Something Better Than Forever
by Skydancinghobbit
Chapter 13: Dark Passionst
Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.
Bella Swan, Twilight, Preface, p.1
"Alice what does Tesoro mio mean?"
The next morning Bella hazily remembered asking Alice a question before falling asleep. That divine moment right before slumber when your brain has shut off and logical thought has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Bella would have bet any women of sense who has ever stayed at a slumber party knew the feeling very well. Over a lavish breakfast in the familiar plaza she repeated her question. Alice sat primly in her chair. Makeup was a wonderful thing! Why with just a few swishes of a brush and specially made concealer she almost looked mortal.
"Tesoro mio? Why don't you Google it?"
Surprised and slightly put out Bella dug her laptop out of her bag grumbling to herself in annoyance, why hadn't she thought of that? Weeks of wondering could have been solved by a few simple clicks. Silently she huffed powering up the laptop and typed in her password before diving in to the information superhighway. What she found caused three things to happen in rapid succession, her jaw dropped, she choked on her espresso and finally came dangerously close to dumping what little remained on her keyboard. Only a swift movement with a pale white hand saved poor Lappie from a watery end. Hacking and coughing Bella grabbed a napkin while the fit passed. Finally able to catch her breath she heaved air into her lungs with large gulps; tears sliding gently down her cheeks as she caught her breath, wiping them away with a soft cloth provided by the ever helpful Alice who murmured gently .
"Easy Bella, Aro is having fits in the entrance way swearing in, I think Gaelic. Quite admirable"
Her voice was a little raspy as she regained her composure offering a wave in the buildings direction as if to say "I'm ok!" Apparently it proved to be insufficient reassurance as she glanced at Alice's face and the pen scratching with blinding speed across the pages of her notepad apparently jotting down new words to add to her vocabulary, Bella guessed with some amusement. Only then could she pick up the rather profane tirade, soft as it was drifting on the wind and snorted closing her book with a snap, knowing full well her belongings were perfectly safe here. Jane would see to that. Rising she made her way with a tourists loitering stride to the castle again.
She had barely set foot into the shadowy hallway, well out of the sightline of the world outside, when a pair of arms closed around her. She caught sight of his brothers in passing, both sporting matching expressions of exasperation before she was flashing through the halls once more in the way of a vampire with something on his mind and no view to saying it before spectators. Once the door slid closed the figure knelt before her as she was gently deposited on the plush couch. Aro growling gently, traced nonsensical patterns over her cheekbones as he framed her face with gentle hands as if to reassure himself she was still among the world of the living. His eyes burned with still banked Ire as he spoke.
"Mia Cara, please have mercy on me, In your distress I nearly threw off my brothers in my desire to get to you, in broad daylight. Feeling you suddenly unable to breath was, most unpleasant "
Despite her best efforts Bella couldn't help the rush of tender warmth that flooded her. Even now he pressed his cool cheek against her breastbone to be sure no lingering coffee remained in her lungs. Such devotion was nearly unfathomable in someone so heartbreaking beautiful. Almost without thought she allowed her fingers to sink into his tresses soothingly tracing gentle paths through the waves of dark hair.
"Aro, I apologize most sincerely for, causing you distress, it was not my intention, forgive me?"
Where the tender tone had leapt from; she had no a clue. Barely recognizing the sound of her own voice. Slowly he moved, careful of her fingers least he accidentally cause her harm. Meeting her eyes he spoke quietly. Slowly pulling her into his arms as he gracefully slid to a sitting position folding his elegant legs gracefully underneath him.
"Mia Cara, I told you once; there will never be a reason for you to apologize again, to me or anyone else, now is no exception I am simply overwhelmed by the depth of my emotions when you happen to be in distress"
Bella mused over this inhaling his scent now nearly as familiar as her own shampoo, Yet even here she felt conflicted; wrapped safely in his arms she nibbled on her lower lip as she battled to find the right words. Even though he could read her mind without effort there was simply something healthy about speaking aloud.
"I'm not sure what to feel with you Aro, I want to love you, any women could you know. yet knowing my history you allow me time and time again to go free when I can feel your desire, why? How could you love me, broken fragile and mortal as I am when you could have anyone?"
A broken sound wrenched from his throat at her words, ugly and unfitting for so beautiful a being. Gathering her closer still, Aro cradled her like a young child who had recently run to her father after falling from the swings with a bloody knee. His wrath suddenly reared its head as he growled.
"That wretched boy!"
Causing her to flinch, As swiftly as it had come the anger faded and he crooned gentle words in his native tongue into her ear, almost without ceasing until she settled again in his arms, lulled into a stupor by the velvet timbre of his voice until he switched back to English meeting her eyes without guile or pretense .
"Isabella, I have waited nearly three thousand years for you, cold as stone in a world faded to a monotone gray, void of all emotions and laughter. Then you walked into my throne room hell bent on saving a young vampire from himself, bringing the color back to my world. Your every wish is my joy to fulfill. You have saved my eternal soul from the crushing darkness of our kind, you are my light. There is no higher choice"
Moved beyond words by the admission Bella felt silent tears coursing down her face for the second time that day and his gentle cool hand brushed them away. Allowing her to hide under his gray cloak he heard the admission she allowed to escape as she hide from the world in the only refuge she had in this strange post Edward world.
"Then you truly do want me, I keep thinking this is some fabulous dream and any moment I am going to wake tangled in my sheets back in forks, screaming for a future that is never to be. Alone and abandoned Please, please be what you seem"
Her confession would have brought him to his knees had not the pair of them already been comfortably settled on the floor, Bella stilled suddenly waiting for a response well aware the next few moments might well be a turning point in their relationship.
"Mia Cara from the moment I laid eyes on you, I have wanted none but you. Can you doubt the sincerity of my words or would a demonstration suffice?"
Smirking slightly, Bella withdrew slow from his embrace, at least enough to meet his eyes. Her emotions calming again as his question sunk in bringing with it the dark snare of interest.
"They say actions speak louder than words Aro, but, should you demonstrate what you feel I fear the chances of my accidentally blurting something out in french would go up exponentially"
The feral gleam had returned to his eyes at her words the deep crimson darkening to the color of dried blood as the familiar rumble of a purr sounded in his chest.
"I thank you Cara Mia for the warning but, it's a chance I'm more than willing to take if you allow it."
Bella tilted her head to the side all too aware of the Pandora's box he had placed before her, yet her curiosity was slowly gaining; growing as she weighed his past behavior in comparison to that of the other immortals she had know and suddenly realized she simply didn't have the resources to resist him anymore, not when her mind and heart both agreed on a risk with so much possible reward.
"Very well Aro, I am intrigued to say the least, but realise as a women of the modern times I have boundaries"
He waved a gentle hand dismissing the warning as if he had expected nothing less from her.
"Cara, have you forgotten I have looked into your mind? I know your lines better than I do my own. I will wait until after your graduation to fully claim you and give in to my darker passions. rest assured your virtue will be protected, that doesn’t however mean I cannot... "
Here he paused carefully weighing each word
"Reveal the depth of my emotions for you. Forgive me for saying so Cara but from what Alice showed me there is a vast difference between, Edward's clumsy idea of love and my own."
His tone was matter a fact as if suddenly they were back in forks high school and she had merely asked a question. It was now more a source of amusement to her the way the youngest Cullen's name still dripped off lips lips like venom. Throwing her caution to the wind, Bella took a leap of faith.
"What did you have in mind?"
Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.
Bella Swan, Twilight, Preface, p.1
"Alice what does Tesoro mio mean?"
The next morning Bella hazily remembered asking Alice a question before falling asleep. That divine moment right before slumber when your brain has shut off and logical thought has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Bella would have bet any women of sense who has ever stayed at a slumber party knew the feeling very well. Over a lavish breakfast in the familiar plaza she repeated her question. Alice sat primly in her chair. Makeup was a wonderful thing! Why with just a few swishes of a brush and specially made concealer she almost looked mortal.
"Tesoro mio? Why don't you Google it?"
Surprised and slightly put out Bella dug her laptop out of her bag grumbling to herself in annoyance, why hadn't she thought of that? Weeks of wondering could have been solved by a few simple clicks. Silently she huffed powering up the laptop and typed in her password before diving in to the information superhighway. What she found caused three things to happen in rapid succession, her jaw dropped, she choked on her espresso and finally came dangerously close to dumping what little remained on her keyboard. Only a swift movement with a pale white hand saved poor Lappie from a watery end. Hacking and coughing Bella grabbed a napkin while the fit passed. Finally able to catch her breath she heaved air into her lungs with large gulps; tears sliding gently down her cheeks as she caught her breath, wiping them away with a soft cloth provided by the ever helpful Alice who murmured gently .
"Easy Bella, Aro is having fits in the entrance way swearing in, I think Gaelic. Quite admirable"
Her voice was a little raspy as she regained her composure offering a wave in the buildings direction as if to say "I'm ok!" Apparently it proved to be insufficient reassurance as she glanced at Alice's face and the pen scratching with blinding speed across the pages of her notepad apparently jotting down new words to add to her vocabulary, Bella guessed with some amusement. Only then could she pick up the rather profane tirade, soft as it was drifting on the wind and snorted closing her book with a snap, knowing full well her belongings were perfectly safe here. Jane would see to that. Rising she made her way with a tourists loitering stride to the castle again.
She had barely set foot into the shadowy hallway, well out of the sightline of the world outside, when a pair of arms closed around her. She caught sight of his brothers in passing, both sporting matching expressions of exasperation before she was flashing through the halls once more in the way of a vampire with something on his mind and no view to saying it before spectators. Once the door slid closed the figure knelt before her as she was gently deposited on the plush couch. Aro growling gently, traced nonsensical patterns over her cheekbones as he framed her face with gentle hands as if to reassure himself she was still among the world of the living. His eyes burned with still banked Ire as he spoke.
"Mia Cara, please have mercy on me, In your distress I nearly threw off my brothers in my desire to get to you, in broad daylight. Feeling you suddenly unable to breath was, most unpleasant "
Despite her best efforts Bella couldn't help the rush of tender warmth that flooded her. Even now he pressed his cool cheek against her breastbone to be sure no lingering coffee remained in her lungs. Such devotion was nearly unfathomable in someone so heartbreaking beautiful. Almost without thought she allowed her fingers to sink into his tresses soothingly tracing gentle paths through the waves of dark hair.
"Aro, I apologize most sincerely for, causing you distress, it was not my intention, forgive me?"
Where the tender tone had leapt from; she had no a clue. Barely recognizing the sound of her own voice. Slowly he moved, careful of her fingers least he accidentally cause her harm. Meeting her eyes he spoke quietly. Slowly pulling her into his arms as he gracefully slid to a sitting position folding his elegant legs gracefully underneath him.
"Mia Cara, I told you once; there will never be a reason for you to apologize again, to me or anyone else, now is no exception I am simply overwhelmed by the depth of my emotions when you happen to be in distress"
Bella mused over this inhaling his scent now nearly as familiar as her own shampoo, Yet even here she felt conflicted; wrapped safely in his arms she nibbled on her lower lip as she battled to find the right words. Even though he could read her mind without effort there was simply something healthy about speaking aloud.
"I'm not sure what to feel with you Aro, I want to love you, any women could you know. yet knowing my history you allow me time and time again to go free when I can feel your desire, why? How could you love me, broken fragile and mortal as I am when you could have anyone?"
A broken sound wrenched from his throat at her words, ugly and unfitting for so beautiful a being. Gathering her closer still, Aro cradled her like a young child who had recently run to her father after falling from the swings with a bloody knee. His wrath suddenly reared its head as he growled.
"That wretched boy!"
Causing her to flinch, As swiftly as it had come the anger faded and he crooned gentle words in his native tongue into her ear, almost without ceasing until she settled again in his arms, lulled into a stupor by the velvet timbre of his voice until he switched back to English meeting her eyes without guile or pretense .
"Isabella, I have waited nearly three thousand years for you, cold as stone in a world faded to a monotone gray, void of all emotions and laughter. Then you walked into my throne room hell bent on saving a young vampire from himself, bringing the color back to my world. Your every wish is my joy to fulfill. You have saved my eternal soul from the crushing darkness of our kind, you are my light. There is no higher choice"
Moved beyond words by the admission Bella felt silent tears coursing down her face for the second time that day and his gentle cool hand brushed them away. Allowing her to hide under his gray cloak he heard the admission she allowed to escape as she hide from the world in the only refuge she had in this strange post Edward world.
"Then you truly do want me, I keep thinking this is some fabulous dream and any moment I am going to wake tangled in my sheets back in forks, screaming for a future that is never to be. Alone and abandoned Please, please be what you seem"
Her confession would have brought him to his knees had not the pair of them already been comfortably settled on the floor, Bella stilled suddenly waiting for a response well aware the next few moments might well be a turning point in their relationship.
"Mia Cara from the moment I laid eyes on you, I have wanted none but you. Can you doubt the sincerity of my words or would a demonstration suffice?"
Smirking slightly, Bella withdrew slow from his embrace, at least enough to meet his eyes. Her emotions calming again as his question sunk in bringing with it the dark snare of interest.
"They say actions speak louder than words Aro, but, should you demonstrate what you feel I fear the chances of my accidentally blurting something out in french would go up exponentially"
The feral gleam had returned to his eyes at her words the deep crimson darkening to the color of dried blood as the familiar rumble of a purr sounded in his chest.
"I thank you Cara Mia for the warning but, it's a chance I'm more than willing to take if you allow it."
Bella tilted her head to the side all too aware of the Pandora's box he had placed before her, yet her curiosity was slowly gaining; growing as she weighed his past behavior in comparison to that of the other immortals she had know and suddenly realized she simply didn't have the resources to resist him anymore, not when her mind and heart both agreed on a risk with so much possible reward.
"Very well Aro, I am intrigued to say the least, but realise as a women of the modern times I have boundaries"
He waved a gentle hand dismissing the warning as if he had expected nothing less from her.
"Cara, have you forgotten I have looked into your mind? I know your lines better than I do my own. I will wait until after your graduation to fully claim you and give in to my darker passions. rest assured your virtue will be protected, that doesn’t however mean I cannot... "
Here he paused carefully weighing each word
"Reveal the depth of my emotions for you. Forgive me for saying so Cara but from what Alice showed me there is a vast difference between, Edward's clumsy idea of love and my own."
His tone was matter a fact as if suddenly they were back in forks high school and she had merely asked a question. It was now more a source of amusement to her the way the youngest Cullen's name still dripped off lips lips like venom. Throwing her caution to the wind, Bella took a leap of faith.
"What did you have in mind?"