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Complexity
By : TwilightScribe
Category: Twilight Series > Slash
Views: 3825 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.
Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Title: Complexity

Fandom: Twilight series

Pairing: eventual Marcus/Seth

Part: XII. What's Left Behind

Prompt: 009. past

Words: 2121 words

Summary: Volterra was his prison, an entire city, but it didn't make up for the fact that he was alone and tortured. There had to be something to make this death sentence worthwhile.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight series, and I don't claim to own it either. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer, and I only write these things to satisfy the muses and make nothing from it.

XII. Uncertainties
“Only later did I learn that Katia was gone; she knew too much, and to them, she was expendable and a weakness. That was something that couldn’t be tolerated; they liked their feelings of invincibility.”
After that, Marcus fell silent. He’d drifted away from Seth while he’d been speaking, and his voice had taken on a distant quality that scared the young man just a little. He wasn’t used to Marcus sounding so… apathetic; it was something that he wasn’t used to hearing from him. He didn’t think that anyone could sound so detached from their own past that they way they talked about it made it sound like they were repeating a story that they’d heard a hundred times before. It was unnerving.
Marcus’ hands were resting in his lap, clenched into the fists, the only sign of an emotion that had been burning so deep in him for centuries. He’d never been able to find it in himself to forgive the monsters who had killed his sister.
She didn’t have long to live anyway… why kill her?
It was a thought that had tormented him for so long. He knew that Katia had presented a weakness to the Romanians – that much they’d told him – and that weaknesses had to be dealt with accordingly. But Katia had been ill, she wouldn’t have lived longer then the year’s end; there was no point, no sense, to having killed her sooner.
When Raewynn had told him – against orders and because she had felt he would worry and perhaps do something reckless – he’d been heartbroken. It hadn’t helped his already strained relations with Stefan or Vladimir, and it only served to make him that much more determined to bring them down.
Revenge. That had been his motivation for joining Aro and his growing coven, the Volturi. He had inside information that the young vampire would need to take down the Romanians, and he’d been all too willing to part with it. As long as Stefan and Vladimir paid for what they’d done, then he was fine with whatever the means were.
Marcus was snapped out of his morbid and almost chilling thoughts when the scent of salt water reached his nose. For a second he was confused, but then he quickly remembered that no, he wasn’t alone, and that he wasn’t imagining the scent or the sound of a pounding heart nearby.
Looking over at his companion, Marcus could see the glistening trails on the young man’s cheeks and belatedly realized that he was crying. Hating himself – after all, he had probably reminded Seth a little too much about his own sister who he’d mentioned – for causing the wolf such pain, he slowly reached out and brushed away the tears with his thumb.
“I’m sorry.”
That seemed to startle Seth, because he looked at Marcus with wide, confused eyes for a few seconds before he himself realized that he was crying. He shook his head, raising his own hand to roughly wipe away the offending moisture.
“S’not your fault.” Even when his cheeks were drier, his eyes were still red and a bit puffy.
“I reminded you of something that I shouldn’t have,” Marcus replied softly. “And for that, I must apologize.”
“You apologize too much, stop it.” Seth’s anger was missing much of its usual bite. He sighed, and in that moment he looked incredibly tired and, well, mature. And again, Marcus was surprised by just how beautiful the other could be.
“If you wish.” Marcus hesitated, then, “Are you tired?”
“Not really… I’m just…” Not seeming to be able to find the words that he wanted, Seth took an unsteady breath before giving a weak grin, “I guess we’re kindred spirits in this.”
We both have lost the relative who we held the most dear.
“Your sister still lives,” Marcus murmured, hoping that he wouldn’t be crossing some invisible line with what he was saying. “I’m sure that you will see her again one day.”
Seth’s face dropped a little, but his voice was soft and full of a genuine emotion that Marcus couldn’t put a name too, “Thanks Marcus.”
In what seemed to be an unconscious movement, Seth leaned into Marcus, letting his head rest on the vampire’s shoulder and letting out a sigh. He seemed so relaxed and at ease – what could almost have been a first – that finally Marcus felt his sixth sense snap into a little more focus; it had been clouded since Seth had waltzed into his life.
A pleasant shock ran through Marcus’ system as he registered the warm feelings and the almost inexplicable draw that he felt towards Seth was, in actuality, returned in almost desperate earnest by the young man. He could feel – he’d known for a long time that his relationship with Seth was different from every other one that he’d shared with anyone else – but this was a first, even for him.
The draw was so strong, and whatever it was that was causing the bond between them to form, it was powerful and couldn’t be stopped. Not that Marcus wanted it too; he was having problems imaging what his life would be like if Seth was suddenly gone from it.
He was jolted back to the world going around him when Seth shifted just a little closer, as though he was seeking comfort from the physical contact with the vampire. With the understanding of what his gift had told him, Marcus complied with the silent request and gently wrapped an arm around the young man’s shoulders.
The two of them stayed like that for what felt like hours, but in actuality was more like several very long minutes. Eventually, they were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
Alec’s voice carried through the heavy wood of the door, “Heidi’s returned, Marcus.”
With the smaller vampire’s reappearance, the spell that had been cast over the two was broken, and Marcus looked down at Seth, feeling a surge of worry well up within himself. He didn’t want to leave Seth when he was obviously feeling so vulnerable, but at the same time he knew that if he didn’t feed soon then he would most likely do something rash and stupid. He might have had much more control over himself then a newborn – or even some other vampires – but that didn’t mean that he had ridiculous amounts of control like Carlisle.
At times, though, he wished that he did.
Still wet and teary brown eyes met Marcus’, Seth managed a weak smile, “You’d better get going.”
“Will you be alright?”
The question hung in the air for several long moments, and Seth seemed to be contemplating it heavily before he answered. When the words came, they sounded hesitant, but there was a certainty in them that told Marcus that Seth would be alright.
“I’m still upset… but don’t worry about me. You need to… feed, and I shouldn’t be keeping you from that.” Once more, the young man attempted to give Marcus a smile, and while this one felt more genuine then the last one, it still didn’t completely reach Seth’s eyes.
On a spur of the moment idea, Marcus leaned forward and pressed his lips to Seth’s forehead in a quick peck, “I will return shortly.”
Seth nodded in acknowledgement, and then Marcus was out the door, quietly and quickly conversing with Alec.
The younger vampire’s eyes were a bright shade of red – he’d obviously fed before coming – and he peered up at the older vampire with his usual stoic face, “Another attack, last night. Jane’s already left to see if she can trace the one, or ones, who are responsible; she took Demetri with her.”
Marcus nodded, “Where?”
“Not far from here; they are definitely moving closer to Volterra, and they’re also clearly aware of our existence. The bodies have all been easily found; there have been no signs of even attempting to hide the remains. Whoever is behind this is definitely trying to get our attention, and they have it now.”
Marcus fell silent for a few moments, contemplating the information that he’d just been given. He carefully made note of what was important, and was almost terrified to realize just how much of it was recognizable. He felt his doubts begin to melt away and he had to fight to keep his own terror from consuming him; he’d been right, Seth would be in danger.
“Stay with Seth. No matter what, do not let him out of your sight until I return.”
Alec inclined his head, eyes fluttering closed, “Of course.”
Once he was assured of Seth’s safety, Marcus strode hurriedly away from Alec and his rooms. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing had clicked.
Vladimir had to be involved.
There wasn’t any question of that, all of the pieces fit together; it was a strategy that Marcus had seen before. It was the very same one which Aro had used in order to draw out the Romanian coven; a suggestion of which Marcus had given him. Vladimir wouldn’t back away from a direct threat to his power, and he didn’t forget things. He would remember with startling clarity just what tactics had been used against him in the past.
This was just his way of taunting them. While Marcus doubted that Vladimir would act directly against the Volturi; he didn’t have the power or backing to go against them. Whatever it was that Vladimir was planning, it had to do with vengeance or regaining his lost honour; the reasoning probably would make little sense to him.
In some ways, Vladimir and Aro were a lot alike, both of them loved power – savoured it – and were always striving to gain more. Whereas Aro had sought to boost his power by surrounding himself by highly gifted vampires who swore their loyalty to him and with cunning plans and subterfuge; Vladimir, on the other hand, preferred to go about achieving his goals in a more straightforward manner.
Unlike Aro, Vladimir made no appearances at being compassionate or civil; he was ruthless and bloodthirsty, and that was a reputation that he cultivated and adored. If he only had Stefan at his side, he would be fine with that; he didn’t need anyone else to fight his battles for him.
But like Aro, Vladimir could play people’s and vampire’s hearts too well. He knew just where to apply pressure, how much, and when. He was an expert at getting people to bend to his will, and he also understood far better then Aro the ties of mates.
It wouldn’t take him long to figure out just how much Seth meant to Marcus, and then he would exploit that fact. Marcus knew that Vladimir was desperate to have him back; he had been the pride of the Romanian coven, right below Stefan. He knew just how highly in demand his gift was.
And he knew that Aro was a collector gifts, and that he only liked to include those which he considered valuable to him in his coven. But he also knew that Aro harboured a deep-seated jealousy – almost hatred – of Carlisle and his coven. Aro desired so many of the gifts of that coven but he couldn’t possess them.
“With them, we would be invincible.”
Shaking himself out of his dark thoughts, Marcus focused instead on what he needed to do right then; he could think more on Aro and Vladimir’s possible motivations later.
Entering the plain hall that had originally been designed to be a dining hall, Marcus wasn’t surprised to discover that many of the humans who had been brought there had already been slaughtered. Blood had been smeared and splattered on the floors and walls, creating a gruesome scene of death and murder. The new bloodstains covered the old ones, and the room had a decidedly unsettling and terrifying feel to it.
Taking a quick glance around, Marcus noted that there were a few humans still alive. His eyes focused on the relatively young woman who was weeping over the broken and bloody corpse of a young man; clearly her husband. He felt a tug of pity for her in his heart, and immediately was in front of her.
She looked up at him, her face oddly devoid of emotion despite the tears streaking uncontrollably down her cheeks. The look in her eyes was one of hopelessness; she knew that she was going to die, and she’d accepted that it was inevitable. Her posture and expression spoke of resignation and desolation.
Kill me, just end this. Her entire body seemed to scream that message, and Marcus couldn’t deny her silent pleas.
He swept down on her in a blur of black fabric, pinning her easily to the ground with a little more force then was necessary. She let out a quiet noise of shock at the sudden movement, but offered up no resistance to the vampire.
His teeth sank into the tender flesh of her neck, ripping through muscle, tendons, and nerves. The venom surged into her body, and she finally let loose several agonizing screams that largely went unheard by the vampires in the room. Her blood poured out of her body and into Marcus’ mouth in surges of rich heat, filling him, revitalizing him.
Under Marcus, her body seized up and writhed from the combined pain of the vampire’s bite and the venom. Her struggles grew weaker as more and more of her blood left her, her skin losing its rosy hue and turning cold, pale like the stone beneath her. Her heart beat frantically in its last few beats before those beats grew slow and sluggish before halting completely as almost all of her blood was drained.
Marcus pulled away from the empty body, wiping the excess blood off on his sleeve – he would have to change and wash before returning – his eyes had brightened, turning into a warm shade of red that was reminiscent of wine. He was still thirsty, though, and he turned to the next human, striking without a thought and letting his instincts drive him through the ritualistic actions.
Heidi was waiting for him outside the hall when he finished. Her eyes were wide and bright red – she had yet to put her contacts back in. Quietly, she fell into step just behind him as the two of them walked through the halls of the palace.
“Rumours are flying in the city,” Heidi murmured softly. “Even some of the tourists whom I brought back were nervous about being in the area. They kept muttering about how the murders were random; that there was no pattern to them except that all of the victims had been killed in the same way, suffered similar injuries…”
“They want our attention,” Marcus murmured softly. “And now they have it.”
Heidi nodded, keeping her eyes forward, “This changes things.”
“It does.”
Silence fell once again, and Marcus could hear the dull grind of Heidi’s teeth worrying her lower lip, “Are you going to take Seth into the city tonight? Alec mentioned that you were.”
“I made a promise, I intend to keep it.” Marcus offered no other explanation for his out of character actions; it didn’t matter to him that he was acting strangely, even for him.
“I’ll stay nearby just in case I’m needed.”
“You think that wise? It could draw more attention to him – make him more of a target – especially if there are spies in the city.”
Heidi shook her head, “He’s already got a target painted on his back the size of France; if you haven’t noticed Marcus, he’s already starting to bear your scent claim. Any of our kind would be curious as to why that is. I won’t leave him, or you, defenceless.”
“Is this your way of proclaiming your loyalty?” Marcus was often confused by the young, female vampire. Her actions were often contradicting and didn’t always make sense to him in the grand scheme of things.
She scowled just a little, “I’m doing this for Seth; he’s the first person to accept me – vampirism and all – without hesitation. I won’t let anything or anyone hurt him; and that includes you.”
The way she said that last bit was forceful, with a little bit of threat thrown in for good measure; Marcus wasn’t surprised to hear Heidi speak like that. She’d always been a very passionate individual, especially towards those whom she cared about.
“He has that effect on us all.” Excluding the more inhuman of us.
“I’ll go clean myself up; you don’t have to wait for me.” And with that she was gone; Marcus could hear the soft shuffling of her clothes as she ran up the staircase.
He sighed and continued on; there was a spare bathroom in his wing that he could use. Absently, he wondered if he would have to dispose of his clothes too, because they obviously smelled of human blood and of death; and that could potentially upset Seth. He eventually decided that he’d simply leave them in the room for the servants to collect and wash for him; they knew the drill.
Even if the smell of their stain removers was atrocious.

.:-o-:. .:-o-:. .:-o-:.
The sensation of the hot water was a welcome relief. Marcus tilted his head back under the spray of water, not paying attention to the slightly pink hue that it was taking as it washed away the blood which had soaked its way through his clothes. He’d already scrubbed himself down with soap to erase the scent of the blood as best he could, and he could only hope that that was enough.
Turning off the water, he stood for a few moments in the shower, taking a few deep breaths; he hadn’t felt so nervous and giddy in years. It was a strange experience.
When he stepped out of the shower, he wasn’t surprised to see that his clothes were gone and had been replaced with his usual choice of slightly formal, out-dated wear. Even though Heidi had once lamented his choice in wardrobe, he hadn’t cared enough to ever update it with the times; fashions came and went too quickly for him to really pay attention to them. But now that he paid a little more attention to it… he wondered if he would stand out a little too much next to Seth.
After all, Seth clearly had had Heidi’s help with his own wardrobe, and it was considerably more modern then his was. But then Marcus decided that it didn’t really matter; no one else was complaining about what he wore, but maybe he would speak to Heidi on updating his choices a little more. A little diversity couldn’t hurt.
Drying himself off, Marcus dressed with the same precision and speed that came with many years 0f practice. Once he was sure that he was entirely presentable and that the scent of human blood had all but been erased, he left the bathroom and made his way back to where he’d left Seth with Alec.
Seth’s scent trails were remarkably easy for him to find and follow, simply for the fact that the young man hadn’t spent enough time in the wing for his scent to permeate it. That would come with time, and as such, it didn’t take Marcus very long to trace the wolf and his guard down to the sitting room.
Obviously Seth had heard him coming, because he was already tucking his bookmark into one of the books that he’d borrowed from the library on Marcus’ suggestion. He set it aside on the nearby table and turned to face Marcus.
Alec was lurking unobtrusively in one of the corners of the room, eyes closed and breathing even. He showed no signs that he’d heard Marcus even enter the room; he only acknowledged the older vampire’s presence with the barest inclination of his head.
Returning the gesture, Marcus watched Alec drop his crossed arms before the young vampire had walked calmly to the door, opening it, and leaving the two of them alone. The door closed behind him with a soft thud.
Seth took in Marcus' appearance; the fresh clothes, the clean scent, and the renewed brightness of his eyes. He didn't say anything about the change in appearance; after the first few feeding sessions, he'd learned not to say anything about any of the changes in either Heidi or Marcus; it was better and easier to deal with if he didn't think about it.
His expression stayed the same, almost completely blank with the slightest cast of sorrow to it; it didn't matter that the people killed were nameless, faceless strangers to him. They were still people, and it still hurt Seth to know that they were dying in order to sustain people who he cared about. It was a difficult dilemma, and it was one that he avoided thinking about as much as possible.
“Aro will allow nothing less then what he regards as our 'true' food source.”
Mentally shaking his head, Seth managed the best smile he could for the vampire and was relieved when Marcus gave a small one in return.
“Is it too late for me to drag you into Volterra for a couple of hours?” Seth asked, his smile growing and softening just a little.
“No.” Never too late for you.
- 12
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Complexity	By : TwilightScribe Category: Twilight Series > Slash Views: 3825 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Complexity