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[infamous21isback]

Prologue

Volterra

The candle flames quivered, their fragile light casting eerie, restless shadows across the ancient stone walls. The air stirred with the sweeping motion of his cape as Aro moved with calculated elegance. For two years, the halls of the castle had remained unnervingly silent, housing the weight of an empire that was beginning to crack. The timeless fortress, once a symbol of unyielding power, seemed to wilt under the slow decay of its grandeur—just as its dominion over the vampire world faltered.

More and more, vampires sought different paths, turning their backs on the traditions Aro fought to enforce. Loyalty, a concept he demanded yet rarely received in its truest form, had always been tenuous. His wrath had consumed those who disobeyed, but no betrayal had ever inflicted as much damage as the one now haunting his thoughts.

Two years had passed since the confrontation with the Cullens—since Aro had last laid eyes on Renesmee Cullen. Doubts gnawed at him still—was sparing her family the right choice? He could see fleeting glimpses of her future: radiant, formidable, and maddeningly out of reach. She was a problem—then, now, and assuredly, in the years to come.

Aro's black eyes reflected the wavering candlelight as he considered the delicate threads of fate. The existence of a human-vampire hybrid, tied to a shape-shifter by the inexplicable force of imprinting, was an anomaly he could neither tolerate nor ignore. Yet the question loomed: how could he eliminate this threat without igniting another senseless debate or risking exposure?

“Your thoughts are far too loud, my dear brother.”

Marcus’s voice, soft as a sigh, interrupted the stillness. Aro’s lips curved into a cold smile, though his gaze remained fixed on the flames. Marcus had always been attuned to his brother’s machinations. He understood, perhaps too well, that the fragile truce with the Cullens would not endure.

Renesmee Cullen must be eliminated.

As the rest of the coven entered the chamber, Aro turned to greet them. His smile widened—sharp and calculating—as his dark eyes scanned the faces of those who stood unwaveringly by his side. War might not be the answer this time. Subtlety—the art of operating unseen—had always been their greatest strength, an art Alice Cullen herself had mastered to outwit them once.

Beside him, Marcus wore an expression heavy with sorrow. Aro’s path, one of manipulation and control, offered no redemption. For Marcus, it was a grim inevitability—there would be no salvation for Renesmee Cullen, not while Aro ruled with insatiable ambition.

My dear Didyme, Marcus reflected silently, your brother will not rest until his lust for power consumes all in its path.

Aro stepped forward, his confidence radiating as he addressed his coven. “Brothers and sisters,” he began, his voice smooth and commanding, “today, a new dawn has risen, revealing a path to greater glory.” He raised his chalice, the crimson liquid within glinting in the dim light. “Today, I unveil a plan to eliminate the sole obstacle in our way: Renesmee Cullen.”

The room erupted in approval, chalices raised in unison. Even Marcus, bound by loyalty despite his dissent, raised his cup. Aro basked in their adulation, his mind already orchestrating the intricate game that would secure his dominion.

He was not merely a leader; he was the ruler of them all. And soon, with Renesmee erased from existence, his power would be absolute.

-**-

Hours Later – London Streets

Running. He had to keep running.

He was nothing more than a middle-aged man—a husband, a father—just finishing a long day at work and heading home. Yet, beneath the suffocating shroud of the night, he ran as though death itself was chasing him. Because it was. Something darker, something far more sinister than the shadows, hunted him.

A hiss, sharp and primal, echoed behind him. It sounded animalistic, and his panicked heart surged. He pushed his legs harder, but his lungs burned with the effort. The excesses of too many beers, too many burgers, weighed him down. Gasping for breath, he cursed himself. He should have listened to his wife when she begged him to take better care of himself.

He wanted to scream, to shatter the eerie silence of the empty streets. But tonight, of all nights, the city felt unnervingly lifeless. It was as if the world sensed a terrible presence and had retreated in fear. No barking dogs, no prowling stray cats, not a single sound beyond his own ragged breathing. The man, ordinarily capable of defending himself, felt paralyzed as fear coiled around him like a snake, its grip unrelenting.

A low laugh rang out—a chilling, human sound that froze him mid-stride. Whoever or whatever was hunting him was toying with him, savoring the chase. Profuse sweat dripped from his brow as he turned frantically, searching for an escape, a sanctuary, anything.

“Little rabbit…”

The mocking voice was close, too close. He spun toward the sound, his wide eyes locking onto a figure cloaked in darkness. The predator’s golden eyes glinted with malice, and a sickeningly cheerful smile spread across its face, revealing glistening fangs.

The man stumbled backward, a terrified gasp escaping his lips. He tried to flee, but the creature moved faster than he could comprehend. Before he could even take a step, a cold, vice-like grip seized his arm.

“You’re mine now.”

The words slithered into his ears, a death knell. He opened his mouth to scream—a desperate, primal wail into the void of the night—but no one was there to hear. The creature descended, and the man’s world dissolved into darkness.

As the predator vanished into the shadows, the echoes of the man’s final moments faded with it. Only two letters remained, scrawled in blood beside the lifeless body: R.C.

Renesmee Cullen.

[infamous21isback]

Post Breaking Dawn.

Emmett Cullen, tasked with protecting Renesmee from escalating threats, grapples with the weight of being left behind by his family while enduring the Volturi's sinister plots. As alliances form with humans, vampires, and wolves, Emmett channels his resolve into shielding his niece, all while quietly battling guilt, loss, and his unwavering love for Rosalie.

For once, Renesmee's safety depends on Emmett's ability to protect her. For once, Emmett Cullen has to be hero.

Fanfiction comming soon.