The clearing where my coven and I trained was eerily silent, the usual hum of insects and rustling leaves absent. Something felt… off. My instincts, honed to perfection by the powers I now wielded, prickled with unease.
Victor, always the most perceptive of my creations, was the first to speak. "We're not alone."
I glanced at him, his piercing blue eyes locked on the tree line. His stance was tense, his body coiled like a spring. The others picked up on it as well. Joan moved closer to Luca, her dark curls framing a face that was unnervingly calm despite the tension in the air. Aurora and Dante exchanged a glance, their movements subtle but prepared.
"Show yourselves," I called out, my voice carrying across the clearing like a command.
The response was immediate. Three figures stepped out from the shadows, their movements fluid and deliberate. They wore long cloaks, dark as the night, the unmistakable emblem of the Volturi embroidered on their chests.
The leader was tall and lean, his sharp features framed by jet-black hair that fell to his shoulders. His crimson eyes, a stark contrast against his pale skin, locked onto me with an intensity that could cut through steel. To his left stood a woman with silver-blonde hair, her expression cold and calculating. To his right, a stocky vampire with a cruel smile cracked his knuckles, clearly eager for whatever was about to happen.
Jason said his voice smooth and authoritative. "We've heard… fascinating things about you and your coven."
I crossed my arms, taking a step forward. Selene was at my side, her gaze fixed on the intruders, her body poised for action. My coven formed a loose circle around me, their loyalty palpable in the way they moved as one.
"And you are?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
"I am Marcus," the leader said, inclining his head slightly. "These are my associates, Celeste and Roderick. We represent the Volturi."
"The royal guard," Victor muttered under his breath, his tone laced with disdain.
"What do you want?" I asked, keeping my tone even.
Marcus smiled faintly, a gesture that held no warmth. "We've been monitoring you, Jason. Your abilities are… extraordinary, to say the least. The power to create life—vampires as strong as the ancients. It's a gift unlike anything we've seen in centuries."
His crimson eyes scanned my coven, lingering on each of them before returning to me. "The Volturi could use someone like you. We offer you and your coven a place among us. Protection, power, purpose. All you need to do is swear loyalty to Aro and the Volturi."
Aurora's soft laugh broke the tension. "Loyalty to Aro? That's what you're here for?"
Marcus's smile faded, replaced by a sharp edge. "This isn't a request."
I stepped forward, narrowing the gap between us. "You misunderstand. My coven and I don't answer to anyone. We've built our lives here, and we're not interested in your politics or your control."
Celeste's cold voice cut through the clearing. "You would be wise to reconsider. Refusing the Volturi has… consequences."
"Is that a threat?" Selene asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Roderick smirked, his eyes glinting with malice. "More like a guarantee."
I met Marcus's gaze, unflinching. "Then here's my answer: no. We're not joining you, and we don't need your protection."
The silence that followed was deafening. Marcus's expression hardened, and he took a deliberate step back. "Very well. If you won't join us, then you leave us no choice."
He raised a hand, and the attack came swiftly. Roderick lunged toward me, his speed impressive, but not enough to catch me off guard. I sidestepped his attack, grabbing him by the throat with one hand. His expression turned to shock as I lifted him off the ground effortlessly.
"You think you can intimidate me?" I growled, my voice cold.
Without hesitation, I tightened my grip, the sound of his neck snapping echoing through the clearing. I tossed his lifeless body aside, turning to face the others.
Celeste hissed, her movements a blur as she darted toward Joan and Luca. Joan met her head-on, her strength on full display as she blocked Celeste's strikes with ease. Luca joined in, the two of them working in perfect harmony to overwhelm her.
Selene moved with lethal grace, intercepting Marcus as he attempted to flank me. Their clash was a symphony of power and precision, each blow echoing through the forest.
"Jason!" Victor shouted, his voice sharp.
I turned just in time to see Celeste break away from Joan and Luca, heading straight for Aurora. I moved faster than I ever had before, intercepting her with a crushing blow that sent her sprawling. Before she could recover, I was on her, pinning her to the ground.
"You made a mistake coming here," I said, my voice low and deadly.
Her eyes widened, but she didn't have time to respond. I ended her swiftly, her body falling limp beneath me.
The clearing fell silent once more, the only sounds coming from the rustling leaves and the heavy breathing of my coven.
Marcus was the last one standing, his expression unreadable. He looked at me, then at the bodies of his comrades, and for the first time, I saw something that resembled fear.
"You've sealed your fate," he said, his voice cold. "The Volturi will not forgive this."
I stepped toward him, my gaze unwavering. "Then let them come."
Marcus hesitated for a moment before retreating into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.
As the tension began to dissipate, my coven gathered around me.
"What now?" Dante asked, his tone calm but serious.
"Now," I said, looking at each of them in turn, "we prepare. The Volturi will come for us, but we'll be ready."
Selene placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch grounding me. "You made the right choice."
I nodded, though the weight of what had just happened was settling in. The Volturi would not take this lightly. But neither would we.
We were more than a family. We were a force. And now, we were at war.