Timeless Ties || Volturi Kings

29. Demons Pt. 1

When the days are cold and the cards all fold
And the saints we see are all made of gold
When your dreams all fail and the ones we hail
Are the worst of all, and the blood's run stale

— Imagine Dragons

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As soon as Alessia appeared in her home, she collapsed. Her hands shook as she covered her eyes, her body trembling with sobs that broke free from her lips, drowned out by the blaring music she could hardly muster the awareness to blast at full volume.

Alessia couldn't bear to hear her own cries — the very thought of what had occurred was too humiliating, and the fact that she was shedding tears over it only intensified her distress.

Acknowledging her emotions, she understood the natural ebb and flow of feelings that occasionally swept her away. However, what troubled Alessia was the reason behind her tears: individuals she had only begun conversing with perhaps two or three months earlier — she couldn't even be certain.

The depth of the betrayal Alessia felt consuming her was utterly ludicrous. She shouldn't be experiencing this sense of impending heartache, the sensation of her heart threatening to shatter at any moment, constricting her chest until each breath felt like a battle.

Was there something fundamentally flawed within her? There had to be. There had to exist an explanation for her continual failure to notice what was glaringly obvious, especially when clarity should have been unmistakable. There must be a reason why this kept happening with her.

Was Alessia so transparent, so— so vulnerable that it made her more susceptible to manipulation by individuals like Aro, Caius, and ̶H̶e̶l̶i̶o̶s̶ ̶ Marcus? How did they perceive that telling her what she wanted to hear, such as expressions of fondness or acts of tenderness, was an effective means of manipulating her feelings and gaining her trust?

Because Marcus had held her, showered her with kisses on her cheek and forehead countless times, whispered reassurances, and professed his care with apparent earnestness. He had shown affection that seemed genuine, even going as far as declaring that she brought him happiness.

Because Aro had delved into her thoughts, offered reassurance of her significance and disclosed that he had suspended his entire life to safeguard her well-being. He had comforted her, expressing what seemed to be sincerity, assuring her that her emotions would always be acknowledged and respected.

Because Caius had gifted her his artwork, offered her a place within his home, allowed her to lean on his shoulder whenever she wanted, and confirmed that he had taken measures to ensure she wouldn't stay without food. He had even proposed to train her in self-defense so she could protect herself when he wasn't there.

And yet, despite these gestures, none of it truly held any significance. Alessia was all too familiar with the insidious beginnings and enduring grip of toxic relationships, and she could see this leading to one.

She just needed to consider the fact that they had withheld information from her, schemed behind her back, and even manipulated her emotions intentionally.

In her earliest memories, as a child, her father would sometimes exhibit moments of kindness, even tenderly kissing her forehead upon receiving the handmade Father's Day card she proudly presented. And then, he would turn around and take her pencils away from her because she was irritating and was drawing too loud.

Next, leading up to Christmas, she would pour her heart into crafting handmade gifts for her father, who would then promise to spend the holiday with her, planting kisses on her cheek as reassurance. Still, when Christmas morning arrived, he was nowhere to be found. Left alone at just seven years old, Alessia resorted to fending for herself, navigating the dangers of a stove to heat up her own meal, narrowly avoiding injury. When she confronted her father about his absence, his cruel response cut deep: she simply wasn't important enough for him to sacrifice a day's work, a day he deemed more lucrative than spending time with her.