The sun had sunk behind the horizon and the stars had been made visible to me as the sky darkened into the night. Greece looked peaceful and content as the busy working day drew to and end only to reawaken with new life as twilight took its hold on the small city of Athens.

The grand ball was tonight and my uncle being the host had persuaded me to attend the frightful event. Dancing wasn't my forte and I wasn't the most social person and I found it hard to mingle with strangers and men who thought I was somewhat attractive. As many women I believe that I am a normal classed woman with an average face, body and features but men seem to think on a different brain wave when it comes to though types of situations.

My corset was pulled tight and the bodice of my dress hugged my form exaggerating all my curves before it flared out at my hips and fell with ripples to brush the floor, the sapphire material glistened in the light from the candles that littered my room. I had the necklace my mother had given me before she and my father had run away together leaving me with my very loving but strict aunt and uncle, the necklace was heavily laden with crystals and right in the centre was a beautiful diamond that shone with the colours of the rainbow when the light hit its delicate surface. My dark blonde hair was pulled up into high ponytail with the same shade of sapphire ribbon, the ends twirled with natural ringlets as the odd stand framed my face.

The knock on the door withdrew me from the window and away from the starry sky, my uncle stood at the door his velvet green waist coat brought colour to his rather lifeless dress suit and ruffled shirt. His hair was sleeked back and his moustache had been trimmed and combed to perfection and his white gloves stood out against the black sleeves of his dress jacket. "Athenodora you look wonderful this evening." My uncle chimed and I smiled at him.

"Thank you uncle." He held out his arm for me to take as he escorted me down the corridor towards the stairs, my aunt and cousin were waiting for us.

Luis my cousin always took interest in me as he always had the honour of escorting me to balls and events, if I did not find a suitable husband soon I would have to marry him and he was hoping that I wouldn't find anyone as he wanted me badly but if there was one thing I would get out of finding a husband it would be getting out of a life stuck with him. My uncle passed my arm over to Luis and he smiled taking my hand and kissing my fingers lightly, "You look truly stunning this evening Dora." He said using the shortened version of my name. I nodded to him with a small smile as my aunt and uncle both addressed me.

"There will an awful lot of eligible suitors here tonight and we have three very important guests from Italy here so try hard to find someone who likes you." My aunt said. I merely nodded as there was no point in any comment as I had previously gone through the list about how many men had taken interest in me but I did not find any of them to my liking which surely had to be on the same level to make the pairing fair. The doors opened and the ballroom was full of women in dresses and smart looking men, the band was placed in the corner their bright red uniforms stood out against all the men's black dress suits.

Luis almost pulled me down the stairs I had been standing looking around when it was our cue to move, thank fully I didn't fall but didn't realise that we were walking to the back of the room. Both my aunt and uncle stopped along with Luis but I almost walked into my aunt as my feet carried on moving on their own. "What is wrong with you this evening?" Luis hissed quietly and I pulled my arm out of his which made him grit his teeth in annoyance.

"My Lords please may I introduce you to my niece Athenodora." My uncle said and my head snapped round to see three men dressed by far in the nicest dress suits and waist coats made from expensive silks and velvets. I curtsied low and bowed my head. One of the men took my hand and pulled me back up to my full height as he brushed my fingers with his lips looking into my eyes with his.

He was tall at least six foot or more and his white blonde hair brushed his shoulders, his face was flawless, his lips thin and pale and his eyes shone a bright crimson which contrasted his pale face and features. He was wearing a sleek black dress suit and a dark maroon waist coat that was embroidered with silk, the ruffles of his shirt spread out at the top making him look like royalty when it came to dressing with perfection. His lips curled into a smile as he still held onto my hand, "Athenodora, please may I have this first dance." He asked.

"Of course." I said quietly and he led me on to the allocated dance floor that would soon be filled. The first dance was a waltz so he took my right hand in his and his left held my waist while I rested my hand on the skirt of my dress so when we started moving I wouldn't trip up.

The music flowed through the room and we moved together as if we were one twirling slowly round and round, I forgot that we were in a room full of people as I was solemnly focused on the man in front of me. "What's your name?" I asked him. "Caius, Caius Volturi but my name does not deserve to be said in the same sentence as your, more beautiful and deserving one. Athenodora." My name seemed to roll off his tongue like silk and his sentence made me blush which he chuckled at. "What's the matter?" I questioned and he pulled me slightly closer to him. "Nothing is the matter my dear it's just that when you blush you look even more beautiful than you already are." He said and I couldn't help but blush again at his words. We danced for the next five songs just talking and chatting before one of the other lords came.

"Caius, dear brother may I steal you partner." Caius nodded and kissed my hand again before handing my hand over to the other lord who clamed himself as Caius' brother. "Athenodora I see my brother has taken a keen liking in you." He said twirling me around. He had long midnight black hair that hung down across his shoulders, his skin was also flawless and his eyes were the same shade of crimson as Caius', it must be a genetic thing.

"May I ask your name?" I said and he smiled showing pearly white teeth. "My name is Aro and our other brother is Marcus but I should introduce him to you as he's not the most sociable person." He said dancing us over to the side of the floor then offering his arm to lead me through the crowd. Caius was standing with Marcus talking in low whispers to each other; it was surprising how they could hear anything over the music and laughter that echoed round the room. I felt almost venerable standing in the presence of the three of them, their crimson eyes staring at me as if trying to see as deep as my soul but I held firm and waited to be introduced to Marcus as Aro still held my arm in his.

"Athenodora is Aro's dancing not up to your standard?" Marcus joked with a short laugh and I couldn't help but smile at its wonderful sound. They were all smiling, a smile riddled with secrets untold to me but one of which they all knew and obviously found amusing.

"May I ask what you find so amusing?" I questioned and the smile drained from Caius' face but stayed plastered on both the perfect faces of Aro and Marcus. I quickly regretted posing my question as I did not want to see Caius not looking as happy as he just had, it was a strange feeling of longing as he stood only a mere meter away from me, within an arms length but I would never have reached out to him not in public like this and even if we were alone I would feel self-conscious in his presence. "I'm terribly sorry I should not have been so rude." I said and looked away from his eyes as they searched for mine.

"You have nothing to apologise for, here Marcus why not show Athenodora how you rule over the dance floor." Caius said his voice like music to my ears as Marcus took my other hand leading me away from Caius and Aro back to the dance floor where couples moved together with grace such as falling snow flakes, twirling delicately round and round.

Marcus was as Caius had said truly brilliant at dancing, he moved as through the swaying couples and every time he complained on their lack of enthusiasm as he span me round and round at a quick pace that kept up with the tempo of the music. I laughed as he picked me up and span me round and he smiled a stunning smile before spinning me away from him.

I couldn't keep track of my feet as the room span before my eyes, it only stopped when I fell back into someone's chest making me gasp with shock and embarrassment as I turned to apologise to the person I had so rudely bumped into. Caius stood behind me a broad smile on his lips as he bowed to me as I stood shock with a hand over my mouth, he reached for my hand placing yet another kiss on my fingers but this time it was longer than it should have been lingering on the lace of my glove before he looked up with his eyes, levelling them with mine. He pulled my hand away from his lips and out to the right forcefully so I span round my back against his chest as his breath tickled my ear.

"Join me out side." He said his voice husky and low making me sink into him completely at his mercy as he walked us towards the side door that led out into the gardens. The cool air on my face helped as I felt the blood rush to my cheeks when Caius stopped at the edge of the balcony leaning against the rail with me sandwiched in-between.

I moved my hands along the rail and his shadowed mine before capturing them in his hands, I span round to face him and he was looking into my face with deep longing and a slight hint of pain and anger hidden within. "I'm not usually like this; I don't tend to treat humans with such care and dignity. They are lower than I so as a superior they cower at my feet afraid of what I may do to them and their pitiful families. I don't know what you can do or it's just a fault in the psychological part of my brain but I can not hurt you so in standing here like this I am so sorry for what I'm about to do but please don't be afraid as it will not last forever and as soon as its over we can get to know each other, I can understand why I feel this way but at the moment there is only one possible option to be able to proceed." The pain in his eyes split on to his face as he reached up and stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, a loving gesture that made me weak in the knees but after his little speech I no longer felt safe around him but his hand moved from my cheek to my neck.

He turned me round again so my back was pressed firmly against his chest; I was unable to move as his breath tickled the side of my neck, I went to scream but his other hand pressed to my mouth muffling my cries for help.

A shooting pain hit my neck and my hand move subconsciously to the throbbing pain but was held back by something, the pain blinded me from all outside noises, feeling and sight as I struggled to try and break free of what ever was making me unavle to move