Chapter 24

He had snuck out of the castle with the head of Volturi guard.

Felix had convinced the blonde vampire to sneak out of the premises of Volterra. The past days had been hard for Jane and he was certain about it. If he did not whisk her away, they would surely lose their sanity as well. Working in Volterra posesses both good and bad sides as well.

Belonging in a powerful coven like the Volturi had guaranteed their safety and survival however their sanity was the price to pay. It was the constant fear of being replaced and being disposable. It was an internal battle that deemed you to be better than what you are before.

It was very draining emotionally.

"Are you sure this is alright?" she asks as her horse came to catch up with him. The burly vampire's hair flew against the wind as their horses galloped towards the cliff side with the elder tree in it.

"You do need to loosen up, Jane." Felix said as his horse came to a halt as they have arrived to their destination. "You cannot be playing by the rules all time. Like after he did to you." He grumbled as he assisted her down the horse.

The incident with Caius had left a sour spot within the burly vampire. The events had left a somber mood between the Volturi guards as rumors had spread like wildfire throughout the ranks. Who would not be surprised as Caius openly favored the blonde vampire and to strike a hand against her was uncalled for.

"You know how Caius is with a temper." Jane said as she pulled her cloak tighter as the winds of the chilly night grew stronger. "We really cannot do anything about that."

The two vampires were then greeted by the stench of the elder leaves. The tree had been their favorite dwelling place in order to escape the harsh life Volterra has to offer. It overlooks the lush terrains of the outskirts of Volterra yet it was not visible due to the mere moonlight as it's illumination.

"Jane..."

'Claim her.' Those were the voices that rang inside his head. Being in close proximity with her did not help either as the burly vampire trailed kisses on her neck. His hands were working on loosening her garments amidst the several layers of her clothing. There was a desire within him to be intimate with her.

His instincts were telling him to be one with her and his body complies to do so.

Their lips crashed against one another. She was inexperienced yet Jane had gone with the flow. It was as if a different force of nature had her withdraw away from him. Something that was compelling her to shy away from him.

"Stop..." she looked at him with guilt. He had pulled away from her in confusion.

"Is there anything wrong?" He asks with concern laced in his tone.

Voices were whispering in her head. The echoes had told her to stay away from him. It had bothered her since he had been showing interest in her. Felix had been with her throughout her darkest times yet she did not understand why there was a need to pull away from him. Was it because of the intimacy he displayed?

Yet she felt it was something worse. Something deeper and sinister.

"I think we should it slowly. I feel uncomfortable,"she lies instead and did not tell him her woes.

Jane did not tell him about the unseen force that was pushing her to distance herself from him. It would be better after all and he would not be worried. She deduced that what she felt was all in her mind after all.

"What happens now?" He asks as they laid underneath the blanket of stars.

"What do you mean?" Jane asks her red eyes stared right through his.

"Aro spoke to me regarding the two of us," he reveals. It certainly caught the blonde vampire's attention. "He did not tell me to stay away from you, which i did not expect from him. The master just told me that we set our boundaries between work and personal relationships."

The burly vampire had expected the raven-haired king to tell him to stay away from the blonde vampire given his history with her. Felix was not blind in order not to see what was between the lines of their master and Jane. The raven-haired king's response had him wonder why.

It was as if he was complacent that Jane will remain loyal to him.

Their previous act of intimacy had him wondering about the strange feeling he could not shake off. The burly vampire knew that Jane felt it too yet she had not said anything. He had remembered what he had asked Demetri one time about the nature of Charmion's powers.

"How can you tell if Charmion is messing with your bonds?" Felix had asked the question out of blue during one of the sunny days where they chose to stay at their common area.

"Why did you ask?" Demetri asks yet a snicker tugged on the corners of his mouth. "Possesive over your girl too much?"

The burly vampire gave him a look of annoyance and the tracker could only sigh in defeat. Demetri looked into the burly tracker eye to eye. It was unusual to see the Volturi's tracker to be serious after all. The brown-haired vampire has a notable reputation of being playful.

"Nothing is certain however they say you feel discomfort: not like Jane's but it had something to do with your mind. I do not know how to explain it but it's like a force that compels you to do something."

The burly vampire easily knew that Jane's reaction was not being uncomfortable because of the display of intimacy. How can he fail to not see what was transpiring. Charmion's powers were described as the force that compels you to do something against your will.

They were compelled to stay away from each other involuntarily.

Someone had been messing with him and Jane's bonds. The raven-haired vampire's actions were already clear towards them. It had been clear as day as why Aro was so complacent of Jane never leaving his side. It was also the reason why he did not feel threatened of the Volturi guard.

He was the only one with the motive and the power to order Charmion.

So he laid there with her, entwining her hands with his, knowing far too well that one day Jane would not remember what the two of them had been through. The truth had come at the cause of knowing that he would lose her too.

Alec had been stuck with her again on night patrol.

He did could not fathom why she had wanted to patrol given she was already a higher rank. Charmion's personality had been a mystery to the male witch twin. It sparked his curiosity as Alec wanted to know who Charmion really was. He was certain that there was to the female vampire than what meets the eye.

"Why do you still go on patrol?" He blurted out. "It is not that i do not want you here but..."

They stopped walking as Charmion faced him. Panic rang through his head as the male witch twin thought he had offended her in some way.

"You are curious." Charmion finishes it for him. The dark haired vampire could not help but nod in agreement. The linchpin of the bonds was straightforward with her words as Alec was cautious with his words. The two had lingered in the highest towers that overlooked the whole Volterra.

"If i may ask you, Alec." Her voice echoes through the wind that gently blew in the corridors. "Why do you do it, as well? You are the second in command next to your sister." Charmion counters.

Charmion did not need to hear his answer as she knew the full reason behind the male witch twin's persevered nature. Both of them knew the rumors that transpired that Alec was in a high pedestal because of his sister. Alec's silence throughout the whole ordeal had branded him as guilty as well.

"To prove them wrong." He answers with confidence.

"Who is Alec Volturi, without his sister?" She asks inquisitively. It was not to question his credibility but it was to get through him. Her ability to speak of a delicate topic without offending him impressed the male witch twin. Alec however chose to play along as the naive teenager he was perceived to be.

"I am certainly more than just Jane's twin brother." Alec counters and the dark haired woman chuckles. "Are you insulting me?" he asks in confusion.

"No." Charmion smiles. " I patrol to prove them wrong as well. We persevere to let them know that we also work hard to attain where we are now," she confesses.

In some ways, the two of them were alike. Alec had to live under his sister's shadows as the head of guard. He did not deny that he loved his sister so much however there were times that such feelings of envy cannot be helped. Charmion, in return had come to Volterra as an outsider sought by the Volturi. She had rose through the ranks with her powers yet some question the legitimacy of her rank. Both vampires had been under the scrutinizing view of the guards.

"We may seem to be more alike than we think." Alec stated he looked at the dark-haired woman when she was not looking. A silly infatuation began to form from the male witch twin. Charmion, however felt the weight of his stare in the corner of her eye.

He hand brazenly held her hand. It was a gesture of comfort yet confusion at the same time. Alec had looked into her eyes and smiled. Her presence began to grow on him as well. In those years, he had devoted himself to his sister and to her only. It seemed to be improper for him to feel this way.

Yet he had let his senses get the best of him.

"We'll have each other's backs right?"

Their hearts danced underneath the moonlight, yet the sun rose once more. They would eventually go back to what they were. Alec would be the twin brother of Jane Volturi, always in her shadows. Charmion would be linchpin to the Volturi's success, hidden in the shadows.

How ironic was it that two shadows fell in love with another?

Heidi laid awake on her bed.

After the execution of her former coven mates, she had not been the same. Her days in her hometown was numbered as the Volturi had seized them. Her coven member, Noela, who was at the end of her newborn stage was accused by attracting too much attention. They had spent their days in the dungeons of the Volturi castle as the masters decide on what their punishment was. Hilda,however, told them they would only end in death.

She laid in the cold floor of the dungeons. Heidi had been disinterested with every matter the moment they were brought to Volterra. The woman with mahogany hair could hear faint footsteps that grew louder with each second passing. Victoria had nudged her on the shoulder.

"Someone's coming."

The five of them were alarmed with the sudden presence of someone else. The guards did not usually associate with them as they were their captives. Heidi's gaze lifted from the ground and she saw three vampires outside their cell. One was a petite blonde wearing a dark cloak, a young brunet who seemed to be at the same age of the blonde vampire, and a dark-haired vampire whom Heidi deduced was not in her teens like her companions.

"Follow me if you wanted to live." The blonde vampire whispers in her ear. Heidi could feel an arm on her figure as she was ushered out. She could only obey for the fear of dying.

Heidi could vividly remember what Jane had asked her to do. The blonde vampire had told her that they were to be executed. The woman with mahogany hair panicked upon knowing the Volturi's decision not until Alec had told her a way to be spared. It would require her to betray her coven.

The three vampires had forced her to lie to save her own skin. Heidi was uncertain yet she found the urge to trust the three vampires who had offered her a chance to live. Betraying her coven in exchange for her safety was something she had not imagined. Heidi felt indebted to them somehow.

During their conversation, she did not know that the execution was already carried out. She was oblivious to the fact that it was all planned after all. The offer to live was just a diversion to single her out from the ones who were to be executed. In the middle of their conversation, someone knocked.

The guards informed them that her coven members escaped and naturally the three vampires left. She was left with lower guards who watched over her. The alluring woman was taken to her designated chambers to get changed. As she was part of the coven already, she had been given the cloak and the signature crest of the Volturi.

She had worn that cloak, the alluring woman had found it heavy on her heart yet the material felt light on her frame. Was it her consciousness that weighed upon her? Heidi did not know.

"Toria..."

Heidi had caught a glimpse of Victoria's unmistakable ginger hair. Victoria had looked at her in scorn once realizing that Heidi had joined the ranks of the Volturi. Victoria's hair could match the intensity of her anger as she scanned the alluring woman from head to to the guards, Victoria was the only one left alive as the others were executed already.

"Don't you dare come closer, traitor!" the woman with red hair spat.

Victoria's words stung as Heidi was faced with the bitter truth that she betrayed them at all. When faced with her survival,she had no choice to be selfish after all. One would care only about themselves with faced with situation like her own. She paid no mind to her former coven mate's explosive anger as she walked towards her.

Victoria remained in her defensive stance. Her once coven mate was now her enemy and the ginger haired vampire would not hesitate to dispose Heidi if she happened to get in the way of her escape.

"Just surrender, Toria!" She exclaims. Heidi would have wanted her to face the charges and not live in fear. The ginger haired vampire however made up her mind to escape. Victoria knew that the Volturi would not let her live for another day if she were to be caught. "I dont want them to kill you!"

"There you are..."

Heidi spun around and saw Jane walking towards them. Panic crept up to the woman with mahogany hair in fear of Jane accusing her with helping the enemy. Victoria tensed up as she knew far too well who the blonde vampire however remained silent.

Her gaze flickered towards the two vampires and she could only sigh. Her conscience had been bugging her so she had let one matter slide. Letting Victoria go would compromise for the sins she had committed. With this way, she knew she could be redeemed somehow.

"Leave." She addresses the intruder. "Don't ever come back."

Jane's decision that day shocked her. She had not known the reason behind why one of the highest guards let the captive go. Heidi tried to assess the situation by looking for any clues in the blonde vampire's face.

She saw none, as usual.

The guards had branded the blonde vampire as an emotionless yet ruthless leader. The guards had told her that the high and mighty witch twin had admitted her mistake in the throne room. It resulted with Caius striking a hand against her and nearly pitted a fight between Aro and Caius.

She had taken the blame and Heidi was guilty for that.

"Jane..."

The blonde vampire looked back to see the woman with mahogany hair looking at her with uncertainty. The head of guard understood that Heidi may have been in the dark with the reason of her action.

"Thank you, Jane..." she grasps the blond vampire's hand in gratitude. "I will not breathe a word about this."

Heidi thought that at that moment, she had found an ally within the ranks. Jane seemed to be quiet but the mahogany haired woman knew she was deadly. The alluring woman however was oblivious of the guilt that the head of guard was feeling. Jane was tortured by the treacherous thoughts of her head as she knew that everything was planned all along.

With the exception of one of the captives escaping, of course.

"You better be." Jane stated quietly. "Or else, the masters would not hesitate to have our heads on a silver platter."

With every time she happened to pass Jane, the alluring woman was made to remember. If it was not for Jane letting Victoria go, they would have all been in danger as well. Every time she glanced on the blonde vampire's petite figure, she was reminded of a secret she shall take to her grave.

Jane had done her a favor, the best she could do is keep a secret.

Her conscience had been eating her alive since Didyme's death.

Jane knew it in herself that she had not been truthful enough to the Volturi. She had broken quite some rules as well yet were brushed off as she was the head of guard. The secret of Didyme's assailant however was the one who would keep her mind running all day.

The blonde haired vampire had spent her days in seclusion as she refused to come out ever since she and Felix sneaked out of the castle. It had been a week since she had stepped out of her chambers. Alec did not bother her as he deduced that she was still sulking with what happened in the throne room. The men in her life knew better than to disturb her in this state she was in.

The memory of her death burned in her mind. Every method she tried in order to deemed to forget seemed to not work. Now those memories chase her within her every waking moments. The thoughts of the past had plagued her with painful memories. The ghosts of the pasts devoured her soul as it had forced the head of guard in seclusion. Shadows creeped and the voices of her conscience grew louder.

The truth was buried deep in order for her to protect her Master.

The head of guard could not help but do this out of love for him. Jane had long convinced herself that she was trying not to love him, yet here she was hiding the truth in order to protect him. The blonde vampire could not be wrong in protecting him, Jane convinces herself.

There was a desire to protect him. A need to urgent to deny.

Everything she had witnessed was running through her mind. All of the things she had heard were plaguing her thoughts and slowly tearing her apart. The truth was revealed right in front of her eyes, but she can't seem to tell a soul about what happened last night.

By hiding the truth, she was killing Didyme as well. Jane would be guilty as her master was.

She was already doomed from the start. Hiding the truth may have been her biggest betrayal in order to protect the person she loved with all of herself. The whole time, Didyme was trying to save her charge from the horrors of herself. The raven-haired vampire's efforts were all for naught as Jane had brought everything to herself.

If only if she listened to Didyme that night.

Her feet had led her to the familiar path of Marcus' private wing of the castle. She had raised her shaking hand as she attempted to knock. The door burst open before she could even make her presence known. Marcus had stepped out of the ajar door and seemed to be going somewhere as well.

"Jane?" The one who sees the bonds was surprised to see the blonde vampire. She had not step a foot inside his private wing since he had summoned her to his study after Didyme's death. It was the last place she wanted to be in as every corner had reminded her of the memory of Didyme.

"I have something to say..." Jane began. She had clenched her fists in order to not tremble in fear.

"What is it?" Marcus inquires. "If Aro sent you to fetch me for the newcomer is arriving, i am certainly on my way. However it seems that is not the case."

He scans her face despite the apathetic demeanor he has. Marcus looked at her from head to toe, then his gaze lingered in her eyes that were pitch black. She had not been feeding for several days already. The one who sees the bonds looked at her with concern, breaking his mask of apathy.

"You had not been feeding." He states the obvious. Marcus had placed a hand on her cloaked shoulder. "Do manage to keep yourself together, do it for her. Not for the guard or even Aro."

Guilt had crept up to her once more at the mention of Didyme. She had remembered the reason why she was led here. The blonde vampire was supposed to tell him the real reason behind his mate's death. There was something within her that seemed to have her tongue tied.

No matter how she tried. It was as if she could not say anything.

It broke her heart to see him in this condition. The couple had been one of her coven's parental figures, and it was heartbreaking to see things turn out this way. It was as if Jane was killing her by remaining silent, but she knew what was important to her. Her mantra was to prioritize Aro, and she did not, and cannot, be the one to expose him.

She loved him too much.

"Go eat and rest. I will tell Aro i was the one who dismissed you. By the state you are in, you do look like a mess." Marcus then pauses as if he remembered something. The one who sees the bonds could recall she had something to say to him. There conversation was stalled as he noticed something was wrong with her. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

The blonde vampire tensed up. She was still torn on telling him the truth, yet her conscience was already bugging her. Hiding everything was killing her inside. It kills her to look into his eyes and see the price of her silence. How could she had someone feel like this?

Nothing had prepared the blonde vampire with the feeling of the deepest, truest pain of losing someone so valuable for the first if given the chance for do overs, she'll gladly do it all over again. To get rid of the hurt, the pain, the sadness she felt just to feel her presence once more. The head of guard found it funny that despite how painful it was, she would choose to live in the past, in order to get a glimpse of what could it have been.

What could have been if Didyme were still alive? If she had stepped in and not kept quiet?There were no what if's already, the past was done. She could not do anything to change it. Looking at her master directly, she said:

"It's nothing." She brushes it off. "Its what you said, regarding the newcomer."

Marcus however was not convinced.

AN:

Its the same Victoria in the movies if you were wondering. According to her backstory, she and Heidi were coven members before Heidi joined the ranks of the Volturi. Dont forget to read and review as i would love to hear from you.