Tenebrous ↠ Volturi Kings {1} ✓

043

Another tense day passed before we departed from Forks and headed north towards Alaska. I breathed a silent sigh of relief as we pulled away from the house, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. The plan was for Aro and Caius to return to Volterra while Marcus and I continued to Alaska for a few days' time. We would arrive back in Italy on the 22nd, just before Christmas.

"Ah, mi sombrita, we're so glad you're here! We were so angry when we heard how the Cullens treated you!" Auntie Carmen said, sweeping me into a tight hug that made my already aching shoulder, sore from the abrupt change in temperature, throb painfully.

"Hola, tía, I missed you all! I believe everyone is angry after what the family did," I agreed, resisting the urge to rub my shoulder when she let me go. I didn't want Marcus to worry.

"If it isn't my favorite Cullen! Let's get inside, we've had the heat on just for you," Kate said, grinning. The short days meant that it was already dark, and the wind chill plummeted the temperature to well below zero.

I grinned back, trying to keep my teeth from chattering as she herded Marcus and I towards the house. "Hey, Kate. Glad to see you in person. Inside sounds marvelous. It's frigid out here."

I greeted the rest of the family with hugs, thankful that none were quite as tight as Auntie Carmen's, and before long we were all seated in the living room. I was wrapped in a soft fleece blanket and Tanya had pushed a steaming cup of hot chocolate into my hands. The mug was almost painfully warm against my icy fingers. The liquid seared my tongue when I drank but warmed my stomach. I blew on it gently.

"So tell us everything, what happened when you went to confront the Cullens? Personally, I think Irina should have stayed for the show," Kate said.

I laughed. "Probably about what you expected. A lot of lecturing, I yelled at Edward, had a good long talk with Rose, and so on. Apparently, Alice saw this whole thing coming and somehow hid it from Edward in order to teach him - and the rest of the family - a lesson. I don't exactly appreciate being treated like a pawn-"

"Absolutely unacceptable, the disrespect," Marcus said, scowling. None of the three kings had been particularly pleased when they found out that Alice had allowed all this to happen.

"But I can't deny that her methods are effective," I finished as if Marcus hadn't just interrupted.

"Did it have the desired effect?" Eleazar asked.

"She seemed rather pleased with herself so... yes," I said, taking another sip of hot chocolate. Steam still curled lazily from it, but it no longer burned my tongue. "I don't think they'll try to pull anything like this again. But only time will tell, I suppose."

"Yes," Eleazar said slowly as Marcus gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. I grimaced.

His eyes widened at my expression of pain. "I'm sorry, tesoro, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, not your fault. It's been aching on and off for a while. Probably has something to do with the change of temperature and pressure."

"Santiago can fetch you some painkillers," Marcus said. Though Santiago was not in the room, he was evidently not out of earshot, as he appeared soon after with an Advil.

"Here you are, queenliness. You should have asked, no need to suffer in silence," he said as he dropped the pill into my palm.

"Don't overstep, Santiago," Marcus said, warning in his voice.

"He wasn't overstepping, Marcus. It's fine. Thank you, Santiago," I said, using the hot chocolate to help me swallow the Advil. Santiago nodded and took his leave, returning to his unseen post.