The Calling (Aro x Marcus x Caius)

κεφάλαιο βιβλίου • 9

Norman Cousins once said "Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we live." Even in a state of unconsciousness, I could tell that something in me was dying. I was very much alive, and yet part of me wasn't.

Perhaps it was the flashes of red that haunted the darkness. The memory of slow, crimson drops splashing against crimson stained floor. Or maybe it was the overwhelming metallic smell that seemed to coat my nose, something unidentified lurking just behind. Whatever it was, that innocent part in me that didn't recognise death in its natural state found itself dying.

Maybe it was a dumb thing to say. I hadn't SEEN someone die. But I felt like I had. I'd seen the lifeless bodies of my beloved dogs Hang from a rafter like some sack of meat at a butchers shop. Their memories would haunt me- I knew that. Even if I didn't know what was going on, I knew I'd never forget the sight of my bloodied home and my wrangled pets. I wanted to forget. YiaYia always said it was important to remember, but I didn't want to.

I wanted that memory gone from my mind forever.

A soft gasp escaped my lips as my eyes parted open, the room blurry around me. Immediately the memories flooded back, and I realised the only reason my vision was blurry is because I had been crying in my sleep. The tears didn't stop. Instead they continued, and I had to bite my lip to stop a wail from escaping. I didn't want anyone to hear me.. but apparently luck had completely abandoned me the past few days. "Deep breaths, passerotto." Immediately I looked over at the man standing above me, his figure muddled from my tears. But I could recognise that voice from anywhere, despite only having heard it a few times.

Marcus leaned down, fingertips gently brushing away my tears, and I realised how cold he really was. Not in personality, but in touch. He was as cold as the snow that littered the world, but I didn't mind. It was soothing. What wasn't soothing was the sight of his Ruby eyes I could finally see as he cleared away my tears. Jerking away from his touch, I looked away, my eyes squeezing shut almost instinctively. It hurt to look into his eyes.

It just reminded me of them.

"It'll take her a while. She's showing clear signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it's amazing she's this responsive as it is."

Carlisles voice was full of sympathy, and I knew I probably hurt Marcus's feelings by pulling away. I didn't want to, the man had been nothing but kind, but I just... I couldn't stand the sight of red at the moment. I didn't realise Marcus was gone until Carlisle told me it was alright, my eyes slowly peeking open to see it was just the two of us in the room. Ironically enough I was in the same make shift medical room I had woken up in the first time, and I couldn't help but wonder if something would have changed had I just stayed.

Probably not.

"Can you tell me the last thing you remember?" Carlisle asked softly, voice barely above a gentle hum, but I heard him in the silence of the room. For a room so full of things, it truly felt empty. "..Blood." My voice didn't sound like mine. It was hoarse and rough, and I figured it was probably a symptom of all the screaming I had been doing. It tends to wear your vocal cords and throat out after all. "Where is my grandmother?" I spoke, staring up at Carlisle from where I lay on the bed, and from the look in his eyes I knew I probably looked like a pathetic little orphan kid. Which technically- I was.

"We don't know. We've contacted the police but there's no sign of her. They believe that she most likely... designed the attack and fled."

The anger that flashed through me was unimaginable, my body jerking to sit up so quickly that my vision swirled in front of me. Carlisle quickly caught me as a sat up, the man the only thing keeping me from falling over. "They believe WHAT?" For a voice so hoarse, there was a certain sharpness to it that even I didn't miss. But I didn't care. The police were trying to blame YiaYia for that? For the blood, the ruined property, the death of my dogs?! She loved those dogs. She loved that house. She loved ME. She wouldn't just do that. I knew she wouldn't.

"It's just speculation. The police have no real evidence of anything and you were eliminated as a suspect considering you were unconscious during everything. For now, your grandmother has been listed as a missing person and a silver alert has been issued." Carlisle tried, hoping it would soothe me, but I found myself shoving him off of me anyways. "My grandmother isn't a murderer. She wouldn't do that." I spoke again, but even I could tell that my anger was slowly dissolving into helpless desperation.

I felt so weak.

So drained..

"I know. YOU know. Which is why when we find her, we can figure out what happened. For now, you've been excused from school and placed into my private care."

His words had clearly meant to be soothing, but my dying anger only flamed up again. "Your care?" If sensing what had just happened, Carlisle shut his mouth, waiting. "YOUR CARE? After I threw myself out of a window to escape-" "you slipped-" "YOU KIDNAPPED ME!!" I shouted back, voice cracking from how sore it was. I needed water. And pain meds. "Alice grabs me in the woods, I wake up here, and you won't let me go! I have to jump out of a window and have three freaky red-eyed men make you let me go! Then I go home and they're- they're DEAD and Lo and behold I end up RIGHT BACK HERE!"

I hadn't realised there had been a blanket on me until I was throwing it off my body, my legs moving to carry my off of the bed. Carlisle took steady steps backwards as I stalked forward, the air around me practically vibrating with anger. "If I find out you did this, Carlisle Cullen, I swear I will hunt your entire family and hang them from rafters just like my dogs. I will not be some sick toy you can kidnap when you want to." The threat was weak, but it was clearly enough, Carlisle stepping to the side as I grasped the door handle. Opening it, I wasn't surprised to see Marcus standing before me, his arms gently encasing my figure.

"He didn't do it, mia angelo." He whispered, but I didn't hug back, simply standing limply in his embrace. It seemed enough for him. "You don't know that..." I whispered back, but it was barely audible as my voice strained to speak. His hand made its way to my hair, and I knew Marcus heard anyways. It wasn't until he was running his fingers through my hair that I realised at some point it had fallen out of its braids, but I didn't care anymore. I probably looked like shit. I didn't have blood on me anymore at least. "We'll find who did it, okay? We'll help you." His nails gently scratched against my scalp, the feeling almost enough to send a shiver down my spine, and I allowed myself to relax into the feeling. I was just so tired. I didn't want to cry anymore, but I found myself doing so anyways, choked whimpers escaping my lips.

I felt pathetic.

I felt lost.

But I also felt safe in this mans arms.. this man who's eyes I couldn't even bring myself to look into. This man whom I'd pushed away, gently holding me as I cried. I shouldn't feel safe in such a moment with an absolute stranger, but I did. I felt safe and I hated it as much as I loved it. I didn't deserve to feel safe. I needed to be frantic, out there searching for my grandmother. But instead I stood still, letting Marcus hold me, letting him run his fingers through my hair as I cried.

Nothing needed to be said in that moment, but soon- soon I'd get answers.

...Just not yet.

A/N: I only updated this out of spite tbh 😅 So you can thank Todacakes56 for adding this to a reading list called "Gone be a while till it updates 😒😨😩😖🥱🥱". I updated, okay? I updated ;-;