Dorothea Caddel, is born into a wealthy family that can easily give her a plane or a planet to her wishes but what if something deep is hidden in the mask of a perfect family, a devil that she fears but soon learns to accept as love. That story chan...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Dorothea quietly trailed behind her brother and the mortal, her steps light and deliberate. They were too engrossed in examining the picture and their hushed conversation to notice the red-haired vampire lingering just a few paces behind. She studied the large portrait with a soft smile spreading across her face, nostalgia glinting in her eyes.
The painting brought back vivid memories. She recalled Caius groaning like a spoiled child when asked to pose, only to straighten up a second later and adopt the demeanor of a feared mafia boss. Marcus had worn his usual dejected expression, but at Dorothea's gentle urging, he managed a faint smile—a flicker of effort most wouldn't notice, but it mattered to her. Carlisle stood proud beside Dorothea, chest puffed out, clearly trying to appear strong and commanding, though the image came off endearingly awkward.
At the center were Aro and Dorothea seated on their thrones. Aro's smile was cunning, a sinister edge underscoring his calm authority, while Dorothea's expression radiated warmth—an innocent, almost maternal smile that contrasted with her brother's chilling presence.
Dorothea adored the picture, even though most of her family disliked its display. She reminisced about the heated debate over whether it should be hung at all. The memory made her grin.
Edward's voice pulled her back to the present: "The Volturi are what you might call enforcers."
"Of what?" Bella's voice was wary.
"The only rule they have: to keep secret the existence of our kind. We don't make spectacles of ourselves or kill conspicuously... unless we want to die."
Dorothea's mind drifted again, this time to a darker memory Edward's words had stirred. She vividly remembered watching as two Volturi guards restrained a struggling nomad. Aro had risen with a chilling calm, detaching the nomad's head with practiced ease before tossing it aside. The rest of the guards had torn the body apart with brutal efficiency. Carlisle had turned away, unable to watch, while Dorothea stood motionless, her childlike innocence long buried beneath the centuries.
Bella's protective words brought her back again. "Don't even—don't talk about that. You can't let anyone hurt you. The Volturi or anyone else."
Recognizing the gravity of their conversation, Dorothea decided to give them privacy. However, Edward's sharp senses caught her presence. Their eyes met briefly, and she offered him a small, knowing smile before turning to leave. She would find her family instead.
---
Later that evening...
Alice tugged Bella and Edward to the top of a raised platform, practically skipping down the stairs once they arrived. The living room was transformed, hundreds of pink candles casting a warm glow over the rose-filled crystal bowls and elegant decorations—a perfect recreation of Alice and Dorothea's shared vision for the party.
