PROLOGUE

Corruption

The sound of firm footsteps and the soft rustle of fabric moving toward her made cold shivers radiate down her spine. Her entire body quivered in response to the prospect of what was looming in her future. She pulled feebly against the force that was preventing her from lifting her arms to remove whatever was obstructing her vision and speech. She shivered again –her body's reflexive response to the damp chill of the air and her inability to move from the standing posture that had her trapped.

She could feel a presence looming in front of her even though she could not see past the thick blackness that encased her eyes. The hair upon her arms stood on end, sending little tingles of lightning and soft shivers radiating over her upper torso. "Please you have to help me, where am I?" The fear of the unknown was on the verge of overwhelming her even though she was valiantly fighting against it. She knew that if she allowed herself to succumb to the hunter known as panic that she would likely lose her life before she ever understood what was happening to her.

"Your fear is palpable," A voice purred softly in her ear. There was a rustling sound followed closely by the sound of rattling chains, "Your mind and soul are beautiful as well but I haven't yet learned your name my sweet."

A cold hand caressed her cheek, the shock of it startling her to the point that she flinched. Another wave of cold radiated down her spine and she could feel goose pimples forming in masses on her arms as the hand took hold of hers. She tried to pull her hand free, the stirring upsetting what she realized then were chains that held her arms at her sides. It was a revelation that nearly sent her into the arms of panic as it dawned on her that there was really no escape at least not in the temporary future.
"Ah, such tenderness yet such spirit, " He touched his cheek to her hand, his expression turning into his usual unfocused one as he began to probe her mind in an effort to see through her and learn of her name and the gift that he already knew she held.

She pulled her hand upward as much as her shackles would allow, the sudden movement causing the top of her hand to catch him in the cheek. A spike of pain surged through her temples as he began to probe her mind. The pain made her flinch inciting a response that definitely caught his attention. She began pushing back, forcing his probe into one mental corner and confining it there. She allowed him to retrieve just enough information to assuage his curiosity before dispelling him even though the effort nearly forced her into unconsciousness.

He jerked away, "My, oh my, you are more spirited than I first guessed Natalya. We will have to teach you some manners my little one." He jerked lightly on the chains forcing her hand down to her side. He turned the levers that controlled the chains, retracting the excess slack onto the pulleys, pulling the chains taut and locking them in position. Chuckling, he rubbed his hand once more against her cheek.

She swayed, her legs buckling weakly as her awareness faded from the effort of fighting off his probing of her thoughts. Her head throbbed in time to the beating of her heart and her body broke out all over in beads of cold sweat. The chains rustled as she restlessly drifted between full awareness and the deafening blackness of total unconsciousness.

"Now, now my pet, there is no time for sleep," He gently tapped her cheek, the sound enough to make her jerk awake. He enjoyed watching this beautiful mortal female fight a useless battle of wills against him. The torture of her struggle made his smile grow even though anger boiled under its surface at the fact that she had defended against his mental probe.

The stinging against her cheek startled her into a fit of restless motion. She feebly pulled against the chains, fighting a cloud of fog that threatened to overwhelm her. The pain radiating inside her skull was enough to make her faint and she could feel all the color draining from her face as she struggled to keep herself focused. The tendrils of his mind reached into her own as he once again began to probe her thoughts. Instead of forcing him back, she did the opposite—allowing the probe to flow through her mind but blanketing the secrets that she did not wish to reveal—once more thwarting his intentions. This time though, her physical status was not negatively affected by the effort which helped to keep her at least somewhat more alert than before.

He stopped his torment briefly, turning as two members of his guard entered his study for orders, "Go and tell my brothers I will be late for our lunch as I am currently indisposed." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them before pulling off his over-cloak and returning his attention to the young woman known as Natalya.

"What do you plan to do with her, Master Aro?" A voice came from somewhere near the door of his chambers. He glanced back only briefly to find Felix standing in the archway, his arms crossed upon his chest and a satisfied grin gracing the usual emotionless features. He had been watching for a good ten minutes as Aro tormented the girl with his mind probes and sickening, but childishly twisted fascination with her.

"You have done well to bring her to me," Aro mused fondling the locks of caramel coated chocolate hair that lay tangled against her shoulders. "She is quite gifted and once her spirit is broken a bit and she has learned her place, she will no longer be a captive but free to enjoy the amenities that we pride ourselves on here in Volterra."

"We don't need another Jane," Felix hissed his tone rather clipped. He watched as Aro turned a series of levers, raising a steel panel from the floor just behind where his new pet was currently being held. "One Jane is enough trouble and she's even more so when she's jealous."

"Are you questioning my authority, Felix?" His tone turned dangerous then as he secured Natalya's upper torso to the panel in an effort to still her useless struggling and quiet the rattling of the chains. He repeated the process with her wrists and legs so that now she would remain in a full standing position with no ability to sway back and forth.

She shook her head, pulling against the chains only to find that they no longer allowed her to lift or even move her arms. It was at that moment that she realized that she was held immobile, her back pressed against something cold and hard. She tried to scream, the sound only a strained squeak against the gag. Her ears strained to hear movement, to determine what her captor might do next as she rubbed her head against the panel in an valiant attempt to dislodge whatever was keeping her blinded.

Felix shook his head, "If you're going to insist on keeping her, then at least quicken the process for one completely psychotic Jane is plenty to have to deal with on a daily basis." Before his Master could respond or reprimand him for his rather forked tongue, he moved on to carry out his daily routine knowing that Aro would not follow, not being so fascinated with the new Volturi prospect.

"Now, now my sweet," Aro crooned softly caressing the locks of her hair with a hand. "The adjustment in your position is merely to prevent you from injuring yourself." He insisted placing his hand once more against her cheek. "To be free we must come to an agreement that includes your complete cooperation."

She jerked her head, pulling it away from his hand and mentally locking the doors to her mind in an effort to prevent him from entering there again. Her entire body was now trembling as being pressed against the cold metal only made the chill of the air around her even more so. Tendrils of fear snaked forward from the depths of her mind and if it hadn't been for the fact that being held still was starting to anger her, she would have allowed those tendrils to take over. She shook her head restlessly trying to dislodge the blindfold and also keeping her cheek free of his hand.

Aro growled low in his throat, "Now none of that, you're mine." He tapped her cheek with his hand focusing her attention to him. He leaned down pressing his face in close to her neck. "You need to learn that you're not getting free until you will willingly obey me." He reached over and grabbed a small plastic box putting it to her shoulder. There was a click as he activated it, sending a mild jolt of electricity arcing into her muscles. The amperage was enough to cause her body to twitch uncontrollably but not enough to cause permanent damage or injury to her nervous system.

She moaned as the tendrils of heated fire coursed through her body, setting hot needles pulsing up and down her spine. Frantically she rubbed her head against the steel panel, tugging against her bonds in a feeble attempt to pull free or rid her eyes of the blackness that encased them. Tendrils of fear rose up once again as the realization that she could not move or free herself frightened her even more. She felt his hand once more as it caressed the nape of her neck and then his breath as it sent little ripples of chill down her spine. "What are you doing? Get away from me!" She tried again to speak, the sound only a strangled peep against whatever was in her mouth.

"One day, my sweet, you will thank me for taking you away from the world of mortality and giving you the gift of acceptance and a proper and permanent place here in Volterra." He sucked in the scent of her skin, chuckling softly in her ear. She had the most amazing scent besides the fact that she was very spirited and harbored a powerful mental gift. As much as he wanted to lengthen the process of turning her, giving her a chance to adjust to his prying mind and feel comfortable in his presence, he knew that Felix had a valid point. Another female Volturi with a partially fractured mentality like Jane would possibly bring much chaos to Volterra especially since Natalya and Jane would need to work together as a cohesive force in the future.