52 Weeks
by Wizardtho
Chapter 09:
Caius guides me through many twists and turns in the castle -all with Demetri following silently- until he comes to a winding spiral staircase in what looks like an unused room. He pauses, turns to me, then lifts me by the backs of my thighs while offering, “I do not want to see you injured, and the stairs are steep.”
He looks at my heels, so I smile, “Climb away, my king. I happen to like being in your arms, so you’ll not receive a complaint.”
Though I expect Demetri to follow us as Caius climbs the stairs, he doesn’t. I raise an eyebrow at my king in question, who chuckles before nipping my collarbone, “He’s giving us a modicum of privacy, My Sweet. He knows we are not to be disturbed for the rest of the night.”
I hum in response, then let my breath fan across the soft stubble on his jaw, “I like the sound of that… no disturbances. I’ve missed you today, and the thought of having your undivided attention is very appealing.”
I nip his ear, lick the shell of it, then smirk as he groans in response.
Caius opens a heavy wooden door before setting me gently on my feet. I turn, only to gasp at what’s in front of me. We seem to be in a private rooftop pool area. Rose petals falling from the meticulously planted vines float on the surface of the water, a beautifully made bamboo canopy bed nearby. The whole area is lit with hundreds of tiny candles, making the scene seem both private and extremely romantic. The finishing touch is the soft music I hear filling the space.
I turn back to my charming lover, whispering, “You spoil me, Caius. This is… amazing and beautiful… and so perfect.”
He cups my neck, bringing his forehead to mine, then assures me, “You deserve every bit of this and more, Isabella. Come, your meal should be waiting for you.”
With a lingering kiss, he guides me over to the bamboo canopy bed. Caius is quick to pour me a glass of wine as I lift the lid to the gleaming metal bed tray. As I inhale the wonderful aroma of my meal for the evening -which looks like pan-seared scallops on linguine, tossed in a tomato cream sauce- something comes to me. I don’t know if the topic is particularly appropriate right now, seeing as I’m truly hungry, but I delve in nevertheless.
After taking a generous sip of my wine while Caius places the tray over my lap, I meet his adoring gaze. “Your eyes still seem very light. How often do you need to feed? Though I don’t really like the thought of being away from you, I understand the need for nourishment.”
Caius gives me a curious look, then kisses me tenderly before offering, “No need to worry, Darling. I am well fed. I have been on a solely donated diet since the moment you stepped into the castle, not wanting to be too far away from you, and am quite content with the change. I consumed a glass full while waiting anxiously for you to agree to stay with me, then another before you decided to join me in the shower today.”
I smile as I brush my thumb under his sparkling eye, wondering, “That doesn’t seem like enough, but your eyes are so light.”
He chuckles in response, bringing my hand to his lips to kiss my palm, “Since I usually hunt once a month, and two criminals fill me to overflowing, I would say that around 16 ounces in the span of 24 hours is more than enough, My Sweet. At this rate, I will have consumed the equivalent of my monthly hunt in 10 days.”
My eyes widen, but he continues, “You are used to the Cullen diet, I understand. Honestly, I have always viewed their diet as wasteful. In comparison, they need to consume enough animal blood to fill 5 humans… sometimes more... just to equal what they would receive by consuming 1 criminal. Animal blood does not contain the needed amount of nutrients to sustain us properly, from what Aro was able to gather from Carlisle’s mind, which relates to the thirst point you made during the throne room meeting.”
The pieces fall into place as I listen to Caius’ explanation. I finish the bite in my mouth, humming at the taste before I confirm, “So they need to hunt more often, as well as needing vastly more blood each hunt, just to make up for the lacking nutrients… but it still doesn’t work. The thirst alone proves that. They are essentially starving themselves, yet with Carlisle’s connections and medical background, you would think he would already have known donated blood was a viable option. Or did he know, and just not tell the others? He did seem genuinely surprised that it would work when I made that point today. I just don’t get it.”
After another bite, Caius sighs, “As much as I agree with your thought process, My Darling, only time will tell if your words today had any effect. I, personally, wish not to think of them again for the rest of the night.”
He leans in to let his breath fan against my neck, continuing, “I remember you saying something about how appealing the thought of having my undivided attention was, and I plan on giving you just that.”
He nuzzles my neck, causing me to hum, then places a line of kisses along the length of it before leaning back against the headboard of the bed with a smirk.
I chuckle at his smugness, shaking my head, then we continue to chat about our day apart while I finish my delicious meal. When I set the bed tray aside and lean back contentedly with my wine, Caius replaces the lid, then takes the tray over to set it near the door we entered.
As he returns to me, he takes my glass, places it on the bedside table, then helps me stand. Twirling me out into the open space, Caius asks, “May I have this dance?”
I chuckle as he pulls me into his arms, stopping when my body is flush with his, my hands on his defined chest. “This one, my sexy king, as well as many more. You seem to be quite adept at asking, now that you’ve given it a few tries.”
He chuckles at my teasing lilt but hums before capturing my lips in a sweet kiss. When our lips part, he starts leading me slowly around the rooftop, offering, “I may not be accustomed to asking, but I find myself wanting to more and more, just to see your eyes light up or your breathtaking smile. I pray you never feel the need to tell me no.”
I brush my fingers along his cheek in response, then whisper truthfully, “Just keep being yourself, doing what you’re doing, and you’ll never have to hear me tell you no. I can’t even put into words how it feels to be genuinely wanted, Caius… wanted, cared for, and desired for who I am as a person… not what I can do for someone. I’ve never felt that way before now, but it’s such an incredible feeling.”
I bite my bottom lip at my admission, but Caius leans in to capture my mouth in a sensual kiss without a word. He’s telling me he understands, I can feel it through his kiss. I melt in his embrace as we continue to explore each other’s mouths, causing our dance to slow, our bodies automatically rocking in synch from side to side.
We do end up dancing to several slow songs after our kiss ends, just enjoying the sensation of being wrapped in each other’s arms. As the sun sets, our private rooftop seems to become even more romantic, and Caius guides me back toward the bed. This time, as his eyes meet mine, he’s the one to undo my sash instead of me. He asks as he lays it at the end of the bed, “Since the pool is heated, would you rather take a dip with me, or skip it and curl up together to watch the stars?”
I hum in response, “Both are extremely tempting offers. Must I choose? What if I wanted to play in the water with you a bit before we take the time to explore each other more under the stars?”
In reply, he quickly lifts my top over my head, then kisses along my exposed throat, “No choosing. I like your idea much more, Sweetling.”
Though I expected Caius to have both of our clothes removed in seconds, he surprises me by taking his time to tease each new sliver of my skin revealed. His touch fans the flames of desire inside me, causing me to be breathless and needy by the time we’re both nude.
When he lifts me by the backs of my thighs, I’m quick to wrap myself tightly around him with a whimper while crashing my mouth to his. Our kiss is deep and passionate from the very start, yet it only seems to become more intense as I feel warm water surrounding us.
My sexy blonde lover decides to make a game of us playing around in the water, though it takes me a few rounds before I realize what he’s doing. He wants to prolong our pleasure by building us both up, then backing off slightly before either of us cum. Hands roam and mouths explore, but before either one of us will cross over the line to ecstatic release, he crashes his mouth to mine before backing away with a smirk. Inevitably, this makes me follow, and the process starts again.
When I realize what’s happening after the third time of him doing this, I want to scream out in frustration. Something tells me that if our little game continues, though, both of our releases will be blindingly intense when we finally give in. With that in mind, the next time we part, it’s by my doing. Seeing Caius’ response when it happens is well worth it.
With eyes full of flaming desire, he grabs the edge of the pool in both hands while growling deep in his chest, “I knew it wouldn’t take long for you to find her, Isabella… that fiery little lover of mine you keep hidden inside. Do you feel it? How our connection intensifies the longer we play like this? How the tingling feeling deepens with every touch? How she is begging to be released?”
He’s to me by the time the last word falls from his lips, his body flush with mine as his eyes watch mine intently. I wrap myself tightly back around him, panting into his slightly open mouth, “God, yes, Caius… I feel it.”
I crash my mouth to his, causing him to moan before pulling away long enough to say, “Let her out, Isabella. Let her… let us… take you there. I know it seems intense and scary, but I am right here to guide you.”
When his tongue collides with mine again, I let go of the hold I have on myself -on my inhibitions- and trust that Caius is right. I find my motions more sure of themselves as a result, the sounds coming from me both louder and more desperate. Caius growls deeply as I bite his bottom lip while snaring my fingers in his wet locks, then his fingers snake between us to find my slick folds.
With a rumble of “So fucking wet,” he presses two inside me, causing me to cry out as my head falls back. My voice echos slightly around the stone-walled space, prompting Caius to curl his fingers while scraping his teeth down my exposed throat.
“That’s right, Sweetling. Let it out. Christ, you are perfect.”
His fingers curl faster, my body trembles in response, and suddenly his teeth are biting down just shy of breaking the skin on my aching nipple. The combination of sensations slam into me all at once, the ecstasy so intense that it shatters me. Every single move Caius makes just seems to make my pieces scatter and fall apart faster, but I faintly hear a euphoric weeping outcry as he encourages me, “God, yes, Isabella. Cum hard for me… I’m right here. Let it take you.”
When the pleasure fades, after what seems like an eternity, Caius is cooing to me. He’s seeming to fit all my shattered pieces back together as he strokes my trembling body, his words comforting and reassuring. My eyes drift to where I hear his voice, only for me to find that he’s laid me out on the bed. He’s drying me tenderly while sitting back on his heels, a towel wrapped loosely around his hips. “There we are, Darling. Just take a few moments to gather your bearings again.”
I try, but my limbs and eyes all feel extremely heavy, my mind fuzzy still. I think I manage to mumble out, “Can’t… sleepy…” because he gives me a pleased hum before moving us to lay curled up under the covers.
Once we’re settled, with me wrapping myself around him from the side, he places sweet kisses along my forehead, whispering, “Extreme pleasure will do that. Rest now, Darling. I will be here when you wake.”
That’s the last thing I register before sleep takes me.
I wake to the feeling of fingers trailing along my curves, and notice I am laying literally on top of Caius. I hear a bird chirping sweetly, causing my eyebrows to furrow in confusion. That’s when images from last night flash through my mind, reminding me of where we are.
I lift my head enough to look at my lover beneath me, only to notice his eyes are closed with a small smile gracing his perfect lips. I brush mine against them, unable to help myself, then let my fingers trail through the soft stubble on his jaw.
His eyes open to meet mine, his smile widening as they do. I whisper in response, “Good morning.”
He hums, kisses me softly, then replies, “Yes, this is a very good morning. Did you sleep well? It is still early.”
I nod, offering while nuzzling my nose against his jaw, “Best night of sleep I’ve ever had. I very much like waking to find you still here. How long before you need to go?”
He smiles in response, “Long enough for us to cuddle for a few minutes while you wake, then get back to the room and shower together, if that plan suits you.”
I like that plan very much, telling him just that before snuggling back down into his embrace. We spend several minutes like that until Caius flips us so that he’s resting between my spread thighs. He rests his weight on one arm, the fingers of the other curling a lock of hair behind my ear as he asks, “Do you have plans for today? Jane will be with you again, as Corin is not due back from her mission yet.”
I nod, thinking, “Yes. I don’t have anything pressing this morning, but my meeting with Jerran and Franco is sometime this afternoon. While I’m thinking of it, you said when explaining about Franco, that he takes care of formal wear for your brothers’ mates, but something Sulpicia said yesterday led me to believe that Marcus is alone. I don’t understand.”
He nods, then strokes my cheek before offering, “With mates, there is a feeling in your chest… a sort of pulling feeling, when you are not within reach of each other. If that mate were to die, that tug would change to unbearable pain. It is why mates are so precious to us, Darling. We can not bear to live without them, once we find them. Didyme, Marcus’ mate, has been the target during wars with the Volturi twice now. The first time was almost 1500 years ago, during the war with the Romanians. She was taken prisoner, so as to not be able to warn us of their intentions. Her gift is sight… not like little Alice, but a true oracle.”
I gasp slightly, horrified by his words, “Oh, God. Marcus must have been out of his mind with worry!”
He nods, then continues, “We found her after we finally took out all but two of the Romanian stronghold. She was blood-starved, had been bitten and beaten numerous times, plus she could barely stand on her own two feet. It took almost two full years for her to completely recover, Isabella, yet she had been their hostage for only months. They had not allowed her one drop of blood in all that time.”
Tears filled my eyes for her suffering, but I urged him to continue. “Unfortunately, we believe the two Romanians who were able to flee have rebuilt their forces. Several months ago, Didyme was out shopping with her guards, when all of sudden Marcus stood up from his throne with a roar. He was out the throne room door, yelling at guards to follow before Aro or I could even find out what was going on. We found both her guards’ ashes just blocks from the safety of the castle, but Didyme was nowhere to be found. We’ve had a contingent of guards out searching the globe for her ever since. Marcus was heading the contingent until he was severely injured during one mission. It took Aro and me nearly two months to convince him that getting himself killed would do nothing to help Didyme, once we found and rescued her.”
I let out a large breath, then shake my head, “That’s… I can’t even imagine his pain, knowing his mate is out there somewhere, but he can’t be out there doing anything to find her. His tug hasn’t turned to pain, right? She’s still alive? There’s still time?”
He nods seriously, “Yes, for now. We don’t know their plans, Isabella, and I take your safety seriously. Please, promise me that you will not ever stray from your guards while out.”
I promise him wholeheartedly, making sure he sees the truth in my eyes as I cup his face in my hands.
Caius guides me through many twists and turns in the castle -all with Demetri following silently- until he comes to a winding spiral staircase in what looks like an unused room. He pauses, turns to me, then lifts me by the backs of my thighs while offering, “I do not want to see you injured, and the stairs are steep.”
He looks at my heels, so I smile, “Climb away, my king. I happen to like being in your arms, so you’ll not receive a complaint.”
Though I expect Demetri to follow us as Caius climbs the stairs, he doesn’t. I raise an eyebrow at my king in question, who chuckles before nipping my collarbone, “He’s giving us a modicum of privacy, My Sweet. He knows we are not to be disturbed for the rest of the night.”
I hum in response, then let my breath fan across the soft stubble on his jaw, “I like the sound of that… no disturbances. I’ve missed you today, and the thought of having your undivided attention is very appealing.”
I nip his ear, lick the shell of it, then smirk as he groans in response.
Caius opens a heavy wooden door before setting me gently on my feet. I turn, only to gasp at what’s in front of me. We seem to be in a private rooftop pool area. Rose petals falling from the meticulously planted vines float on the surface of the water, a beautifully made bamboo canopy bed nearby. The whole area is lit with hundreds of tiny candles, making the scene seem both private and extremely romantic. The finishing touch is the soft music I hear filling the space.
I turn back to my charming lover, whispering, “You spoil me, Caius. This is… amazing and beautiful… and so perfect.”
He cups my neck, bringing his forehead to mine, then assures me, “You deserve every bit of this and more, Isabella. Come, your meal should be waiting for you.”
With a lingering kiss, he guides me over to the bamboo canopy bed. Caius is quick to pour me a glass of wine as I lift the lid to the gleaming metal bed tray. As I inhale the wonderful aroma of my meal for the evening -which looks like pan-seared scallops on linguine, tossed in a tomato cream sauce- something comes to me. I don’t know if the topic is particularly appropriate right now, seeing as I’m truly hungry, but I delve in nevertheless.
After taking a generous sip of my wine while Caius places the tray over my lap, I meet his adoring gaze. “Your eyes still seem very light. How often do you need to feed? Though I don’t really like the thought of being away from you, I understand the need for nourishment.”
Caius gives me a curious look, then kisses me tenderly before offering, “No need to worry, Darling. I am well fed. I have been on a solely donated diet since the moment you stepped into the castle, not wanting to be too far away from you, and am quite content with the change. I consumed a glass full while waiting anxiously for you to agree to stay with me, then another before you decided to join me in the shower today.”
I smile as I brush my thumb under his sparkling eye, wondering, “That doesn’t seem like enough, but your eyes are so light.”
He chuckles in response, bringing my hand to his lips to kiss my palm, “Since I usually hunt once a month, and two criminals fill me to overflowing, I would say that around 16 ounces in the span of 24 hours is more than enough, My Sweet. At this rate, I will have consumed the equivalent of my monthly hunt in 10 days.”
My eyes widen, but he continues, “You are used to the Cullen diet, I understand. Honestly, I have always viewed their diet as wasteful. In comparison, they need to consume enough animal blood to fill 5 humans… sometimes more... just to equal what they would receive by consuming 1 criminal. Animal blood does not contain the needed amount of nutrients to sustain us properly, from what Aro was able to gather from Carlisle’s mind, which relates to the thirst point you made during the throne room meeting.”
The pieces fall into place as I listen to Caius’ explanation. I finish the bite in my mouth, humming at the taste before I confirm, “So they need to hunt more often, as well as needing vastly more blood each hunt, just to make up for the lacking nutrients… but it still doesn’t work. The thirst alone proves that. They are essentially starving themselves, yet with Carlisle’s connections and medical background, you would think he would already have known donated blood was a viable option. Or did he know, and just not tell the others? He did seem genuinely surprised that it would work when I made that point today. I just don’t get it.”
After another bite, Caius sighs, “As much as I agree with your thought process, My Darling, only time will tell if your words today had any effect. I, personally, wish not to think of them again for the rest of the night.”
He leans in to let his breath fan against my neck, continuing, “I remember you saying something about how appealing the thought of having my undivided attention was, and I plan on giving you just that.”
He nuzzles my neck, causing me to hum, then places a line of kisses along the length of it before leaning back against the headboard of the bed with a smirk.
I chuckle at his smugness, shaking my head, then we continue to chat about our day apart while I finish my delicious meal. When I set the bed tray aside and lean back contentedly with my wine, Caius replaces the lid, then takes the tray over to set it near the door we entered.
As he returns to me, he takes my glass, places it on the bedside table, then helps me stand. Twirling me out into the open space, Caius asks, “May I have this dance?”
I chuckle as he pulls me into his arms, stopping when my body is flush with his, my hands on his defined chest. “This one, my sexy king, as well as many more. You seem to be quite adept at asking, now that you’ve given it a few tries.”
He chuckles at my teasing lilt but hums before capturing my lips in a sweet kiss. When our lips part, he starts leading me slowly around the rooftop, offering, “I may not be accustomed to asking, but I find myself wanting to more and more, just to see your eyes light up or your breathtaking smile. I pray you never feel the need to tell me no.”
I brush my fingers along his cheek in response, then whisper truthfully, “Just keep being yourself, doing what you’re doing, and you’ll never have to hear me tell you no. I can’t even put into words how it feels to be genuinely wanted, Caius… wanted, cared for, and desired for who I am as a person… not what I can do for someone. I’ve never felt that way before now, but it’s such an incredible feeling.”
I bite my bottom lip at my admission, but Caius leans in to capture my mouth in a sensual kiss without a word. He’s telling me he understands, I can feel it through his kiss. I melt in his embrace as we continue to explore each other’s mouths, causing our dance to slow, our bodies automatically rocking in synch from side to side.
We do end up dancing to several slow songs after our kiss ends, just enjoying the sensation of being wrapped in each other’s arms. As the sun sets, our private rooftop seems to become even more romantic, and Caius guides me back toward the bed. This time, as his eyes meet mine, he’s the one to undo my sash instead of me. He asks as he lays it at the end of the bed, “Since the pool is heated, would you rather take a dip with me, or skip it and curl up together to watch the stars?”
I hum in response, “Both are extremely tempting offers. Must I choose? What if I wanted to play in the water with you a bit before we take the time to explore each other more under the stars?”
In reply, he quickly lifts my top over my head, then kisses along my exposed throat, “No choosing. I like your idea much more, Sweetling.”
Though I expected Caius to have both of our clothes removed in seconds, he surprises me by taking his time to tease each new sliver of my skin revealed. His touch fans the flames of desire inside me, causing me to be breathless and needy by the time we’re both nude.
When he lifts me by the backs of my thighs, I’m quick to wrap myself tightly around him with a whimper while crashing my mouth to his. Our kiss is deep and passionate from the very start, yet it only seems to become more intense as I feel warm water surrounding us.
My sexy blonde lover decides to make a game of us playing around in the water, though it takes me a few rounds before I realize what he’s doing. He wants to prolong our pleasure by building us both up, then backing off slightly before either of us cum. Hands roam and mouths explore, but before either one of us will cross over the line to ecstatic release, he crashes his mouth to mine before backing away with a smirk. Inevitably, this makes me follow, and the process starts again.
When I realize what’s happening after the third time of him doing this, I want to scream out in frustration. Something tells me that if our little game continues, though, both of our releases will be blindingly intense when we finally give in. With that in mind, the next time we part, it’s by my doing. Seeing Caius’ response when it happens is well worth it.
With eyes full of flaming desire, he grabs the edge of the pool in both hands while growling deep in his chest, “I knew it wouldn’t take long for you to find her, Isabella… that fiery little lover of mine you keep hidden inside. Do you feel it? How our connection intensifies the longer we play like this? How the tingling feeling deepens with every touch? How she is begging to be released?”
He’s to me by the time the last word falls from his lips, his body flush with mine as his eyes watch mine intently. I wrap myself tightly back around him, panting into his slightly open mouth, “God, yes, Caius… I feel it.”
I crash my mouth to his, causing him to moan before pulling away long enough to say, “Let her out, Isabella. Let her… let us… take you there. I know it seems intense and scary, but I am right here to guide you.”
When his tongue collides with mine again, I let go of the hold I have on myself -on my inhibitions- and trust that Caius is right. I find my motions more sure of themselves as a result, the sounds coming from me both louder and more desperate. Caius growls deeply as I bite his bottom lip while snaring my fingers in his wet locks, then his fingers snake between us to find my slick folds.
With a rumble of “So fucking wet,” he presses two inside me, causing me to cry out as my head falls back. My voice echos slightly around the stone-walled space, prompting Caius to curl his fingers while scraping his teeth down my exposed throat.
“That’s right, Sweetling. Let it out. Christ, you are perfect.”
His fingers curl faster, my body trembles in response, and suddenly his teeth are biting down just shy of breaking the skin on my aching nipple. The combination of sensations slam into me all at once, the ecstasy so intense that it shatters me. Every single move Caius makes just seems to make my pieces scatter and fall apart faster, but I faintly hear a euphoric weeping outcry as he encourages me, “God, yes, Isabella. Cum hard for me… I’m right here. Let it take you.”
When the pleasure fades, after what seems like an eternity, Caius is cooing to me. He’s seeming to fit all my shattered pieces back together as he strokes my trembling body, his words comforting and reassuring. My eyes drift to where I hear his voice, only for me to find that he’s laid me out on the bed. He’s drying me tenderly while sitting back on his heels, a towel wrapped loosely around his hips. “There we are, Darling. Just take a few moments to gather your bearings again.”
I try, but my limbs and eyes all feel extremely heavy, my mind fuzzy still. I think I manage to mumble out, “Can’t… sleepy…” because he gives me a pleased hum before moving us to lay curled up under the covers.
Once we’re settled, with me wrapping myself around him from the side, he places sweet kisses along my forehead, whispering, “Extreme pleasure will do that. Rest now, Darling. I will be here when you wake.”
That’s the last thing I register before sleep takes me.
I wake to the feeling of fingers trailing along my curves, and notice I am laying literally on top of Caius. I hear a bird chirping sweetly, causing my eyebrows to furrow in confusion. That’s when images from last night flash through my mind, reminding me of where we are.
I lift my head enough to look at my lover beneath me, only to notice his eyes are closed with a small smile gracing his perfect lips. I brush mine against them, unable to help myself, then let my fingers trail through the soft stubble on his jaw.
His eyes open to meet mine, his smile widening as they do. I whisper in response, “Good morning.”
He hums, kisses me softly, then replies, “Yes, this is a very good morning. Did you sleep well? It is still early.”
I nod, offering while nuzzling my nose against his jaw, “Best night of sleep I’ve ever had. I very much like waking to find you still here. How long before you need to go?”
He smiles in response, “Long enough for us to cuddle for a few minutes while you wake, then get back to the room and shower together, if that plan suits you.”
I like that plan very much, telling him just that before snuggling back down into his embrace. We spend several minutes like that until Caius flips us so that he’s resting between my spread thighs. He rests his weight on one arm, the fingers of the other curling a lock of hair behind my ear as he asks, “Do you have plans for today? Jane will be with you again, as Corin is not due back from her mission yet.”
I nod, thinking, “Yes. I don’t have anything pressing this morning, but my meeting with Jerran and Franco is sometime this afternoon. While I’m thinking of it, you said when explaining about Franco, that he takes care of formal wear for your brothers’ mates, but something Sulpicia said yesterday led me to believe that Marcus is alone. I don’t understand.”
He nods, then strokes my cheek before offering, “With mates, there is a feeling in your chest… a sort of pulling feeling, when you are not within reach of each other. If that mate were to die, that tug would change to unbearable pain. It is why mates are so precious to us, Darling. We can not bear to live without them, once we find them. Didyme, Marcus’ mate, has been the target during wars with the Volturi twice now. The first time was almost 1500 years ago, during the war with the Romanians. She was taken prisoner, so as to not be able to warn us of their intentions. Her gift is sight… not like little Alice, but a true oracle.”
I gasp slightly, horrified by his words, “Oh, God. Marcus must have been out of his mind with worry!”
He nods, then continues, “We found her after we finally took out all but two of the Romanian stronghold. She was blood-starved, had been bitten and beaten numerous times, plus she could barely stand on her own two feet. It took almost two full years for her to completely recover, Isabella, yet she had been their hostage for only months. They had not allowed her one drop of blood in all that time.”
Tears filled my eyes for her suffering, but I urged him to continue. “Unfortunately, we believe the two Romanians who were able to flee have rebuilt their forces. Several months ago, Didyme was out shopping with her guards, when all of sudden Marcus stood up from his throne with a roar. He was out the throne room door, yelling at guards to follow before Aro or I could even find out what was going on. We found both her guards’ ashes just blocks from the safety of the castle, but Didyme was nowhere to be found. We’ve had a contingent of guards out searching the globe for her ever since. Marcus was heading the contingent until he was severely injured during one mission. It took Aro and me nearly two months to convince him that getting himself killed would do nothing to help Didyme, once we found and rescued her.”
I let out a large breath, then shake my head, “That’s… I can’t even imagine his pain, knowing his mate is out there somewhere, but he can’t be out there doing anything to find her. His tug hasn’t turned to pain, right? She’s still alive? There’s still time?”
He nods seriously, “Yes, for now. We don’t know their plans, Isabella, and I take your safety seriously. Please, promise me that you will not ever stray from your guards while out.”
I promise him wholeheartedly, making sure he sees the truth in my eyes as I cup his face in my hands.