling hard for her brown-haired vampire mate.
My own brown-haired vampire mate hasn't seen me yet today. Yes, he was there when I woke up, but we didn't say much before Affie dragged me out of the house. I miss him.
"I want to do whatever you want, my dear," Alec whispered to her before noticing me in the room, "Hello queen Callidora."
"How many times do I have to tell you? Just Callidora from you and your twin, Alec." The man rolled his eyes and kissed his mate's forehead once more. "You two go do something fun. It's getting late and Marcus is supposed to be taking me somewhere tonight."
Affie gasped. "You never told me! Where is he taking you? I need to know these things!"
"Just outside, Aphrodite, you know the drill." She scowled, but nodded. Alec and she said their goodbyes before leaving the room. It was just me and my wandering thoughts left in Marcus and I's room.
What is he going to do tomorrow? Do people have special traditions? It's overcast, so he'll definitely be taking me outside. I bet everyone gets a day off from work. Wait, what about the humans roaming around the city? Ah, well, they live there. How do vampires keep themselves disguised around human beings? From what auntie Selene said, they can find some things out just by looking at you. Maybe they don't find people in black cloaks suspicious in Italy. In Olympus that would be very suspicious.
I allowed my thoughts to wander for some time. It took Marcus but thirty minutes to find me in our room, looking a bit frazzled. "Hello, my dear."
"Are you alright?" I asked, not knowing what was up with my vampire king. "You look worried about something."
"I'm alright, my darling," his voice indicated otherwise, but I thought it was best to not question him further. "Always gorgeous. What do you want to see tonight, Callidora? I can take you anywhere around the city or we can stay in and keep exploring Volterra for tomorrow."
Smiling, I pulled him outside of our room, to which he let out a surprised noise. I loved it when he did that. He's so adorable when he's surprised.
"You told me about all of the flowers in the gardens yesterday, but I want to know more about why you have them in the first place. Certainly there has to be more to it than their general beauty." Marcus smirked, nodding. "While we're at it, we could also go look at those ponds in the back."
"Anything for you, my goddess."
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ᴏʜ, ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀʀᴄᴜꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛᴇꜱᴛ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ? ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴄᴀʟʟɪᴅᴏʀᴀ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴜꜰꜰ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ.
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ 4ᴋ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ. ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ 5ᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ꜱᴇᴇ ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀ ʀᴀɴᴅᴏᴍ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ.
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