When Ends Meet (Marcus & Aro Volturi)

Chapter 12: Hide Her Children.

       "It hurts..." I groan into my hand.

"Ana, you're gonna be okay." Demetri comforts, but I continue to grimace at the intensive aching that grows in my chest as we get further and further away from Italy.

"Maybe we should go back...this doesn't feel right." Felix offers, but I grab his arm while shaking my head.

"N-no. I will not miss Bella's wedding! I'll be fine, I just need to adjust." I swallow as another painful pulse rolls through my body.

I have never felt pain like this before. The chest pains I had experienced in Volterra were painful, but they were doable. I could distract myself to help until the aches subsided, however, these are different. It's like spiked chains are wrapped around my heart and lungs, pulling tighter the further I get from Marcus. When we were in the car, it was uncomfortable...but now it is nearly agonizing as we fly in the private jet.

"Ana...I know that as a human, these events are of great importance, but we cannot allow you to suffer. It's hard to see you like this." Felix tries to convince me, but I don't change my mind.

"I'm not turning back on Bella. I can endure—please Felix...allow me to endure this pain at least once?" I say back to my friend.

He stares at me with reluctance on his face. He looks back at Demetri who shares a similar look, but inevitably he gives in with a sigh. "Fine...but the moment you can't endure it, we have been ordered by Caius to bring you back—wedding or not. Understand?"

I wanted to reply with a snarky comment, but the pain takes my attention and I settle for a nod. I am settling with the discomfort in my chest when Demetri approaches me with a phone in his hands. "It is Master Marcus." He says, and I grab the phone immediately.

"Marcus?" I say with a strained voice, some of the ache in my chest eases as I hear his voice.

"Amore...how are you feeling?" He says back with a raspy voice.

I hum with new relief. "I am managing. And you? Is it painful?"

He chuckles, making me flush with the sound of him. "It certainly is a new feeling...but I feel much better now that I am talking to you."

"Me too. I miss you already..." I whisper into the phone, just imagining his ruby red eyes staring at me.

"I miss you more than I have ever missed anyone. Only two hours apart and I already feel disorganized with your absence." He drawls, and I giggle.

"Is this fair warning to never leave again?" I tease, and Marcus chuckles again.

"Definitely."

Marcus and I spoke for majority of my plane ride. We talked about what was happening on our ends of the phone as if there were really anything of wonder. I talked about the blending colours of the sky as the sun was dropping for the night. Marcus translated a few chapters from a book that we were reading every night. It was in Greek, and so he would read it in his native tongue, before translating it to English for myself. I love the way he speaks. He's incredibly eloquent. And his voice is low, lulling...warm. I begin to feel sleep creeping in as I watch the blanket of royal blue skies, mixing with Marcus' hypnotising storytelling.

"Your breaths are slowing...shall we end the call here?" His tone changes from the one he used while reading, making me wake a little more.

"No...don't go." I say with sleep now on my tongue. "Can you stay on the phone with me until I fall asleep? I'm not used to sleeping without you now...and I think it will help with the pain." I try to excuse, and Marcus laughs lightly.