* 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒔 !

jacob let out a frustrated sigh as he forcefully ripped a handful of pages from his notebook, crumpling them into a ball and throwing them in the general direction of the trashcan. a few days ago his biggest worry had been studying for finals, but his attention had shifted with the arrival of the volturi. still, he was determined to take his exams, as ridiculous as it may sound. the reason jacob had moved to seattle in the first place was for school. still it was pretty difficult to care about vikings when people were vanishing left and right. “stupid essay,” he growled, forcefully digging the tip of his pencil into the pad of paper until it snapped off. “i don’t have time for this,” he groaned, leaning back in his seat, the pencil falling to the floor as he folded his arms behind his head.

              every mean bone in rose’s body disappeared within the moments of her hues landing upon the volturi. she knew better than to test jane , of all the volturi members , she was on the top of the list of who intimidated the blonde. unlike many of her siblings , rose was not gifted with any power after her transition , other than her beauty that seemed to intensify , but beauty was going to get her nowhere in this situation with someone that could make her insides feel as though they were burning. ‘‘ apologies , jane. ’’ she said , hand forming a fist the moment it entered the pocket of her jacket. she hated apologizing , especially to someone that had stolen her brother’s loyalty & alliance. 

             ‘‘ was not expecting you to be the eyes i was feeling. ’’ way to make herself seem more weak. how could she not know it was a volturi member ? ‘‘ people like to stare in this town , can’t comment about being a fan of it. ’’

        she   relishes   the   change   of   her   attitude   .   really   ,   someone   so   beautiful   shouldn't   be   so   ...   appallingly   rude   .   and   jane   is   so   very   glad   that   she   has   rectified   it   .   she   takes   a   few   steps   forward   ,   delicate   movements   not   making   any   noise   .   a   testament   to   how   much   like   a   ghost   she   can   be   .   '   you're   very   pretty   ,   '   jane   comments   idly   ,   hand   reaching   out   to   skim   over   rosalie's   porcelain   skin   .   she   applies   a   bit   more   pressure   than   absolutely   necessary   -   a   mean   pinch   that   doesn't   generate   any   blood   flow   .   it   serves   as   a   reminder   :   rosalie's   UNDER   jane's   jurisdiction   .  

              ‘‘ the seat is completely open ! you look as though you’re looking for somewhere to sit , i’m happy to have the company. ’’ the petite-framed woman continued to stay curled up in the corner of her booth , hands holding tightly onto a new book she had purchased not long before she found herself in the diner. a basket of fries rested next to her soda , two things that she didn’t actually need but something to keep the booth saved to her presence. ‘‘ or you could continue to stand , either or. ’’ she said quietly , eyebrow flicking up on her forehead.

“——— i still can’t believe you actually wanted to come shopping with me.” not that she was complaining at all, it was combining two of her favorite activities into one: spending money on new clothes and spending time with her best friend. a few outfit options in her arms, she turns around with the biggest smile she’s had in a long time. “there’s no time to waste, can you try these on? i promise they’re not too out there but you have to show off your figure every once in a while.”

               she was rosalie hale. the beauty herself , the one that had the sparkle in her eyes & the flowing blonde hair that looked as though she put very little effort in it. she loved the attention , loved the stares. it was something she always enjoyed , being the center of attention & having everyone stop what they were doing to envy her looks , basking in her beauty. but lately ? the blonde was on edge , she glared at every man who looked in her direction ; scoffed at the barista who told her to have a nice day & even rolled her eyes as she left her home.

               as much as she wanted to blame it on her female emotions ; being a damned vampire stopped her from doing such. the tension in the cullen household had sky-rocketed since edward’s alliance with the volturi , & with them not making their presence known , rose couldn’t help but feel more irritated. ‘‘ i can feel your eyes on me , & it’s quite rude if i must say. ’’ she hissed , turning towards the other.

        she   had   been   following   her   .   an   opportunity   to   stretch   both   her   tracking   skills   and   her   boundaries   after   the   gala   .   her   pride   was   still   rankled   from   being   among   the   commoners   when   they   had   learned   of   her   masters   .   the   fact   that   she   hadn't   known   that   they   were   coming   ...   it   weighed   heavily   on   her   .   long   ,   dark   locks   are   tied   up   -   violet   eyes   blink   as   the   acid   of   her   venom   begins   to   burn   away   her   facade   of   humanity   .   but   when   rosalie   speaks   ,   jane   emerges   from   the   shadows   -   her   cloak   swishing   around   her   small   frame   .   her   laugh   is   hearty   ,   boisterous   -   yet   it   does   not   lose   the   sound   of   chiming   bells   .  

A human. A frightened looking one at that. Marcus can hear her heart beat faster, her breathing grow heavy. A human in the know. A dangerous thing, no doubt. Dangerous for her, at least. It would be in her best interest to be less…obvious. Marcus would not harm the human unless he felt she provided a particular threat to their way of life, their anonymity. Too soon to tell if that was the case for this human. He needed to know more, first. He would give her the benefit of the doubt - something other members of the Volturi may not. “No worries, no worries at all.” He relaxes his shoulder, allows himself to slouch slightly - a more human-like posture. “Looking for some fresh air?”

HE STANDS like a marble statue - only those in the know would know that he is just as cold to the touch and hard as such a thing. Marcus looks out the window, at this new city. He had been to the Pacific Northwest only a few times before, centuries ago, when this continent was still considered ‘new.’ Watching civilizations rise and fall, expand and shrink, had been one of the few pieces of entertainment this life had lent him. Maybe he would allow himself to explore this city - to see it firsthand, to understand how its ebbs and flows. He senses a presence drawing nearer and nearer to him. He is all too aware of each and every creature in the other room, particularly those he had traveled with. Was it so odd for a vampire to feel he needed ‘air’? Marcus turns around mechanically. “Can I help you?”

her reaction made him grin, she was always impatient - following her urge more than anything else. “you think ‘a few moments’ will be enough, sister? i know you like to enjoy your food.” he chuckled, looking over at his twin. hearing the name of his sire, alec thought back. the twins had never  got into trouble for thing they did, they never took a step wrong, but also aro never took a harsh tone towards them. they were the favourites of the guard… simply because they were the most powerful. looking over at jane again, alec simply shrugged. “you want to run the risk by finding out? patience, sister. it’s only a few hours of this masquerade, then we can choose someone and actually have some fun tonight.” he explained his logic, looking toward the crowd in front of them. “we just have to wait a little bit longer.”

“——— both of us look equally stunning, don’t even try me,” she narrows her eyes at the taller girl, the gesture was still nothing but playful. she just wasn’t going to allow her best friend to downplay herself on her watch. “i’ve had a century of practice, i’ve learned a trick or two; and formal events is where i thrive…” she admits with a melodic giggle; carefully taking the champagne glass in her hand. a glass that soon touched her lips as she took the smallest sip of its contents. “thank you… well, no actual reason. i saw you coming regardless of me trying to convince you not to and you being by my side is mostly a precaution. you do know this event is being hosted by the volturi guard, right?”

“enjoying yourself?” all attempts were made, always, to be absolutely cordial to JANE. edward never allowed himself to forget her power, ever allowed himself a moment of reprieve from the edge that he was on, in her presence. she could hurt him, and he was confident that he couldn’t take it - that stronger people hadn’t, and that he would crumble. that was FINE. she could hurt someone that he cared about, however, such an action even easier on this night - and that would be his end. yes, he behaved. what other choice had he ever had? 

the village was on fire, and the cloying smell of smoke mixed with the STENCH of spilled blood. their mother, a pillar of strength, of hope, was reduced to something… pitiful, in that moment. her dress was covered in mud, her knees digging even farther into the ground, though she wasn’t groveling. she didn’t REGRET the sin of that blonde boy with his huge RED eyes, clutched in her arms ; though it was so very evil. she wished that she would repent. say that it wasn’t TRUE. prove to the man in red that she was telling the truth, that this boy was nothing to her - there were screams coming from somewhere, spine chilling shrieks that kate would only realize LATER had been coming from her. the volturi ripped her mother limb from limb and threw the pieces on a pyre, the boy soon following - but she couldn’t bring herself to care for him.

it had been CENTURIES ; still, the memories came flooding back, the sights, the smells, all of them still fresh as a new wound. if she had a heart, it would have broken anew ; if she had the capability of BREATHING, she would have found herself robbed of oxygen. a hundred, hundred years could have passed without this meeting, and kate would still have found herself blindsided - but she reminds herself of her strength, and it makes it easier. she is not the child she was. she is not that newborn who stood by and watched as the only mother she had ever known BURNED ; and jane, as much of a reminder to that night she stands as, is only that. a reminder. “and i never expected to see the day the red cloaks descended on seattle, yet here we are. you must have been a VERY good girl this year for aro to give you such a treat.” 

        had   she   been   such   a   very   good   girl   this   year   ?   if   her   master   had   not   deemed   her   worthy   to   know   of   his   arrival   ,   jane   strongly   doubted   that   she   had   been   .   the   thought   is   enough   to   make   her   want   to   shatter   every   human   bone   in   the   room   .   the   donation   of   a   million   dollars   hadn't   been   something   that   she   was   privy   too   either   .   as   their   most   powerful   weapon   ,   shouldn't   she   know   everything   ?   she   looks   up   towards   the   stage   ,   violet   eyes   gleaming   with   uncertainty   for   a   brief   instant   .   and   then   she   forces   a   smile   onto   her   face   as   she   turns   back   towards   the   denali   :   someone   she   could   easily   victimize   .   besides   ,   she   had   already   done   it   .   she   could   still   remember   the   tenor   of   her   screams   and   the   absolute   grief   on   her   face   as   the   rest   of   the   guard   had   ripped   up   her   mother   figure   .   jane   didn't   have   one   of   those   -   chelsea   had   made   sure   that   she   didn't   need   one   .   because   of   chelsea   ,   jane   didn't   need   anyone   but   alec   or   aro   .

when did he ever agree to be an obliging host for this… charade? it was a genuine question he had asked himself more than ONCE on this night. try as he might to stay close to the sidelines and away from anyone with any burning questions, he was not invisible - and people still found him. the glass he holds carelessly in one hand is half empty by design, and the dismissive way in which he has decided to conduct himself ( expression vacant, words bored ) is equally so. no one wants to interact with a contemptuous child, he has learned, and he’s very good at putting on this show for his own good ; almost too much so. the couple who wished to question what it was like in italy for him and his ‘family’ make their excuses before he could get the chance, disappearing into the sea of bodies, and he feels…- he feels freed, until his sleeve is just barely tugged upon, and he turns to start it all over again-

warmth radiates from her. not just from the depths of chocolate eyes, not just from heart - but from the rush of sweet scented blood running in those faded veins, that lifesblood that he had once desired so much - that he still did. their skin did not meet, but that level of closeness was enough, and his icy arm felt suddenly on fire, and SENSE dictated that he pull away, with intent. a man who places a hand on a stove does not leave it there, to melt - and edward’s instinct, here, his mouth slightly ajar in sheer shock  - was to pull his arm away, pull himself in tight. shy away from this being who was not a figment of his imagination, anymore, come to torture him for his SINS. clouded eyes were the gateway to his soul, in this moment, and as every emotion possible played out within their depths, it was all that he could do not to crush the flute in hand through some sort of… reflex.

“you’re here,” he chokes out, and it isn’t a question.

“you’re-…” she had drowned, he’d been told. lost to murky depths. the vision of her in those final moments - terrified and alone - had haunted him so completely. it seemed…- it seemed too much. too much to be true. “… you’re real?” a choice of phrase chosen, in this instance, to be read as synonymous with alive. 

        his   facade   .   she   had   seen   it   on   his   face   as   he   had   talked   to   the   couple   ,   the   forced   upward   quirk   of   his   lips   .   and   it   is   so   reminiscent   of   the   expression   that   he   had   made   before   he   had   shattered   her   heart   into   a   million   pieces   .   she   still   remembers   the   cold   that   she   had   felt   as   she   had   stood   in   the   forest   ,   a   shivering   slip   of   a   girl   .   she's   not   the   same   anymore   .   the   sight   of   him   is   enough   to   send   her   heart   into   palpitations   as   he   turns   in   her   direction   and   briefly   ,   bella   hesitates   .   this   isn't   a   good   idea   .   why   had   she   ever   entertained   the   thought   that   it   was   ?   if   she   knows   what   is   best   for   her   ,   bella   will   turn   :   slip   away   into   the   night   like   a   phantom   -   she   will   leave   edward   behind   before   he   can   do   it   to   her   again   .   but   she   doesn't   move   ,   her   feet   are   planted   :   locked   in   place   .   as   always   ,   she's   a   stupid   ,   foolish   human   who   can   not   resist   temptation   when   it   is   placed   before   her   .  

        she   is   not   surprised   by   how   he   jerks   away   from   her   .   she   regrets   reaching   out   in   the   very   moment   that   her   fingers   graze   his   sleeve   .   his   skin   had   been   perilously   close   .   (   she   doesn't   know   if   she   would   have   been   able   to   touch   him   .   even   the   thought   is   enough   to   make   her   drop   her   hand   ,   place   it   close   back   to   her   own   side   .      )   fidgeting   ,   bella   meets   his   gaze   .   and   she   regrets   that   immediately   too   .   in   their   depths   ,   she   can   see   so   much   :   agony   and   grief   are   intermingled   with   surprise   .   she   too   is   surprised   .   surprised   that   she   is   able   to   move   ,   to   take   another   step   toward   him   .   she   raises   the   glass   to   her   lips   ,   takes   a   sip   and   tries   to   gather   her   thoughts   .   it   helps   :   the   reflex   means   that   she   doesn't   shatter   ,   that   the   lump   in   her   throat   doesn't   make   her   burst   into   tears   in   front   of   all   these   people   .

starter for: @doecease​​ !

alice can only smile wide and clap softly out of pure excitement when she sees her best friend looking as great as she envisioned when she sent her the dress. “oh my god! you look amazing, even better in person than i thought.”

as soon as he saw the ‘outfit’ jane had picked, there was no way that he was wearing it. he wasn’t a porcelain doll ( she much more fit the title ), and wasn’t about to play dress up for her entertainment ( she got that opportunity more than enough ). feeling her soft fingers on his skin, he already knew what she was wanting, because - not the fact that they were twins - but the simple fact that his throat was burning just the same. “what do you feel like? i would suggest we leave this little… thing early but i don’t think hosts should be so impolite.” he sighed softly, rolling his eyes softly. this was a volturi event, but alec and jane were just guard dogs, watching what people did.