Chapter 1: Ellie's POV
The grand streets of Volterra, Italy are crowded with tourists and people from all over. A young couple, stands in front of a fruit cart arguing over something in Spanish. I push between them to look at the different colored blossoms of the newest harvest. Louie greets me by tipping his hat, a gentlemanly act that seems out of place in the ancient Italian city.
"G morning there, Ellie, what can I get you for?" He smiles a sheepish grin under his heavy white mustache.
"Two apples and a couple pounds of lettuce, Gianna's getting a little chunky." I chuckled. "But shush. She doesn't know that," I said chuckling again.
Felix groaned behind me turning his black eyes on Louie. "Give the girl her items and let's go," he growled.
Louie quickly stuffed the raw veggies into a bag and shoved it at me. "Goodbye," he said too quickly and turned, walking back into his shop slamming the door behind him.
I heaved a sigh. "You didn't have to do that you know," I scowled at him.
He frowned. "It's not good to socialize with filthy humans." He said disgusted.
I looked down at the ground kicking a loose stone out of my path. "I'm human," I whispered under my breath knowing he'd hear.
"Well that's different," he said scanning the street trying to avoid my eyes.
"How is it different," I yelled at him.
He stared straight into my eyes. "It's different because you know about us. You know what we are and therefore belong to us. You are lucky we have allowed you to stay what you are but you must realize as much as Caius adores you Aro will not allow you and your sister to stay human forever" He glared at me, his nostrils flaring.
"Of course I know that," I sighed and took an apple from my bag taking a big bite.
"Sorry I yelled," he murmured.
"Not your fault," I said through chunks of apple. "Hey do you want to stop by Madame's," I said.
"Ugh," he groaned. "Not that crazy old bat lady." I smiled and he smiled back. "Do you want to take a shortcut?" he said revealing his perfectly white teeth.
"Sure," I agreed and in seconds I was on his back and we were flying. The wind rustled my long hair back as we dodged innocent pedestrians. We were invisible to them as we moved fast and as silent as ghosts.
"Here we go," he said setting me down on the sidewalk. We were in front of Madame Zonia's fortune parlor.
I easily pushed open the door. "Grandma," I yelled.
"Ellie" my grandma squealed as she took me in her arms. Felix crossed his muscular arms and pretended to be entertained by a dead mouse frozen in a jar of honey. Felix didn't really like my grandma even though she was nice. My grandma was very superstitious so he had to use an even harder façade at pretending to be human.
"Oh, hello Felix," she said with her normal bitterness. She didn't take much liking in my oversized bodyguard.
"Morning," he murmured but didn't move from my side. I sighed and took a seat on one of my grandma's too lumpy old couches.
"So how's Gianna," she said handing me a bottle of iced tea.
"Fine," I murmured taking a swig from the bottle.
"That's nice sweetie," she said patting my leg. She normally did that as a way of comfort so she must have sensed my off mood.
"What's bothering you," she said putting her arm around my shoulders.
"Nothing's wrong, really," I say. She nods and gets up. She can definitely sense I'm lying but she doesn't bug me about it. That's one of my favorite things about her.
"So who wants a glimpse of your future," she said holding up a large crystal ball. "It's free for family day," she says jokingly.
"I'm fine," Felix murmurs inching towards the door eyeing a young blonde girl wearing a see through tank top and tight jeans.
"I'll try," I say giving him a warning glance. He stared at me with his dark eyes. Shadows blot under them like ink that wouldn't fade. He was thirsty, very thirsty and he needed to be fed soon before he cracked.
"Let's make this quick," I say as I sit down at the table crossing my hands in my lap.
"Ok. Give me your hand." I did as she asked. "Now think easy happy thoughts."
Again I do as she said locking all my secrets behind hidden doors.
"Hmm" she mumbled. "I see true love in your future sweetheart" she said with a smile.
I laughed. "Yeah, right, me, love, no way that could happen" I said with a loud snort. I covered my nose with my hand and giggled to myself.
"Just keep your eyes open. I want to meet this boy. He seems very, well, special" she said with a chuckle.
"I'll keep that in mind" I murmured. "See you later grandma" I said giving her a small squeeze.
"Goodbye pumpkin" she murmured into my hair. She kissed me on the forehead and then disappeared behind the curtain. Felix didn't wait for me to take a step. He grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me into the early evening air.
It was dark enough that he wouldn't stand out against the few people on the sidewalk. When we were in the darkness of an alley he scooped me up in his arms and ran. It took us only seconds to reach the clock tower. He stepped through the hidden door dropping me to my feet. He sniffed the air. "We have guests. Stay close." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me quickly towards the main lobby.
The lobby was packed with tourists when we arrived. A few were middle aged couples with children. I grabbed my cloak off its hook and put it on leaving the hood down.
"Excuse me." I said to one of the couples. "Children under eighteen are not prohibited in the main room. I am going to have to ask you to leave."
The mother gave me a nasty look. "Why are you allowed to stay?"
I answered with a phrase I have used thousands of times in the last 10 years. "I live here madam. I'm sorry but anyone with children will have to leave."
"Thank god!" a girl who was about my age shouted dashing out the door. The rest of the families followed her out. I was happy. At least I was able to save a few families. I stared out at the people who stayed. I felt bad but I wouldn't grieve for them. Living with vampires made you immune to feeling bad about other people's deaths. I tolerated it.
"I hate your rules" Felix whispered in my ear.
"If you don't like it then take it up with Caius. We both know who would win in that argument" I said not looking at him.
He grumbled to himself but didn't fight me. Nobody ever did. And they had good reason to.
"Stay here" Felix said as the huge double doors that led to the Volturi's chamber opened.
"Good evening everyone. Welcome to Volterra." Aro's enchanting voice billowed through the lobby. The crowd cheered and followed Heidi who had been standing by the doors into the chamber. Felix followed the crowd into the room and the double doors slammed and locked behind him. Three seconds later the screaming started. It was loud enough to break glass and was followed by the sound of bones snapping.
I walked silently into the reception area. Gianna sat at her desk. Pen in hand, filing papers with her I-pod on full blast. I tapped on her shoulder. She looked up at me with her bright green eyes and smiled. "How was shopping?"
"Fine, Louie gave me these free for you." I pulled the two big pounds of lettuce out of my bag and set them on her desk. She stared at them as if they were about to explode.
"What are these for?" she asked not amused.
"Louie sais you need to diet" I said laughing.
"Well Louie needs to learn to mind his own business" she said pushing them into the trash.
"You have no sense of humor. You know that?"
"Yes, yes I do. Now, don't forget you have another trial hearing once they're done." She handed me the paper with the vampire's information on it. "His name is Khayri Adil. His territory and place of creation is in Arabia and he was created in 1673 A.D. He doesn't have any extra gifts besides the usual. Although when he wants something he goes absolutely mad. When they brought him in it took Demetri and Alec to hold him down even when I had him pinned to the floor."
"Another fighter, yippee" I groaned. "What did he do?"
"He took it upon himself to try challenging Marcus to see who was more powerful. And guess who won."
"Marcus, definitely, nobody can beat him. He looks easy but he fights hard."
"I know" she murmured. "He's being held downstairs."
"I know the drill" I said pulling the cloak over my head. "Here we go."
I walked out of the room and into the lobby. I didn't stop at the doors. They opened when I approached.
The heels of my leather boots clacked loudly against the floor as I entered the council room and the Volturi's main chamber. Aro, Caius, and Marcus sat on their thrones looking satisfied. Each of the vampire's eyes seemed to glow a milky crimson.
There was no blood on the ground as someone might expect walking into a vampire dining room, spotless except for a few chalky corpses that had yet to be taken care of. One lay mangled in my path. I kicked it out of my way without a thought.
Jane looked up at me. She smiled cruelly and laughed. I gave her a grim smile and walked up the steps to stand beside Caius's thrown. I crushed a corpse's scull with my boot and laughed at the sharp crunch. Caius looked at me worriedly. He was still afraid he was corrupting my soul even though he knew I was never going to be a normal human.
"Is he ready yet?" Aro asked Demetri annoyed. The vampire nodded and in came a scraggly looking vampire being held in place by two of the guards. His clothes were torn and old looking. He had a dark beard and long hair and his eyes were a piercing red. He struggled against the guard's holds but was instantly pinned to the floor without anyone holding him down. He tried to move his head up from the floor but it just slammed back down like a magnet.
Gianna walked in with a clipboard, her heels clacking loudly against the stone floor. She looked at some of the mangled corpses and sighed. "Will someone pick those dirty things up and dispose of them" she yelled at a guard. He growled at her and she glared. He huffed and went to dispose of the bodies.
Gianna handed Aro the clipboard and then stalked out the door. When we heard the door of her office close Khayri began to get up. The guards grabbed him and held him up so he was on his knees.
"So what brings you to our marvelous city my friend?" Aro said as he glided over to the straggly vampire.
"Shut up Aro. I should be on that throne, not Marcus." He glared at Marcus. Marcus just sat there with a bored expression.
"And why is that my friend" Aro said politely.
"He stole the love of my life away and I want revenge."
"Didyme never loved you Khayri. She was always mine" Marcus spoke without emotion.
"You're the reason she's dead" Khayri bellowed.
"It's not my fault she was murdered" Marcus said emotionless.
"Yes it is!"
"Enough!" Caius boomed. "I say we just torch him now. He's beginning to annoy me" Caius stated with a flick of his wrist.
The vampire glared at Caius. Then his eyes landed on me. "Who is this Aro. Your little slave" Khayri purred in my direction. Caius tensed but I stayed emotionless.
"She sure looks… tasty" he licked his lips. Caius hissed and stood up.
I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He looked at me but I just smiled.
"Now father, there's no reason to be hasty. He's just giving me a compliment" I said innocently. He let out a frustrated breath and sat back down. I smirked internally. He was like putty in my hands he just wouldn't admit it.
Khayri laughed. "What is this Caius? Is this little mortal your pet? Or are you hers'?" He grinned smugly.
"I wouldn't be making such comments if I were you." I said walking down the steps to stand before him.
He lunged towards me at the smell of my blood. His eyes were beginning to turn black. The guards held him back as he repeatedly lunged at me. "I want her!" he screamed.
I smirked. "Come get me then" I said wiggling my fingers suggestively. He threw himself at me but I put a burning hand on his face.
"Ahhhhhh" he shrieked as my fire burned into his skin. I laughed as he fell to the ground holding his now charred cheek.
"What did you do?" he screamed. He cringed as I took a few steps towards him. I knelt down so I was to his level and he could see my exposed throat. I loved torturing my victims before I burned them alive.
"Not just vampires have special powers my friend." I smiled cruelly exposing my perfectly white teeth. I showed him my hand which now had a flame burning in it. However, it never burned my own skin. It was a part of me. He backed away into the wall.
I stood up and walked back over to where Aro stood in the center of the room. "Can I dispose of him or will you?" I asked.
He smiled. "I'll give this one to you my dear." He turned and glided back up towards his throne.
I smiled deviously at the vampire. "Are you going to make this easy or hard for me?" I asked.
Jane appeared at my side. "Can I mess with him a little? I haven't had any fun in a while?" she begged.
I looked at the scared vampire. "Go ahead" I said nonchalantly gesturing to him.
She grinned evilly and stared at the vampire. He let out a loud scream and began to cringe into the floor. I relished in the suffering. I loved making others suffer even though I would never do it to someone who didn't deserve it. The only people who I didn't allow suffering to where my family and maybe Louie.
"Enough Jane" Caius's voice boomed. "We have some matters that need to be discussed. Ellie please finish him off" my father ordered. Jane sighed and the vampire stopped screaming.
He looked up at me. "Please, I'll be good. Don't kill me" he begged.
"The Volturi don't give second chances" and with that he burst into flames. His screams soon died out as he became ash. I walked out of the room leaving behind my own power's destruction.