𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒐 𝒕𝒐 

 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅

⁂

Juliette had settled into a routine over the past few days, a hollow one, but still a routine. Her days were spent in the archives, sorting and cataloging endless stacks of ancient texts under Anna's watchful eye. The other woman was quickly becoming the closest thing Juliette could call a comrade, though she was mindful to withhold any genuine thoughts and feelings from her.

The evenings were a blur of polite conversation with the other, human, residents. Their superficial niceties failed to cover the nuance of tension she felt growing with each passing day.

The nights were the worst.

When the castle was quiet, the weight of her situation would press down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She would lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling, only sleeping once exhaustion left her no choice.

The homesickness was dulling, but constantly aching. Knowing she was surrounded by creatures that were anything but human made it worse.

Anna was a small comfort. The Italian woman was kind and patient, always seemingly ready with a smile or joke to lighten the mood. However, Juliette couldn't bring herself to fully trust her. There was something too perfect about Anna's kindness, something maybe too rehearsed in her interactions.

Juliette felt paranoid for even thinking such a thing, but there seemed to be a distance between them that she couldn't bridge no matter how hard she tried.

On the morning of the fourth day of her imprisonment, Juliette was deep in thought as she worked, trying to distract herself from the gnawing anxiety that threatened to consume her.

A book sat heavily in her hands, fingers that were uneasily bitten and picked at wrapped around the cracked leather cover. She flipped through the delicate pages, noting the information as she had done countless times before.

The routine was soothing in its monotony, allowing her mind to drift. She thought of Bella, almost fondly imagining that her sister was faring far better in Forks.

Juliette tried to not think of her dad, as it usually left a lump in her throat that she couldn't swallow down.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

Anna looked up from her own work, eyebrows dipped in curiosity and an apprehensive twist to her face. Juliette could assume it was odd to have anyone other than them enter that doorway.

"Come in," Anna called out, setting her pen down.

The door creaked open, sending a shiver of fear down her spine.

Juliette's heart skipped a beat as she risked peaking at who entered.

One of the kings, Marcus, stepped into the room. His presence was immediately overwhelming, the air he brought in with him thick with authority and power.

She felt her heart rate accelerate and blamed the reaction on fear.

Juliette had only seen him the one time, when she had been brought to the castle, but even then his presence had been distant, shadowed by the more dominant control of Aro. Now, standing before her, Marcus was every bit as imposing as the other vampires, yet there was something different in his demeanor- something quieter, almost as if the slight hunch in his shoulder was to make himself appear smaller.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." His voice was soft, almost kind, as he addressed them.

She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry as she looked to Anna for an answer.

Anna rose from her seat, inclining her head in a respectful bow. "My lord, how may we assist you?"

The other woman had never appeared so solemn before, no trace of humor or wit was present in her eyes.

Marcus's eyes flickered to Anna briefly, before settling back on Juliette. She avoided meeting his eyes, the awful crimson shade they were, rather setting on the spans of his pale neck exposed above his suit collar.

"I would like to speak with Juliette, if that's alright."

She noticed that while posed as a question, there wasn't any room for either woman to decline his request.

Anna looked at Juliette, poorly hidden concern briefly flickering in her eyes, to which Juliette nodded.

"Of course," Anna replied, her voice smooth and even. "I'll give you two some privacy."

With that, she gathered her things and left the room, casting one last, lingering glance before closing the door behind her. As the door shut, Juliette couldn't help but wonder how many people would soon know about her being sought out.

Juliette stood up awkwardly, unsure of what to do or say. She felt small under his gaze, like a child caught doing something wrong.

Marcus's expression softened as he took in her obvious discomfort.

"There's no need to be nervous," he said, his tone kind. "I only wished to speak with you. Perhaps, if you're interested, I could show you something? The library if you wish."

Juliette blinked, surprised. The thought of seeing it was tempting, but left her feeling quite similar to the way a gazelle must feel under the watch of a lion. From her understanding he was one of the most powerful vampires in existence, she had a difficult time understanding what he gained from this.

"Why?" She asked, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.

A ghost of a smile touched the corner of his lips. "I thought you might find it... enlightening."

"Sorry, I didn't mean why you decided on the library- why me?" Juliette hated the way her voice cracked towards the end of her inquest.

"I understand this must all be overwhelming for you, and I wanted to offer a distraction, if nothing else."

Juliette hesitated, there was a sincerity in Marcus's voice that made her want to believe him. The cruelty that was eroding her heart was quick to ebb and remind her of her place.

She snorted, unable to stop. "You could offer a way to send me home."

"Ah," he sighed, visibly wilting, "I would be able to give you anything, but that."

Her lips thinned as she bit back words that would undoubtedly provoke the surprisingly docile vampire before her. She inhaled slowly through her nose, willing herself to calm down before speaking.

"Then I'm afraid you've wasted your time coming over here." She stated simply, still not quite meeting his eyes. "Unless this is one of those moments where you're giving me false control and I actually have no choice but to go along with you."

To her disbelief, his smile widened slightly. "If you find the library lacking, you may return back here."

Maybe it was the loneliness, but she found herself nodding.

"Alright," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

"Follow me, then."

As he turned around, she noted then that the dramatic cloak he had worn previously was gone. Juliette also couldn't help but observe how his inky black hair was wavy towards the ends as it skimmed his shoulders. The thoughts left her feeling flustered and concerned for her own mental state.

He led her confidently through the corridors, ones that were noticeably empty of any other beings. His footsteps were nearly silent against the stone floors, making Juliette feel awkwardly alive as she seemed to stumble along after him.

The castle seemed even more labyrinthine as they walked, the passageways growing darker and narrower until they finally arrived at a large, ornate door. A large decorative 'V' rested against each panel.

Marcus pushed the door open, and Juliette's breath caught in her throat as she stepped inside.

The library was immense, far larger than she could have imagined.

A small gasp of air left her lips, which were parted in awe.

There were shelves upon shelves of books lining the walls, stretching up to a ceiling that was so high it was lost in the shadow. The lighting in the room was dim, illuminated by chandeliers hanging from above. This would have normally annoyed Juliette, as she preferred higher visibility, but the flames casted a warm, golden glow that appropriately complimented the ancient volumes.

It was like stepping into another world, as if time itself had stopped.

Her fingers twitched at her side, she could just barely imagine how the covers would feel under her fingertips.

Marcus lifted a hand, as if casting silent permission for her to explore.

And she did, cautiously running her fingers over the spines of the books as she passed. There were volumes in languages she couldn't even begin to recognize, texts so old they seemed as if they would turn to dust at a single touch.

"It's incredible," she murmured, more to herself than Marcus.

He was standing a few feet away, unbeknownst to her watching with a strange expression. "It is," he agreed, voice quiet. "And it's all yours to explore, whenever you like."

Juliette didn't respond immediately, feet moving as she investigated the technique of a hand sewn binding. Marcus trailed behind her, silent, as if to mimic her shadow.

Finally, she turned to him, a frown forming on her face. "Why are you doing this?"

He met her gaze, and for a moment, she thought she saw something akin to sadness in his eyes. "I am hoping this may help you find your place here."

She wasn't sure how to respond to that, deciding to simply nod instead and letting her eyes wander back to the shelves. It was difficult to maintain eye contact with him, meeting his eyes left a strange mix of feeling fear and something unknown to her.

As she browsed, Marcus was undeterred.

He spoke again, sounding almost reflective. "I have seen many humans come and go over the centuries. But you... there's something different about you."

A cold shiver ran down her spine. "Different how?"

Her eyes scanned his face, and she watched as his expression molded into one of indifference. All of the sorrow and interest that were in his eyes and the corners of his mouth disappeared. He closed himself off to her, and she mentally scolded herself for being upset.

For a moment it had felt like he wasn't a monster, and that she wasn't his prisoner.

The thought placed a sullenness over her heart.

"I didn't ask to be here," she said, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions. "I didn't ask for any of this."

"I know," Marcus said softly, stepping closer to her. "And I wish I could-"

"You can't do anything," Juliette interrupted, "none of you can. All you've done is make everything worse."

Her breath caught in her throat, a heavy sorrow making her words struggle to come out.

"Having me work in the archives would have been my dream just a week ago," Her admission tore out of her like a flame on dry grass. "But now? It's cruel, dangling a glimpse of a life I can't have."

She just barely refrained from mentioning her impending death, retaining enough sensibility to be afraid her words would anger him.

He flinched at her words, his composure faltering. If she squinted, he almost appeared human.

"That was never our intention," he said, voice coated in regret. "All we want is for you to be safe."

"Safe?" Juliette echoed bitterly. "I don't feel safe here. I feel... trapped. No, I am trapped."

Marcus's eyes darkened, a flicker of something dangerous crossing his features before he quickly masked it. "You are not trapped, Juliette. You are protected."

She shook her head, traitorous tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to be protected. I want to be free."

There was a long silence, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air between them. He seemed to struggle with something internally, his gaze flickering as if he was debating whether or not to say something more.

Marcus didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked at her with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. The silence cast became denser. She didn't know what to say, not with the way he was staring at her and the feeling of her heart pounding against her sternum.

Before she could begin to formulate a coherent thought, he took a step back, his expression unreadable once more.

"Take your time, explore the library," he told her, his tone apathetic and calm. "Perhaps it will help you find some peace."

Without another word, he turned and left the room, leaving her alone.

As the door closed behind him, a wave of emotions crashed over her. Anger, confusion, sadness- they all swirled together, leaving her dizzy and overwhelmed.

She sank into one of the chairs nestled in one of the many reading corners. She buried her face in her hands, feeling shameful and embarrassed as the tears she held back finally spilled over.

Juliette was at a loss. All she knew was that she was alone, in a place she didn't understand, surrounded by people she couldn't trust and did not trust her.

And the worst part was, a small, treacherous part of her had wanted to believe Marcus. That perhaps she was better off being held within the castle.

Held like cattle in a slaughterhouse.

Juliette let out a shuddering breath, her tears blurring her view of the bookshelves before her. The once comforting rich smell of leather and aged paper now felt asphyxiating.

The irony of being surrounded by centuries of knowledge, but feeling more lost than ever did not escape her.

Her fingers absently traced the armrest of the chair as she tried to steady her breathing. She needed to think, to plan, but every time she tried to focus, her mind circled back to a red-eyed gaze. Back to the way he had looked at her.

If she were delusional she could mistake the emotion in his eyes for something that was making her skin crawl and heart ache in equal measure.

More than ever, Juliette wanted to run away. For a moment she entertained the thought of fleeing the castle. She knew it would be futile. The consequences would be devastating, and not just for her.

The realization settled heavy on her chest, pressing down until it was hard to breathe. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into palms.

She was trapped.

Juliette struggled to see a future where she did not crumble underneath the weight of reality pressing in from all sides. Tears she couldn't hold back streaked down her cheeks and fell onto her clenched fists. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the darkness to swallow her whole.

She didn't know how long she sat there, falling further into desolation, before she finally opened her eyes. When she did the room seemed dimmer, the shadows longer, as if the very essence of the castle had absorbed her despair.

A very small part of her missed the light Marcus had brought with him into the library.

She quickly snuffed that thought out.

She would not think about Marcus- she would not think about what she had just felt.

She was stronger than that.

She had to be. 

⁂

Literally me after reading all of the comments on the last chapter

also this canonically happened after marcus left