( media : Ricardo )
Rosalie Yang's eyes snap open, dark crimson. The first person she sees when she wakes as a vampire, again, is Novalee. Rosalie jumps up and hugs her before she smells Emma, a shifter and snarls her nose, before her crimson eyes widen.
Rosalie runs... flashes to the mirror at the dresser in Jasper and Novalee's bedroom, where she was moved after the venom had reached her heart. Rosalie frowns at her red eyes.
"A man... A vampire..." Rosalie pauses. "He bit me..."
"What did he looks like?" Novalee asks as she walks over to her best friend.
"He was tallish, built, brown hair," Rosalie explains. "Crimson eyes, he feeds from humans. He kind of resemble you."
"Ricardo," Novalee sighs. "He works with the Volturi, and he's turning people? Aro will not be happy with him."
"But he won't be happy with us when they find out about Renesme," Rosalie says. "She is still pregnant by Jacob, right?"
As their conversation goes on, Ricardo Morningstar Volturi is standing at the edge of the yard, hidden by the shrubs, listening to every word. As their conversation finishes, he returns to Volterra.
"When are you going to Athens?" Rosalie asks her as they head downstairs, Novalee had mentioned it.
"Tonight," Aludra replies from the counter, where she's drinking from a bloodbag. "Our flight on the private jet is tonight. Your Volturi friend Marcus sent it."
"Uncle Marcus?" Marcus smiles. "Their jets are spacious."
"But you'll be with us today?" Rosalie asks. "I have to call Preston and divorce him. But I don't wanna lose my babies."
"You know they're safest in China, where the Volturi can't get to them," Aludra speaks. "Those men, the kings... they're ruthless. You were lucky my daughter was pregnant when they learned of darling Renesme."
"I know," Renesme coos, she's already showing, Carlisle thinks she will pop within three months if not sooner - he's never seen this before. "I'm scared."
"Don't be, sweetie," Aludra coos as she touches a hand to Nessie's face. "You've got all of us protecting you and your child."
~~~
Novalee sits on the balcony with Jasper. They haven't been able to bond much since they left Mexico, their honeymoon. The sun's out but the trees are hiding the rays, protecting the vampire. Jasper walks up close and he kisses Novalee.
"It feels like we haven't kissed in forever," jasper mumbles against his wife's lips.
"I know," Novalee Hale whispers in response before she connects their lips again.
~~~
That night, Aludra, Novalee, and Marcus head to the airport. Jasper and Emma decided to stick around. Jasper and Novalee had a conversation after they finished kissing. Novalee is going to stick around Athens for a little while, to catch up on the culture and her country.
They talked to family after, and they're all fine with it. Marcus talked to Leah, he's staying with Novalee in Greece. They'll Skype daily and Marcus said he'd be back when Novalee decides to. He doesn't want his mother to be alone in Athens, in her hometown.
~~~
Aludra brings her daughter and grandson to the cemetery on the outskirts of Athens once in Greece. The rock at Achilles's grave looks cracked, it's an older rock. Aludra leaves the two alone as she goes to their family home.
"This is your grandfather, Marcus," Novalee says to her son. "Achilles Morningstar."
"Was he Nice?" Marcus asks.
"He was the one who disowned me because of who my friends were when I was fifteen," Novalee replies. "The only time my family on his side noticed me was when I moved to Italy. My mom and I... We were always close."
"I can tell," Marcus replies as he bends down to the rock. "Will we be living in your childhood home?"
"That's where my mother went," Novalee replies. "To clean it up for us, my son."
"Is grammy going back to Washington?" Marcus asks as he walks with his mom through Athens, they go to some historical sights Nova hasn't seen since she was a kid.
"Yes," Novalee replies. "She wants to keep an eye on Jacob and Renesme."
Marcus nods as he follows his mom through a stone architecturem, something old and looks wore down just about it. But it's been around for thousands of years. Novalee has led him through the red clay floors as Aludra lays out Novalee's unknown brothers birth certificate, Ricardo Morningstar. (Name sounds familiar?)
~~~
Aludra is done gone by the time Novalee and Marcus teach the two story family home made of stone. It is freshlat painted white, and still looks as good as Novalee remembers. Nova was born in this house, and it's where she was kicked out at fifteen.
Novalee walks in and she frowns at the familiar feeling, the homey feeling. Marcus takes off on his own with his guitar, and checks the house out. Novalee goes to one of the rooms, it was hers when she was fourteen. It's been redecorated, by Aludra more than like,y. Nova smiles before she sits, Marcus walks in and tosses his mom a blood bag.
"Let's do human blood while we're away from Forks," Marcus says as he opens a bag for himself. "It wouldn't kill us."
Nova smirks and she drinks the blood bag as Marcus leans against the doorway.
