Then Comes Dawn

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

With you

"I'm alive when you're here with me"

Rachel Yamagata- I'll Find a Way

The walk from my parent's wing of the castle to the throne room felt like it was double the distance. My mother was quiet as she walked next to me, she seemed deep in thought about something. Perhaps she was thinking over whatever her and my father discussed last night while I was talking to Edward.

Walking through the double doors I noticed three things instantaneously.

First my father, Caius, and Marcus were sat on their thrones. They all wore various expressions; Caius was smirking savagely, Marcus looked piqued for once, and my father's face was filled with an almost manic glee. Renata shifted uneasily where she stood at his right shoulder her hand firmly pressed into his shoulder. She always got a little anxious whenever new vampires were near my father.

Second, there were eight members of the Guard stationed around the room. I recognized them as my father's favorites as well as his most formidable fighters. There was Felix and Santiago who were both extraordinarily strong. Heavily muscled and well over six feet the black-haired vampires were a force all on their own. Demetri was tall nearly 6'5 with short curly brown hair and burgundy eyes he was a tracker, he had the ability to track by thought. There was literally no escaping the Volturi when they wanted to find you, they sent Demetri after you.

Jane and Alec brunette twins who my father turned centuries before I was born. They are the youngest looking vampires among the Guard they were only thirteen when they were turned. Not that any member of the Guard was particularly nice but those two were sadistic. Perhaps they seemed more sadistic because of the harsh contrast between their child-like beauty and their actions. Jane can inflict crippling pain on another- thankfully, she can only attack one person at a time. As for her brother Alec while he cannot inflict pain, he can cut off all the senses of multiple people around him.

Chelsea and her mate Afton were present as well- I was not threatened with her presence, she could try to break our bonds all she wanted. As for her mate his gift was weaker, he could create the illusion of invisibility. Or perhaps more accurately he can cause another to simply overlook him in a fight and gain the upper hand. My gift easily canceled his out- and truthfully when his opponent was focused, they were able to break through the illusion as well.

Last was Valentina her thick black hair fell in large curls down her back and large ruby red eyes intently watched me as I walked in. She was an exceptionally skilled fighter perhaps the best on the Guard. She had the ability to slow time- luckily not perpetually but for a few moments. However, with vampire speed not much time was needed- she has single handedly wiped-out entire armies in the past. Plus, she is impossible to beat no one can keep up with her- obviously.

Third, and most importantly I saw Edward and Alice they were both facing away from the door- I noted the slight tenseness of their shoulders. I greedily drunk in the sight of my mate, my husband as a relieved breath finally made it past my lips. I lowered my shield and let my thoughts trickle into his mind. His shoulders relaxed just the tiniest bit once he started to hear my thoughts.

I love you

He turned around then his bronze hair was perfectly messy, his bright golden eyes looking me over carefully- no doubt checking that I was unharmed. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a white button up the sleeves were rolled up over his elbows. I loved when he rolled his sleeves up like that. Edward smiled my favorite crooked smile and reached for me at the exact instant I reached for him.

Home

I melted into his side while he wrapped an arm around my waist his hand gently rubbing over my belly for a moment. His tucked his head into my neck, his nose skimming down my neck, before he placed a light kiss at the base of my neck.