Osynlig
A/N: constructive criticism is welcome, this is my first Twilight FanFiction, and I'm quite excited.
My main character: Charlotte (Lotta) and her relatives are mine (sounds so sinister lol) but the rest of the characters belong to the awesome Stephenie Meyer. Lucky her :)
Prologue- to be Changed
It was a warm summers day in Italy. Mrs. Lockhart was sitting on a sofa in the lounge of her large home, scowling and fidgeting, crossing and uncrossing her long legs.
"Stupid, stupid girl." She muttered, over and over.
Absent-mindedly, the woman stood, wandering idly towards a large bookshelf at one end of the room.
She gently fingered the spines of the old books, finally pulling out a large dusty brown photo album. She sat down again, quickly snatching a glance at the front door before opening the book.
It was a wedding album, but the young woman smiling in the wedding gown, was not Mrs. Lockhart, although the resemblance was striking. Instead, the young smiling woman, was Mrs. Lockhart's younger sister. The deceased Mrs. Hansen.
It had been many years since Mrs. Lockhart had looked through this album. It contained too many memories.
She snapped the book shut, her lips thinned, and she got up, replacing the album as quick as she could.
Willow Hansen had been Mrs. Peyton Lockhart's only sister, and with only one year between them, the two had been very close. They had always looked similar, often being mistaken as twins, with the same curly strawberry blonde hair, the same bright green eyes and same slim build.
They had always been inseparable, even when they had both married, they continued to live close to one another.
Despite looking so similar, the two had still been surprisingly different. Peyton had always been the more active. At school, she had always been involved in extra curricular sport clubs, and yet she had also consistently managed to be the one who achieved best in school.
Willow had been a musician from a young age. By the time she was twelve, she was adept at playing the violin, piano and the flute. So whereas deciding on a future career had been difficult for Peyton, Willow had always known that music was her thing.
When Willow and her husband died, Peyton had been devastated, left for Italy with her husband, and never since returned to Sweden.
Peyton returned to the sofa, absently tapping her hand against the coffee table, waiting for the doorbell to ring.
Outside the house, a police officer had just arrived. He stood in the shade, in front of the door, and rang the door bell thrice.
He saw a middle aged woman opened the door. She had short strawberry blonde hair, dulled by age, but eyes, green, which still sparkled with life. She was tall, and wore a pale blue summers dress, with a creamy shawl draped across her shoulders.
"Oh, you must be here about Charlotte." the woman looked nervous, fidgeting with the shawl.
Please come in."
The woman led the officer through a large hallway to a large lounge. It was very light, with floor to ceiling windows showing a garden which looked more like a piece of art than anything else. The room had a contemporary Scandinavian style, with white walls, and darker furniture.
The woman sat down on a large chocolate brown sofa, and gestured for the police officer to sit down across from her on a matching sofa.
The police officer sat, taking out a small black notepad, and a silver pen. He looked up at her, and smiled, trying to put her at ease.
"Well, Mrs Lockhart, I am officer Colfer. Why don't you start at the beginning."
Peyton leaned back in the sofa, closing her eyes for a moment, then she opened her eyes, and opened her mouth to speak, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Well, Charlotte is my niece, my sisters daughter. My sister and her husband both died in an accident when Lotta was about a year and a half. They didn't have a will, and, to be perfectly honest, I didn't want to have to take the child, so my mother took the responsibility of being the girls guardian."
Peyton paused, looking distant.
"A couple of weeks ago, I received a telephone call from some Swedish official, that's where my mother and Charlotte lived, Sweden that is.
They told me that my mother had had a heart attack and that chances of her survival were minimal, that even if she did survive, she would be in no condition to take care of Charlotte afterwards."
The woman shook her head, as though trying to rid it of something particularly unpleasant.
"I wasn't very happy" she said, in a slightly snappish tone.
"I don't want to take care of the girl, and I don't see why it should be my responsibility."
Peyton sighed.
"But they talked to me, and finally I agreed that the girl could come and live with me here in Italy until a better arrangement was found."
Peyton looked at the officer sharply.
"Lotta was due to arrive yesterday afternoon. She didn't. My husband and I waited for her at the airport, but she never came. We spoke to the flight personal who said that, yes, the plane had landed, but we couldn't find Lotta anywhere."
Officer Colfer interrupted for the first time during the interview.
"So do you think that Lotta may have been kidnapped."
Peyton scowled.
"I think the little wretch ran off. I know that she was quite as reluctant to come here as I am to have her."
--*--
In a bus, rumbling along the motorway, a young girl was sitting, slumped in her seat, a large dark green travel backpack, clutched in front of her.
Dark Copper hair, hung in limp curls, hiding her face. She was slim, and willowy. Pale eyelids hid her bright green eyes, and a sprinkle of freckles adorned her nose.
Sneaking onto the tourist bus had been relatively easy.
She had no idea where they where headed. This whole trip had been a rather impulsive decision. Sitting on the plane to Italy, she had no plans on running away, only once she'd arrived, she'd sneaked in with a large group of tourists, and gone onto the bus, headed who knows where, before she even realised that she'd made the decision to do so.
A sudden bump in the road awoke Lotta, and she looked around blearily. She felt unusually calm, and settled down into the seat again, numbly wondering when she'd be asked to pay up for the trip.
A couple of hours later, a high lilting voice could be heard over the bus's loudspeakers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now approaching our destination. I'd like to welcome you to Volterra."
Lotta sat up straight, mirroring the other excited passengers, looking out the window interestedly. She'd never heard of Volterra before, but the city looked beautiful.
The bus stopped and the woman who'd spoken on the loud speaker stood up. This was the first time Lotta had seen her properly. The woman was gorgeous and statuesque with strangely violet eyes, and long mahogany hair. She had long legs, and skin, so pale it looked almost white. The red dress she wore, was tight, and flattering, ending just above her knees.
"All right everyone," The woman smiled, and was instantly the focus of everyone's attention.
"My name is Heidi, and I will be you guide around the city today. Everyone off the bus, and we will begin."
Everyone began jostling to exit the bus, causing Lotta to be the last to get off. Once she finally gotten off, the woman had already started striding off, and Lotta had to run to catch up with them.
Volterra was beautiful.
The sun was shining, but the woman seemed to be keeping to the shadows of the buildings. Lotta stepped out into the sunlight, soaking up the warmth which wasn't a regular visitor to Sweden, following the crowd.
The woman, Heidi, led them into a large, dark church, pointing at paintings, and sculptures, stating dates, artists, rulers. She took them to a small door, hidden away in the building.
She smiled at them, as though this was going to be a special treat.
"This door leads to one of the lesser known palaces of Volterra. If you will follow me."
Using a small key, she opened the door, waited for everyone to get through, and locked it behind them again. They were inside a beautiful high ceiling hallway. There were no windows, but chandeliers illuminated it. Heidi began walking again, gesturing for the tourists to follow her, as she continued spouting off facts about the history of the palace.
Two massive double doors were opened, and everyone shepherded in. In the chamber were scores of people, many of them dressed in dark robes. Three thrones on a raised dais, were the focus of the room. Some of the tourists were eagerly getting out digital cameras, photographing the surreal scene.
Lotta, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, shrank into one corner of the room.
"People, welcome."
A strange looking man had stood up from the centre throne, gazing at each of the visitors, smiling as though they were each an old friend. His skin, seemed almost translucent, papery. His hair was long, and jet black. But it was his eyes that struck Lotta most. She gasped inaudibly as she noticed them, milky red. She shuddered, shooting a quick glance toward the other tourists. Had they noticed it? NO. They all seemed so excited. They couldn't have noticed.
Lotta looked around quickly, having a sudden feeling that something was not right. She noticed one of the men in robes smile at his companion, jerking his head toward the tourists, rolling his eyes. His friend grinned.
"Feast, my friends."
the man from the throne said, smiling at the robed people around the chamber. More robed people seemed to be entering, all surprisingly fast and beautiful. It all seemed so surreal. Lotta pinched her arm. Was she dreaming?
The surrounding people started closing in and Lotta pressed herself against one of the walls, willing them not to notice her.
The Frenzy didn't last long to the eyes of a human. Lotta shut her eyes in numb horror. Most of it was sounds. Screams, crying, that sickly sucking sound. Ripping sounds. Lotta stuffed her fingers in her ears, squeezing her eyes shut, but not all the sounds were prevented. Terror engulfed her.
She heard the man from the throne speak to some of the robed men, ordering them to dispose of the corpses. Then Lotta opened her eyes to the horrific scene.
Somehow, it seemed so strangely tidy after the massacre. No blood coated the floor. No, she had seen these monsters suck every last drop out of the people. None was wasted.
Everyone seemed to relaxed, so calm. The man on the throne was talking with a smile on his face, to the two others on thrones. Aro, they called him.
Lotta was shaking all over, not yet fully understanding that this was for real. She gasped, sucking in a ragged lungful of air, suddenly aware that she had been holding her breath.
Aro looked up suddenly, listening. He turned slowly, his eyes landed on Lottas, for the first time since she'd entered.
He stood up, expression confused, seeming to sniff at the air. He could barely smell her scent. How strange.
"Felix, fetch the human for me." he said, in a slow, calm voice.
Lotta's breathing hitched in horror.
"Human?" The guard Felix' brow was furrowed as he looked toward his master.
Aro frowned.
"That one over there."
He pointed at Lotta. Felix looked at where Aro was pointing, also noticing Lotta for the first time. Faster than Lotta was able to comprehend, Felix had grabbed her and dragged her in front of Aro.
"We overlooked one." Aro muttered. What could this mean. Could this be a gift? She could hide herself, cause herself to remain unnoticed? Were she changed, what heights might this gift take? Might the child have a gift of invisibility?
"Fascinating."
Felix looked at Aro, confusion evident in his expression.
"Master?"
Aro held up a hand, silencing Felix, gazing at Lotta.
After a moments silence Aro called out.
"Heidi,"
Heidi was at his side within seconds.
Aro took her hand, caressing it as he continued to gaze at Lotta.
"You don't remember bringing this one." He stated, a considering look entering his eyes.
Heidi's expression was equally confused.
"This girl?" Heidi paused. "Master, I assure you, I never noticed this one."
A smiled crept onto Aro's face as he gazed with rapt attention at Lotta.
"How..." He paused. "...utterly intriguing."
He turned and smiled at Marcus and Caius.
"She could make a fascinating addition to our numbers, don't you think."
He turned to Lotta again, not waiting for an answer.
"If you want Aro." Marcus spoke, in that bored tone of his.
"I do." Aro said, in a whisper, stepping closer toward the girl.
Lotta struggled in Felix' grip.
There was a sudden bang, as the doors at the west side of the chamber opened suddenly. Alec entered, his expression distracted, growling.
Jane entered seconds after, expression uncertain. She took in the scene, Aro, the human girl in Felix' grip. She managed to grab onto Alec' jacket as he started forward, but he pushed her away with a strength that she'd never felt from him.
"Aro!" she called out in warning.
Alec was moving towards Lotta, knees bent in an almost feral like stance, moving with inhuman speed.
Desperation coursed through Alec's body. That smell of blood was everywhere, such a sweet, perfect smell. The need for that blood, to sink his teeth into it. Let it drip down his throat and quench the thirst.
His throat was burning, flames licking his insides with terrible ferocity. So thirst he hardly knew what he was doing. All he knew was that he had to taste that delicious, hot blood.
He reached out with both his hands, taking Felix by surprise. He flung him across the room.
He reached out, gripping the girl and pulling her towards him faster that she could comprehend. Her skin was warm, soft. He vaguely registered how young he looked before he bent down, leaning his barred teeth over her throat. He lowered his face, trying to drag time out, enjoy this scent, this taste as long a possible, but the thirst was too much.
He could hear a faraway voice shout: "STOP HIM!" Sensory paralysis. His gift. Aro was silenced.
He bit into the girls neck, right at her throat, feeling her warm, soft skin against his lips, wet with blood. He heard a faraway scream. Horror and pain in a tortured mixture. The taste was beyond anything he'd ever experienced before.
Suddenly a pain, worse than any he'd ever felt before, worse even, than the pain of thirst rippled through his body, momentarily distracting him from his feast.
He was Burning. Inside and out. The pain was torturous.
"Felix, get the girl away from him. NOW! take her to one of the towers."
Minutes, seconds, hours.
The pain vanished just as suddenly as it had arrived, and Alec felt someone help him sit up. Jane.
He looked around. Everyone was staring at him. The girl was gone, although a soft reminder of that powerfully enticing scent still remained.
Alec stopped breathing, for the first time in his life, attempting to control the desperate thirst he was feeling. Oh, that beautiful, enticing, sweet taste...
Jane's eyes were sombre, her silently communicated apology.
Alec reached out to hug her. Forgiveness.
Aro stood behind them, gazing at the two twins.
He went over to them, reaching out his hand for Alec's. Hesitating for less than a split second, Alec reached out his hand.
Aro's eye looked distant. "la tua cantante. Your singer." He muttered, releasing Alec and striding back up to his throne.
Up in one of the towers, Lotta writhed in pain, and the poison which Alec had injected into her body began to take hold.
Everything was on fire. Burning everything, leaving something unfamiliar in its wake.