The Blood inside you is the Blood inside me

The Blood inside you is the Blood inside me Part 26

When the Volturi arrived at Ordu, a seaside port along the Black Sea, they were met by Eymen, the only surviving member of the Turkish coven. He greeted Aro, Marcus, and Caius with the respect the Volturi had come to expect, and had felt was regrettably lost. Fortunately for Aro's ego, not all vampires subscribed to the belief the Volturi were no longer an effective enforcement of vampire law.

The area had over 300,000 humans living there, but the forested area of the Ordu Province had open land with small enclaves of humans scattered around the hills and valleys. The Turkish coven had existed in one such lesser populated area. Aro, his brothers, and the guards investigated the remains on the coven land. It was all so puzzling. The building had good defenses, and with vampire senses, the very idea of anyone being taken by surprise seemed unlikely, even if the attackers were vampires.

As they walked among the grounds, the ash piles indicated the coven members had been rounded up and brought outside, then destroyed where they stood. There were no indications anyone tried to fight back or even attempted to flee. Their destruction seemingly occurred simultaneously.

Aro held out his hand to Eymen, who gave his willingly. The history of his thoughts indicated close familial ties to his coven mates. A depression was already setting in that led Aro to believe Eymen would give up on his existence unless he could prevent it. To keep that from happening, Aro invited Eymen to accompany them back to Volterra. He might prove to be useful with additional investigation of this crime. Eymen agreed to return to Italy with the Volturi, and Aro would interview him more extensively later, after he had interviewed the Australian nomads.

"Aro, if this is an isolated instance, there may be no need to consider it further," Caius suggested.

"That may be, brother, but even a grudge war between covens must be stamped down. Such things can lead to expanded coven wars. That will not be tolerated. We will return home for now. Felix, Demetri, eliminate the rest of this evidence."

The three Volturi leaders waited for the guards to complete their work. It was time to return home to Volterra.

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Everyone waited at the back gate for the return of the Volturi masters and guards. Upon their arrival, Demetri took charge of Eymen, showing him around and getting him settled. It had been difficult for him. Rogues tended to travel alone, calling no place home. Eymen was no rogue. He felt loyalty for his coven mates, his home, and his country where he had been born as a human and a vampire.

Charlotte waited with Athenodora, both women seeking their mates. "There's Caius, Dora. Go welcome him." It didn't take much prodding for the woman to run to her mate and embrace him. Then Charlotte saw Aro. She flashed to his side, hugging him tightly him before kissing him, an action he returned eagerly. Being away from one's mate was difficult enough, and with the uncertainty of the attack, everyone was happy to be home.

Once the limousine was driven away to be washed and parked in the garage, Charlotte walked with Aro hand in hand to their chambers. "What did you find out, love?"

"It was a most disappointing trip, my dear. There was nothing to see." The answer to how this coven was destroyed and by whom was not something that would be readily solved by mere surveillance of the area. Aro hoped if he read Eymen again and asked him questions, there might some clue in the man's memories.

"At least you're safe. I was so worried," Charlotte said, her hand tightly holding Aro's.

When they arrived at their rooms, Aro took off his cloak and suit jacket, laying them on the bed. He entered the bathroom to wash away the day's travel.

Charlotte sat stiffly on the bed, waiting for Aro to wash up and get comfortable. The last thing she wanted to do was give him bad news just as he walked through the door. "When you're finished, love, I have something I must tell you."