Baby Jane and the Battle for Volterra

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jacqueline Steve on December 3, 2012 at 4:40pm

Keep me posted, please! I love it!

~JJ

Permalink Reply by Seugnet du Toit on December 4, 2012 at 7:58am

Interesting scenario.  Hope to read more soon.

Permalink Reply by balletgirl on December 5, 2012 at 9:47am

Chapter 2 A taste of Sheamus
The next morning, I woke up after sunrise. The curtains are always closed and light never seeps through unless someone has carelessly done their job of concealing us from the outside light. Sheamus and Laydee are in charge of that. Laydee is the maid of the house.
My first thoughts were of Alec. I wished there was some way I could know how he is, where he is. I slipped my feet into Mary-Janes, and went to tend to our guest, Edward Cullen.
I went inside the torture chamber and found him lying on the bed, eyes half open.
“You need to feed,” I said, drearily. “Your eyes are black as coals.”
“I’d rather not.”
“You will die.”
“And, I’ll be better for it,” he said, with conviction.
“Why are you wasting my time,” I asked. I summoned Sheamus.
“I didn’t ask to be here and waste your time.”
“You will drink, or you will die. Aro wants you alive, so you have no choice in the matter. You will drink.”
“I understand,” he said, in a lifeless tone. Sheamus came into the room and stood close beside me.
“Yes, Miss Jane?” Sheamus asked.
“Our guest is thirsty. Let him feed from you,” I said, encouragingly. Sheamus walked over to Edward, cautiously, but ready.
“I don’t feed from humans,” Edward said.
“I know of your families’ ‘convictions’, and I don’t care. You will feed like the rest of us here, or starve.”
He didn’t respond. Sheamus frowned, feeling rejected.
“Edward, don’t make my duty any harder than it has to be,” I said. “I am to take care of you.”
“I don’t feed from humans,” he said, looking up at Sheamus.
“Sheamus, go outside and hunt us a rabbit or whatever little critter you can find hanging around, will you?”
Offended, Sheamus nodded and obeyed.
“We want you to be happy here, Edward.”
“I will never be happy, here,” he responded, coldly. “I had finally found some peace in this world, some bliss in my eternal hell, and then suddenly it was all stripped from me, with no warning or foreshadowing. I will never see my family again.”
“They weren’t your family. You were a coven.”
“Renesme was my daughter.”
“She was the only one. The others were not related to you. That was all for show.”
“We loved each other, despite that. Why did he have Alice murdered? She and I always felt like a packaged deal when it came to Aro.”
“I don’t know the details. You’ll have to ask him yourself.”
“Maybe I was naïve. Vampires aren’t meant to love. I broke a natural law and now I’m being punished. It’s the way of things. I should have never let my guard down. I shouldn’t have let her in my heart.”
Sheamus returned with a dead rat. He held it by its skinny little tail. Edward looked horrified. I was appauled.
“For Pete’s sake, just feed from Sheamus.”
“It’s dead. You killed it,” Edward said.
“Did you want to kill it?” Sheamus asked. “I wasn’t sure if you liked it dead or alive, but I had to kill it to keep it from biting me. It’s probably diseased.”
Edward pursed his lips.
“This is ridiculous,” I said.
“Signore Cullen, you can feed from me if you like. I am no virgin to vampire needs,” Sheamus said. “I am willing.”
Edward cocked his eyebrows as Sheamus took off his shirt, revealing years of vampire abuse. The many crescent shapes had woven into a pattern and told the story of a man with a dark fetish. I grinned to myself.
“My God,” Edward said, in horror. “How are you still alive?”
“I take vitamins, Signore. I am healthy, I assure.”
Edward’s eyes scolded me as if the scars were all my doing. But that is hardly so. Most of Sheamus’ scars were made by Chelsea’s teeth. I’ve only fed from him a few times over the years as a snack. I prefer to kill my prey, so I hunt the townspeople, not the help.
“Chelsea is quite fond of Sheamus,” I said.
“Well, I don’t want to come between them,” Edward said, sarcastically.
“It is fine, really,” Sheamus said.
“What would you like, Edward?” I asked. “A bigger rat?”
Sheamus let go of a suppressed laugh. Edward narrowed his eyes. “I will feed from you, now,” he said. Sheamus sat down next to Edward on the bed.
“I will be monitoring you,” I said. “Sheamus is well- liked here, so be care-.”
“I get it,” Edward scoffed. He leaned into Sheamus’ neck and pressed his lips against the warm flesh. What looked like a kiss turned into a deep bite. Sheamus’ mouth gaped open, and his eyes rolled. Edward bucked his eyes, the look of struggle on his face. A stream of thick dark blood escaped Edward’s mouth and ran down Sheamus’ bare chest.
Edward clawed the back of his head, holding him in place, and bit deeper. Sheamus cried out in pain. It wasn’t the pain of pleasure. He was hurting. I focused my glare on Edward.
“Ah!” Edward screamed and let go. He fell back on the bed, his body fighting an intense invisible fire. He kept on screaming until I shut my eyes.
“I tried to tell you to be careful with him,” I yelled, running to Sheamus’ aid. He was bleeding profusely. “Chelsea is not going to like this.”
“Am... Am I going to die?” Sheamus asked me, his eyes wide with innocence.
“No,” I said. “Go find Nurse. Tell her to stitch up your neck.”
He was losing a lot of blood and I wasn’t sure if stitches were all that he needed. But false hope was better than no hope. Sheamus got up and obeyed.
“I’m sorry,” Edward called after him.
“As old as you are, I expected you to know control,” I said.
“I haven’t tasted human blood in a long, long time. I hope he forgives me,” he said.
“Don’t worry about him. You better hope Chelsea forgives you, for your sake,” I said. “There is a bathroom behind that velvet curtain. Clean yourself up.”
“When can I leave this room? Do I at least get to walk around and stretch my legs?”
“You will. When Aro says you are allowed,” I responded.
“Aren’t you tired of taking orders from him? Don’t you want your own life?”
I paused. “He does make me weary, but I love my master.”
“How can anyone love such a tyrant. I don’t believe you.”
“I’m not asking you to believe me,” I shot back. “I know my place, it’s what’s kept me alive for so long. You wouldn’t be in this predicament, if you had known your place and kept to it.”
“Jane, we are only creatures of the night. It doesn’t mean we have to be heartless and not feel. Tell me, do you agree with Aro? If you do, you are as soulless as I thought you were.”
“I don’t care what you think of me.”
“Answer my question.”
“No, I don’t agree. And that’s where my rebellion ends. Don’t get any bright ideas and certainly don’t try to drag me down with you.”
“Aro can’t touch you. You could rule him and the entire Volturi guard with your gift. Many of you could, but you choose to be a sheep instead of a shepherd. Why?”
I paused. He was right. I have always known this, though.
“Too much power,” I said. “I would be afraid of destroying the world. It is possible and it scares me. I’d rather someone else make that mistake.” I turned on my heel and left the room, quickly, before he could respond. I called for Laydee, in the halls.
She appeared from a room holding a duster.
“Clean up this blood,” I ordered, pointing to the trail of blood Sheamus was leaving behind.
“Yes, Ma’am,” she said, proudly. “I will get a bucket and a mop.” She eyed the room behind me. “Is that the new prisoner?”
“We like to think of them as house guests,” I said. “Yes, behind that door is the new prisoner.” She seemed awfully interested in what was behind the door. “Don’t bother him. He almost killed Sheamus.”
She paused as fear struck her still. Her face turned white. I grinned.
“Don’t get so comfy, Laydee. Remember, you are among vampires,” I advised.
“Yes, Ma’am,” she said. She bowed and turned to go get the appropriate cleaning supplies.

Permalink Reply by Seugnet du Toit on December 5, 2012 at 11:25am

Very dark!  What would inspire Jane to take action?

Permalink Reply by balletgirl on December 5, 2012 at 10:39am

Chapter 3 Sheamus
(Pov Sheamus)
“Hold still, Sheamus,” Nurse ordered. It was hard to obey as she poked needles threw my skin, weaving in and out the stitches. “Chelsea got you good, this time, didn’t she,” she said, with a half-smile.
“It wasn’t Chelsea, it was Edward,” I revealed. Nurse bucked her eyes. Then, her smile widened.
“You sure know how to get around,” she said, playfully.
I chuckled. “It’s not like that.”
“If you say so.”
Nurse bandaged my neck. “You will be fine,” she said. “Stay in bed for a while, so you can heal comfortably. Try not to move your neck so much. I will send for a real doctor to check you out in the morning.”
“Thank you, Nurse.”
Afterwards, I confined myself to my bedroom. My thoughts were filled with Edward’s face. His bite did something to me. I can’t stop thinking about him. I went to the bath and caught my face in the mirror. I looked malnourished. My cheeks were sunken- in, my round blue eyes were pale and cloudy. I tied my long, blonde hair back with a rubberband. I longed to be one of them, a vampire. But, I wondered if it would feel different if I became one, if being fed from wouldn’t feel the same. It’s the most insatiable feeling, and I hunger for it like an addict.
Behind my medicine cabinet, I opened a bottle of B12 vitamins and tossed a few down my throat. Then, I washed them down with sink water. I glare at myself in the mirror and think about Chelsea and how she wouldn’t turn me.
She prefers me weak, but I don’t want to die. If I ask her to finally turn me, she would break my neck and kill me by her own hands, her own loyal servant. And I start to wonder, if the new guest, Edward Cullen would turn me instead. If I don’t get turned, I am dead according to Aro’s new harvesting project.
It won’t be the same. I envisioned my body lined up with other humans in a vegetative state. The very picture makes my skin crawl.
I haven’t seen my girlfriend in weeks. Working for the Volturi, there are strict rules if you are human. I can only see her when Chelsea permits me. Jane is more lenient, but she’s not around as much as Chelsea.
Friends that I made aware of my job look down upon it. They see me as a pet to the vampires. I don’t care what it looks like to them. I have only one goal since the revolution began, and that is to become vampire. I hope, with the new guest, that I can fulfill my wish.

Permalink Reply by Seugnet du Toit on December 5, 2012 at 11:39am

How?

Permalink Reply by balletgirl on December 6, 2012 at 12:27pm

Chapter4 Benjamin
“Jane, Aro is calling for you,” Chelsea said, standing in the doorway of my room. In my hands, I held Alec’s cloak between my fingers. A guard had found it and brought it to me. “Jane, are you alright?”
I stared at the cloak, angry, my eyes tearing. “Oh, Jane. What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I choked out.
“Is Alec…?”
“He’s gone,” I said.
“Jane, I am so sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for me. It’s what he wanted.”
She came and sat next to me on the bed. “What he wanted?”
“He didn’t want to die like a coward.”
“How do you know he is dead?”
“Why would they bring me this if he wasn’t?”
“I wouldn’t jump to conclusions, Jane. You know how clever Alec is.”
“He wouldn’t lie to me.”
“These are difficult times, my dear. All I’m saying is I wouldn’t lose hope just yet.”
“What are you saying, he is alive?”
She stared at me, her red eyes filled with promise. “Go see what Aro wants. We will talk later.”
Chelsea wrapped her arms around me. Not one to show much affection, I patted her arm.
I walked the halls of the main palace, my black cloak draped around me, Alec's cloak between my fists. My face was stone cold because of Alec’s departure. I pushed open the doors of the dining room. Aro was having a drink with Caius, and their wives.
“Jane, my love,” Aro jeered. “You look healthy, tonight.”
“My brother is gone. Are you satisfied?”
“No good evening? I’m insulted!”
“You should be.”
I never took my eyes off Aro. His cheery demeanor faded, and he became serious. “Sulpicia, Athenadora.” The wives left the room upon him calling their name. Caius sat down in a chair, with an arrogant expression.
“How many more, Aro?” I asked.
“It’s not my fault others fear me,” he said, jauntily.
“I blame you.”
“Jane,” Caius rolled his eyes. “Alec has not been announced dead. The guards were not able to catch him. He is most likely still on the run. Calm down, kitty.”
“Don’t patronize me,” I said. I threw Alec’s cloak into Caius’ face. He examined it and sighed deeply.
“What is it that you wanted with me?” I asked Aro.
“How is our guest, Edward Cullen, how is he managing?” Aro asked.
“He’s fine,” I said, blandly. Aro looked displeased.
“Fine?”
“Did you want him tortured around the clock? I don’t have time for that. Find someone else to fulfill your orders.”
“Jane, Jane. I know you are upset about your brother, dear Alec, but let’s not forget thou duty to thy master,” Aro pleaded, mockingly. Caius smirked. “Alec did a bad thing. He will eventually pay the price… if… he hasn’t already.” Aro brought his fingers together.
“If my brother is dead, I will never forgive you. Call off your silly plans. You are making everyone crazy.”
“No,” he said, voice stern. “Now that humans know of our existence, they will learn who is more powerful. We must establish their rank in this world.”
“It is not worth it!”
“Careful, Jane,” Caius broke in.
“It is you who should be careful, Caius,” I said. “You are the least gifted among us. It is a mystery to me why master keeps you around so.”
Caius’ expression turned icy.
“Now, now,” Aro said. “Let’s not turn on each other. Caius is not your enemy, Jane. The humans are. They wanted to destroy us, before I announced to the world my idea. Now, they want to be us. They are running around out there like chickens with their heads cut off! It’s a beautiful thing.”
“-Master, we have company,” Renata said. We all turned around. Standing next to Renata was a tall man, obviously vampire.
“Who might you be, young lad?” Aro asked, with a flicker of his wrist.
“My name is Benjamin, sir.” He bowed. I studied him. His posture was stiff, he had a straight face, but I could sense the fear behind his eyes.
“Benjamin,” Aro said, curiously. “How peculiar. Have we met?”
“No, sir. Not formerly,” He said, skiddishly. “I have come because I want to join the guard. I think I can be quite useful with my abilities.” He bowed again.
Caius smirked, out of jealousy.
“What can you do, my good man, Ben, if I may call you that?” Aro asked. Benjamin nodded.
“I can control all four of the natural elements,” Benjamin said. Caius leaned forward in his chair.
“Why do you look so familiar?” Caius asked, suspiciously.
Aro floated closer to Benjamin. “May I have your hand, if it’s not too much to ask?”
“There is no need for that,” I said. “He will tell you what you want to know.”
“Ah! Now I know. You were a witness for the Cullens,” Caius broke out, proudly. “Whatever brings you all this way to join our guard?”
“I,” Benjamin hesitated. “I just feel that putting my powers to better use by serving you is the right thing for me.”
Aro was still suspicious. “Give me your hand.”
Benjamin hesitated, and smiled, uncomfortably. He was nervous now. He slipped his hand inside Aro’s. Aro’s anger was hidden under a blissful fake smile.
“How noble. You are here to rescue Edward Cullen. You try to make a fool out of me.”
“No. That’s not it at all,” Benjamin countered.
“But, it’s right there, in your mind! You lie,” Aro said.
“No, Please, sir,” Benjamin panicked.
“Guards,” Aro called, softly. Three guards approached Benjamin, one on each side. One guard kicked his legs from underneath him forcing him to kneel, and then the other guard put his hands around Benjamin’s head, twisting it. Benjamin’s eyes bulged until finally, his head popped off. Two guards ripped both of his arms off. The other guard kicked what was left of his body to the floor, mercilessly, coldly.
It was a bloody mess. The arms and the head still had life in them. Benjamin's fearful eyes rolled around, looking in every direction. A guard stepped on one of the dismembered arms that was moving. They all laughed.
“Such a waste,” Aro crowed. “Save the head. Wrap it up nicely and deliver it to Edward, our guest. He should be aware of how much his friends care for him. They risk their lives to try to save him.” Aro laughed.
Caius leaned back in his chair and chuckled.

Permalink Reply by Seugnet du Toit on December 6, 2012 at 1:53pm

Poor Benjamin!