Bound To You: Marcus Volturi

Chapter 69: Traitor

My breath gets caught in my throat and I forget how to breathe normally. My eyes close for a brief second just to block everything out. The French cabin. Felix's concerned stares. My full mug of hot chocolate. Marcus's voice.

Everything stands still. All quiet. Everything blurs. Then suddenly, I come back into focus and find I'm on the ground, phone pulled out of my grasp and I'm breathing frantically, through quick gasps.

Felix is leaning over me, talking at a fast pace to Marcus on my phone. Hey, that's mine. I go to grab it but he takes my hand and lays it across my stomach.

Eventually, I begin to hear clearly again. "Yes, sir, she's fine. She just woke up. I think that was her first time fainting."
Fainted? No I didn't. Or maybe I did. Is that why I'm down here. Why do I feel so uneasy? What's happening? Marcus?

"I want him. Let me hear his voice." I mumble groggily, lifting myself up and retrieving my phone. "Lee? Is that you?" He asks quietly. "Yeah." I rub at my tired eyes. "You fainted. You've been unconscious for almost three hours."

"Three hours!" I stammer, glancing around the room, noticing the sun beginning to set as we approach the first few hours of the evening. "I've been checking in every hour. You're finally awake, to my relief." He sighs.

"Three hours!" I repeat, tapping the mug on the table to find it cold along with the liquid. "Three hours." I sigh. Jesus. "What happened?" I ask him. "Jeanie." He says, jogging my memory a little.

Oh yeah. That's right. Jeanie. A vampire. I think of her then and picture her in my mind. Soft, shiny hair, powdered skin, floral perfume and old baggy clothes that a careworker would typically wear.

She looks normal enough in my mind. But then, I see her again in my mind, this time with blood dripping from her jaws, her eyes a bright scarlet, feasting on one of the children. I shudder.

"Is it really true? All these years and she's a vampire? Raising children?" I groan at the surprise and Marcus sighs glumly in agreement. "I know it's difficult."
He says quietly. "I know you respected her and she took care of you. But you have to know that she can be ruthless."

"I can't lose you." He adds softly. Desperately. "I lost...Didyme. I can't let it happen again." His voice trembles, as if he's shaking with anger and fright. "It's ok....darling." I almost cringe from the use of pet name. We all know it's not something I use often. Or at all.

Luckily, Marcus seems comforted by it, not surprised. Which is good, I guess. "It's going to be fine." I add. "I'm not going anywhere." I promise, crossing my heart although he can't see me. "You called me 'darling'." He says, amusement light in his tone. "Yeah get over it." I snort.

"So all along she was plotting against the Volturi and my disappearance is a perfect excuse to come after you." I huff, settling down on the sofa. "I'm always such an inconvenience."

"Yes you are." He agrees smugly. "But you're worth it." He adds and I feel remarkably better. "Remember, you're worth a-"
"Yes I know." I cut him off. "All the finest things in the world." I finish. It's the one thing he always says to me. To remind me that I'm special. Important. Worth living for.

"I'll have to speak to you tomorrow. Aro will be contacting me shortly. He has news of Jeanie." He sighs softly. I feel a clench in my stomach. No. Don't go. I need you.

"Marcus." I whimper. "Please don't go." I add begging. He seems to hesitate before sticking to his words. "I love you, but I have to go. The battery will run out on this useless thing." He complains and I smile. I know how technology and Marcus don't mix.

It's a wonder the phone is still in one piece. "Lee? Are you there?" He prompts. "Yeah, sorry." I clear my throat. "I was just marveling at the fact that you're dealing so well with a mobile phone." I laugh though for the first time in years, I feel close to tears.

"I'm doing my best, though my paitence is wearing thin." He admits. "I guess I should say goodbye then." I say regretfully.
"Yes. I'll speak to you in a few days." He sighs, before hanging up.

I slam the phone onto the sofa so the soft material doesn't break it, but the force is still strong enough for me to get my anger out, which causes Felix to jump, startled.

"Lee?" He peers at me. "What did the Master say?" He asks softly, grabbing the thin blanket and wrapping it around me. "Nothing I didn't expect." I admit, rubbing my eyes through tiredness. "I just miss him." I add quietly, covering my face so he can't see my eyes brimming.

I will not cry. I never cry. That's not something I'd ever do.

Felix gingerly pats my arm. I lift my head and glare at him, eyes blazing. He backs off instantly. "Don't pity me." I snark, rising from the sofa and dumping the forgotten bowl of noodles by the sink in the kitchen.

I lean back against the doorframe, eyes closed. I never thought this time apart from him would be so difficult for me. It's been less than a week and I already feel like it's been a life time.

"Lee?" Felix tries again, giving me a more toned down of concern. "I'm fine." I insist, refilling the kettle for another cup of hot chocolate. "Cocoa?" I offer to him but he shakes his head. "I prefer water."
"Whatevs." I start to make the hot chocolate.

"Lee. You know Marcus loves you." He insists, though I continue to ignore his comments. "This wasn't his decision to leave you and let you take off for France." He continues. "I know the Master would never want to leave you behind. Yet it had to be done." He sighs.

"I'm sure it hurts him to not have you near." He consoles, trying to ease my pain, but all I can think of is Jeanie. Seemingly harmless, who couldn't hurt a fly. Never cruel, never dangerous.

An innocent, middle aged woman with a weird name and an even weirder dress sense. How can someone who looks so sweet and motherly also be a vampire who wants to kill us? There's only one word going through my head right now and it's 'traitor'.

How come she lied to us all? All this time a vampire and we had no idea?

"Felix, I.....I feel betrayed by her." I admit quietly, so quietly that any human wouldn't have known I uttered a sound, but he hears me. "I know, I can imagine. I remember when..." He trails off, not able to finish. "You remember what?" I prompt but he stays quiet.

"It doesn't matter. When you are betrayed, you don't sit around feeling angry, you think about what to do next. Will you let it brush off you like it's nothing or will you take the opportunity to strike?"

I look him in the eyes. "She's coming after us. My family." I narrow my eyes at him. "I'll strike. And boy, will she feel it."