You're My Rose (Rosalie x Edward)

Chapter 7 - Under the Hood

The pale figure stridden under the deep blackened, hooded robe stridden down the torch-lit hallway. The blood of his last kill still trickled from his lips and dripped onto his clothes. His bloody dagger stained its leather sheathe with the same blood from the figure's lips. His mission was complete, and Aro was eager to hear about it. This vampire was betraying the kind he was turned to by even congregating with the Volturi. He betrayed his rogue brethren when he had killed a highly powerful and admired rogue that inhabited the mountainous region of Switzerland. That was when the Volturi caught wind of him.

The figure entered the chamber where Marcus, Caius and Aro sat on their respective thrones. The figure looked directly at Aro. His eyes were black, he was hungry. But the mere sight of the man blinded Aro's instincts for just a moment. He smiled sinisterly. "Arleos." Aro hissed. The figure took his hood off to reveal his face. It was as sharp-chinned, muscular face complimented by dark red eyes and dark red hair. 

Aro arose and approached Arleos with slow caution. "I take it you have finished your mission?" Aro questioned, though it sounded more like a statement. Arleos took out three human fingers, an index, middle and ring. Aro's smile grew bigger. "You have proven yourself, Arleos," Aro said loudly. "Most Rogues would've tried to attack us if we made any form of contact with them. You didn't, however. And why is that Arleos? Is it because you are a more controllable Rogue? I don't think so. So, tell us, what is it about you that makes you control your emotions better than the others we have... encountered."

Arleos stood still for a minute. Aro didn't feel a single thread of emotion or hear any sort of thought that might've entered Arleos' mind. Arleos was a strong-willed vampire, something Aro doesn't see much of.

"I'm a crossbreed." Arleos spoke with a charming south London accent. Aro raised an eyebrow with an aroused curiosity. "How is that possible? You're either one breed or another." he asked. Arleos kept his stern, hardened expression. Aro settled on his throne for a potentially long story. "I was bitten by a Muscled rogue on a hunting trip in Scotland in March of 1782," Arleos started. "I had just gotten home from fighting for my country against the American rebels. I had a lot of steam to blow off since we never fought as valiantly as the rebels did. And Scotland was always a nice place to kill something.

"I had crossed a wide-open field when suddenly I was rushed by a man. I did not know who he was, but he was faster than anyone I've ever seen run. I flew at least a hundred metres before slamming into a solid tree. I felt the sharpest burning sensation on my wrist. It crawled up my arm and soon enveloped my entire body. I had heard stories of this type of pain. Only one thing crossed my mind as to what was happening to me. I was becoming a vampire. The marks of teeth on my wrist confirmed what had just happened.

"I laid in the dense, isolated forest for days in agony. If it didn't hurt to move, I would've tried to shoot myself with my musket. But now I know it wouldn't've worked. When the pain ceased, I felt nothing but adrenaline and thirst overtake me. I found others of my kind months later, but each time I was with them I had the sudden urge to kill them. And eventually I did. We were all gathered in the woods for a hunt when the urge boiled over. I overtook the strongest member of the now dead Coven with ease. After I had killed them, I was left with the final member. The leader, William. He was at least a decade older than me in human years, he was a tough fella too. I still remember his final words before I plunged my fist through his skull. 'You're a rogue!' 

"I did some reading on my kind a few days later and soon found out that I was a Muscle Rogue. I took my newly found distinction and ran with it. I had eradicated almost every vampire in the Highlands. I was well on my way to being the only vampire in Scotland. Until I heard a few people in a small village mention a rogue was among them. I had just arrived, so there was no way it could've been me. I waited for my opportunity to strike. I had never faced another rogue before. I didn't even know what breed it was. 

"I saw the rogue in the forest a few kilometres away from the village. It was a female. She was stunning. She actually blinded my intentions for a minute. When I snapped to attention I leaped for her. She had ducked the initial attack that had helped me kill my past prey. If I leapt at you, you wouldn't have known what happened until it was too late. She had telegraphed it. I knew almost instantly that she was a Psychic. I had tricked her by playing a scenario in my head where I would lunge for her again. She took the bait. I faked a lunge, which caused her to jump into the air. I prayed that she didn't grab a tree and hang there. Thankfully, she came down. That was when I tackled her to the ground. I used my strength to keep her pinned while I reached for her head. Before I broke her neck, she grabbed me with her hands and landed a bite on my neck. I felt the same pain I had felt a few years earlier starting to peek its ugly head under the curtain once again. I ripped her head off her shoulder and collapsed beside her body in anticipation for the pain I was about to endure once more. 

"The pain wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it. And it had only lasted a day. It felt less like my body was doused in flames, and rather the body aches humans get when they have the flu. When I had recovered, I was hunting for some human blood when I accurately sensed the movements of my next victim. I had obtained the Psychic's ability. I had become a crossbreed. I have more control over myself now that I can tell how a situation will go if I were to fight."

Aro sat stunned in his chair. Caius and Marcus shared the same disbelief that Aro felt. None of them even considered that powers could be transmitted from one rogue to another. Aro suddenly started clapping. "Marvelous!" he called. Arleos was still a statue. Aro approached Arleos once again, this time placing his hands on his shoulders like a family member he hasn't seen in years. "Since you can control yourself, does that mean you can control other rogues?" Aro asked. After taking his eyes off of Aro for the first time since entering the chamber, Arleos thought for a second. "I've never tried." he answered. Aro contemplated with himself. "Would you excuse me a second, Arleos?" he asked. Arleos nodded.

Returning to Caius and Marcus, Aro whispered quieter than any human could. "Should we have him try?"

"It could be dangerous. Rogues aren't the most convincible beings." Marcus whispered. "Yeah, I mean can't we just have him control a regular army?" Caius asked. "No, rogues are just what we need. With Arleos' power, he could convince them to stand beside him and get the job done." Aro replied. Marcus and Caius looked at each other. "Let's try." they said in unison.

Aro turned back to Arleos. "Try to get your fellow rogues to stand beside you. We have had a rogue in custody here for a long time, we will see if you can control her. Gain an army the size of one hundred, and then head to Forks, Washington." Aro commanded. "Why Forks?" Arleos asked. Aro sneered. "The Coven that inhabits the area tricked us a few years ago. They have deeply angered us. I want you and your army of rogues to eliminate the Coven known as the Cullen Family." he explained. Arleos raised his nose to the ceiling. He had heard tales of the Olympic Coven. He had even encountered Carlisle soon before he left England to go to America. He knew they were tough, but he was willing to do it. A Cullen's head on his wall is quite the trophy. Looking at the Volturi with a newly found passion, Arleos replied, "I'm in."