I don't own anything except for what comes from my own mind.
The clouds outside the plane window looked like wisps of cotton on a black velvet backdrop. The girl dropped the window cover and sank back into the plush leather seats in the first class cabin. She replaced her iPod ear buds and let the music soothe her. As the plane made its way to the final airport she dozed off and the solace of a sleepless dream overtook her unconsciousness.
"Excuse me miss," the dark haired flight attendant gently shook her awake. "We've arrived and landed at the airport."
The girl blinked twice and smiled, "Thank you so much for waking me."
The attendant smiled and walked off to rouse the other sleeping passengers. The girl looked around the cabin at everyone gathering their personal belongings and stretching. She slipped her iPod into her purse and turned her cell phone back on. 37 missed calls, 37 voicemails, 100 text messages blinked merrily from the screen at her. She flipped the phone open and deleted everything. The passengers began filing off of the plane and she stepped out into the cool air-conditioned terminal.
There was a uniformed driver to her right with dark sunglasses on. He held a simple printed sign in his gloved hands.
Bella.
She approached the driver and he went with her to retrieve what little luggage she had packed to bring with her. He led her out into the sun-kissed dawn to a black town car with tinted windows. He loaded her luggage into the trunk and opened her door for her. He reached out a gloved hand to assist her into the vehicle. Bella slid across the bench seat and buckled up. She heard the driver side door slam shut and the man who greeted her at the airport removed his sunglasses finally and looked into the rearview mirror. She blinked quickly in surprise his eyes burned crimson back at her.
Bella sat back and thought to herself about how the driver had seemed so human in mannerisms. She shrugged it off and realized that her vampires, a small dagger of pain shot through her heart at this thought, were as human as they could be. She pushed the pain back into the small corner of her soul the Cullens still were allowed to keep. As the car pulled away from the modest airport she stared out of the window at the small town. The scenery whizzing by at a rate that was almost dizzying.
They drove by fields and small but beautifully built homes. The sun had finally risen and when the tires of the car hit a cobbled road Bella was jolted out of a nap. The walls of the city surrounded them. This was a place fashioned like a castle of medieval times. The small town was surrounded by high stone walls with walkways leading up to the castle itself. Sitting in front of the castle was a large courtyard with a fountain in it with an even higher wall which could be fortified in case of attack. Bella knew from school that the townspeople would escape to safety in this courtyard and be protected by the castle's knights if their town was breached. The car suddenly took a sharp left handed turn and stopped in front of a wrought iron gate. The driver's window rolled down silently, and automatically his gloved hand reached out and typed a code into a box mounted on the wall. The gate opened up slowly and the driver pulled through.
"Welcome Miss Isabella. To Castle Volterra."
She perked up immediately. The tall dark gates looked like something out of a gothic novel. A small trickle of fear made its way down Bella's spine. She knew that her plan was flawed in so many ways but the horrors she had left at home were much worse. The "people" that she had trusted with all of her being had betrayed her in such a way that she would never be able to trust again. The driver pulled into a dark tunnel that led underneath the castle into an underground garage. Rosa-the blonde one would love this garage. It looked like there were around 100 cars of all different generations stored here. The floors were a dark concrete and shone like ebony underneath the thousands of lights from the ceilings. Toolboxes and all things a mechanic would dream of lined the walls. Lost in her observations Bella all but jumped out of her skin as the door was opened to her right and a gloved hand reached inside to help her out. She placed her hand in his and stepped out. Bella briefly stretched after the long car trip. She stifled a yawn and looked around in confusion.
"If you'll follow me please Miss Isabella I will show you to the Masters. They have been waiting a long time to finally meet you." The driver said.
"Thank you..." Bella said hesitating not knowing his name. The question unsaid but hanging in the air nonetheless.
"Demetri, Miss Isabella," he finally spoke.
Bella smiled at him as she took in his voice and mannerisms hoping that he would become someone she might be able to count on. He reminded her in size and build of Em-the big one however he seemed to not have the jovial mannerisms of her once "big brother." Bella knew to hold back and to not be dazzled as she once would have been.
Demetri held his arm out to her after removing his driver's cap and smoothing down his dark hair. His suit and gloves making him look like a gentleman caller rather than an escort to her fate. He led her over to their right hand side to a chrome panel. Upon closer inspection Bella realized it was an elevator door. She almost giggled to herself as how out of place this seemed. He pressed the buttong to the left of the door and silently the door slid open and he ushered her inside. Unlike any elevator Bella had ever been in there were no numbers on the buttons denoting which floor they were going to. Rather Demetri pressed the seven buttons in a intricate order and they slowly began the ascent. They rode in silence.
A barely noticable ping announced their arrival to their desired floor. The doors slid open and the almost blinding light poured into the dim elevator. Bella stepped out trusting her life and her future to a chance descision.
The ornate wooden doors were open and she saw the throne of the three Volturi rulers filled. Bella stepped forward hesitantly not noticing the inperceptible pressue of Demetri's fingers guiding her. Her footsteps were echoing in the great hall as she approached the men seated in front of her. Unsure of how to proceed Bella stopped about ten paces before the Vampires and dropped into a simple curtsy. The two she knew to be Marcus and Aro smiled briefly at her attept at formality while Caius looked on with condecension in his eyes. Aro stood and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture.
"Welcome Isabella to our humble home." his voice though high pitched resonated with an old world intonation. "However you must believe our surprise and concern you have not come with your mate Edward. Has something happened to cause that bond to break my dear? Come and take my hand and tell me your story."
Bella stepped forward and extended her trembling hand to Aro. His slender fingers wrapped around her small hand and his smile faded slightly.
"Well my dear it seems that we have a wonderful gift in you. And yet you are still a human." Aro's face and voice betrayed his curiosity.
"Thank you, I think" Bella replied. She listened to her own response in her head and kicked herself mentally wishing she had sounded stronger.
"Aro I do not wish to talk about what has happened between myself and the Cullen Coven. I am still healing from what they have done to me. Please allow me to have my time and space to figure out how I want to handle this and then I will come to you of my own free will. I came to you for refuge and to also your guard. I feel that I will make a good addition and help you in any way that I can. That is if you will have me."
Aro and his brother listened to this girl, a seemingly insignificant human, speak with passion and honesty. They heard her voice waver slightly when she spoke of the Cullens. The looks of compassion that crosses all three faces would seem like pity to outsiders.
Cauis stood.
"Isabella we will allow you to stay with us for as long as you wish." his rich baritone filled the room. "We understand your plight and want you to know that we accept you. The change you want from us will come when you feel ready for it. For now go to your room and rest. We will talk more in the morning. Demetri show her to her suite."
Demetri came forward from his post in the shadows and guided Bella by her elbow into the hallway. They walked through the myriad of corridors until they reached a room. Entered the comfortably furnished room she saw a delicious looking dinner waiting on the desk.
"I will leave you to get settled if you need anything just call I will be within hearing distance, what with my Vampiric hearing and all," Demetri chuckled slightly at his last remark and shut the door behind him.
Bella waited until the door shut behind him and sighed in relief. They would let her stay. They had accepted her.