iii. the vindictive work of fate

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CHAPTER THREE:
THE VINDICTIVE WORK OF FATE

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THE ROOM FELL SILENT upon their arrival. Four vampires were waiting inside, three of which lounged across extravagant golden thrones. Verona shuddered as their eyes met hers, vibrant crimson meeting pure gold. They were young in appearance, but she knew not to question their knowledge and experience from their expanse of time in existence. She was nothing compared to them, and everyone in the room knew it.

Her eyes were lingering on the three leaders when it happened. She was deconstructing the situation and the possible outcomes of their confrontation when her heart started to grow heavy in her chest, like it was being weighed down by the calling of another, a thread connecting them together. She frowned, her eyes scanning the room, only to lock eyes with another. Alec was his name. She'd heard about him from her family, how he was the twin to the blonde that was leading them into the room, how he could take away the senses with as much ease as breathing. He was the definition of someone powerful, and that alone sent chills of fear racing down her spine.

Be that as it may, time seemed to slow down around her. She blinked, pieces of ice cascading from her heart, sending her into a spiral of confusion. Something had changed when she walked through those doors, locking eyes with that boy who couldn't be older than sixteen when it came to his appearance. She wasn't sure why, but her heart was singing a melodious tune, drawing her closer to him. Alice gasped from where she stood beside her, eyes flickering to the ground when Verona turned to look at her with a frown. Edward was the only one to notice their interaction, a frown of his own forming as a conversation blossomed between the twins.

"Sister," Alec grinned, oblivious for the moment. "They send you out to get one and you bring back three." Verona's heart soared, but she paid it no attention as he eyed the human in their mix with distaste. "And a half." He let out a chuckle, grin growing wider. "Such a clever girl."

"Oh, what a happy surprise." Aro wore a wide grin as he rose from his throne, arms outstretched in an attempt to seem welcoming. "Bella is alive after all, isn't that wonderful?" Verona watched as he crossed the room, coming to a stop just a few feet away from them, eyes wide with awe. "I love a happy ending."

Bella gasped as her hand was wrenched from her boyfriend's, Edward's expression remaining blank as Aro gripped his hand, stone against stone as one of the three rulers used his gift, listening to the thoughts rushing through his mind. Verona watched everything unfold, waiting for something else to happen.

"They're so rare; La Tua Cantante." Aro's eyes flickered towards the human standing before him, interest twisting his features. "Her blood appeals to you so much, it makes me thirsty." Edward's eyes narrowed into slits, but he didn't speak. "How can you stand to be so close to her?"

"It's not without hardship."

"Oh, I can see that."

Aro's attention turned back to their touching hands, his fingers splaying across the expanse of skin with a keen sense of interest. Bella watched him in confusion, frowning. Edward turned his head to the side, but refused for their eyes to meet as he whispered, "Aro can read every thought someone has had with just one touch." Aro's eyes met his again, stern and unforgiving. "And now you know everything, so get on with it."

"You're quite the soul-reader yourself, Edward," he murmured, voice dangerous. "Though you can't read Bella's thoughts."

The tension in the room was heavy as he took several steps away from them. Verona watched him, her caution only increasing as she shifted onto the balls of her feet. His smile was far too twisted, far too insane, and it sickened her to the core.

"I would love to see if you are an exemption to my gifts too." Bella was staring him with the same anxious expression. Aro offered her his hand, his words stained with mockery. "Would you do me the honour?"

Bella inched forward, her hand visibly shaking as it was suddenly grasped in his. Aro smiled another manic smile, his eyes fluttering shut as he put all his concentration into using his gift. Everyone watched with bated breath, waiting for his next move.

"Interesting," he murmured, voice strained. "I see nothing."

Verona watched as his facade fell, and he turned on his heel to look away from them. His shoulders tensed as he came to a stop beside the twins, spinning back around with yet another smile in place, eyes alight with a new idea.

"Let us see if she's immune to all our powers." His chin jutted forward in silent defiance, a chuckle slipping through his lips as he locked eyes with one of his closest confidantes. "Shall we, Jane?"

"No," Edward snarled. He raced forward just as the devilish blonde smirked, speaking the one word that would set the next chain of events into motion.

"Pain."

Edward froze, eyes going wide. His fists bunched together, nails digging into his marble skin as his jaw locked open in a silent scream. Verona gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched him suffer. He dropped to his knees, the marble floor cracking beneath him as he trembled, every inch of him crumbling.

"Stop," Bella shouted. "Leave him alone."

Alec stepped forward, blocking her path as she tried to intervene. Verona's eyes drifted from him to her brother, noting how the latter's lips were still pursed into a silent sob. She allowed her eyes to close, fumbling through the darkness, attempting to tether her power to his pain, mental hands searching for the embodiment of his agony. Bella was shouting her pleas, but the sound was muted as Verona finally found him, black veins appearing on the inside of her arms as she soothed him, an image of his heaving body forming in her mind, his locked jaw and clenched fists slackening as she began to sway on the spot, energy draining from within.

"Stop!" Bella's agonised scream pierced her ears, causing her to wince and open her eyes, losing her tether to her brother.

Aro's hand was raised in the air. Jane turned to face him, ending her torture. Verona's silent curses stopped, her insides squirming and threatening to be emptied across the floor. The use of her power had taken quite the toll on her, but no one seemed to notice but Alice and the boy preventing Bella from reaching her love. Alec's gaze was lingering on her exposed arms, staring in fascination as the black in her veins started to fade back into a pale expanse of skin. Her breath hitched as their eyes locked, her heart soaring again. Try as she might, she couldn't look away. There was something about him that drew her in, and it was truly beginning to terrify her.

"Jane."

"Master?"

"Go ahead, my dear."

Bella was frozen, fear coursing through her veins. Jane was grinning again, the same word that caused Edward such agony ripping through the silence. Verona was fully prepared to step in and tether her gift to the human beside her, but she was stopped when nothing happened. Bella had confounded the blonde, just as she'd confounded everyone else she went up against. Aro's laugh resonated around the room, as twisted as his smile was to witness. His hands clapped together in excitement as he stared at the shaking human with interest in his eyes. She was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It was both fascinating and terrifying to come across.

"Remarkable; she confounds us all." He went quiet, contemplating his next move. "What do we do with you now?"

"You already know what you're going to do, Aro," Marcus' emotionless voice sounded from his throne.

"She knows too much," Caius added, eyes narrowed at them.

"Hmm, that's true." Aro sounded disappointed, but nonetheless, he nodded in agreement with his brothers. Edward's eyes locked with his, going wide with indignation. "Felix?"

The moments that followed happened fast. Edward was sprawled across the ground one second, and the next, he was shielding his mate behind him, ready to go up against one of the Volturi's strongest guards. Felix was tackled to the ground as he attempted to approach them, his hunched frame looming threateningly over them. Edward had his shaking hands wrapped around the buff vampire's neck, fingers curled to break through his skin. Alice didn't hesitate to rush forward and help him, but she was stopped by another set of hands curling around her throat, a snarl ripping through the air. Demetri had gotten to her before she could assist in the fight, and he was holding her back with every ounce of strength he had.

Verona remained frozen, but she quickly snapped out of her daze when her brother was thrown across the room, breaking through a marble pillar before he crumbled to the ground in a messy heap. Felix rushed towards him, and she lurched forward to strike the back of his head when a pair of arms looped around her waist, a hand moving to brush her neck, though the touch was loose and didn't have enough strength to keep her in place. She kicked and thrashed against her captor, but froze when she managed to lock eyes with him. Alec shot her a warning glare - the hand around her neck tightening the slightest bit - before his gaze turned back to the fight.

Verona turned away in time to see the last few moments. She let out a cry of panic as she watched her brother's back slam through the steps below the three thrones. Felix' hands throttling the life out of him. Edward was forced to his knees in front of the three leaders, cracks appearing on his skin as the guard tried to rip his head from his shoulders.

"Please!" Bella's cry was louder than that of his adopted sisters, her eyes wide as she raced towards them. "Kill me instead."

"Felix," Aro hummed, and everything paused.

"Kill me," Bella repeated, breathing in a shaky gasp of air as the room fell silent. "Just leave him alone."

"How extraordinary." Aro's eyes were wondrous as he approached her. Bella's shoulders slumped in defeat as she waited for him to stop, his eyes analysing her every move and expression, as if looking for the silver lining to what she'd proclaimed. "You'd give up your life for someone like us? A vampire, a soulless monster?"

"Get away from her," Edward snapped from behind him, but Aro didn't so much as spare him a glance. Everyone was transfixed on the human standing up against the vampire, the prey defying the predator.

"You don't know a thing about his soul." Everyone was waiting for Aro's next move, waiting to hear what he had to say. The tension had reached its absolute highest, and it was beginning to affect everyone.

"This is a sadness," he sighed. "If only it was your intention to give her immortality."

Verona began to struggle upon seeing him bare his teeth, a snarl reverberating as he attempted to launch towards her. Alice had panicked too, a sharp cry escaping her as she pleaded for him to wait, to listen to her. Aro paused then, his intrigue evident.

"Bella will be one of us. I've seen it." Aro raised a challenging eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "I'll change her myself."

He offered her his hand, waiting for the proof to assist her claims. Demetri's hold loosened around her neck, and she crossed the room in one simple stride. Aro gripped her hand in his, bringing it close in a momentary state of eagerness.

"Mesmerising," he released a breathy sigh. "To see what you have seen before it's happened."

He was about to let go of her hand when it happened. Verona frowned, watching as Aro gasped and turned to look at her, an eerie smile etched on his face. Edward's intake of breath increased her nerves, as he too stared at her in wonder.

"It cannot be."

He began to move towards her, arms folded as he analysed her, his gaze flickering from her to the boy that held her close in a state of fascination. She flinched as he came to a stop just inches away from her, offering her his hand in a silent order. Verona didn't move for a moment, her breath caught in her throat as nerves consumed her. But after a moment, she stepped forward, her hand gripped by another's. Aro was silent for a moment before his laugh pierced the air and he stepped back, gesturing from her to the boy behind her.

"Today is full of surprises, it seems."

"Aro," Caius scowled in displeasure. "Get on with it, will you?"

"Verona has found her mate in one of our very own." He was silent, before he spoke the name that was going to change everything. "Alec."

Verona's heart soared and crumbled simultaneously. The moment she'd awaited for almost a hundred years had arrived, but not in the way she expected. She was mated to the enemy, someone who remain just out of her reach, a complication more than a saving gave. And truly, for the first time in a very long time, she wished she was still able to cry, just to release the emotions bottled up inside her. Why did it have to be him, out of everyone? Why him?

Alec stepped forward, an intake of breath following his movement. He stared at her in awe, so much wonder that she looked away, scanning the room for a source of escape. That was when she noticed it; the guilt clouding her best friend's eyes. Alice had known it would happen, she'd seen a vision of her finding the person she was meant to spend forever with, and she hadn't told her. What type of best friend did such a thing? What type of best friend sat back and let someone they considered a sister suffer?

"I'd like to leave," Verona muttered, a frenzy building inside her.

"Pardon?" Aro blinked in surprise, clearly expecting her to have had a different reaction.

"We're finished here, aren't we?" she snapped. "So can we leave?"

Alec tried his best to catch her eye, but she refused, even when her heart begged her to accept him, to love each and every piece of him. She couldn't be with someone her family was at odds with, not then anyway. She needed time to think, and with so many people surrounding her, she just couldn't.

"Make your preparations for her turning." Aro nodded to those standing behind him, confusion still evident in his eyes. Verona moved to join her family, but she was stopped when he grabbed her arm, touch ice-cold. "Verona, we hope to see you soon, my dear."

She said nothing as she stepped away from him, head bowed as she followed her family to the exit. Not even when Alec called out her name did she say anything. She couldn't, not when her heart felt like it was tearing in two. Oh, how the fates liked to work against her.

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