Bound To You: Marcus Volturi

Chapter 80: Awake and Alive

She's standing above me, an evil glint in her eye as she pulls out the blade - Liam's blade - that she took from him before she sliced his throat. I shudder as her icy cold fingertips cup my chin. "It's alright, Lee. There's no need to be afraid." She cackles, as she brings her face closer to mine.

I can't struggle, can't even gather the energy to sit up or crawl away from her. I lay there broken, bloody and painfully aware of each and every wound on my body. "Jeanie, please." I try one last beg that could spare me, just one last hope that I hold onto.

"Enough." She hisses, pressing the blade dangerously against my throat. I hold my breath, close my eyes and try to think of something, anything that will change my train of thought at this moment in time.

"Think a happy thought, Lee. Happy thoughts." She presses the blade against my skin until I feel an opening and a drop of blood leaks out. I crane my neck as far as I can so I can just see Liam's immobile body sprawled on the floor. I smile to myself as I think of the memories of him. His smile, his dark eyes, his attitude.

I love you Liam. Then she swipes the blade across my throat and a fountain of blood spurts out, making me gasp and choke, spluttering, gagging madly on the thick torrent of blood, blinding me, blocking my vision.

I hear her laugh, her evil cackle, over and over as I collapse, my life slipping away, as red clouds my vision, the pain continuing and going on and on....

"LEE!" Caius's voice is the first thing I hear as I spring from my bed like a jack in the box, throwing myself onto the floor. He gets there first, his arms enveloping me as he catches me and prevents any more pain from my wounds.

"Argh! She was there and she almost...ah God....she killed me!" I grab at him, clutching the lapels of his jacket as he holds me on the floor. "She....Liam and her blade, and I..." I trail off as he cups my face with his cool hands, brushing away the tears gently.

"You've just had a nightmare, Lee. Everything is going to be alright. I promise." He kisses my forehead and ruffles my hair affectionately. "There now, darling." He rubs my back and positions me back on my bed.

But it's not my bed. It's a sofa. A white leather cream sofa, identical to the one in the tower, but we're not in the tower either. "This isn't my bedroom." I state as I look around the long but narrow room. There's another sofa opposite me with a TV on the wall.

There are small oval windows along both walls, with a clear bright blue showing through. "Of course it's not." He says in a tone as if I'm stupid. I look at him and take in his face. I haven't seen him in nearly three months. "Dad. What are you doing here?" I ask in confusion.

He smiles and pulls me against his chest. "We're on a plane, Lee. On the way back to Volterra." He explains and I realise the windows are showing the sky. Of course, we're in the air.

"It's over now, Lee. She's dead. It's over." He runs his hand over my messy hair and brushes the damp strands out of my face. "Did Marcus explain to you about Jeanie?" He asks softly, a sympathetic look in his eyes which angers me. "Don't give me your pity." I spit, standing up and walking away from him, pacing back and forth.

"She wasn't my mother. Athenadora is. And you're my father. I don't believe it. I saw a picture of my birth mother and Jeanie didn't look anything her. She's young with brown hair." I describe as I try to explain the photo from memory.

Caius gives me a look that is half amused, half sad. "Of course she was young in the photograph. That was taken nineteen years ago. Jeanie was around the right age. It adds up. It explains why you were moved to Volterra. To be with her." He explains softly as he pulls out the photo of her that I've carried all these years since I first saw it.