GLADIOLUS || FELIX VOLTURI

six - volterra, italy.

Rowan was gripping the driver's seat in front of her as the car violently swerved in and out of lanes. Rowan let out a shaky breath, hoping steady breathing would quell the nausea. "Jesus, I think I'm going to be sick," Rowan muttered to herself. Alice shot her a look of pity from the rearview mirror before slamming on the gas even more.

"How much time do we have?" Bella asked, the look of dread upon her face.

"He's waiting til noon – when the sun's at its highest," Alice said, taking a harsh turn down a smaller road to get deeper into the town. As Rowan watched out her window, trying her best to not be sick, she noticed the many people walking the sidewalks of the town. The streets were flooded red due to all the red cloaks and red flags.

"Alice, it's almost noon now," Bella stated with urgency.

"Why are they all wearing red?" Rowan asked as the trio drove further into Volterra.

"San Marcos Day festival. It's the perfect setting for him with all the large crowds. Volturi won't let him get far enough to reveal himself – he's counting on that though," Alice said with a shake of her head.

Right as Rowan was feeling more settled in the fast-moving car, Alice slammed on the breaks. The car screeched as it came to a halt in front of a roadblock for the festival. Before anyone could say anything, Bella immediately hopped out of the car.

"Where's the square?" Bella asked, her eyes already scanning in search of her answer.

Alice pointed to an alleyway that led up a large hill, "Follow that way." And with that, Bella sprinted off. Rowan considered running after Bella, but decided to stick with Alice. The car was sent into reverse as Rowan held on for dear life.

Eventually, Alice found a spot to park the yellow car, and the two got out. Alice quickly scanned the sidewalks, noticing there weren't many people around. Rowan could tell she was deep in thought, attempting to come up with some sort of plan.

"Do you get motion sick?" Alice asked abruptly.

"Uh, not usually. Why?" Rowan answered, confusion obvious from her tone.

"You seemed like you were going to be sick in the car. Do you get sick on rollercoasters?"

"Uh...no?"

And in the blink of an eye, Alice scooped Rowan up in her arms and sprinted off towards the castle of the Volturi.

All Rowan could do was shout "Holy shit!" and grip Alice's shoulders. She screwed her eyes shut and hoped for the running to end. Thankfully, it stopped very soon after it started. As Rowan slowly opened her eyes, she looked up to see Alice smiling. As she looked around she noticed they were in an alleyway beside an old medieval-looking castle.

Alice gently released Rowan from her hold, putting her feet first onto the ground. She quickly grabbed Rowan's hand and started to pull her towards the front of the castle. "Hurry. I'm sure they already know we're here."

Rowan wordlessly followed behind Alice, nearly being dragged along like a ragdoll with how fast Alice was walking. As they got to the doors, Rowan nearly lost her footing as the reality of the situation hit her hard. She was unsure of what she going to see on the other side of the doors, and she couldn't help but think of all the classic vampire stereotypes depicting dark hallways and cold dungeons filled with coffins.

Alice looked back and gave Rowan a knowing smile before moving ahead to push the door forward with brute strength. As Alice walked inside the building, Rowan was right behind her.

"C'mon guys, it's a festival," Alice stated with a polite smile, pulling back the white hood to her swing coat. She went to stand next to Edward as Rowan lingered behind the three. "Wouldn't want to make a scene," Alice continued with a small smirk.

Rowan took a small step towards Alice, peeking over her shoulder at the two figures in front of the group. The first vampire she locked eyes on was the shorter of the two. His dirty blonde hair and slight olive complexion stood out to her, as well as his deep red eyes. Rowan couldn't help but notice the relaxed smile on his lips as well. After taking in his appearance, her gaze darted to the vampire next to him. Upon looking at the man, her eyes widened as she took in just how tall and broad the man was.

A slight gasp escaped her lips once she took in the man's full appearance. His height, dark hair, sharp jawline, handsome smirk, broad chest, red eyes -

Rowan's eyes darted away, feeling as if she was getting distracted. He was incredibly handsome, that much she couldn't deny, but she was here for Bella and knew it was safest to stay quiet. Her gaze flickered returned to the two vampires blocking their path, and she nearly stumbled backwards at what she saw.

The taller of the two, the one she had just stared at previously, was now staring at her. His gaze was intense, alarming, and Rowan nearly felt suffocated by it. She couldn't help but notice his jaw clenching as he stared at her. A wave of fear washed over her as she felt targeted by the man just ahead of them.

"Ah, I see there is another human among your group?" The shorter vampire spoke with curiosity.

Before anyone could reply, a young immortal girl quickly paced down the hallway, a look of slight annoyance upon her face, "Enough."

Both Rowan and Bella noticed each vampire in the room tense up at the sound of the young girl's voice. The young blonde came to a stop in front of the Cullen and Swan group. "Jane," Edward greeted the young girl.

"Aro sent me to see what was taking so long," the young girl announced, emotion void from her tone.

"Who is she?" Bella whispered to Alice. Alice quickly shook her head to Bella, hinting to stay quiet, "Just do what she says," Alice murmured back, intending for Rowan to hear the advice as well.

Jane, who certainly heard the whispering, ignored it and wordlessly tossed a cloak to Edward, before turning her back to the group. The young girl started her walk back down the hall, leaving behind the silent command for the group to follow. Edward pulled Bella along, his arm wrapped tight around her waist. Alice followed behind the two, motioning for Rowan to follow.

Rowan stayed close to Alice, but certainly lagged behind the group due to how fast the vampires were walking. As she stayed a constant few steps behind, Rowan felt the piercing gaze from behind, and couldn't help but glance over her shoulder. As she did, she made direct eye contact with the tall immortal from before as he took up the rear end of the group. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stumbled forward slightly, not expecting the man to be so close – not expecting his gaze to be so intimidating. Before the man could react, she quickly whipped her head forward, regaining her footing, and continued on her way, the immortal following close behind.

Rowan noticed ahead of her that the group had already reached their destination at an elevator. "Taking a stroll with our dear human, are we now, Felix?" The shorter of the two immortal men said from ahead. Rowan's face turned red, embarrassment coursing through her at the comment.

The vampire, who Rowan now knew as Felix, only scoffed playfully from behind her as they reached the elevator. "Humans. Always so slow, Demetri," was his reply. Rowan turned to frown at the tall man now standing beside her, only to receive a slight smirk in return. Rowan clenched her jaw and looked away, her frown staying upon her face as she did so. Rowan felt as if she were being played with – almost like how a cat taunts its food before striking. Before finally eating its meal.

The group quickly pilled into the tight elevator. It was arguably the most awkward minute of Rowan's life. She had the choice of standing between Felix and Demetri or closely leaning against Alice's side. She easily took the option to invade Alice's personal space.

The group continued on their walk, Rowan making sure to ignore the human woman at the front desk. She overheard Bella ask about the human secretary, but decided to block out the conversation, the mere idea of her being used for her blood sickening to Rowan.

The group finally entered the long-awaited room. Rowan couldn't help but smirk to herself as she noticed the slight comparison to the Supreme Court Hall, the nickname bringing her some joy in the moment, given all the stress and fear she was currently feeling.

Edward, Alice, Bella, and Rowan were walked to the center of the room before Jane quickly made an abrupt turn to stand off to the side. Felix and Demetri lingered near the door, though Rowan noticed Felix's gaze never leaving her. It made her uncomfortable, but also, she decided she would rather have his gaze than any other immortal in the room.

What? No, stop, Rowan quickly thought to herself, realizing how dangerous that very thought could be.

What if that's his goal? For me to feel....safe around him? Is that what I feel? No, surely not.

Rowan's thoughts were racing. She was shocked at the idea of her dropping her guard around Felix. He had given her no reason to feel safe around him, and she needed to remember that. If anything, he had only accomplished annoying her thus far. Rowan had been told some vampires have gifts, she had to assume that this was his gift at play.

"Bella is alive after all! Isn't that wonderful?" The sound of a cheery voice caught her attention, her gaze quickly darting to the source of the voice. The man walked to greet the group, a grin upon his face, though it made Rowan's skin crawl. "I love a happy ending," the man stated, stopping in front of both Edward and Bella. Rowan assumed the man was Aro, from Alice's description in the car.

Aro with no hesitation took Edward's hand from Bella's grasp. Rowan noticed the look of shock on Bella's face, causing Rowan to take a step towards her cousin, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Aro's eyes widened as he stared at Edward, muttering to himself, "La Tua Cantante."

"Her blood appeals to you so much it makes me thirsty. How can you stand to be so close to her?" Aro asked, genuine curiosity apparent due to his marveled expression.

Rowan's gaze traveled over her surroundings, taking in the environment she was currently trapped in. She noticed the two other vampires sitting on thrones only a few feet away, one looking upon the group with a scowl and the other looking vacant.

As Aro spoke with Edward, Rowan's gaze traveled instinctively to Felix, who stood behind her. She craned her neck to take in his appearance. To no surprise, he had been looking upon her for some time now. Ever since she stepped foot into the room. The two continued to stare, his mouth twitching up into a smirk as they did so. Her brows furrowed at this, yet she couldn't tear her eyes away.

"Though, you can't read Bella's thoughts. Fascinating."

The sound of her cousin's name being spoken brought Rowan back to reality. She stared with a frown at Aro, inching closer to Bella. Aro's eyes darted to Rowan, "We will get to you next, my dear," he said with a smile. His statement caused her skin to crawl once again, but she didn't back down from her harsh stare towards the man.

"I would love to see if you are an exception to my gifts as well," Aro spoke, his deep red eyes locking onto Bella's face. He held his hand out for Bella, waiting for her to take it. Bella glanced to Edward, who only nodded. She hesitantly raised her hand, hovering it above Aro's, before dropping it gently into his grasp.

A moment passed as he gripped Bella's hand, a wave of confusion washing over Aro's face. "Interesting. I see nothing," he stated for the entire room to hear.

Aro turned his back to the visitors, walking slowly back to his throne. "I wonder," he thought out loud, "Let us see if she is immune to all our powers. Shall we Jane?"

Rowan's eyes widened at his words, though before she could even move, Edward growled. He ran towards Jane, shielding Bella while doing so, only to stumble and then freeze in pain. Rowan looked on in horror as the man her cousin loved writhed in pain in front of everyone.

"Stop!" Bella shouted, her own voice laced with agony. She writhed in her own pain upon watching Edward collapse onto the ground. As Jane continued her attack on Edward, Alice moved to be beside her brother. Bella moved to hold Edward as well, but was stopped by another vampire, this time a young boy.

As Rowan watched the vampire grasp her cousin's arm, she wanted to step forward, give him a push with all her might, but Paul's words replayed in her head.

"At what point is enough going to be enough?"

Rowan knew Paul was right. Plus, she knew sensibly there was nothing she could do. Thus, Rowan clenched her jaw and took a step back from her cousin and the vampire that held her in place. It wasn't easy – no, it was quite the opposite. She felt helpless. Useless. When she asked Alice what good she would be joining them, this exact situation was what she feared.

"Just stop hurting him! Please!" Bella shouted in desperation. She watched on with horror as Edward writhed on the ground in agony.

"Jane," Aro's emotionless voice filled the room, silently commanding her to stop. Jane let her gaze linger for a second longer, before blinking, then looking towards Aro. "Master," she stated back.

A beat passed, before Aro nodded to Jane, "Go ahead, my dear." Jane smiled, a sinister look gracing her beautiful youthful face, and she moved her head to stare at Bella. Rowan braced to hear her cousin's screams, looking towards the ground in fear as she waited.

"This may hurt just a little."

Another moment passed, and suddenly, a loud cackling filled the silent room. Rowan ripped her head up, eyes wide in shock. She was relieved to see Bella standing, safe and perfectly fine.

"Remarkable. She confounds us all," Aro said in awe. His gaze shifted from Bella to Rowan, who stood on her own, a few steps away from her group. "And you, my dear. Do you share this gift?"

Rowan swallowed sharply. Her eyes flickered to Alice, hoping she could answer. Rowan had no clue what gift Aro was speaking about, and could only assume she didn't.

"No. I don't think she does. Edward can read her mind, which leads me to believe she doesn't. She does have her own gift though," Alice stated, hoping that was enough to save the girl from being put under Jane's test.

Aro nodded, deep in thought at Alice's words. "Well, to be sure," he looked to Jane and nodded in her direction. Jane answered with a smile of her own, slowly turning her head to where Rowan stood in the room.

Rowan took a step back in fear, but knew there was no point. She couldn't avoid it. Her eyes shut as she braced herself for whatever pain she was bound to feel. A moment passed. And then another. Her shoulders slumped slightly, hoping that maybe, somehow, she shared her cousin's gift.

It was in that exact moment of doubt when pure pain enveloped her entire body, shocking her senses. She yelled loudly in pain through sharply gritted teeth, falling to her knees as she couldn't bare to stand any longer.

"Stop! Please, stop this! She didn't do anything!" Bella yelled, the familiar sound of agony in her tone once again. Edward had to hold her against his chest to keep her from running to her cousin.

The pain was unlike anything Rowan had felt before. It overtook her entire body, taking over all her sense. She felt the floor beneath her, but at the same time, it was incredibly painful to do so. It was painful to exist.

As she shook in pain, the live plants around the room began to do so as well. The white decorative pots around the room began to shake as well, as the rate at which the plants were shaking became violent. While Rowan writhed in silence on the ground, the plants writhed with her, almost as if they were one entity. This fact didn't escape Aro's notice.

She gasped as the pain went away, collapsing entirely to the floor. She shakily looked up, eyes widening upon seeing the true reason the pain stopped. In front of her stood Felix, taking the pain for her. His fists were clenched as he shook silently, groaning in pain as he stood in Jane's line of sight.

"What an interesting turn of events," Aro said with a sly smile.

"What are you doing?" Rowan whispered in disbelief. Her body was still in shock from the amount of pain she felt, so she couldn't move – couldn't do anything to help the man bearing the brunt of the pain for her.

"Jane," Aro spoke, causing Jane to stop immediately. Felix fell to his knees, a loud groan escaping his lips upon impact. He glanced back to Rowan, a mixture of frustration from the pain and relief that the girl was okay.

"I apologize, Master," Felix spoke, eyes still locked onto Rowan's, "I don't know what came over me."

Aro had a knowing look in his eyes as he looked upon his executioner with pity, "It is fine, Felix. Do not let it happen again." Felix slowly pulled himself off the ground, stretching his limbs while doing so. He took a few steps towards Rowan as she lay motionless on the ground. Everything in her screamed to stand up, but the pain was so violent, that she couldn't begin to understand how Felix and Edward were able to move so quickly after.

Felix hesitated to reach out to the girl at his feet, but nonetheless, still leaned down to help her stand. She flinched, assuming his touch would be painful, but was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't. Once she stood, she leaned all her weight into the vampire, mostly against her will as she could barely feel her legs, but a small part of her felt a small sense of comfort at that moment.

"I believe you are correct Alice. It seems our young Rowan does have a gift indeed."

Aro sighed, "What do we do with you both now?"

"You already know what you'll do, Aro," the vacant vampire said, seeming uninterested with the entire interaction.

"They both know too much. They are a liability," the other vampire hissed, his scowl deepening upon his face.

Felix's grip tightened on Rowan slightly, though his gaze locked onto Aro as he awaited orders. Aro stared at Bella in thought, moving his gaze to Rowan after. "Yes. That is true," Aro said with a sigh. A disappointed expression took over Aro's face, and with another sigh, he spoke, "Felix. Leave Rowan be, but take care of the other."

Felix had his orders, so he left Rowan to stand on her own. She watched in horror as her mind quickly figured out what was happening. "No, stop! This isn't her fault!" She yelled in frustration, panic evident in her tone.

Rowan hoped her pleading would do something to affect the man who just came to her rescue, but he paid her no mind, ignoring her pleads as he continued walking toward Bella. In the blink of an eye, a fight broke out between both Felix and Edward. Alice moved to help her brother but was captured as well. Rowan moved as quickly as she could to stand in front of Bella, putting herself between Felix and Bella. Paul's words echoed in her head at that moment, but she forcibly ignored them.

Felix stood from where he held Edward to the ground, turning to face the two Swan cousins. Rowan glared at the vampire in front of her, her arm shooting out to block Bella protectively. Similar to what she did against Laurent. Felix's expression hardened as he came to a halt in front of the girl.

"Move aside," he commanded, frustration evident on his face. Rowan only shook her head slowly, never breaking eye contact with the man. Before Felix could physically move her himself, Edward body slammed into his side, causing both Rowan and Bella to gasp at the sight.

The two vampires continued to fight more, Felix clearly having the upper hand. It was at that very moment that Rowan was able to very clearly see just how truly strong and capable at combat Felix was.

"Please! No, no! Please, please!" Bella begged hysterically. Rowan held her cousin to her side, knowing it would do nothing to truly comfort her, but attempted to try anyway. Aro stopped Felix before he could do any more harm to Edward.

"Kill me. Not him," Bella said, pushing Rowan away from her and stepping to Aro.

"Bella, stop," Rowan hissed under her breath, but as she stepped forward to grab her arm, Bella shook her off, taking another step to Aro.

Aro's mouth fell open in awe once again at Bella's actions. He slowly started walking towards the girl. "How extraordinary. You would give up your life for someone like us. A vampire. A soulless monster."

"You don't know a thing about his soul."

Rowan, while sometimes recklessly brave, also was sensible enough to know when to stay back. She watched as Aro and Bella briefly conversed, the air in the room incredibly tense as the Volturi clearly had the upper hand. Once Aro started slowly approaching Bella, Rowan was prepared to step in – foolishly, yes – but she couldn't bear to live knowing she didn't try to save what little family she had left.

Before it got to that point though, Alice quickly interrupted Aro before he could strike. "Wait! Bella will be one of us. I've seen it. I'll change her myself," Alice says, staring at Bella while she spoke. Rowan wasn't entirely shocked at hearing this revelation, since it was only common sense that she would have to become immortal if she wanted to live at this point.

Rowan watched warily as Alice approached Aro, holding her hand out for him to see all she has seen. A second passed, and everyone in the room stood tensely as they awaited what was to come next.

"Mesmerizing. To see what you have seen, before it has happened," Aro said, a look of astonishment upon his face again. Aro approached Bella, who stood only a few paces in front of Rowan. He caressed Bella's face, causing Rowan to seethe quietly in anger.

"Your gifts, both of your gifts," Aro stated, eyes moving to stare at Rowan for a second, before moving back to Bella, "will make for intriguing immortals."

"Go now. Make your preparations," Aro stated, motioning for Felix to release Edward. Alice quickly moved to Rowan's side, as Edward did to Bella. Both Cullen's were prepared to leave with the Swan girls as quickly as possible.

"Let us be done with this. Heidi will arrive at any moment."

"I would not delay. We do not offer second chances."

"Goodbye, my young friends. And Rowan, you will be hearing from us soon enough."

As the Cullens walked out of the room with the Swan girls, guided by Demetri, Rowan couldn't help but to look back over her shoulder, catching one last glance of the man who intrigued her immensely yet knew how to frustrate her without even trying.

As she glanced, Felix stood in front of the thrones, never moving from where he held Edward. Once Rowan's gaze connected with his own, he smirked directly at her. Rowan scowled at this, turning her head quickly, and continued on her way out of the castle.

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a/n: this has been the hardest chapter so far for me to write and i spent much time editing it, so i hope you enjoy it. i'm still not sure how to feel about it but knew it was an important one given it's when felix and rowan meet finally. thank you for reading and interacting!