My feet hit the ground without even a whisper of sound. I look around making sure I'm not being followed. I'm not of course. I spot my target about 200 yards ahead of me. I follow soundlessly, growing closer with every step. I move faster, not wanting the impossible event of him getting away to happen. I run with my impossible speed, turn, and stop in front of him. Shock crosses his face as he realizes he has just been followed by me. He tries to fight me, the fool. His arms move quickly, jabbing and punching and grabbing. But I'm faster, stronger, and trained. I grab him by the throat and throw him easily to the ground. I hold his throat to the paved street.

"If you have information about Alexandre De Luca, now would be the time to talk." I tell him in a low voice, my silver eyes flashing in the moonlight. "Answer me!"

"I can only say," He starts, red eyes wide with fear. "That the people you are trusting cannot be trusted."

"Liar!" I burst with rage, crushing his throat into pieces with my hand. Upset at myself for losing control, I quickly finish disposing of him. "What a waste of my time. Aro needs to find me better jobs." I mutter under my breath as I walk back in the direction I came. With the thought of Aro in my head, I run as fast as I can, and trust me. That's fast.

"Let me see him Jane. He told me to come to him when I was done. I'm done. Let me see him!" I scream in Jane's face. Stupid little twit, I think to myself. I hate Jane with a passion. She has no right to be working with the Volturi. She's just a little girl who can play some mind tricks. Ooh, scary. Well actually, I don't know if her "talent" really is something to be afraid of. I haven't ever felt it. I change her mind before she gets the chance. More on that later.

"Salem stop it. He's talking to Felix right now. He will talk to you when he's done. Leave Salem. Go home." She glares at me, pushing me from the doorway again.

"What home Jane?" I say, daring her to talk about that cursed night. "Where would I go? Where could I go?"

"Fine I get it! Just sit in the corner and be quiet alright?" She says. I'm annoying her. Perfect. I shoot one last glare at her before leaving to pace around the room. Sitting? Screw that.

After about 10 minutes of pacing, my head feels like it's going to explode. I look around, and think to myself. I think about the family I lost. My mother and father. My older brother with whom I share my golden hair. Stupid brother, stupid hair! I pull at that hair in torment. I didn't just lose my family. I lost the love of my life that night. He was and will be the only one I could ever care about like that. Ever.

"Alexandre," I mumble in pain, the memories too strong, and the anguish horrifyingly potent in my mind. I feel myself lean against a wall for support. I double over in pain, letting it engulf my entire being. I slide down the wall, trying to hold myself together with my arms.

"He's not here. Why? Do you know where he is?" I hear a voice whisper in my ear; I feel two strong arms holding my shoulders.

"No… I'm sorry. I can't find him." I manage to lift my heard and look into Aro's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"We will find him Salem. We will." He grabs my hands and pulls me up. As he holds my hands, I know he is searching my thoughts I had while hunting the man I had hoped would have information on my Alexandre. Aro frowns, and I know he has reached the part where the man said I could not trust the ones I was trusting. Then he smiles, and I know he approves of how I handled it. "Well done Salem. You have once again proven how important you are." He smiles slightly at me. "I just have one question dear. Answer me if you can. Do you know where your brother is?" He searches my eyes for the answer. I jerk my hands out of his, frowning slightly.

"No. For all I know, he died with the rest of Maria's army. Like he should've." I turn away, then turn back to face him. "Why? Do you have information about him?"

"Never mind that now. You need to feed. I can see it in your eyes." He says, shrugging off the question, then turns to Felix. "Get her two."

"No. I'm fine." I say quickly. It makes me uneasy thinking about the innocent men, women, even children that are killed just to quell our thirst.

"You haven't eaten in days. I can see it in your eyes, they are getting dull. Your control is taking a toll as well." He says, giving me a look that says eat, or pay the price. I nod to show I understand. "You and I will have a talk when you are done. Just come into the room Felix will show you."

"Of course." I nod again. "Where are Caius and Marcus?"

"Another time. I will see you soon." He looks at me for agreement, and then walks away. I cover my annoyance with thirst. Aro was right. I hadn't eaten for days. And even then it was only a small mountain lion. Starving myself wasn't going to help me find Alexandre. Or my betrayer of a brother.

"Where should I eat Jane?" I ask, wanting to eat, then talk to Aro about where I would be going next. She points in a general direction to my right. "Huh, well. Thanks for nothing!" I walk into one of the many random rooms in the Volturi's castle to find a very handsome young man waiting for me. He smells delicious. Saliva rushes to my mouth in anticipation of the next meal. I walk towards him slowly, smiling slightly. "You will not scream. You will be very quiet. You will not fight me. Understood?" his eyes glaze over, and a stupid grin spreads across his face. He nods and looks at me expectantly. "Good." I murmur. I walk closer to him. I reach out and put my hands on his shoulders as his hands slide down to hold my waist. One of my hands snakes up into his short black hair. I pull his neck down to my face, open my mouth to expose my fangs, and bite into him. I get lost in the taste.

About twenty minutes later I am walking towards the room Felix has pointed out to me, I knock three times and wait until I hear Aro telling me to enter. I push open the heavy door and walk inside. "Aro? May I ask you a question?" I question timidly. He is sitting in a throne at the front of the room, watching my every move closely.

"Of course. What would you like to know?" He sits with his fingertips pressed together, watching me, studying me.

"What is your connection to Alexandre? Did you know him? Did he work in the Volturi?" I sit down in the center of the room, surveying it like I was trained to do with any room, no matter how many times I had been in it.

"He was part of the Volturi for many years. He was… is… very old, and very powerful. I was very close to him." His facial expression doesn't change, but I can tell that something is bothering him somehow. I nod, thinking over this new information.

"Is that why you want me to find him? So he can be part of the Volturi again?" I ask, thinking about all the things Alexandre had apparently not told me.

"Not only that, but so you and him can be together." He tells me. I look at him confused on that concept. "A vampire is always stronger when it has a mate to fight with and for." Understanding crosses my face as I nod slowly. "Have you heard of the Cullen clan Salem?"

"Um, no. Wait; are they the ones that worked with shape shifters?" I ask, confused on the name of the clan. I am familiar with most clans and nomads. It helps with my jobs.

"That would be correct. Do you hate your brother? The one you believe betrayed you when you were so young?" I start at the sudden change of subject.

"He did betray me. He told me that all vampires had no souls, were evil creatures, and if he ever turned into one, he would do what he could to get himself killed. And he would never, ever help one. He lied to me. So yes. I hate him. I hope to never see him again. And if I do, I will kill him. It's what he always told me he would want." I tell Aro, the hurt at finding out my brother had lied to me, the brother I loved and trusted resurfacing. Aro just nods in silence.

"I am going to send you after the Cullen clan. Do not tell them you were sent by me. One of them can read your thoughts, one can see into the future. Make no decisions until the very last second. Guard your thoughts like I taught you to." He tells me softly. I nod and stand.

"Who am I getting information on? Alexandre or my brother?" I ask, making sure I know everything before I leave.

"Ask about Alexandre. I have a feeling that information on your brother will… bump into you there with the Cullen's." He says with a tiny smile playing on his lips, as if he is enjoying a private joke with himself. "You will find the Cullen's in Alaska. Tell them that you are being chased by the Volturi. They will protect you then." I nod. He dismisses me with a small hand movement and a whispered "Good luck." I walk from the room, hoping that this mission will bring me some closure about my brother and information about Alexandre.