Forget Me Knot (Marcus Volturi)

Chapter 13: Judge, Jury, Executioner

            Marcus POV

I remember the day when Didyme begged me to kill her.

"Marcus, please!" Her nails practically dug into my arms.

"No! I will not—please, Didyme, tell me how I can help you. What can I do?" I reach her face, and cup her cheeks with shaking hands.

"There is nothing you can do, Marcus. I should have been dead a long time ago, but Aro took that from me. So, please...release me." Venom wells in her eyes, but they pool without ever being able to fall.

With her desperate plead, my sorrow quickly turned to anger. I peel away from her, disgust and betrayal smearing my face like war-paint. "I have tried everything, Didyme. But, if you will not change your mind, there is nothing I can do. Do not ask this of me again."

After those fierce words, I left our room. I never went back to reconcile, I never looked for her, for the numerous days that had passed as I tried to understand why she didn't want her life—her life with me. I couldn't begin to understand where all of this self-hatred had rooted itself in her. I know that she wanted children. I know that she wished for a completely average and mortal life, where we could live our days knowing that every second was special, because nothing was infinite. But I couldn't be that for her. I was already immortal when I had met her. I am a vampire and cannot bless her with the hopes of motherhood—though, since Isabella's hybrid mishap, we now know it to be very much possible, despite the low survival rate. I gave Didyme everything, including her life—but she didn't even want that. Now, I sit here holding the hand of my beautiful mate...my true mate. She had been bitten...but we don't know if she will survive the transformation. I should have learned from Didyme's passing. I should have learned to love Carena the right way, instead of comparing her or our relationship to that of mine and Didyme's—I should have known better. Carena was right...she isn't Didyme.

"Mio amato...come back to me. I am ready for you—for us. My Carena I want nothing more than to love you the way you want me to, and I will." I stroke her hair, tenderly—almost afraid that I would break her because of how fragile she looks at this moment. It has only been an hour since we've returned, and her wounds have yet to heal.... her body shows no signs of turning, but I make myself believe that it is just too early to notice any changes.

"Marcus?" The unusually quiet and timid voice of Athenadora sounds from the door of my room.

"Come in." My voice croaks. When Carena first arrived, my way of speaking had become more confident—stronger. But now it rasps like it used to when I was tired and bored of living.

"Brother." Aro says softly, as he and my three other coven mates cautiously enter my chambers. "You should take a moment to rest. Carena would not want you to be worrying like this." He places a hand on my shoulder, but I do not move.

"She hasn't shown any signs of transformation...is the venom taking? Should I bite her?" My chest tightens at the absence of her heartbeat, and the disappearance of our bond.

"Marcus, she has only just been bitten. You know well that transformations take days to complete. It's a very complex process. Carena will come back just fine." Sulpicia sits on the edge of the bed, watching Carena's motionless body with a sorrowful smile.

"Sulpicia is right. Carena will be fine after a few days—these things cannot be rushed. Believe me, brother, you are not the only one here that anticipates her awakening. Aro and I have much to thank your mate for." Caius holds Athenadora close to him as he watches Carena with the same saddened expression as everyone else.