Woman of the Hour // volturi kings

24. threats

1996

Layla and Claire were sitting on the back porch, soaking in the small amount of sunlight that managed to shine through the clouds. They were both sitting on the stairs, legs outstretched, and their faces held towards the sky.

"You know, I think Marcus' brothers are in love with you," Claire just about choked, her head snapping in Layla's direction with her eyes wide. She thought that they were being pretty convincing, she tried not to look at Aro and Caius too much, and she kept her distance from them.

"What?" she feigned naivety.

"Yeah, they're always looking at you from the corner of their eye," Layla explained. "Always gravitating towards you, even if you don't notice. It's sweet, but I'm worried that someone is going to get hurt."

Claire pondered for a moment. The thought that their love for her was so strong, even an outsider could see it, made her insides swell with adoration. They loved her, and it was painfully obvious. And she loved them too.

"That's ridiculous," she scoffed, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. Her kings weren't there to ease her, they were inside with Ryan. No doubt being interrogated by the detective, which was amusing to imagine. Three deadly, immortal and almost indestructible vampires, being threatened by a middle-age man that owned a gun.

Layla raised a brow at the young woman, eying her suspiciously. "Not ridiculous. I'm not blind, I see you looking at them too."

Claire decided that she should be open with Layla, because really, she was the only neutral party she had to talk to. Her friends from high school had moved on, starting college and getting married, and all the vampires she knew now were loyal to the kings. At times like this, she wished he still had Rosalie and Jasper.

"Look..." She started, turning her boy to face Layla completely. "You can't tell Ryan; he'd lose his mind."

"Wait, what?" Layla looked incredible confused for a moment, before her eyes went comically wide, and her mouth fell open with a strangled gasp. "What?! No way!"

Claire lunged forward and clamed a hand over the woman's mouth to stop her babbling further. "Shh! The entire neighborhood will hear you."

Layla nodded dumbly and Claire freed her mouth with a cautioning glare.

"I'm dating Marcus and his brothers. I know, I know, it's a little weird. I'm still getting used to it," the young woman began to ramble, her eyes downcast. She didn't want to see the disapproving look Layla was probably giving her. "I wouldn't have it any other way though, they're amazing. I don't deserve them."

The silence droned on while Claire fidgeted with her hands in her lap. She still couldn't brae to look at Layla. Was she angry? Disappointed? Disgusted? Claire had quickly learnt that having multiple partners was something she enjoyed. She was never starved for attention, they were all so attentive and loving, and she was never alone. It was nice to be doted upon like they did.

"Claire..." Layla said softly, reaching out and placing a warm hand on her arm. "I'm very happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world. But you're right, Ryan would lose his mind."

She couldn't stop the laugh that left her lips. She turned to Layla and embraced her. She was grateful that she was understanding, she couldn't bare it if she lost her too.

﹌﹌﹌

"That was utterly belittling," Marcus complained on the car ride home. Ryan had gone in on him while Claire was busy with his wife. There were some not-so-subtle threats, some snide comments about the apparent age difference, and a barrage of questions about his intentions towards the girl.

Even his brothers weren't safe. They had also been grilled by the policeman, which stifled their snickers at Marcus' predicament. Despite the silly mortal's warnings, they were glad that their mate had someone looking out for her so fiercely.

"I'm sorry if he was a bit of a dick, he means well," Claire apologised, looking at him guiltily from the seat beside him.

"I know, amore mio. He cares for you, his apprehension is expected. I'd be upset if he didn't want the best for you," he soothed, kissing the top of her head softly. "Never thought I'd have to pretend to be afraid of a gun, though."

The short drive home was filled with the three kings teasing each other, much to her amusement. They behaved like real siblings sometimes, it was refreshing. She couldn't imagine the rest of her life with some stuck-up men that didn't know when to let go and relax.

"If he couldn't kill you with a gun, I'm sure he'd find a way," Aro joked.

"Oh please, I saw you shaking in your designer shoes when he turned on you," Marcus argued. Caius was practically cackling at them, until they both turned on him.

"I saw you trying to hide behind Aro, don't you laugh."

"What? Unlike you two idiots, I know when I've met my match. Ryan is scary."

﹌﹌﹌

The four of them were in Claire's bed, Aro and Caius curled around either side of her, and Marcus with his head on her stomach, his arms around her and her fingers gliding through his hair. She was on the edge of sleep, the presence of her loves comforting her into sleep's embrace.

"We'll be gone tomorrow, piccolo," Aro told her softly, just before her eyes drifted close. She turned to face him, a small frown on her lips.

"We have a coven to visit," Caius explained, his voice a whisper. "It's a political trip, following up on information about some rule breakers."

The kings only mentioned their cases and trials in passing, not wanting to burden her with the details she supposed. Perhaps when they returned to Italy, she would insist to be more included.

"Santiago will be keeping an eye on you, just call for him if you need anything."

She nodded slightly and nestled deeper into the bed, being careful not to disturb Marcus who appeared to be pretending to sleep. Caius kissed her head and nuzzling into her neck, her scent enveloping and calming him into a stupor, while Aro watched over them, vigilant and attentive.

a/n: yay i'm catching up! thank you all so much for your comments last chapter, ya'll are so lovely.