Dark Places
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 04
Her education began early the next day with the quiet yet regal Marcus. She'd been intimidated at first, but he had turned out to be a very good teacher; patient, kind and gentlemanly.
He was teaching her law and she found it fascinating. She'd had no idea that they were so thorough and so fair in their system of government. She discovered just why they had three kings and it was similar to the three tiers of government of the American system. For balance of powers. They also had a panel of senior vampires that they could call together for special trials or the proposal and passage of any new laws.
"This is all so fascinating Marcus. Who set up your government originally?"
He ducked his head a bit, a small smile in place. She would swear, if he'd been human, he would have been blushing. The thought made her smile.
"It was me." He met her eyes. "I have always been a bit of a, oh how do you say it in todays common speech? A bookworm! Except when we were establishing our rule here, it was more of a scroll worm?" He smiled shyly and Bella chuckled.
"Well then, you and I have that in common Marcus, for I love books and learning. I could happily spend my days whiling away the hours within the stacks."
He smiled at her as he closed the book that he held in his hands. "Well, I don't think that Aro would like that very much Bella. He would become jealous of dusty tomes very quickly if you did."
She waved off his statement. "Surely not Marcus. He has many things to occupy his time and attention. He doesn't need me."
He leveled a solemn look at her. "You have no idea do you?"
She furrowed her brow. "No idea about what Marcus?"
He maintained his serious look. "Do you know what my gift is Bella?"
She shook her head slowly. "I don't. I'm sorry."
He sighed. "I see the bonds between individuals. You have a very strong bond with my brother Bella. You are true mates, and I can tell you that he loves you more than anything or anyone in this world. A mate is everything that matters in this world to a vampire Bella. It's nothing to scoff at or doubt. I am never wrong. I know this to be a fact and would never lie or exaggerate about such a matter."
Bella felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her and she sat in the nearest chair.
Looking up to Marcus she asked him the question that kept repeating in her mind. "Does Aro know this?"
He nodded. "Oh yes, most certainly. It is why he kept you and didn't kill you the minute you set foot in the throne room. Humans do not survive here Bella. If they are found to be gifted, they are turned and trained. If they are not gifted, they are killed. It's as simple as that. The receptionist? She is gifted and will be turned, but she wanted to age for a year or two more before being frozen in time. We granted her that as it was not an unreasonable request, although she is not allowed out of the castle at any time. We just cannot take the risk. We take the secrecy of our existence very seriously and that is precisely why it's a death sentence to any immortal that shares the secret with humans. The Cullen's are quite fortunate that Carlisle is such a dear friend to Aro and also for the fact that you turned out to be Aro's true mate. Otherwise Edward and his sister would have been executed that very day especially considering the moronic actions of the mind reader. Caius and I both voted that he be killed but Aro's relationship with Carlisle saved the idiot. Pardon my vitriol. I know you were close with him for a time."
She waved away his concern. "It's quite all right Marcus. It's all true. There's no getting around the fact."
She shook her head, still reeling at the information that had just been revealed to her. "Why did Aro not tell me Marcus?"
He looked at her, his gaze rock steady. "Because he wanted you to love him without feeling that you had to. He didn't want you to feel trapped into it. I only shared all of this with you because of my gift. I can see that the bond is solid from both of you. You love him too and it was no use to anyone tip-toeing around the fact. You should tell him Cara because he will not say the words until you do. He is waiting on you my dear and it hurts him to do so, but he is stubborn and is doing what he considers to be the right thing in not rushing you."
She thought of Aro and the picture of him, on his knees, joy in his eyes as he listened for any sounds of their baby came to her mind bringing tears to her eyes. He loves her and she was hurting him by not telling him that she loves him too.
She rose from her chair, giving Marcus a hug. "Thank you Marcus for telling me. I don't know how long it would have taken me to tell him but I know it would have been a while with my history. It kills me though, thinking that I am causing him pain but that's not why I am going to tell him." She smiled. "I am going to tell him because I love him. You've just given me the courage that I needed to say the words that I've had in my heart for a while now. Thank you for that."
He smiled shyly, his voice quiet as he answered. "You are most welcome dear Bella.
Her next session with Caius was like the night was to day when compared with her time with Marcus, though she must admit, no less enjoyable.
She found his dry wit and sarcasm to be a delight and their banter was lively to say the least.
He grinned wolfishly at her. "With me my dear, you shall learn the fine art of war and the strategy behind it."
He handed her a small stack of books and she smirked at him. "Thank god I love to read."
He strolled off to gaze out the window. "Hmm, yes quite. This would be a useless undertaking if all you had in that head of yours is a plethora of pop culture bullshit."
He turned quickly looking at her as though he had a secret to share. She saw the moment that he had made up his mind when he smirked. "Although I do so love the Vampire Diaries show. Don't tell Aro. He'll give me shit for the next century and I would have to take him out back and beat his ass for it. My point in telling you is this; I have no one to discuss the show with and some of the plot points are just fucking killing me. Do you watch it Bella?"
She smiled widely. "Well, I used to but Aro doesn't have a TV in his rooms, so I'm behind by a few episodes."
"Damn." He tapped his chin with a regal finger, deep in thought as he paced around her. "Hmm, yes, stuffy old badger that he is, he refuses to come into the present where electronics are concerned. Perhaps if you requested it of him, I'm sure he would relent. Then you could borrow my blu-ray collection. I believe that Hulu is running the back episodes of Vampire Diaries too so ask for that my dear."
She smirked. "Is this an official assignment professor?"
He looked affronted for a minute, before smirking back at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. I'm going to get something out of this arrangement too damn it."
She laughed. "Yes professor. I'll make a note of it and let you know when the assignment is complete."
He looked very smug as he draped himself across a chair lazily. "Very good student. That's what I like to hear."
~o0o~
She waited for him in the moonlight that streaked across their bed. She had already bathed and dressed in the fine lingerie that Aro purchased for her by the bundles. This particular one was blood red satin that clung to her every curve and was his favorite.
Her heart sped as she heard him enter and she breathed deeply to control it, but it simply wasn't working.
She watched as he entered, removing his outer layers leaving just his silky shirt and trousers.
He approached her then, hair loose and flowing, hunger evident in his heated gaze that was locked on her form.
"My beautiful Bella, how I have missed you today."
She reached for him with one hand, drawing him to her, his body covering hers gently as their lips met in a heated kiss that stole her breath.
He drew back to see her and she caressed his face with gentle hands. "Make love to me Aro."
~o0o~
Lemon Alert
~o0o~
Not taking the time to undress, he ripped the clothes from his body and the lingerie from hers, trailing kisses from her lips to her jaw and down to a hardened peak which he sucked in deeply, drawing a gasp and moan of ecstasy from her kiss swollen lips.
"Please Aro, I need to feel you deep inside me. Please…." She whispered.
Moving himself over her as she cradled his slim hips within the confines of her silky thighs, he slid into her tight, slick heat, his groan of pleasure swallowed by her kiss.
She moaned out her pleasure as he pumped into her, slowly but firmly, taking advantage of his full length on every stroke as she panted and gasped. God, but he was magnificent.
Her hands traced his shoulders and down the flexing muscles of his back as she trailed kisses along his neck and to his ear, whispering out her delight as he fucked her thoroughly, lovingly.
She began to arch up to meet him as the coil tightened within her, her inner muscles tightening as the tension mounted with every thrust, her moans impossible to stifle even if she wanted to.
He leaned up, changing his angle and she cried out, spreading her thighs as wide as she could, taking him in as he drove himself in as deeply and firmly as he dared, the pleasure for both of them peaking at almost the same moment, drawing a deep growl from him and a cry of pure ecstasy from her as they spiraled out into unmatched delight, both grasping and grounding themselves to each other, their connection this time perfect, complete.
They came back to the present, staring into each others eyes, hers filled with tears, his overflowing with love and they shared a kiss, pure and gentle and sweet.
Aro knew that nothing could make this night any more perfect than it was at that moment. But he was proved wrong as he heard her whisper to him, her tears tracing down her cheeks.
"I love you Aro, my handsome King. I love you."
Now...
Now, his joy was complete.
Her education began early the next day with the quiet yet regal Marcus. She'd been intimidated at first, but he had turned out to be a very good teacher; patient, kind and gentlemanly.
He was teaching her law and she found it fascinating. She'd had no idea that they were so thorough and so fair in their system of government. She discovered just why they had three kings and it was similar to the three tiers of government of the American system. For balance of powers. They also had a panel of senior vampires that they could call together for special trials or the proposal and passage of any new laws.
"This is all so fascinating Marcus. Who set up your government originally?"
He ducked his head a bit, a small smile in place. She would swear, if he'd been human, he would have been blushing. The thought made her smile.
"It was me." He met her eyes. "I have always been a bit of a, oh how do you say it in todays common speech? A bookworm! Except when we were establishing our rule here, it was more of a scroll worm?" He smiled shyly and Bella chuckled.
"Well then, you and I have that in common Marcus, for I love books and learning. I could happily spend my days whiling away the hours within the stacks."
He smiled at her as he closed the book that he held in his hands. "Well, I don't think that Aro would like that very much Bella. He would become jealous of dusty tomes very quickly if you did."
She waved off his statement. "Surely not Marcus. He has many things to occupy his time and attention. He doesn't need me."
He leveled a solemn look at her. "You have no idea do you?"
She furrowed her brow. "No idea about what Marcus?"
He maintained his serious look. "Do you know what my gift is Bella?"
She shook her head slowly. "I don't. I'm sorry."
He sighed. "I see the bonds between individuals. You have a very strong bond with my brother Bella. You are true mates, and I can tell you that he loves you more than anything or anyone in this world. A mate is everything that matters in this world to a vampire Bella. It's nothing to scoff at or doubt. I am never wrong. I know this to be a fact and would never lie or exaggerate about such a matter."
Bella felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her and she sat in the nearest chair.
Looking up to Marcus she asked him the question that kept repeating in her mind. "Does Aro know this?"
He nodded. "Oh yes, most certainly. It is why he kept you and didn't kill you the minute you set foot in the throne room. Humans do not survive here Bella. If they are found to be gifted, they are turned and trained. If they are not gifted, they are killed. It's as simple as that. The receptionist? She is gifted and will be turned, but she wanted to age for a year or two more before being frozen in time. We granted her that as it was not an unreasonable request, although she is not allowed out of the castle at any time. We just cannot take the risk. We take the secrecy of our existence very seriously and that is precisely why it's a death sentence to any immortal that shares the secret with humans. The Cullen's are quite fortunate that Carlisle is such a dear friend to Aro and also for the fact that you turned out to be Aro's true mate. Otherwise Edward and his sister would have been executed that very day especially considering the moronic actions of the mind reader. Caius and I both voted that he be killed but Aro's relationship with Carlisle saved the idiot. Pardon my vitriol. I know you were close with him for a time."
She waved away his concern. "It's quite all right Marcus. It's all true. There's no getting around the fact."
She shook her head, still reeling at the information that had just been revealed to her. "Why did Aro not tell me Marcus?"
He looked at her, his gaze rock steady. "Because he wanted you to love him without feeling that you had to. He didn't want you to feel trapped into it. I only shared all of this with you because of my gift. I can see that the bond is solid from both of you. You love him too and it was no use to anyone tip-toeing around the fact. You should tell him Cara because he will not say the words until you do. He is waiting on you my dear and it hurts him to do so, but he is stubborn and is doing what he considers to be the right thing in not rushing you."
She thought of Aro and the picture of him, on his knees, joy in his eyes as he listened for any sounds of their baby came to her mind bringing tears to her eyes. He loves her and she was hurting him by not telling him that she loves him too.
She rose from her chair, giving Marcus a hug. "Thank you Marcus for telling me. I don't know how long it would have taken me to tell him but I know it would have been a while with my history. It kills me though, thinking that I am causing him pain but that's not why I am going to tell him." She smiled. "I am going to tell him because I love him. You've just given me the courage that I needed to say the words that I've had in my heart for a while now. Thank you for that."
He smiled shyly, his voice quiet as he answered. "You are most welcome dear Bella.
Her next session with Caius was like the night was to day when compared with her time with Marcus, though she must admit, no less enjoyable.
She found his dry wit and sarcasm to be a delight and their banter was lively to say the least.
He grinned wolfishly at her. "With me my dear, you shall learn the fine art of war and the strategy behind it."
He handed her a small stack of books and she smirked at him. "Thank god I love to read."
He strolled off to gaze out the window. "Hmm, yes quite. This would be a useless undertaking if all you had in that head of yours is a plethora of pop culture bullshit."
He turned quickly looking at her as though he had a secret to share. She saw the moment that he had made up his mind when he smirked. "Although I do so love the Vampire Diaries show. Don't tell Aro. He'll give me shit for the next century and I would have to take him out back and beat his ass for it. My point in telling you is this; I have no one to discuss the show with and some of the plot points are just fucking killing me. Do you watch it Bella?"
She smiled widely. "Well, I used to but Aro doesn't have a TV in his rooms, so I'm behind by a few episodes."
"Damn." He tapped his chin with a regal finger, deep in thought as he paced around her. "Hmm, yes, stuffy old badger that he is, he refuses to come into the present where electronics are concerned. Perhaps if you requested it of him, I'm sure he would relent. Then you could borrow my blu-ray collection. I believe that Hulu is running the back episodes of Vampire Diaries too so ask for that my dear."
She smirked. "Is this an official assignment professor?"
He looked affronted for a minute, before smirking back at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. I'm going to get something out of this arrangement too damn it."
She laughed. "Yes professor. I'll make a note of it and let you know when the assignment is complete."
He looked very smug as he draped himself across a chair lazily. "Very good student. That's what I like to hear."
~o0o~
She waited for him in the moonlight that streaked across their bed. She had already bathed and dressed in the fine lingerie that Aro purchased for her by the bundles. This particular one was blood red satin that clung to her every curve and was his favorite.
Her heart sped as she heard him enter and she breathed deeply to control it, but it simply wasn't working.
She watched as he entered, removing his outer layers leaving just his silky shirt and trousers.
He approached her then, hair loose and flowing, hunger evident in his heated gaze that was locked on her form.
"My beautiful Bella, how I have missed you today."
She reached for him with one hand, drawing him to her, his body covering hers gently as their lips met in a heated kiss that stole her breath.
He drew back to see her and she caressed his face with gentle hands. "Make love to me Aro."
~o0o~
Lemon Alert
~o0o~
Not taking the time to undress, he ripped the clothes from his body and the lingerie from hers, trailing kisses from her lips to her jaw and down to a hardened peak which he sucked in deeply, drawing a gasp and moan of ecstasy from her kiss swollen lips.
"Please Aro, I need to feel you deep inside me. Please…." She whispered.
Moving himself over her as she cradled his slim hips within the confines of her silky thighs, he slid into her tight, slick heat, his groan of pleasure swallowed by her kiss.
She moaned out her pleasure as he pumped into her, slowly but firmly, taking advantage of his full length on every stroke as she panted and gasped. God, but he was magnificent.
Her hands traced his shoulders and down the flexing muscles of his back as she trailed kisses along his neck and to his ear, whispering out her delight as he fucked her thoroughly, lovingly.
She began to arch up to meet him as the coil tightened within her, her inner muscles tightening as the tension mounted with every thrust, her moans impossible to stifle even if she wanted to.
He leaned up, changing his angle and she cried out, spreading her thighs as wide as she could, taking him in as he drove himself in as deeply and firmly as he dared, the pleasure for both of them peaking at almost the same moment, drawing a deep growl from him and a cry of pure ecstasy from her as they spiraled out into unmatched delight, both grasping and grounding themselves to each other, their connection this time perfect, complete.
They came back to the present, staring into each others eyes, hers filled with tears, his overflowing with love and they shared a kiss, pure and gentle and sweet.
Aro knew that nothing could make this night any more perfect than it was at that moment. But he was proved wrong as he heard her whisper to him, her tears tracing down her cheeks.
"I love you Aro, my handsome King. I love you."
Now...
Now, his joy was complete.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.