Honeybee

Death Is Only The Beginning

"The venom is spreading slowly," Carlisle stated as he peeled off his gloves, "it's repairing her injuries as it travels to her heart."

Alec nodded as he stared at where Aria laid on the twin size cot. She laid there completely still due to the morphine drip that was embedded in her arm. Esme sat beside her holding her small charred hand in her porcelain one. They were the only two Aro allowed to come to the castle to treat Aria's injuries as she went through the transition.

Esme sat looking at the face of Aria as she held onto her little charred hand. The conversation that her husband and Alec were holding fell onto deaf ears. She could only focus on the human she had come to love and cherish as her own. The matriarch of the Olympic coven thought back onto all the memories she had created with the youngest member of her family.

When Jasper and Alice brought the small human home, she wasted no time getting to know the family. To Esme, it finally felt like their family had been completed. Aria had filled their home with so much warmth and laughter in only a few months. She gave each Cullen more than just a friend and newest sibling, she gave them a new sense of life. Esme had always wanted a daughter like Aria and had finally been given her. To know that the girl that had brought peace between two covens had been subjected to inhuman torture was agonizing to the Cullen mother.

Tears formed in Esme's eyes as her golden orbs scanned over Aria's wounds. The young girl had blackened skin that cracked and blistered along her legs and arms. Her eye was still swollen closed and decorated in shades of purple, along her jawline one could see where the flames had begun to reach her face. Her chest would rise and fall in uneven ragged breaths. Esme glanced over to the machines that read Aria's beating heart.

Her heartbeat was slow, a mere 40 beats per minute. Carlisle had to restart her heart three times by now when it gave out. There were other doctors and nurses that monitored her around the clock but with Alec standing guard over his mate it was nearly impossible for them to get close enough to examine her. Only the masters, Demetri, Felix, Jane, Esme, and Carlisle were allowed to visit her under Alec's supervision.

"The only question now," Carlisle continued, "is how long until the transformation is complete."

Alec didn't look away from his mates body as he replied, "Five days."

Esme looked over at the immortal teen. "I beg your pardon?"

"When Jane and I were burned alive it took five days for the venom to course through our system repairing our injuries," Alec replied.

Carlisle excused himself and Esme so they could go hunt outside of the ancient city, leaving Alec alone with Aria. The high ranked guard moved to the spot Esme had claimed no more than a few seconds ago.

Alec sat and took Aria's hand into his. He hadn't left her side since he brought her to the castle. Part of him feared her being injured more and part of him didn't want her to wake up fearful of her surroundings. He gently pushed her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I don't know if you can hear me," Alec said softly, "but I'm so sorry honeybee. I should've gotten to you sooner."

"Alec," Demetri called from the doorway, "don't blame yourself."

Alec looked over at the immaculately dressed tracker and felt self conscious. His clothing was covered in soot and ash. The pant legs were burned and his legs now showed where the flames had begun to burn him when he plunge into the fire. He hadn't fed since that night so his once burgundy eyes had fallen into a black that rivaled the midnight sky. Alec's hands now held the same healed burn marks as his legs.

Demetri stepped further into the room his scarlet eyes observing the girl he loved like a sister. "Any differences yet?" The tracker questioned.

"Her heart failed again," Alec stated as he pulled the covers over his mate.

Demetri nodded solemnly with a grave look on his face. He knew the rumors that circulated through the guard fearing that what happened to Alec's other half was going to be the reason she couldn't become one of them. Each time her body or heart gave out they knew it was only one step closer to death. The tracker pulled over a stool and sat beside the little humans bed. He never knew what to say to comfort the rising anxiety in his friend nor did he know anyway to speed up the process of Aria turning.

With a heavy unneeded sigh, Demetri flicked his eyes over towards the highest ranked guard. Alec was clinging to his girlfriends hand as if his life depended on it. The Casanova had never witnessed Alec look so worried or broken. He couldn't imagine what his friend was going through.

"Do you think this will work?" Alec asked quietly.

With a nod, Demetri answered, "Of course, Aria is a fighter. She beat death once certainly she can beat him again."

Alec looked up at the tracker with tears in his eyes. "I can't lose her Demi."

Demetri reached over and gave his friends hand a reassuring squeeze. "I promise you won't lose her. I won't let her leave you like this."

"Nor I," Jane called out as she strolled into the infirmary. She had grown to love Aria and she knew how much she meant to her twin. The last thing Jane wanted was for her brother to become like Marcus.

Jane wrapped her arms around her brothers shoulders. Her head rested on top of his as she swayed with him from side to side.

"Go feed brother," Jane commanded softly, "I will watch over her."

Alec nodded, he already knew it was a losing battle to argue with his twin. He left the room with Demetri following behind him as precaution. Jane closed the door behind the men and set to work cleaning Aria. It had become a nightly routine for Jane to provide care to the human. She would give her a bed bath, wash her hair, and change her hospital gown. The mistress of pain knew how much the mortal girl liked to keep up with her hygiene and knew if Aria woke up she would not be pleased with not being clean.

Jane moves her bodily carefully as she bathed her taking note that the small burns and cuts were nearly healed. The venom was taking its time healing the damage not only internally but also externally. Jane had moved to the fellow blondes hair. Aria's hair hung limp and lifeless instead of its normal curls and shine. Jane scrubbed the girls scalp with Aria's favorite coconut and hibiscus shampoo before rinsing it. As Jane turned to grab the small bottle of conditioner she heard what she could only describe as the mending of broken bones.

The guard turned to see the once caved in left side of Aria's willowy frame lift back into proportion with her right. She watched on as Aria's hair regained its natural highlights and lowlights as it curled.

"The venoms working," she breathed. Her excitement began to rise and she finished her tasks and changed the bedding before rushing off to tell her brother the news.

The days marched on as Aria's body began to change. By the fourth day her burns were nearly gone and her bones healed, only leaving the jagged scars that decorated her upper body. Her once angelic face had softened giving her more of an innocent look. Her honey blonde hair stood in curled ringlets and her skin had lost what was left of its tan revealing her now pale as fresh cream skin.

Alec would watch on as her wounds faded and her heart slowed more and more. He knew soon her transformation would be complete and she would awaken. The masters had even confirmed it when they came to visit and Marcus had brought flowers. It was only a matter of time.

Alec stood in the hall talking to Felix about an upcoming mission when he heard what he thought he wouldn't hear until tomorrow or the day after at the latest.

Beyond the door, Aria laid on the bed. Her heartbeat had deceased once more. With each pump it slowed even more until finally she drew her last breath. Her heart stopped as her breath was exhaled. The medical wing of the castle fell into a eerie silence. The only sound was the ticking of the clock that hung on the far wall. Felix shared a look with Alec before they decided to enter the room.

Aria didn't move a muscle until she heard the doorknob turn as someone entered the room. Her eyes shot open revealing that they were no longer their warm dark brown hue but now a vibrant crimson red.