[ XX ] Chapter 20

"What. . ." I murmured, shock running through my system. Caius is married? Did he intentionally play with me. . .? No! My subconscious screeched in denial. He loves us! "No. . ." I whispered. "I'm sorry, I have to go." Without getting the 'OK' from the queen, I leapt up from my seat and ran as fast as I could out of the room. I ignored Santiago's glare when I brushed past him; I was focused on trying to find my way back to distance myself from Athenodora and I.

After a few turns and stairs, I found my room. Throwing the door open and slamming it shut, I locked it, not wanting anyone to come in. I restrained my scream of frustration and instead, I flung myself on the bed, hugging a pillow to my bosom. I couldn't do anything. I've never felt this foreign feeling before; never loved another in my entire life. Heck, I was still a friggin virgin.

Slowly, I unchained my iron doors and for once, I enjoyed the flow of information flooding my mind. As always, the feeling was foreign to me. It felt like my brain was shifting and expanding until it hit my skull and started hurting. It felt as if a hammer was pounding on my skull. Wincing, I looked for Athenodora's files and looked into it.

Athenodora

Volturi Queen

No special abilities

Wife to Caius

I hadn't realized I was sobbing until I felt my eyes stinging with the venom tears. Viciously, I wiped the tears away and forced myself to concentrate on Caius' file this time. Shifting through the time of his past, I finally found what I was looking for. It took place right after he watched me storm out of the meeting. Caius was told by Aro to get close to Genevieve so he could try and gain information from her gift. So that was it? He never cared for me?

Of course not, Genevieve. To him, he's a king and you're a lowly peasant. The thought was like a slap to the face. I curled up in a fetal position and closed my eyes, not wanting to face reality right now. I reminisced our hunt, the exhilaration I felt—but of course—that he didn't feel. I buried my face into the pillow.

He never cared.

Another sob tore through my throat and I just wanted nothing more than to die. Oh Vienna. . . My subconscious sighed in resignation as she just sat in her plush chair with a small frown. We were mated to Caius. Did you know that? I shoved her away with a glare. Obviously, you don't get the part that he has a fucking wife!

But— Shut up. Just— Leave me alone.

Sulpicia must've known. She had to be part of the plan her husband set. Everything I've told her was also relayed to the psychopath. Something just cracked inside me and I wished that I had never met Caius. Never met the Cullens. Never became a vampire. I wish my creator had just left me there with my mother's corpse.

Right now, I was just waiting until the end of the world came along. Since my clothes were slightly dirty, I decided to change out of my sparring clothes into something else. So after a bit of rummaging and decorating myself, I finally got my desired look.

After I changed, I sunk back onto the bed to sulk. I took the previous pillow and hugged it closer to me again, wishing that it were Caius. "I envy that inanimate object you are holding at this moment." My rational thoughts coiled up like a cobra, ready to strike out of anger while my heart soared to the heavens at his voice.

"Go away." I mumbled, closing my eyes. By the silence, I could tell he was shocked. I never told Caius to get out of my room. "Get out." I raised my voice a little. "Are you deaf or what?" I hissed, curling up tighter against the pillow. I'm so sorry pillow.

I felt a breeze and I stiffened when he rested a hand on my shoulder. "Cara mia, tell me what is wrong." He cooed near my ear, using Italian for the first time since we've met. He's here for information, Genevieve. Let him down politely—

My reason snapped and I sat up to face him, I hadn't realized that I had used my vampire speed until Caius retracted his hand as if he'd been burnt. Good. Not good. Shut up. "What is wrong is you!" I snarled, gathering the courage to finally push him away. I stood and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You were lying to me this entire time."

"Pardon me?" Caius had the decency to raise his brow at me. I ran my hands through my hair and started pacing, trying not to start up a screaming match. Or sob in front of a king.

"You never told me you had a wife." I spat and from the corner of my eyes, I saw Caius' eyes harden.

"Who told you?"

I whirled on him. "Who told me? No one!" I seethed, a growl bubbling in my throat. "Besides people using my gift, I hate liars. And for me to have to find out by talking to Athenodora personally really bothered me. You were married yet you just had to have the guts to just start courting me. Kissing, cuddling, hugging and all! That's sickening! To think I was having intimate conversations about my personal life with a man who locks his lover up in a tower makes me want to vomit! I have never revealed this much information when I've been with other people!"

"And you know what the worst part is?" I laughed bitterly, placing my face in my hands as I desperately grasped onto my sanity. "You tried to manipulate me. It was a good thing that Aro didn't need anything in this short period of time we have known each other because I would be acting far worse than this."

Caius just sat there in his place on the bed, staring at me with a patient look in his eyes. The fucking bastard. "You know what? I've had enough of this bullshit. I'm leaving this prison." I snarled, making my way to the door.

Arms imprisoned and pinned me to a hard body. I squirmed, trying to get out of his grip. "Let me go!" I snapped, turning my head 90 degrees so I can at least see him.

"Leaving is out of the question." He stated, not budging no matter how much I thrashed. Old ones and their goddamn strength.

Anger flared up inside of my breast like a dragon breathing fire. "Out of the question?" I exploded. "That decision is not yours to make!"

Caius turned me around so the front side of my body was pressed up against his and he pushed me backwards until my back was firmly placed on the wall. Oh what he did next blew my casket and was unexpected. He kissed me as if there were no tomorrow.

I wanted to melt into his embrace, but then a small nagging voice reminded me. Genevieve Vienna Montgomery! Remove yourself from this man! He has a wife! He's toying with you, trying to make you stay so Aro can rule the entire vampire economy.

So, I did the first thing my mind told me to do. I shoved him off and slapped him as hard as I could, the sound echoing throughout the room, and possibly throughout the castle. The ring on my finger left a small black fissure in his skin and part of me was in pain for harming him. Our mate. My subconscious whimpered.

Caius' head had jerked to the side from the impact and his hair covered his face, his expression hidden from me. He turned his head so his cold eyes met mine. "If you leave, we will only recapture you." He spoke finally, rearranging his hair with a swift flick of a slender finger.

Gathering what strength I had, I spoke in a nonchalant manner. "Track me all you want, Lord Caius. I am never coming back."

"We shall see." His indifference caused the knife in my heart to twist. He stared at each other for a moment longer before recognition finally settled in my mind. He really was our mate—no. He's married. Athenodora is his mate.

My eyes watered with venom tears. Yet, I forced myself to say my parting words. "Goodbye Caius."

His next two words caused my world to crumble at my feet. My will to live was gone.

"Farewell Genevieve."