Something Better Than Forever
by Skydancinghobbit
Chapter 17: A Vampires
Weakness
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Being a Vampire isn't all that you are, it's not what's keeping us apart
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Soft lights, a gentle crackle of the fire place, and pale white fingers running through her hair. These were some of Bella's new favorite things. By day, she was your typical college student dining on all the high calorie food she could get her hands on, cramming vast amounts of information into her mind and between classes cultivating useful friendships that would last the rest of her life. However long that might be. By night, she was Isabella, beloved Lifemate to an immortal vampire king. Not exactly the kind of secret you can tell your parents. How many times had she sat before her computer monitor tapping a pen aimlessly against the table attempting to find words to tell her family about the joy that abounded in her life.
The list of what she could happily tell her parents was swiftly growing longer than the list she could. Details about her day, class work, and normal curiosity about the culture she found herself in now filled her emails along with a few recipes that her father delighted in. She had taken care to break them down rather like a sports announcer having discovered this format worked well for teaching her father how cooking worked. Now he was wielding a skillet with pride, or at least cooking something that was eatable and that was a large step for Charlie.
The only jarring note had been the announcement of the death of Harry Clearwater. His oldest friend. Heart attack; the doctor had said and Bella mourned for him. Held in the cool comforting arms that so often now found their way around her waist in those few hours between homework and sleep. It had been Aro's hands that had brushed away her tears and his whispered melody that soothed her to sleep. Curiously for a vampire Aro found no shame in tears.
"There are emotions that can only be expressed when the heart is full"
Those words were his rather philosophical opinion. Though Bella had made her choice; there were parts of their relationship that still jolted against her more modern upbringing. For example when she had asked the rather innocent question of what they were he had replied rather loftily.
"A courting pair, Mia Cara, what else?"
Bella remembered the rather spirited debate that had been launched between courting and dating. Well if you could call her passionate dislike of the archaic term and his unmovable assurity a debate. While he would willingly move the earth and probably the sky to please her, there were moments when his age truly manifested. Finally giving the attempt at the fruitless attempt to change his mind. He said they were courting and that was it.
Alice meanwhile was no help at all when appealed to for sympathy she merely said, over her cup of Chai Latte
"Relax Bella you might like the perks that come with courting; just wait and see"
Grinding her teeth and nibbling moodily on a French fry, Bella highly doubted it as she scratched away at her assignment though her heart wasn't in it. Truly how exciting could Italian poetry be when her mind lingered in the castle where the kings held their court? Once a month under the light of the full moon. They went into what Bella called lockdown and what they did during this time was shrouded in mystery. Despite her curiosity, Aro was firm in his answer when questioned.
"Some aspects of my world must remain a mystery, Mia Bella, even to you"
So closed was his expression she might have been attempting to wheedle information from a stone. He had only gathered her close humming a melody low in his throat, baffled and feeling a little left out she had willingly found refuge under the blanket he wrapped around her. Happily one of the cooler evenings having forced his hand in the matter. She was about to resume pestering him good naturedly when his pale finger rested on her lips as their eyes locked.
"Please Mia Cara, promise me you will never set foot near the throne room on those days"
Caught by surprise, for Aro never said please except in the direst, or intimate settings. She bit her lip as the curiosity went on full war with his request. Her emotions happily were only sensible in degrees when they were apart, but when physically touching he was all but drowned in her feelings. It was a feeling akin to standing in a gale. or so he had said and she obligingly began to move away when his arms locked around her like a vice preventing any retreat. His expression shifting to something dark and tortured as he uttered a distressed sound low in his throat; Bella couldn't even begin to describe, though it made her heart hurt.
“Isabella, I wish, I implore you, obey my wish in this matter, beloved, I cannot tell you why, despite my hearts wish to do so but the others voted against full disclosure. For the time being”
Bella had grumbled, hemmed and hawed but finally given way. Surprised by the display of tenderness she received. He had kissed her many times before, yet this was different. As if he was attempting to tell her something vital and precious where he couldn't find the words. Bella found herself laid gently down on the plush carpet and kissed until she could barely remember her own name let alone the reason for what she'd just agreed to. His voice was rather husky when Aro finally allowed her to sit up again.
“Remember your promise, Mia Bella for both our sakes”
With those rather ominous words she was alone, the clock chiming the midnight hour and the beginning of another night alone. The full moon spilling silvery threads of light on to her carpet. Rising in a bit of a huff Bella fought the urge to throw something at the wall. That, that....vampire! How dare he cuddle her into a good mood, extract a promise by drowning her in sweet kisses, then just leave! The smug male chuckle ringing faintly in her mind was the last straw. Grabbing her cloak from off the peg she started off in the direction of Alice’s quarters. Knocking gently she found her quite keen for an evening’s stroll. Tucked safely on Alice's back they were out of the castle in mere moments. The villagers having long banked their fires and gone to bed; there was no risk of exposure as they flitted through the winding mazes of the old city. Finally coming to rest outside a beautiful outdoor hanging garden.
“Wow! Alice how did you find this place?!”
It was truly a living work of art. Roses, Lilies and smaller flowers beyond name covered every inch of this winding pathway, it was a world away from the shadowy castle with its musty dust covered secrets and Bella reveled in it. Breathing in the nippy evening air she eagerly brushed past the sign that said closed for the evening and followed Alice as they wandered aimlessly. She holding a steaming mug of chocolate that her considerate friend had picked up enroute. They had been within the glades of flowers an hour when Bella slipped away; an enticing scent having caught her nose, something like spiced meat and she followed it eagerly thinking it to be Senior Baptista who often wondered about after hours sometimes bringing her small gifts for no reason at all. Her mouth watered thinking of another meat pastry from his equally affectionate sister.
A slight rustling in the hanging roses behind her caught her attention and she smiled turning to face the sound.
“Alice stop playing with me. I know you’re there”
The last thing Aro heard from the voice of his beloved was a scream that echoed in the heads of the three kings as they heard their brother let out a roar that echoed off the very stone of Volterra.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Being a Vampire isn't all that you are, it's not what's keeping us apart
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Soft lights, a gentle crackle of the fire place, and pale white fingers running through her hair. These were some of Bella's new favorite things. By day, she was your typical college student dining on all the high calorie food she could get her hands on, cramming vast amounts of information into her mind and between classes cultivating useful friendships that would last the rest of her life. However long that might be. By night, she was Isabella, beloved Lifemate to an immortal vampire king. Not exactly the kind of secret you can tell your parents. How many times had she sat before her computer monitor tapping a pen aimlessly against the table attempting to find words to tell her family about the joy that abounded in her life.
The list of what she could happily tell her parents was swiftly growing longer than the list she could. Details about her day, class work, and normal curiosity about the culture she found herself in now filled her emails along with a few recipes that her father delighted in. She had taken care to break them down rather like a sports announcer having discovered this format worked well for teaching her father how cooking worked. Now he was wielding a skillet with pride, or at least cooking something that was eatable and that was a large step for Charlie.
The only jarring note had been the announcement of the death of Harry Clearwater. His oldest friend. Heart attack; the doctor had said and Bella mourned for him. Held in the cool comforting arms that so often now found their way around her waist in those few hours between homework and sleep. It had been Aro's hands that had brushed away her tears and his whispered melody that soothed her to sleep. Curiously for a vampire Aro found no shame in tears.
"There are emotions that can only be expressed when the heart is full"
Those words were his rather philosophical opinion. Though Bella had made her choice; there were parts of their relationship that still jolted against her more modern upbringing. For example when she had asked the rather innocent question of what they were he had replied rather loftily.
"A courting pair, Mia Cara, what else?"
Bella remembered the rather spirited debate that had been launched between courting and dating. Well if you could call her passionate dislike of the archaic term and his unmovable assurity a debate. While he would willingly move the earth and probably the sky to please her, there were moments when his age truly manifested. Finally giving the attempt at the fruitless attempt to change his mind. He said they were courting and that was it.
Alice meanwhile was no help at all when appealed to for sympathy she merely said, over her cup of Chai Latte
"Relax Bella you might like the perks that come with courting; just wait and see"
Grinding her teeth and nibbling moodily on a French fry, Bella highly doubted it as she scratched away at her assignment though her heart wasn't in it. Truly how exciting could Italian poetry be when her mind lingered in the castle where the kings held their court? Once a month under the light of the full moon. They went into what Bella called lockdown and what they did during this time was shrouded in mystery. Despite her curiosity, Aro was firm in his answer when questioned.
"Some aspects of my world must remain a mystery, Mia Bella, even to you"
So closed was his expression she might have been attempting to wheedle information from a stone. He had only gathered her close humming a melody low in his throat, baffled and feeling a little left out she had willingly found refuge under the blanket he wrapped around her. Happily one of the cooler evenings having forced his hand in the matter. She was about to resume pestering him good naturedly when his pale finger rested on her lips as their eyes locked.
"Please Mia Cara, promise me you will never set foot near the throne room on those days"
Caught by surprise, for Aro never said please except in the direst, or intimate settings. She bit her lip as the curiosity went on full war with his request. Her emotions happily were only sensible in degrees when they were apart, but when physically touching he was all but drowned in her feelings. It was a feeling akin to standing in a gale. or so he had said and she obligingly began to move away when his arms locked around her like a vice preventing any retreat. His expression shifting to something dark and tortured as he uttered a distressed sound low in his throat; Bella couldn't even begin to describe, though it made her heart hurt.
“Isabella, I wish, I implore you, obey my wish in this matter, beloved, I cannot tell you why, despite my hearts wish to do so but the others voted against full disclosure. For the time being”
Bella had grumbled, hemmed and hawed but finally given way. Surprised by the display of tenderness she received. He had kissed her many times before, yet this was different. As if he was attempting to tell her something vital and precious where he couldn't find the words. Bella found herself laid gently down on the plush carpet and kissed until she could barely remember her own name let alone the reason for what she'd just agreed to. His voice was rather husky when Aro finally allowed her to sit up again.
“Remember your promise, Mia Bella for both our sakes”
With those rather ominous words she was alone, the clock chiming the midnight hour and the beginning of another night alone. The full moon spilling silvery threads of light on to her carpet. Rising in a bit of a huff Bella fought the urge to throw something at the wall. That, that....vampire! How dare he cuddle her into a good mood, extract a promise by drowning her in sweet kisses, then just leave! The smug male chuckle ringing faintly in her mind was the last straw. Grabbing her cloak from off the peg she started off in the direction of Alice’s quarters. Knocking gently she found her quite keen for an evening’s stroll. Tucked safely on Alice's back they were out of the castle in mere moments. The villagers having long banked their fires and gone to bed; there was no risk of exposure as they flitted through the winding mazes of the old city. Finally coming to rest outside a beautiful outdoor hanging garden.
“Wow! Alice how did you find this place?!”
It was truly a living work of art. Roses, Lilies and smaller flowers beyond name covered every inch of this winding pathway, it was a world away from the shadowy castle with its musty dust covered secrets and Bella reveled in it. Breathing in the nippy evening air she eagerly brushed past the sign that said closed for the evening and followed Alice as they wandered aimlessly. She holding a steaming mug of chocolate that her considerate friend had picked up enroute. They had been within the glades of flowers an hour when Bella slipped away; an enticing scent having caught her nose, something like spiced meat and she followed it eagerly thinking it to be Senior Baptista who often wondered about after hours sometimes bringing her small gifts for no reason at all. Her mouth watered thinking of another meat pastry from his equally affectionate sister.
A slight rustling in the hanging roses behind her caught her attention and she smiled turning to face the sound.
“Alice stop playing with me. I know you’re there”
The last thing Aro heard from the voice of his beloved was a scream that echoed in the heads of the three kings as they heard their brother let out a roar that echoed off the very stone of Volterra.