Unfading Joy and Sorrow Pt 1 (Volturi Kings)

Upside Down

Pulling up to the tattoo parlor, Amara parked in the back as usual. She had seen an unrecognizable car in the front which led her to believe Luke was inside already at work. It was strange to not see his car in the lot, but she just shrugged it off. Looking at her unwanted companion she saw him studying the place curiously. She was about to ask what was wrong when he spoke up.

"There seems to be quite a few people in there. Is that normal?"

"How do you know that? There's only one car up front?" She looked at him curiously.

"Super hearing, cara mia," Marcus eyed the building, "Maybe today is not a good day to return to work."

"Marcus," she tested his name out, "It's just a crowd, totally normal. Sometimes people bring their whole family to watch them get tattooed, I swear."

"I don't think you know what I meant by people. Do you feel safe here?"

Amara didn't like where the questions were leading. It was unusual for there to be a rush on a Tuesday but it wasn't unheard of. "Either way I gotta get in there and see where I can help out."

She unbuckled herself and turned the car off. Amara almost grabbed the umbrella when Marcus took a hold of it and got out to walk to her side. She was unused to having anyone wait on her and it showed. "You know you don't have to be so.. nice," she said over the rain.

Marcus smiled down at her, "And if I want to be?"

A lopsided grin cracked her stone expression, "I guess I'll have to deal with it. I'm stuck with you for hours."

"Don't think of it as stuck. Think of it as we get to learn about each other."

The gravel crunched under their feet as they approached the back door. When they were steps away, it swung open revealing a man taller than Marcus with rounded muscles and tan skin. His hair was chopped short and black. His eyes almost matched his dark hair, but in the light, or with vampyric eyes, you could see that they were a deep brown.

"Hey Sam, what are you doing here," Amara was a little shocked to see Luke's younger half-brother considering they never got along. Their family back story was twisted in darkness and abandonment, mainly from Sam. It definitely was never her place to pry as to why, but she had an inkling. Rumor around town was that Joshua Uley got around and knocked up multiple women. Some even speculated that he fathered Embry, whose mother, Tiffany, is the younger sister of Luke's mother, Helen. Which just made the whole situation even more messed up in her opinion.

"Doesn't matter, why are you here," Sam said in his deep voice. His face was stern and eyes of stone.

"I work here, duh," Amara was even more confused by his attitude. He rarely ever came around and when he did Luke and him were always in some kind of disagreement.

"Not anymore." He said with the same stern look.

"What? What do you mean?" She stood there taken aback. 'Sam can't fire me, can he?'

"I'm saying as of this morning, you no longer work here. I suggest you leave," he stood there allowing the rain to fall on him wetting his clothing as if it were nothing.

"Uh, last I checked you don't own the place, Uley," she went to move past him only for him to block her way. Well she definitely wasn't expecting this today.

"You and your blood sucker need to get off this land. You're not welcome here."

Taken aback by his statement, it took her a few moments to recover fully. "Where's Luke? You don't own this land. Luke does. Why am I not allowed in the shop," her arms crossed over her chest as she stared up at his foreboding figure. She didn't like his tone and neither did Marcus as he let out a snarl.

"Any Quileute land is our land. You and your vampire are not welcomed here. You don't know the trouble you're causing. Now," as he said that the back door opened again and there was Jared, Sam's best friend, with a box, "Leave."

Jared seemed to tense aggressively at the sight of the man next to her. His nostrils flared and a growl crawled out of his mouth. He handed the box off quickly to Amara, who struggled to grip it with her hurt arm. "I don't understand, I've done nothing wrong; Luke's done nothing wrong."

Jared snorted at that statement while Sam gave him a look of disapproval. Neither said a word as they both turned to leave when she yelled, "Answer my damn questions, Sam Uley!"

"I don't have to answer you, Davis," he opened the back door and both he and Jared entered.

Amara stood there under the umbrella in the rain dumbfounded. 'What in the fuck was going on?' None of this made sense to her. There was no way Luke would fire her for nothing especially after he promised her yesterday he would always be there. Sure she was late, but that was never an issue before. She deposited the box in Marcus' arms without thinking and stepped out from the protection of the umbrella to open the door only to find it now locked. "Fucking assholes think you can keep me out?!"

"Don't you think we should take his advice and leave, Amarantha," Marcus was calm on the outside, but inside he was ready to shred every last mutt to bits.

She grasped her keys and found the one she was looking for. Inserting it into the lock she quickly unlocked it. She turned to Marcus with fury in her eyes, "Stay here!"

She slammed the door open and stepped inside. Her once damp hair was wet once more and she could only imagine what her makeup looked like. Thankfully her coat repelled the water from her clothes and cast. In the backroom stood five people who she recognized all from hanging out with Luke. Of course there was Sam and Jared standing over to the side, then there was Embry and Quil near Jacob in the center. She could hear the familiar buzzing of a tattoo gun in the other room. As she walked, Amara dared them to stop her from walking into the other room with just one glare. Her arms were shaking as she took determined steps forward.

"Amarantha," Jacob acknowledged, her looking at her like she smelt like bad body odor.

She just ignored him and burst through the door to the main room in the shop. There were quite a few people in here too and they all stared at Amarantha. There was Paul and a few people she didn't know. Her eyes roamed to her station which laid empty while Luke's was filled. He sat there with his gun in hand. The person in his chair was another person she didn't know, but their face looked familiar to her. That was besides the point, she was here for Luke.

"What the fucks your deal," her voice stern and body ridged.

"Ami, calm down," Luke said, not even looking up at her before addressing his client, "Do you mind if I handle this real quick, Brady?"

"Nah, man go ahead," Brady replied, not bothered by Amara's outburst. The whole room seemed tense.

"Don't tell me to calm down," Amara stood her ground only to be dragged by her arm through the room. Through the back and into the bathroom. With the door shut and locked he turned to address her.

"You can't come in here like that, Ami. Not anymore," he said, letting go of her arm when she jerked it away. He crossed his arms and looked down at her. His brows were furrowed and lips thinned. He didn't know how to break it to her.

She shoved him in the chest, "You man handling me ain't helpin' right now. Do you know what I've been through?"

She was met with silence.

"Why did you fire me and using Sam to do your dirty work? That's fucking low. Do I mean nothing to you, you jackass? Just yesterday you were saying you would protect me and it would be just you and I. What the fuck happened?"

Luke's face tried remaining impassive, but his eyes held a hurricane of emotions. He swallowed thickly and uncrossed his arms. "Ami-"

"Don't you Ami me right now," she poked him in the peck with her right pointer finger. "Why, Luke?"

He grit his teeth while answering, "Because you no longer belong here."

"Stop with the cryptic answers. Sam did it and now you. Why can't I be here," it was her turn to cross her arms.

"Damn it, Amarantha, everyone knows!"

"Knows? Knows what?"

"That you're fucking mated to vampires. And not just any vampires, but the ruling class. I can smell them all over you. Y-Your scent is of death right now. You never smelt like that before."

He scratched the back of his head in frustration. "Look, the only reason we aren't outside tearing that leech into shreds right now is because of you. We take imprint-mating seriously. Look, he isn't allowed here and neither are you. I can only protect you so much, Amara," Luke felt like screaming. If only she knew of the sacrifice he had to make for her. He didn't want to do this. He loved her. It has always been her, even when he was with other women, it was Amarantha he wanted and now he can't have her. She didn't need to know that and she never will.

"Ho- How did you find out?"

"Bella let it slip to Jacob today and you know the rest," he was tense.

She shook her head, 'With how clingy that girl was to that Cullen last night when did she get a chance to let it slip?'

"That doesn't make sense unless it was on purpose. Luke I didn't ask for this. I don't want this. I-I want.. what I've always wanted was-" before she could finish her sentence his lips crashed down to hers.

She didn't think twice in responding. Their lips were in sync with each other. His were on fire compared to her cold, wet ones. They stayed lip locked momentarily before both jumped back for different reasons. Luke had another alpha command to follow and Amara literally felt like she was burning from the inside out. Sucking in breaths, they each looked longingly at the other. Both of their faces showed discomfort.

"I can't even touch you anymore without pain. You even end up hurting. We don't belong to each other, we never did," he reasoned more to himself than her.

"What stopped you? And don't give me the bullshit about it being about me in pain. You look equally uncomfortable," she said, her breathing slowing down but the burning remained.

"I have orders," he said simply hoping she wouldn't ask more. His orders were to remain secret from her and that went to everyone in the pack.

"What orders? Are you in a cult now?"

"It's not a cult, it's a pack, you know that, and I have orders I can't discuss with you anymore," he slowly raised his down cast head to look at her. He looked her over and finally saw her hurt arm. "How did you hurt yourself this time?"

She noticed his change in subject matter, but allowed it. Shrugging, "I punched a vampire in the face. He tried getting hands-y with me and out of reflex I swung."

Luke blinked a few times to let the image of her doing that sink in. Of course she would fight a vampire. A deep laugh rumbled from his chest. "That's my Ami. Taking shit from no one, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled sadly, "that includes you."

He genuinely didn't want to do this, but it was an order he couldn't refuse, "Amarantha I'm sorry, but I will need your keys to my house and the shop."

She didn't realize her heart could break further. Smile faltering, "So after all of this; this is how it ends?"

They stood apart from each other though neither of them wanted that. Amara looked up praying for gravity to suck the tears back into her eyes, "I never thought I'd lose you too."

"Ami, please don't cry. Not over this," he moved to be close to her, fighting his command, "You will pull through this and become stronger than before."

"Don't touch me or give me that bullshit. All of this is wrong. I didn't want this," her arms flailed, "I want to enjoy life. With you. That's all. Now you're pushing me away because of orders?"

Luke stood silent. He really couldn't say anything because he wanted the same. "Just take your damn keys, Luke."

She tossed her car keys to him so he could get them off for her. Though he looked distracted, Luke caught the keys with ease. He went to take off the keys, but something inside him stopped him. He wanted her to keep his house key in case she ever needed an escape. Taking off the tattoo shop key he tucked it away in his jean pocket so she didn't see. Maybe she will notice his house is key still there and not feel abandoned by him. How he was going to keep it from the pack, he was unsure, but he would figure a way. Maybe after this moment he will no longer think of this, or her unless he was alone and not in his wolf form.

"Here," he handed her keys back with her just placing them in her jacket's pocket.

"I guess that's it then," she made the move to leave the cramped space.

"Amarantha, I'll always remember you," he called after her as she exited the room. She didn't have the mental capacity to speak anymore. She just ducked down and left the building. She was surprised to see the rain still pouring and Marcus standing where she had left him. The box was in his arms while he also still held the umbrella waiting for her to return.

He had heard everything that happened and kept a tight grasp on her belongings. If she had not commanded him to stay put or if she were in actual danger he would have moved to protect her. He sensed something was off when he heard that the Cullen's human told the shape shifters of their bond. He wondered where she had the right? Unless this was a part of someone's master plan and if so what else did they have in-store for their mate.

He followed Amara back to her car. He could hear her sniffling over the rain and all he wanted was to wrap her in his arms. Once she was inside he placed the box in the backseat behind her before walking to the passenger side and getting in. The wet dog smell was pungent in the air around her, but he showed no disgust.

Amara sat there with black tears slowly rolling down her plump cheeks. She took a deep breath trying not to hyperventilate. 'I'm truly alone,' echoed in her mind. She started her car and started to drive out of the lot. She needed to put as much distance between them and the pack as possible before crumbling.

It was five minutes past the forks city limits sign when she pulled over onto the side of the road. Placing her flashers on and putting the vehicle in park, she let the dam burst. The emotional overload of the past few days took its toll.

Marcus didn't think twice about wrapping her in his arms. With ease, he picked her up and placed her in his lap, her legs dangling over the center console. He rocked them back and forth, whispering soothing things in Italian into her hair. Her warm body was like a drug to him. He could not get enough of her even when she was at her lowest. His arms were strong yet gentle around her frame. She was sure she was breaking one, if not both, of his legs by sitting there, but she just continued to cry. Deep down she appreciated Marcus for seeing her at her worst and just allowing her to let everything out.

She didn't know how long she cried for sitting in that awkward position, but when she started to just huff and sniffle Marcus raised her head to look up at him. "You are so strong even in your weakest moments. For now don't hold back, let it all out. I will be here for you," he placed a tender kiss to her forehead before tucking her head back under his chin.

Amara felt a skip in her heart and she hated herself for it. The way she felt complete in his embrace threw her off. Right now she just needed to focus on herself, not him, and definitely not the other two men in her trailer. Because of them she lost the one thing that kept her tethered. Her one true friend.

She cried more into Marcus' cold chest, making his shirt stained with her tears. She pulled back from him when she felt more in control of herself and looked at the mess she caused. "Oh no, I think I ruined your shirt," she hiccuped out looking at the wet, black stains on his white buttoned down shirt.

His hand went to her cheek, thumb gliding over the wet surface, "A shirt can be replaced, cuore mia."

Amara almost leaned into his touch, "But still.. the least I can do is try washing it for you."

She slid herself from his grasp and took her seat behind the wheel. He took his handkerchief from his coat pocket out and handed it to her. She said a soft, " Thanks," before dabbing underneath her eyes then her nose. She didn't dare look at herself in the mirror. She already knew she looked bad.

"How are you now," he asked, hoping for the truth.

She felt nothing. "I'm numb for now," she answered in a monotone voice. Her hands held onto the wheel for a few seconds before putting the cat in drive and turning the emergency lights off. She made sure no one was going before entering the roadway again. As they rode on, Amara decided she was done with the silence and switched on the car's radio. The golden oldies radio station filled the cab.

'I don't have plans and schemes
And I don't have hopes and dreams
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you

I don't have fond desires
And I don't have happy hours
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you'

Flipping the radio off quickly, she regretted even turning it on in the first place. Trees blurred as they got closer to her home and her emotions started crawling back into the front of her mind. She bit her tongue for the distraction it caused from the melancholy deep inside her. As they pulled back into the trailer park they had left not too long ago, Amara's body seemed to tense. 'What if this was their plan to isolate me? Is that why Bella was there last night to help these vampires out? Why would she do that,' Amara had what felt like millions of questions and zero answers for them.

She parked her car in her small driveway and proceeded to get out with no care of the water falling from the sky. She sluggishly walked through the slushy gravel before making it up her steps underneath the cover. She was about to slide in her house key when the door opened for her, Aro standing on the other side smiling. The sound of her stereo still playing could be heard in the background.

"Well that was considerably fast," Aro studied her puffy red eyes and tear streaked face, "What happened to you, cara mia?"

She moved around him, entering her home. Amara grumbled, "I don't want to talk about it."

Aro watched as she disappeared into the bathroom. He didn't have to look behind him to know Marcus was there, but did anyway. The young looking vampire held a box in his arms before going to set it down on the table. Aro immediately went to grasp Marcus' hand needing to know what exactly happened. To which Marcus, who was use to Aro, allowed him to absorb all the information he gathered from outside. A growl fought its way through Aro's throat. The thought of Amarantha being touched by that dog aggravated him.

"You thought I'd come up with some convoluted plan like this to get rid of him?" Aro released Marcus' hand, "I was just going to have him killed. Though I don't agree with how it was done, maybe this way is for the best. I might have to thank the tiny human. Besides, now we will have an easier time bringing her with us."

Marcus sneered, "At what cost, Aro? She is in pain now, if we keep pushing her we will end up without her."

"We won't lose her, brother. As soon as we change her she will see her place is with us, not some mutt in a backwoods town like this," Aro said, being sure not to speak too loud. "Stop acting like a love struck teen, dear Marcus and start acting like the ruler you are."

Before anymore could be discussed the sound of the bathroom door opening and the lack of music reached their ears. Amara entered the room, her face was cleaned up and she was no longer dressed to go out. She was in a comfortable looking oversized shirt that reached mid thigh but still had on her leggings and boots. She stared at both men before finally daring to ask, "Was this y'all's doing?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about my dear," Aro feigned ignorance as he placed the gloves he tended to wear, back on.

Amara hated being lied to and she felt like she wasn't getting the whole truth. "Don't pretend you didn't just read Marcus' mind."

Aro's grin widened like that of a Cheshire cat, "Whether we did or didn't, would it change your opinion of us?"

She stood there silently staring at him blankly. 'No, Yes, I don't know,' she answered in her mind. She wasn't sure if it would have been, considering her opinion of them, except for Marcus, was pretty low.

"I didn't think so," Aro took a few steps across the room so fast her eyes couldn't compute where he was till he stood in front of her, "I think its about time things are explained to you."

Amara chewed on her bottom lip nervously, but nodded her head anyways, silently telling him to continue. Aro directed her to take a seat in one of the chairs so she decided to pick the one furthest away from them in her small abode. Something was telling her she was not going to like anything that was about to spew out of their mouths.

"You're our mate, wh-," Marcus began.

"Y'all've already said that-," in a flash Aro was by her, finger on her lips.

"You'll have your turn, cara mia, for now let us speak," his sickly sweet voice ignited a flame. She moved her head away from his grasp and sat there silently.

"Now like Marcus was saying, you are our mate which means a great deal to us. You are what completes us in every single way," Aro's eyes roamed over her face watching her ever move as she listened. "In our world a vampire may never find their other half. The fact that you appeared before us was, I hate to say it, but a miracle for us. We might have never known you existed if you hadn't."

"But you've already heard this before, what you haven't heard were the effects that we have on you. The bond has many positive and negative effects depending on how you look at it," Marcus tried explaining, "Mating for vampires is finding our other half, but while you're human and mated to a vampire there are effects to the bond that further ensure that both parties unite as one.

"For example: what happened between you and Caius was part of the bond. It was the mating pull that had his mind clouded in that moment, and even afterwards it remained clouded because you disappeared. We have this need to mark you as our own and while you're human you're vulnerable."

Amara inhaled as if to speak because she had many questions she wanted to voice. Like before Aro silenced her, but this time with only a look.

Aro brushed a gloved hand over her cheek, "You're also going to experience pain anytime you try to fight the bond since Caius started the process without changing you first. That's why you feel like you're burning anytime a male touches you in a more than friendly manner."

"Do I not get a say in this? In how I feel?" She looked between them.

Marcus looked grim, "Yes and no."

"Look, cara mia, your emotions are your own. The bond just might enhance a few of them that pertain to us," Aro stated, "It's all rather simple."

"Simple!? That's easy for you to say. You're not the one whose life is in utter shambles because three vampires claim to be your mate!"

She stood up and began pacing while she ranted, "In little over twenty-four hours I've learned of vampires and huge wolves, I've lost my job, my best friend, even my bed is lost to me because of the dead guy in it! And fuck, I'm loosing my life because of your stupid law."

"You're not losing your life," Marcus cut in.

"Yes I am! You said it yourself, if a human finds out they're either changed or put to death. I'm losing my life either way you look at it. Y'all have destroyed everything I hold dear to me."

Aro appeared beside her grabbing her shoulders a little too rough for her liking, but he did manage to break her from her ranting. "You are the most dramatic human I've ever met. You're not losing your life. You're going to be reborn into a new one. One where you'll thrive in, not just wade through."

All the anger and worry she felt almost completely disappeared with his touch alone. The overwhelming safety that coursed through her veins just by him simply touching her had Amara's eyes slide shut. She hated how they made her feel like puddy in their hands. "Stop touching me," she went to step away which only caused him to tighten his grip.

"No," Aro let her left arm only to remove the glove on his hand with his teeth. He placed his bare hand at the base of her neck, over her pulse point. The coolness of his skin against hers caused her heart to race. Her eyes widened in horror. Was he reading her without her consent? She fought against the hold he had her in. "Stop fidgeting," he whispered near her ear, his lips ghosting the outer shell causing a shiver to roll down her spine. "You, my dear, are trying to fight against the natural order of fate."

'Don't cave in, this isn't what you want,' she told herself when the urge to turn her head toward him came up.

"You keep lying to yourself which is not good, Amarantha. Living in delusion all your life is also quite harmful."

"I'm not delusional," her quick defense could beg to differ.

"Oh no? Cara mia," he lowered his head trailing butterfly kisses down her law line to which her breathing faltered. He slowly began to press his lips more firmly against her skin going lower to her neck. Amara tilted her head giving him access without thinking, "tell me honestly how this makes you feel."

"Nothing, but disgust," she bit her bottom lip, 'for myself,'

Aro placed an open mouthed kiss to her rapidly pulsing artery and sucked lightly, his tongue tasting her skin, careful to not bite her. She gasped for air releasing her lip. What felt like an electrical current shot right to her core from the contact. All reason left her mind as a fog overcame it. The only thoughts she had were of Aro bending her over her couch, ripping her under clothes off and driving into her with his hard cock at an ungodly pace. She felt a growl at the base of her neck before being pulled into his body causing her to feel the effect she had over him as well.

Marcus cleared his throat, "Aro, I believe you've proven your point."

Aro pulled back, releasing her skin with a soft pop. He looked at the small mark on her neck satisfied. 'It would be bruised beautifully,' he thought with a smile. He released her neck with his gloveless hand and turned her head so their eyes could meet. Her's slowly opened and were out of focus momentarily from the sensations that coursed through her. When her sight seemed to clear but before she could be upset with herself Aro placed a chaste kiss to her forehead, "One day soon, Amarantha, I will fulfill that request of yours. But first stop hating yourself for what you are feeling. I don't know what else to say other than it's natural."

Her breathing was almost evened out till he said that. Natural? Not for her. Automatically guilt wanted to ebb its way into her heart. She still thought of Luke even though they will obviously never be able to be together now. He chose his family over her in the end, at least that's what she's telling herself. And who could blame him? If Amara had a "family" she might choose them too.

"We are not telling you that you can't love him either, Amarantha," Aro having read her expression, "I know what he has done for you over the years and we are thankful for him having looked after you."

"We also understand time heals all wounds and that this one is fresh for you," Marcus eyed Aro till he released Amara fully, "We will also go at your pace, not ours."

"Like just now," her voice was so small when she asked.

"What happened just now shouldn't have happened," Marcus stated clearly not amused by Aro, "He was trying to prove a point in the wrong manner."

"In what manner was I supposed to prove it? She will only continue to deny it if not presented with it up front. Trust me, Marcus, I know," Aro turned to his brother, ignoring Amara's look of resentment.

"Aro we both-"

Tuning them out, Amara didn't know exactly how to react to what just happened. One moment she's angry ready to tear into someone, the next she's acting like a harlot throwing herself at them. One thing she did know was that she wasn't high enough to deal with this shit.

She went to leave the two arguing men for her art room. She didn't remember putting the book here after Luke's yesterday, but upon entering she found it in its regular spot on the shelf. She took it out and placed it on her desk. Amara went to load a pipe because rolling anything was out of the question right now. When filled she quickly was able to light the bowl and inhale the smoke. She coughed upon releasing it, but it didn't stop her from doing it one more time.

'What am I going to do?' Amara felt lost even with the high starting to kick in after the quick succession of hits. Usually this could clear her mind and help her think, but right now the only thing she could think of were Aro's smooth lips. She nearly slapped herself. 'Think of anything, but them for a second,' she begged.

The need to escape her emotions was so high she went about looking for anything sharp within her art room. It was the big drawer on her desk that contained what she was desperately needing. Pulling out the box cutter she paused momentarily. What she was about to do was something she hadn't done in years. What she was about to do would set her back in so many ways. What she was about to do was very stupid on her part.