𝕄𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕝// 𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕒 𝕊𝕨𝕒𝕟 𝕩 ℂ𝕒𝕦𝕚𝕤 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚

My Angel: Chapter 15

MARCUS

Aro pursed his lips and brought clasped hands up to tap twice upon his chin.

"You know brother, I find myself surprised by your decision." He mused as he fixed narrowed eyes upon me. "I was certain you would have wanted to get rid of young Edward."

I withheld a sneer with great effort. "Trust me," I spat. "I would take great pleasure in transforming the boy to ash this very moment. However my satisfaction must take a back seat to logic. In this time of political unrest I believe it unwise to take drastic action against a large coven so well liked as the Cullen's." Aro nodded his agreement and remained silent. "We need to make an example of them by enforcing a fair punishment and by allowing them a chance for redemption. You know as well as I that our opposition grows daily. It will not be many years before a struggle for power is upon our door. I feel we would do better to use the Cullens to our advantage, and possibly gain more support for the forthcoming battle."

"So Edward...?" Aro queried.

"For a time the boy should be confined to a cell. We must ascertain the likelihood of him maintaining a rational line of reason and a firm grip on his sanity."

"What of the others?"

"Oh Aro," I breathed and watched as my brother's face cracked into an expression of unholy glee when he spotted the malevolent grin growing on my face. "Do you know," I drawled, "Isabella made the most interesting observation the other day..."

CAIUS

'I don't want him anywhere near me.' Isabella gestured emphatically as we walked the garden paths. 'He's turned into a dangerous lunatic!'

I couldn't hold back the bark of relieved laughter that followed her demand. "That makes me happier than you can imagine, my lovely one. Imagining him deep within the confines of the dungeon is still too close to you for my comfort." I admitted as I directed her to our favorite bench, curtained by a living wall of climbing blooms. Once she was seated, I took her face in my hands and placed a light kiss on her lips. "It was almost more than I could stand, seeing him so close to you today, hearing the filthy deeds he committed during his depraved stint of insanity." I closed my eyes against the horrors my centuries-old brain could so vividly imagine.

"So much could still go wrong with him so near." I whispered. Unaccustomed as I was to feeling weak or helpless, the sensation refused to sit well within me, but roiled under my skin until I could almost feel it crawling.

Isabella, my sweet angel, pulled me close and held me tight to her, lending me her strength while I lacked my own.

"Our punishment is to WHAT?!" A sudden shriek from the castle pierced our comfortable silence many moments later.

Two months. Two months three days and six hours ago I met the woman who would come to fill every crack and crevice in my battered and jaded heart and make it shining and new once more. I've been a coward long enough. Isabella has long known my intent for us to remain together always, and I can no longer hold to my fear that she will not take well to the transformation from human to vampire. My family are all confident she will do well, and I will place my trust in them. Tonight with the ring in my pocket I will ask her to be mine in every way. We have shared our minds, hearts and bodies. Now I wish to cement the joining of our souls. I will ask my other half to become my wife and my undead queen.

"Caius, if you pace any more you'll wear a hole in the floor. She will accept you brother. The stars that gleam in her eyes whenever you enter the room do not tell false tales. She loves you as much as you love her. Now listen to big brother Aro and go get us a new queen!"

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, but heaved a nervous sigh and after touching the ring once more in my pocket left to do his bidding.

As expected, Jane had been to work on my Angel, getting her prepared for an outing though Isabella had no idea. She and Jane often spend time on each other's hair and the like. Though neither are particularly the prissy type, I think they both find great enjoyment in caring for the other.

"My dear!" I called as I entered the chamber. A small body hurtled into my chest only moments later and the calming scent of Isabella filled my senses as her arms wrapped about my neck. I was hoping you had time for a walk with me this evening?" I asked, nerves already returning at the prospect of offering everything to this beautiful creature in my arms, no matter that I had no reason to doubt her answer.

I took her hand in mine and paused long enough for her to send a cheeky wave to Jane who nodded with a knowing smile.

She soon withdrew her hand and we spent the trip out of the castle grounds discussing a new local artist that she is mad about. We walked through the plaza and on until we reached a lovely natural area outside of the main part of town. The setting sun blazed bright across the landscape, bathing the countryside in hues of red and gold.

I turned to her and took her lovely face into my hands. "Isabella," I croaked. "My love, my angel, you have given me more than I ever dreamed to acquire. You have brought warmth and laughter and life into my heart and you have become more vital to me than anything I've ever encountered. Please tell me you'll be mine, wear my ring, take my name, and stand by me as my queen."

Emboldened by the soft smile on her face and the glistening in her bright eyes knelt to the ground before her. After withdrawing the ring I took one last fortifying breath and asked, "Isabella will you marry"

Her eyes snapped up to something behind me and only the fear that instantly filled them gave me any warning before a growl ripped through the air and a hard body slammed into mine. I grabbed at my attacker, trying to throw them without endangering Isabella. They paid no such heed. The attacking hands spun me and shoved hard simultaneously. I was traveling too fast, and just enough off balance that I couldn't stop in time. I slammed into Isabella, jarring her body dangerously hard into an old gnarled tree. Warmth coated my chest and the horrific truth was just seeping into my brain when I saw the first drop of red appear from the corner of her lips. A small cough from her throat sent more damning red spattering onto my shirt. "No!" I gasped impotently. "No!"

A feral snarl quickly approaching drew my attention just long enough to deal with my attacker. Ready for the charge this time, I used their momentum to hurl the vampire to the ground and rip the head of copper hair from his neck.