Penance ↠ Volturi Kings {2} ✓

025

Thanks to the effort and sacrifice of many, the Romanians had fallen. The danger had passed. The vampire world was safe - or as safe as it could be - once more.

And yet...

"Heidi will be here shortly," Santiago said, not cowing under Caius' irritated gaze. "She texted, they've only just returned. Would have beat us here but got stuck in traffic."

We had arrived back at the castle not ten minutes previous. Hugo had rejoined me, having spent the run back chattering with Emmett and Rose about comic books and cartoons. They doted on him already, but I was so accustomed to him being at my side, under my protection, that his absence made me uneasy.

"Drink your fill," Caius told Hugo and I. He, Aro, Marcus, and several others had congregated in the feeding room to await Heidi's return. She had been dispatched to retrieve a small tourist group as soon as our victory was confirmed to strengthen those who had been injured or weakened during battle.

Hugo nudged me lightly when there were no eyes on us. Drink our fill? he mouthed, brow furrowed in confusion. I shrugged minutely in return. Things were different here than in Romania. I didn't know when we would be forced to stop.

I leaned down to whisper quietly so only he could hear. "Take only what you need."

Caesar's eyes burned into us from across the room and I glanced up to meet his gaze. Besides the kings, he was the only one present who didn't actually need to feed - the rest, including myself and Hugo, were either thirsty or had been injured in battle and needed the extra blood to regain full strength. Regardless, his presence was comforting. I felt exposed without him nearby.

I heard the chattering of voices and the chorus of heartbeats before I saw them. Venom pooled in my mouth. Heidi pushed the door open. Uncertain, I edged back towards the wall, holding my breath to protect against the onslaught of scents that wafted through the doorway.

"Welcome, friends, to Volterra!" Aro said, spreading his arms. The screaming started. I balked. This was wrong, all wrong, not the way I was allowed to feed. It was a trick, a test, they'd retaliate if I acted. The walls were stone like Romania. This was wrong this was wrong thiswaswrong-

Get against the wall!

Doyle's voice, real, fake, doesn't matter, get against the wall-

"Rowan!" Hugo this time. Worry in his tone, or fear, it made no difference; he felt threatened. I pushed him back, behind me, against the wall where he couldn't be harmed, not if he was against the wall-

I sank down into a crouch in front of him, lips peeled back in a snarl, searching for the threat, searching for Doyle, I had heard him-

"Stand down!" I reacted on instinct to the order, relaxing and assuming a less defensive position. Caesar's hand closed around my shoulder. "You are in Volterra. There is no threat here."

Everything snapped back into place. I stared at Caesar, mortified and absolutely bewildered. "Caesar, what happened, I-"

"It's not your fault," he said. His other arm was held out behind him, a signal for the rest to stay back. "I assumed this would happen. Expected it to."

Caius interjected, angry. "You expected her to-"

Caesar whipped around, his teeth bared. "Quiet. I am her sire and the only one who can prevent her from snapping. Her instincts are all off. You have enough experience with newborns to have anticipated this. Give her a moment to reorient herself."

I felt off-balanced, my instincts warring against what I knew to be true. Feeding was not safe, but I am safe. There Romanian castle is stone, but this is Volterra. Doyle is lurking, but Doyle is dead.