Libra's Symphony (Alec Volturi x OC)

Postlude

 The heavy oak doors that concealed the access to our underground tunnels creaked loudly as they opened. Marching in perfect synchrony, the small group of cloaked returnees stepped into the artificial light that bathed the lobby. I anxiously scanned the group purely out of habit; there was no need for it anymore as the person I searched for was front and center, leading the other four vampires into the light. She pushed her dark grey hoodie down and walked into the illuminated area, revealing her immutable beauty. Her lovely features were only enhanced by the aura of power and confidence she emanated. As per usual, her dark hair was up in a tight bun and I longed to undo it, to let it fall free over her shoulders. A thin strand hung loose from behind her ear, too short to be held up and too stubborn to be kept in place with pins or hair products. I smiled fondly at the sight of that little reminder that she was mine. Her ruby eyes shimmered when she spotted me, mirroring the V shaped pendant on her neck.

"Waiting by the door like a beloved puppy," she teased me. "Cute."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't hold back my laughter. "You took longer than expected, I was worried."

"Still got no faith in me."

I took her in an embrace and accommodated my face on the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. Her own arms snaked around me and pressed me against her for a moment before she patted the back of my head and lightly pushed me away.

"Okay, that is quite enough. Let me go now. We have to debrief."

"Don't tell me what to do," I joked, earning a giggle from her.

My eyes wandered to the group behind her and I released her. The first person I spotted, of course, was Alina. Tall and imposing in her statuesque form but still recoiling as our eyes met. I chuckled.

A lesson well learnt.

They bowed to acknowledge me - even Alina, although her eyes never left me. I nodded to them in response.

Marina passed by the receptionist as quickly as she could while still keeping a human pace, pointedly looking ahead and ignoring her robotic greeting. I followed her with the rest of her team, trying to hide my amusement and failing. She looked at me from over her shoulder and scowled.

"I hate her."

"I know, my love. I will let you know when it stops being funny."

Viktor, Vera, Geoff and Alina walked in line behind me, Alina being the very last one - surely keeping as much distance in between us as she could. It had been a while since I laid a finger on her but she was still wary.

It was smart of her, there was no denying that.

When it was time to take the elevator, Marina sighed before kicking the panel near to the ground in order to summon one instead of using her cellphone like most of us usually did.

"I remember a time when you would make fun of me for disliking smartphones," I commented with false disinterest. "How the tables have turned. Now you are just like the rest of us, a grumpy technology hater."

She glared at me before entering the elevator.

"I don't hate all the newer stuff, just the awful and creepy things. Talking to inanimate objects? That's fine. Interacting with monsters from the eerie abyss of the uncanny valley? Yikes. That thing in the reception is cursed. I can't even look at her."

It was very interesting to witness that phenomenon. She was just old enough to be bothered by that type of advance and young enough that she was still not used to change. She was unnerved by the simplest, smallest differences between what she knew and the latest technology incorporated in the castle.