Allure (Caius Volturi)

13

Sick B-Day

Jane and I stepped out of the library to a large gust of wind that blew back my hair. Down the long hallway I saw several black blurs.

"... Maybe it's not just me that enjoyed story time." Jane mumbled. I looked at her surprised.

"You think the guard may have been listening in?" I asked as we linked arms. She shrugged.

"I know that Demetri recently commented on your soothing way of speaking to each of the guard." My eyebrows rose. "And then Felix followed with 'It's a nice break from the impolite tendencies of the Masters.'" I laughed, slipping a hand over my mouth at her impersonation.

"Careful with who you spout that to." I giggled. "Not everyone is going to be forgiving. Imagine if Caius found out..." We both paused and then looked at each other falling into giggles again.

"No Caius M'Lord, please have mercy! I grovel at your feet." Jane said in a ridiculously low voice.

"Master Marcus, please." I said in a ridiculous parrot of Felix's voice.

"Having a laugh, Ladies?" We jumped at the new voice to find Renata behind us following us on our route to the kitchen.

"Discussing how much Demetri and Felix love our dear Hero's voice." Jane said with a well planted smile.

"You should have heard them earlier," Renata rolled her eyes. "Her voice could put me to sleep." She did a much better impersonation of Felix than I did and Jane and I once again had a giggling fit.

My phone went off again, this time, several chimes in succession. I let my laugh dwindle off with a happy sigh as I checked my phone screen. Someone had created a group chat for the Cullen Coven. The first messages were all Birthday wishes, all mentioning that tomorrow just happened to fall on hunting day.

"Suddenly your phone blows up? What's the occasion?" Renata asked hopping to sit on a stool close by. I smiled.

"Tomorrow's my birthday and the Cullen's hunting day is tomorrow. They're wishing me happy birthday early so they aren't late." I typed back a quick 'thank you' and startled at the excited gasp beside me.

"It's your birthday tomorrow?!"

The three of us looked up in horror. Corin stood next to us, hands clasped in excitement.

"Uhm.. no?" I tried meekly.

"This is wonderful!" She cried and grasped my arm excitedly. I winced as she shrieked. "A bit of short notice but I can have the whole castle decorated by tomorrow morning."

"That's really not necessary-"

"Oh and you're human so we'll have to compensate for a non blood drinking party goer." She kept talking.

"Party?!"

"Oh this is wonderful. We'll have the bakery cater and tell the town that-..."

"Corin, that really isn't necessary." I laughed nervously.

"You're right, telling the town is too much trouble. We'll just keep it in the palace and-OH. We'll use the tour tomorrow as party goers and then the Masters will get dinner for their trouble. Oh it's perfect!" Corin then sped out of the kitchen.

Masters will get dinner for their trouble.

Suddenly I didn't feel like eating anymore.

"I don't feel so good." I mumbled. Jane's cold hand over my elbow made me look at her. "I hate my birthday, why would she-" I put a hand rapidly over my mouth, dropping the blanket from my shoulders. "Jane. Bathroom. Now." I said quickly. A gust of wind blew my hair and I remembered the slight dizziness that came with vampire speed. I dropped in front of the toilet in my bathroom and wretched.

The only thing that came up was liquid. Any water that I had drank this morning was now in the toilet. I kept going. Everytime I thought of screaming victims my stomach churned and I gagged. Visions kept appearing in my head of me standing in the middle of the throne room watching as the vampire residents tore into unsuspecting victims screaming in terror.

When it finally stopped I was sobbing, thinking of my fourth birthday and then the bash that my friends and I had planned. Jane was sitting next to me, rubbing my shoulder, free hand over her nose. Renata had come and gone several times, she had folded the blanket I had earlier and laid it on the edge of my bed.

"I was adopted because my parents had been victims of a vampire attack." I was just speaking deliriously, but Jane kept rubbing my shoulder. "The Cullens had connections and I was given to them for foster care first and then they adopted me."

"How did that go down?" Jane prompted me gently.

"They introduced me to it and then gave me space. I was still having nightmares and issues. This is just bringing everything back, Jane. I don't know if I can take this." I shook my head leaning my head back against the bath tub and scrunching my eyes. Tears leaked into my hair line.

Jane put me to bed after that, handing me the heating pad and layering three fluffy blankets over me.
"I'll talk to Corin, okay? Maybe I can get her to nix the party..." I reached out and grabbed her hand, maneuvering to clasp her pinky.

"Please..."

Her brief nod gave me some kind of peace and I fell asleep fighting another bout of nausea.

~

Jane's feet were heavy as she walked to find Corin.

She wasn't lying that first night with Hero when she said there wasn't any leverage for pinky swears. Still, this time she felt the need to keep what she'd been told, to herself.

Jane found Corin speaking animatedly with the Masters and walked in, stopping at Corin's side.

"I figured we could use the tour as the party goers and then after the festivities we could feast. Of course I wanted to talk you about it first."

"Hero has requested no party." Jane spoke up, addressing both the Masters and Corin.

"What?!" Corin whined obviously distressed.

"It has to do with her past. I'm not at liberty to disclose why, she has asked me not to." Jane bowed her head and then turned to leave.

"Surely word would change in the presence of your Masters." Caius said, suddenly at the edge of his seat. Jane looked her Master in the eyes and then broke away.

"My apologies, Sirs."

A gust of wind and Aro was in front of her, hand on her chin and grasping her gloved hand. A wistful look overcame his face and he let go quickly.

"Well, Brother?" Caius asked, hand on his chin, leaning to one side of his throne.

".. No party. Tour should continue as usual. My apologies, Corin." Aro turned and walked slowly back to his seat. "You both are dismissed, as well as the rest of the guard, the Masters require council." He ran his finger along his brow bone as the doors to the throne room closed. "I do believe our Hero has been sick for the afternoon."

"She was fine this morning." Caius said leaning to the other side, closer to Aro. Said man looked over with a softer smile than his usual manic one.

"You've spoken to her recently?" He asked. Caius scoffed and turned away from the other vampires in the room.

"Should I not speak to my mate?" He seemed irate and Aro was delighted.

"Have you then?" He asked.

"Have I what, brother?" He grumped looking over. Aro grinned. Finally, Caius picked up the innuendo. Again, Caius scoffed. "As if my relationship with the dear little human is of any importance to you." He stood, straightening his cloak. "If you'll excuse me." With that he sped out of the throne room. Aro turned to Marcus.

"Your vision of their ties dear Marcus, how close?"

"Close, brother." The man answered. "Closer than Caius would like to admit..."