It was a beautiful city that seemed to have nothing but history to it, and the young woman was glad that she had come to Volterra. The bright sun beat down on her golden hair, warming her scalp. Helen had come here for answers, but all she got was confusion. Her sister had come here once, to save the boy she loved from something. In the back of her mind she had thought whatever was in the city had come for Bella in time, and that would have explained her disappearance.

There was nothing in the city that would help her find her sister, Helen didn't even know why she was there. Bella had only been in the city for a day, a number of years ago. It was foolish to think that there was anything there that could help her find her sister. Though it was not a trip wasted, the city was beautiful, and it was good to travel. But she did feel like it was time to go home, she missed her mother, and her friends. Bella was gone, it was time to let go and appreciate those who were still there.

In Helen's heart, she always knew it would be with her, the mystery of where her sister was. It was all so confusing. It all had happened when she was only ten years old of course, but even then she understood that something was off. Getting up from her spot on the bench, as the sun had gotten too warm for her, she began to go over it in her head again. Trying to find some reason for her being here, in this ancient city.

Her sister had come to this city to save her beloved, yet strange, Edward Cullen. As a foolish child Helen had pestered Bella about why she had come to the city, why she ran away. To which Bella always answered that she had to save him, that he had gotten himself in trouble. Perhaps that trouble was still in the city, perhaps whatever trouble was in the city had come for her sister.

As she wandered around the city she could not think of anything sinister that could be here. What trouble could come out of the peace of Volterra. The loud clang of the clock tower rang, taking her thoughts away from her in a startling way. She had never liked sudden things, and the ringing of the bells was quite alarming. Though she had to laugh at herself for a moment, and look up to the tower. When a sudden unsettling feeling came to her that stifled her laughter, and made her feel cold, despite the late summer heat.

It felt as if she was back in Forks with the sudden drop in her temperature. An instinctual fear, seemed to grip her. It was as if she could not move, a sudden paranoia that made her think about the long nights her mother left her home alone. And she would have to have every light in the house on. Because her imagined fear felt so real that only the light could protect her. Standing in the shadow of the clock tower she had that same fear. Instinctually she walked quickly into the light.

The warmth of the sun engulfed her, and she felt better safe again. It seemed so foolish to her to allow herself to be so frightened when she was in a crowded city square. She was prone to mild paranoia, but she was always logical about it. Even in the light she knew that there was something, someone looking at her. So she turned to see an alleyway, where the shape of a man lingers for a moment before being consumed by darkness.

In that moment, she became bold and walked away from the light towards the darkness of the alley. Not daring to go into the darkness, she peered into the alley and saw nothing. So she turned away again to leave, before hearing the clanking of metal. If one was not at the mouth of the alley way they would not have noticed it, she was tempted to go towards the sound. But she became cold again. And she felt something off an decided to walk away and go back to her room.

There was something in that alley that was not of a gentle nature. When in her room she took to her well kept journals. It was a mess of her experiences in her short life, mixed in with the details of her sister's life she had known about. Charlie, her dearest father, had never been the same since Bella left. He was full of rage at her disappearance, that soon came to be a lazy sadness. She thought that if she could just find out what happened to Bella, she did not even ever have to see her again, she just wanted to know what happened to her. To bring their father some semblance of peace. And Helen thought that it could bring her peace as well.

Sitting down at her journal she took out her pen and in sloppy cursive wrote about the day:

Aug. 20, 2017

It has been a rather plain day, though I did catch a man staring at me from an alley. Perhaps it is not the most sinister thing to be looking at a person, but this was different,

it was as if I was prey to this man. No doubt that many a woman has felt like this when it comes to men, I know that this is not the wisest choice, but I think I will look into it. There is something in that alleyway that is not meant to be seen. I would like to see it.

Maybe I was wrong about Volterra, that it is only so beautiful so that you will not suspect anything. The crime rates are so low, the city is one of the safest in the world, perhaps there is a reason for such things. So that one will feel no need to look into the darkness that lies beneath. I will stay here, until I can see the truth of this city.

Closing the leather bound journal she looked out into the streets of Volterra. It was strange to think that her curiosity had led her here. A missing sister, that had one day just left with all of her new family. Not all of it connected to Volterra, but Helen knew that there was something here that would give her an answer. Tossing herself on her bed she relaxed into the soft comforter.

The small flat was paid out for the year by her wealthy grandfather, he would be glad to give her another year if that would make her happy. It was not as expensive as other flats in more well known Italian cities. He had always wanted to travel to world, but never got a chance, so he was glad to give his granddaughter the chance, as long as Helen sent as many pictures as she could.

Her family did not know the real reason she was in Italy, they thought that she was there to explore the world. Charlie didn't even remember the name of the city that Bella ran away to, so Helen was there only as a tourist as far as anyone else knew. Tomorrow she was to take a tour of the countryside, and then go to a vineyard for a wine tasting. Though that would be later in the evening. So she had a long moring to get through before then. As well as the rest of today. And she did not feel like sitting around for the rest of the day.

Now in that small three room flat, she was restless, and snatched up her purse and going to her door. She did not know where she was going but she was set on going. Letting the thoughts of her sister come into her head she began to grow angry at the boy she married. If it was not for him she was certain her sister would still be with her.

Of course, it was Bella's choice to marry him, to go with him. Wherever it was that they went. But he was the source of it all. Helen had always known that there was something off about him. Not that he was even unkind, in fact he was always very kind to her. And playful. On the weeks she was supposed to be with her father and Edward was over he would lift her into the air and lower her back down to the ground. Often he would bring her small toy gifts, books and sweets. Edward seemed to favor her because of Bella. Perhaps it was not his fault directly, but it involved him, he took her sister away from her.

Walking down the stone stairs from the small flat she walked quickly out of the alley into the main streets of Volterra. With an uncharacteristic streak of bravery she began to walk to the alley where she had saw the dark figure. Perhaps she was wrong, but she had a hunch about what she had saw. Maybe it was just a silly thought, but she wanted to see what was in the alley. When she got to the dark alley she went in, ignoring her fear of the dark.

Using the light on her phone she looked around and discovered, like everything else, that this was a dead end. She touched her head to the stone wall, and sighed. An empty alley, with only a metal grate. When her eyes fell on the metal grate she remembered the clank she had heard. With her phone light she walked her way to the grate, reaching down to the metal bars she tugged, seeing if she could move it. It was too heavy to be moved, even half of a centimeter. She may have not been the strongest person in the world though. Her eye caught something in the center of the great, an emblem of sorts.

It was in the shape of a capital v, and in the center there was two birds, and two trees. Perhaps it was the city's emblem. Not thinking anything of it, besides an interesting picture, she pulled up the camera on her phone to take a picture of the metal emblem.

"Can I help you darling." a man's voice said to her, she gasped and stood dropping her phone into the grate. Ignoring the sudden shock of the man being there she looked down to the grate where he phone had fallen into and groaned,

"Dammit." she hit her fist on the metal bars, "My phone."

"Are you alright." the man's voice was elegant, he spoke the queen's English, but there was a twinge of a Mediterranean accent.

"Yes, no, I just wanted a picture of the emblem, and I dropped my phone down there." she looked down again before standing up. As soon as she looked at the man she was taken with him, he was beautiful, with dark eyes, a sharp jaw, and perfect pale skin. The soft brown haired man was so beautiful that she felt she had to look away. He was beautiful like Edward was, though when Helen was a child it was not so hard to maintain eye contact with a man so handsome. Looking to the side, as the man took a step forward looking down at her.

"Why are you so curious about this grate? It only leads to the sewer." Helen shrugged,

"It was just an interesting emblem." she felt suddenly unsafe with the man so close, she wanted to get away from him. Though she did not want to show any fear, she felt that if she showed any fear that would be the end of her. So she forced herself to look the man in his black eyes,

"Pity about your phone, your family will probably be very worried."

"Yeah," she shook her head, then taking a step back, not knowing how the man got in the alley she felt the urge to ask, "How did you get down here?"

"The same way you did."

"Oh," she trailed off before abruptly raising her hand, "I'm Helen Swan."

"Swan?" he said, raising a perfect brow, as he took her hand. To shake it, coming closer to her as he did.

"Yes."

"Well Miss. Swan, I am sorry about your phone."

"Its fine, I'm sure I can get a new one, it's just all my pictures of this trip were on there." She shrugged before slipping her hand out of his, the dark eyes that watched her so closely were becoming unsettling. And she looked down to the grate again. "I should be going."

"Farewell, Miss. Swan." he said as she scuffled out of the alley, when she turned and looked at him again, straight in his eyes, he seemed slightly shocked. He had been looking down the drain for some reason.

"I didn't get your name."

"It is Demetri."

"It was good to meet you Demetri."