Devoured Soul • Edward Cullen

[Epilogue]

523 days.

That's how long it had been since Anthea Caris had last set eyes on Edward Cullen. This was also how long she had spent cooped up within the walls of the Volturi's heavily guarded palace. Only brought on special occasions like some sort of fancy liquor that was saved for the most 'honoured' of guests.

Besides that she was kept underground in a room that Aro had sworn wasn't a cell, but that's what it was, a cell. Keeping her away from anything she ever wanted. But it wasn't like she was expecting much else seeing as how much 'grief' she had put her creator through all those centuries ago when she had made her escape. Her glorious escape that now seemed all too short lived.

She couldn't complain about the solitude though. It gave her more time to work of desiccating. Anthea had decided halfway through her stay that she would simply just rot away. She had nothing else to do and without Edward, escaping seemed meaningless.

Edward.

He had been to Volterra countless times, attempting to break in and 'rescue' her. Anthea had made sure that one of her main conditions was that he would never be harmed, which was why despite his irritating persistence; he was still alive. That and Aro secretly needed him. Because he was unhappy with the way Anthea was acting. Like she was being kept in a prison just to rot away though it wasn't like he had given her much else to do. But he knew as long as he had Edward to loom over her, she'd always been compliant, would always stay with him; where she belonged.

Aro was not pleased by her depressed attitude. He didn't want this Anthea in his guard. This was not the girl he had been clawing after for the past three centuries. He wanted the warrior. The runner. The survivor. He wanted Anthea Caris. But it seemed that there was no Anthea Caris without Edward Cullen.

"Where is she?" He snarled as soon as he was brought into the main throne room, eyes on fire as he scanned for her presence. "Where is Anthea?"

Aro looked up from the ancient book he had been lazily studying, a sly smile curling its way onto his wrinkled lips at the sight of the frantic Cullen. "Ah Edward, so glad you accepted my invitation.

"Take me to her." Edward demanded firmly, tired of his games and anxious to see his love.

523 days.

That's how long it had been since Edward Cullen had last seen Anthea Caris. That's how long he had been attempting to come to terms with is overwhelming feelings for her and his lack there of for Bella. He tried, he did to somehow push it down because he knew that's what Anthea wanted. But he simply couldn't, a love like that could not be ignored.

He was led marble halls by both Demetri and Felix. One standing in front while the other lingered behind. Edward had no fear for his safety in that moment even though they were both devising ways on how to kill him quietly and without the leaders knowing. He knew they would never as Aro would then kill them. He was needed. Because without him, Aro favourite toy was broken.

She looked like death.

So thin that she looked like she was just bones. Her eyes were black as they remained trained on the blank wall. He was afraid she would dissolve into dust if he even touched her.

"Oh Thea."

Her head turned slowly, every movement like a calculated, painful tick. When she finally made contact, she went into an even more rigid stance. "Ed-Edward?"

He smiled, rushing quickly over to her. He hardly noticed the look of absolute panic on her face as she began to shake. "I'm here, I'm here for you."

"No." She breathed and she was then pushing his touch away, gaze switching to the two guards at the door, Edward now seeing that Aro had joined them. Anthea stood up, her legs too thin to hold her so that she had hold onto a nearby cabinet. "You promised that you would never let him in here. You said if I stayed that you would leave him alone!"

"You need him, you're wasting away dear one. I'm only doing what's best for you." The leader tried to pacify though his words only seemed to anger her further.

"You have to go Edward! Forget me. Go back to Bella, live."

"I can't-I won't live without you Thea." He declared, his tone final and unwavering.

She froze again, hands falling from their place holding her up. She recognized the determination in his eyes. It was final. He wasn't going to let her go. No matter what she said he would never return to Bella where it was safe and away from her.

It might as well be now,

A gentle smile, fragile smile made its way onto her thinned out face before she was stumbling her way into Edward's awaiting arms. Her bony hands gripped his shirt tightly as an anchor to keep her standing, yet soon all of her weight was transferred to him as he wrapped swiftly around her. Anthea wasn't sure if she would ever get used to the sensation of touching Edward. It was the most confusing yet wonderful thing she had ever felt.

Her deep black eyes poured upwards into his, finger reaching up to trace the firm line of his jaw. "I love you Edward Cullen."

"As I love you Anthea Caris."

Their lips hastily scrambled to meet as soon as words escaped into the air and suddenly, she felt like she was dying all over again. She wished everything else would burn away so that they could stay like this forever but it wasn't to be. Her soul, her poor burnt, blackened, devoured soul poured out in that moment into that single entangled moment.

Fastening her eyes shut, she raised her palms to his head as their mouths continued to fit contently together. The red fire began to spread from her hands, it never being so painful to use her power as it was in that split second. Seeping in through his skull causing his eyes to widen in shock. She kept their lips fastened, her insides tearing themselves apart as the fire crept its way through their connection and into her own mind.

Edward was struggling against her, though his movements became weak as she continued to sear and scald his brain of every and all memories he had of her. Instead replacing it with a black haze of smoke that kept him from fully understanding or seeing them. She wanted to laugh at the sense of deja vu. It had only been a few decades since they were first in this situation.

But this time, it would be a lot more permanent. For both of them.

Well there you have it. The end. I know this is shitty and probably not what you would have wanted. But I've written this ending at least six times. And each time they actually ended up together it didn't make sense.But I did re-write their little moment when they finally said I love you because in the first few ones of this she just took his memories away. I know this is an extremely tragic and heartbreaking end for them but it seemed right as that's how their relationship always seemed to be. But I want to hear what you think so comment down below.

Thank you so much for reading this story. It really has been an amazing experience to write this for you. I was writing this last part and listening to the playlist I made for this story and I realized just how much I am going to miss writing Anthea and Edward's love story. Anthea is one of my favourite characters that I've ever written even though her story was never planned out. Thank you again for reading and commenting. It's been amazing.

love- p.

p.s i have a Harry Potter fic called guts over glory if you want to check it out.