Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim to own anything related to Twilight or therefore owned by Stephenie Meyer. I do however own the original characters in this story and the plot. Please respect that.
Author's Note: First off, this story has been nagging at me for awhile and I've wanted to write it. I'm not sure how I like this opening, but it's what I wrote. This story is more of a writing practice than anything, and will be updated regularly. I'd really appreciate it if you read and reviewed.
"Abygail?"
"Don't touch me!" It was a throat searing scream that erupted from my throat as the man leaned over me, holding my wrists above my head. I had been through so much pain. Torn from my home, and my family...Torn from reality.
"Now, now! Don't be so rude..." He switched both wrist to one of his hands and used the other to push my hair back. "You'll be so beautiful once you've been changed, once you've been introduced to this world with new eyes." His voice caressed my mind, distracting me from my frenzy. I felt compelled to listen.
"Please...My mother and father...my sister...my brother."
"Now, Abygail. I've explained to you, those people gave you what you needed to see. They were not your family, your family is right here." He lifts my hand and presses it to his chest, I assume it's where his heart would be if he was human.
"Katrine? Alexander? Where are you?" I called, laughing and running through the trees, following the white dress that my sister, Katrine, was wearing. I could hear her giggling and then it cut off. "Katrine?" Then Alexander is laughing and I'm running towards his voice, it's beautiful. Both my siblings have beautiful laughter. "Alexander?" I hear a strangled scream and I look around in panic. "Katrine! Alexander! This is not amusing anymore! Please stop!"
"Stop what?"
I spin around wildly, but no one is there. "Hello? Anyone?" My voice has turned into a scream, a terrified and helpless scream. I run, branches pulling at my hair, scratching at my face. "Help! Please!"
"Why are you screaming?"
I spin around towards the voice again, and this time I see a man. His hair is quite long and a dark brown that frames his face so beautifully. And I start to feel as if I know him. "Who are you?"
"I'm Francois, we're cousins."
"I-I don't understand what you're saying, I've never met you in my life."
"Because you were taken from us, those people you call family. They don't want you to be in line as the next Seer. They don't want you knowing."
"What are you talking about!" I demanded, trying to escape the man's strong clutches.
"You'll see."
I screamed, fighting against the man's hold. "Please! Let me go..." I whined, my breathing was scarce, I was so afraid
"Shhh, it'll be alright. Sleep for now." His hand came to rest on my forehead and my eyes grew heavy and then I felt the most excruciating pain I've ever known.
"Abygail? Are you listening?"
"Yes, Francois."
"The Council would like to see you. They'd like you to bring the Book, and prepare a bag of clothes for a trip." Francois talked through the door, I could hear him lean against the wall and I knew that he wanted to come in, so I called to him that he could. Francois hadn't changed from the man that had found me in the forest that day, over three hundred years ago. "Abygail?"
"What?" I grabbed my beaten, old, black bag from my closet and started to shove my clothes in it with no order what-so-ever. Once that was done I turned to my desk, where a book with a leather cover sat. It was old, it had an aura of ancient times, like it had seen and been through all you could imagine.
"I worry about you. When you were younger, you used to loath going. You used to fight it. Ever since—
"Don't say it!" I turned to him and snapped. Turning back to the Book, I put in gently in my bag, as if it were my own child, as if it were my life. "That has nothing to do with how I act now."
"That's a lie Abygail! You know it, I know it and they know it. They use it against you! They send you on all these expeditions because they know you want to die! You'd rather die than live without him!"
"Francois! That's enough."
Turning to the door, I give Francois' twin sister, Josephine, a look of relief. "Please leave Francois, tell the Council I will be there momentarily." Giving Francois a steely look , before turning and living he gives a curt nod.
"As you wish Seer."
There was a silence after Francois parted, and Josephine sat on the edge of my bed. After awhile she sighed, "You're lucky you know."
"How so?" I've heard this discussion over and over, but Josephine has never brought it up with me.
"I'm not permitted to tell, the Council has forbade me from talking of it." Grabbing my bag, she held my door open for me.
"If the Council has forbid you to speak of it, then you should listen." I was such a hypocrite. Fifty years ago, I would have never of seen the logic in what the Council ordered.
"There was a time where you would have never said that, Abygail Ripper." Josephine looked at me closely and followed me down the hall as I ignored her and started walking. I was aware that everyone was looking at me, bowing their heads slightly as I passed and it took a lot of self control to ignore it, and just let them do that.
"Do you like what you do?" Josephine suddenly asked, just as we stopped outside the door to the Council Chamber.
"I have no choice Josephine, and it'll do you good to remember that. This isn't my life, this isn't my choice. This is just what my destiny is." I answered, taking my bag that she was holding out to me. "I would do anything to have my normal life back."
Watching Josephine walk away, I realized that that was true. I would do anything to have a normal life. After watching Josephine join her brother at the end of the long, white marble hall, I turned and walked into the room in front of me.
"Abygail Ripper, take a seat please."
I already knew this was going to be requested of me, and was already sitting by the time the words had finished leaving the mouth of the person who spoke them.
"I trust your few days of rest have given you a boost of energy."
"Yes, thank you." I was raised to be polite, but what I was born to do, often conflicted with what I was raised to do.
"The Volturi have requested your presence."
"Alright."
"Your plane leaves from the airport in an hour."
The Council was my board of employment, to say the least. They directed me in where to go, they supplied everything I needed to get to where I needed to go. I looked up at them, and I saw four very powerful, ancient immortals. Not vampires, but something different. They were nothing like vampires, they weren't strong in the sense of physicality, but they were strong in the sense of holding power and influence around the world. There are two women, and two men—In order of how they sit at the table it's: Pandora, Jandra, Leo and Michael. The eldest of the four is Leo, who was born in Ancient Italy and often speaks of knowing Aro of the Volturi.
"We'd like to look at the Book before you part." Leo says, leaning forward and meeting my burgundy eyes with his dark green eyes. "Please wait outside as we review the Book."
"Yes sir." Once I set the book in front of Leo, I turn and leave as quickly as possible. When I was in the hall, the door to the Council Chamber securely closed, I ran into Francois.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, Abygail."
"You had every right to say what you said, cousin." I assured him, taking a seat on the bench that was just to the side of the Chamber door. That hall I sat in was made up of the world's most expensive white marble. The ceiling was easily ten feet high and the width of the hall could hold a large truck. It was full of light, and as it caught my skin, as well as Francois', we set light dancing across the walls as our skin shimmered.
"I didn't have that right to say what I said. Abygail, you've been through more in your life than anyone can guess. I shouldn't bring up painful memories."
I turned to my cousin with a sad smile, "Francois, you saved my life. If you want to say things to me, than feel free. Especially if it'll save my life again, or what I have left of my own life." I grabbed his hand and held it to my cheek. "Francois, you're my angel. I don't care what you say to me."
Francois smiled weakly and kissed my cheek, "Please be careful, come back in one piece." He gave my hand a quick squeeze and stood up, opening the door to the Chamber. "After you." He told me quietly.
Getting up, I went forward, brushing by my cousin. I took a seat in a chair set directly in front of the table which the Council sat behind. I already knew they were going to ask me, they always ask me.
"Francois, please take the Book and Abygail's things to the car. She'll be there momentarily." Pandora smiled sweetly. Her smile was like honey, but her attitude was like poison. No one was brave enough to cross her, or your life would be ended with a simple order.
"Yes, my lady." Francois took my bag from me and walked to the table, taking the Book gently in his hands as if it were glass. He gracefully walked by me, gave me a look of encouragement and closed the door behind himself.
"Your last entry- is dated to happen today." Michael looked upon me coldly.
"Yes sir."
"You're positive that that's what the meeting will come to."
"Yes sir."
"You may leave."
I paused as I was halfway out of the chair, "Why do you take charge of me?" I suddenly asked. All four of them looked at me, as if taken aback by the fact that I had questioned them. "If I'm so powerful, as you've continuously told me—why do I listen to you?"
Leo growled with such inhuman power that I took a startled step back, "How dare you question our motives. You insolent little leech! We've kept you alive this long, we've sheltered you and have given you everything you've asked for. What we're telling you to do is for the better of every creature on this planet. Leave our sight right this second, hopefully the Volturi will knock some sense into your dense brain!" I hesitated, just for a millisecond, "LEAVE!" He bellowed, pointing to the door.
It didn't take me long after that particular confrontation to walk to the car. Francois knew my emotions from one look at me. "You shouldn't question their motives, it's better to keep you alive if you remain on the loyal side."
"I was just wondering why they keep me here. If I'm as powerful as everyone seems to believe, then I shouldn't have to listen to them, Francois."
"You should if you want to stay alive. They have strong ties to the Volturi, who're our real masters. They can order us killed with a simple say-so." Francois explained, opening the back door of the sleek black car. I slid in with such grace, and Francois shut the door, appearing in the front seat seconds later.
I sighed, I was so tired of listening to everyone. If I had only listened to that one person, if I had only fought the hunger, I would be happy today. I wouldn't have been filled with such guilt over everything. That's when the pain started and I screamed at the top of my lungs, convulsing in the back seat with such pain. My scream turned into small whimpers as Francois pulled to the side of the road. He was opening my door and holding me in his arms in seconds. "Calm down. Deep breaths." I felt his hand rub over my back, trying to calm me down. "Want to tell me about it?" He asked kindly.
I shook my head, "No. Just get me to the airport please. I don't want to be late." Francois nodded and once again we were on the road.
"Welcome to Volterra,"
"I've been here before, but thank you Alec." I smiled at the dark haired vampire as he took my bag of clothing and put it into his vehicle. "They always send you." I commented, holding the Book in my arms and sliding into the backseat as Alec held the door for me.
"They like to surprise you, with what jobs they have for you." He smiled, but it sent a shiver down my back. Like a shark smiling at a fish.
"I hate surprises."
"Because you aren't used to getting surprises." Alec replied, getting into the drivers' seat and pulling out of the parking spot. It didn't take long for us to get to a small underground parking lot. Alec was standing at my door in a split second, "After you," He grinned, waving to the elevator that was only five feet from the car.
"I just love how much you guys have considered learning from your mistakes." I smiled cheerfully. Remembering all too well that day that I had almost escaped; from everything.
"Where are we? Why am I here!" I screamed, trying to shake the blindfold off from the front of my eyes.
"Would you please be quiet?" The voice was soft and feminine.
"Tell me where I am and maybe I'll be quiet!" I snapped.
"You're in Volterra, Italy. Home of the Volturi." Came the reply.
"The vampire government?" I listened to barked laughter for a few seconds.
"Silly, fragile Seer—You're so naive, it's rather amusing." I heard the woman turn, just the swish noise of her cloak and I spun on my heel and took off in the opposite direction.
When it came to small things, seeing the future didn't hurt. Not as much as it hurt when I was assaulted by something major that would be happening in the future. See, ever since I was introduced to the Council, I started seeing the future. Not just glimpses. But I felt what was happening, as if I was there—if someone was getting killed, I was feeling their pain, every blow. But that was never the problem, the problem was when the initial seeing happened. It's so painful- like getting stabbed multiple times in the forehead, like getting your head slammed under a million bricks. It wasn't that bad when it started, when I first started seeing, it was just random things, like the latest fashions, what I was getting for supper. Then the Council handed me the Book.
"Don't just stand there like idiots! Catch her!" I heard the woman screaming. I felt her panic, she was frightened of getting punished. The Volturi had power over everyone.
I was running with my eyes closed, being a seer I used it to my advantage. I dodged obstacles and on coming vampires. In fact, I was almost out of Volterra when a dark haired vampire appeared in front of me and I ran into him at a dead run.
"Little mouse, running blind—this kitty cat has quite the find." The boy whispered in my ear, holding me with strong arms as I struggled to see.
"Alec, don't play with the Seer. They're getting impatient." The woman had caught up and roughly grabbed my arm.
"Of course, Chelsea."
I was Jane's play thing for the following two days. And at the end, the Volturi made sure I knew my position, knew that I listened to them when they commanded it of me.
After being gently escorted to the hall which branches to the Volturi main chamber, Alec was joined by Chelsea, the woman who had first brought me here. Everything about this place made sent shivers down my back.
"Abygail Ripper! How pleasant to see you again."
I spun around so fast that Chelsea took a leap at me to keep me put. Jane laughed after that, a giggling...Demonic laugh. I managed to choke out her name before trying to shuffle unsuccessfully away.
"I've missed my favourite screamer."
"Be nice Jane."
By this time Chelsea was shoving me into the Volturi Chamber and pushing me into a bow.
"Ah! Abygail Ripper, it's wonderful to see you here." Aro greeted, sitting in one of the three chairs. "It's been awhile, several years in fact. How have you been?"
"Fine, thank you."
"So polite, so beautiful. We have a surprise for you."
"Apparently! I thought you just sent Alec because of my amazing ability to outsmart you." I knew those were the wrong words once Aro waved a hand lazily to Jane and the next thing I was on the floor, screaming with uncontrollable pain.
"Now, we have a very special mission, just for you." Aro smiled, waving me towards him. I rested my face on the cool floor for a second, then pushed myself up. As I walked towards him, I kept my gaze on the floor. "May I?" He asked, holding his hand out. I grudgingly let him take my hand and let him laugh, "Oh, you've seen your pain. But you have no idea what it's about. This is perfect!" He looked back at the other two leaders of the Volturi, who both had smirks on their face—for the first time that I could remember.
"Just tell me what you're going to make me fetch and I'll do it." I mumbled.
Aro laughed again, "Excellent." He paused, "You look hungry, will you join us?" He asked, tilting his head slightly as he listened to the excited chatter of the tourists who thought they were on a harmless journey.
For the first time that day, I smiled. "Of course," There was nothing that I enjoyed more than the fresh, warm taste of blood. Running over my tongue and down my throat, satisfying the constant burning hunger that itched in the depths of my body. "I can't wait." I smiled.
From the moment I had been turned, I had had a strange dependency on the blood of humans. I couldn't go more than a day without completely draining someone. At first I had lived in horror of what I did, and then the horror grew less and less until I started to enjoy the hunt...the kill.
The doors opened slowly, and every vampire in the room was on top of the humans in seconds. Screaming, crying, yelps of surprise—it all fed the soul. It fed my body, just as much as blood. I was trapping two humans with my strength: one was a petite blond haired teen girl and the other was a pretty older boy. Not handsome, but pretty. Their blood was rewarding, sliding down my throat in a fountain of copper taste.
I heard distant laughter, then Aro speaking, "Look at her appetite—she's such a graceful and wonderful killer."
"She wasn't known as Jack the Ripper for nothing." Droned another voice, but it still sounded equally amused.
All the screaming had subsided and now there was quite, and I sat back on my knees—admiring the beautiful bodies before me. So pale, fragile and broken—emptied of everything that held them up. The Council rarely let me feed, let alone from fresh bodies...Straight from the system. When they did let me feed, it was usually long past expiring.
"I was known once as Jack the Ripper. I once took pleasure in drinking my kill, now I take what I can get." I told them.
"Do you know what we're about to order you to do?" Aro asked with a curious smirk.
"No, you've been keeping Alec at a comfortable distance. Completely blocking my seer abilities."
"Excellent. Alec, leave."
Right then, I knew I wasn't going to like what was coming. And I was right as Aro appeared beside me and whispered in my ear.
"You're going to visit the Cullens."
I don't know which scream came first. The one of agony that I received with the vision of what the Volturi wanted me to do, or the agony in having to visit a family that had haunted my very life to this moment.