She trails behind him, casting nervous glances behind her. Her job was very simple. Protect her master's life at all cost. He walked ahead, down the passageways behind his escort, a little blonde girl vampire, named Jane. She seemed to be taking them, going down deeper into the castle's bowels, and this made her even more uneasy. What if things went wrong? How was she and her master to escape? There was something not right about this meeting, it did not feel right. A strange foreboding entered her heart as they went silently; deeper still.
Her master had some deputes with a neighboring coven. They were poaching on their territory and the Volturi were the ones to settle it once and for all. For no one feared and respected a coven more in the whole world then they. Her master thought it best to involve them, especially after a few of their best fighters were killed in the argument over the amount of humans slaughtered in her very back yard.
Finally, Jane led them to an elevator and pressed the button. The door opened and they gathered inside. She looked at the window panels and gazed at her reflection within them. Her wheat-blonde hair was layered and shoulder length. Her master commented once that she had a sweet angel face but Jessamy was not at all that vain to think such things about her appearance. She just shrugged to his comment and thanked him politely. She knew not to tempt his displeasure by contradicting him. She had learned the hard way under his tyrannical rule, never to do that. He would rip her apart for it; just like he did before.
Before...It echoed in her mind hauntingly.
Into the past as Kindling remembers...
They say beauty is a curse and Kindling would be the first one to agree. She had lived human, in London, England in the seventeen hundreds. Back in those days she lived poorly and stayed at home with her mother and helped her daily. Her father worked at the factories and often would arrive home late because he was drunk again. He would stop at the pubs and drink away what little money the family had. Kindling's mother would take little jobs; like cleaning the rich man's chamber pots and getting rid of the waste, because the spoiled servants thought it beneath them to do the job themselves. It paid very little but it was all she could do to keep food on the table and keep her husband's wrath at bay for another night. He was very abusive if there was no food when he came home and of course blamed the women. Kindling found herself many nights giving up her portions so her mother would have enough for her father. She hated hearing her mother suffer at his cruel hands.
One particular day, her father came home in a rage. He had been fired for being drunk and disorderly at his job. He came into Kindling's decrepit room where she laid on the floor with nothing but a raggedy blanket to ward of the night's chill and demanded to know where her mother was but Kindling protected her and said she went to the market to get dinner. She hid the truth from him because she knew her father would harm her mother for working. His male chauvinistic pride would be damaged from this, so she knew better.
Enraged that her mother was not present to take anger out on, he made Kindling search for her, beating and dragging her through the city till she gave up her location. As her will was beaten down, she led him to the rich man's houses. Finding her working, her father lost control and beat her mother to death. The police were called in and shot him on site. Now with no parents, she was dragged to debtor's prison to work for about six months to settle on her family's debts.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A half a year in that asylum was like hell. Back then, she was forced to bunk with criminals and lunatics and they never separated the sexes, so everyone was cramped in all together. Kindling soon realized her situation was bleak and succumbed to institutional life.
It was not till about six weeks later, she found her fate change. She wished with all her heart it was for the better but that was just not in her stars. A mysterious man came to the prison and asked to look at all the inmates. She was soon lined up in front of a tall handsome man with pale but beautiful features. Though everything about the man made her desires stir even at thirteen, she felt the man emanated danger and she knew better than to encourage his attention. Many were chosen and his servants hauled them away as he placed the money into the wardens greedy hands. He almost passed her by for she was late getting there because she had been assigned to clean the mess hall again. The jailer dragged her there after his many sexual assaults she had to endure while he was on duty.
She stumbled in line as her jailer shoved her forward. The ominous man placed the last coin in the warden's hand and turned to see her struggle to stand after the rough treatment. He paused and then Kindling saw his strange ruby red eyes scrutinize her body.
"Why has she been kept from me? I asked for all to be present when I came!" He shouted at the warden.
"This girl was working, she is here now...do you want her or not?" The warden boldly stated to the dangerous man.
Kindling saw the man glide over to her and caught her chin. His eyes mesmerized hers and caused her great fear at the same moment. She was enraptured by his sweet scent of spice and even shamefully licked her lips as if she could taste him. He let her chin go and whirled around and suddenly was standing before the warden in a blink of an eye.
"How much for her?" He asked pointed Kindling's way.
She thought right then she couldn't feel more degraded but truth was it was only beginning. She felt like she was cattle for sale.
"Um...let me see, I could not let hergo for no less than 20 pounds." The warden greedily stated; rubbing his filthy hands together.
"That's outrageous! I will pay you five pounds, no more!" The dangerous man shouted.
"She is worth more than that sir! See her angel face and lovely shape, no sir... I will not go lower!" The warden stubbornly shouted back.
Caught up in the scene playing out before her, she barely felt the jailer that abused her wrap his arm about her and pull her to him tight.
"I wont let you go to him, your mine." He whispered to her, breathing his foul breath upon her face and then steered her away, out the doors.
She tried to scream out but he clamped his hand over her mouth. Her legs gave out and he picked her up and ran off with her. She was whisked out the back doors and out into the night. She didn't know were he was taking her but it could not be good. He was a disgusting cruel man and raped her many times. She struggled against him but found her strength was feeble comparatively. He was a great brute and had a horrible stench of body odor. Her stifled cries behind his filthy hand was unnoticed by the passers by and she felt dread enter her heart that she would not be alive much longer.
A sudden sound alerted her abductor to someone following and he cut the corner and entered into an abandoned building. He hurried over to the old paint peeling chair in the room and placed Kindling on it and found rope to tie her bony little wrist and feet so to keep her from escaping him. After he tied his last knot; a crash came from behind the door and it flew off its hinges. The door splintered into hundreds of pieces and the mysterious man stepped into the room. In a blink of an eye he moved and caught the jailer by the throat. She watch him snarl in his face.
"How dare you try to take what is MINE! YOU WILL DIE NOW!"
Kindling watched in horror as the man bit savagely into the jailer and sucked him dry of his blood. Her strangled scream tore through the night and echoed in the empty building and out to the abandoned streets, beyond. Her vision blurred and she fainted.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When she came to, she found herself in a luxurious bed with canopy, she was in awe. She never had a bed in her whole life and to be in one this nice, was truly a dream. A slight movement to the right of the bed, startled her and she screamed again as a figure of a man uncrossed his legs and stood from a chair. He moved so fast; she held out her hands to protect herself from him in vain as he grabbed her. He placed his cool lips on her throat and spoke.
"Would you like to live here with me? I would give you everything for just one drop of your affections, my pretty one." He offered her.
"P...please sir, I would do anything just to be free. D..don't send me back there." She stammered out.
"That could never happen, but I will demand that you serve me and me alone. For it was I who has saved you this night and I demand your loyalty!" He said nuzzling in her ear.
"Then, I give it to you with all my heart!" She said with finality; unaware of the weight of the contract at hand, and with those words she uttered , she signed it; as if with her very life's blood.
"Ah my pretty, I will take it, and more, for I am a greedy man, you will soon see. I will have it all or nothing and you do not want nothing, for you will become it, understand!" He hissed.
"Y...yes sir." She stated carefully as she felt herself grow cold with fear now.
"I have decided to give you a gift, my prized one. You shall join me for all eternity and be forever MINE!" He whispered dangerously and it breezed on her hot sweaty flesh causing goose bumps to rise all over her body.
She gasped suddenly as she felt the sting of his bite. She blacked out in endless pain. Pain...she inwardly scoffed. She knew it was nothing compared to what she would experience this night forward. So desperate was she, that she risked her very soul. What had she'd done...
Back to the present...
The elevator door slowly opened up and they walked through. Jane led them to a double door and pushed it forward revealing a vast marble throne hall. Kindling followed in perfect step behind her master and looked around at the three kings of the Volturi gazing curiously at them both.
"Thank you dear Jane for bring them down." The one in the center spoke with a tone of dismissal and Jane moved to the wall till she was needed with another young one like herself.
Kindling appeared to be the same age as the two and was surprised to find others close to her physical age, it was rare to find. She wondered at them and mused to herself what transpired to bring these young ones to become a vampire at this age.
She herself wished her master had waited till she was at least sixteen, for a girl in the seventeen hundreds, it was a good age to be married and she would not feel as if she was a child in everyone eyes.
Though her countenance looked to be young; her soul was old and all too acquainted with the reality of life. Being her master's protector and personal mistress taught her well in the facts of life. She was given comforts and privileges only conditionally. If she displeased him, he would have her thrown in the dungeons for her trouble she caused him. She had much experience in this in the beginning. She had to learn how to please him without evoking his raging temper and soon became a very valued lover and protector to him. He was ancient, his temper and patience was limited.
She was careful not to exceed those limits, for he had become tired of her as a mistress and replaced her lately, after almost three hundred years. Now all she had to recommend herself was her talent. Being his protector was her only salvation for he would have killed her long ago without it. Many died that he tired of; she witnessed his cruelty and if you outlived your usefulness you were eliminated to make room in the coven for fresh meat to keep him entertained.
"Ah, Samael, it's been a long time. What brings you here? It must be grievous indeed to have one such as yourself come before us. Your reputation precedes you, a man who can handle his own affairs quite nicely..."The king pauses to chuckle. "Tell me what can we do for you?"
Kindling felt her master's pent-up rage at the king's cheek and he motioned her to stand by his side. She winced as he griped her hand taking yet again anger out on her. She should be used to his abuse, but every time he did it; it cut anew into her aching heart.
"I have a territory dispute with the French coven and I need you to act on my behalf, unfortunately our negotiations have failed. Many are dead and the French are stronger than we are at this point." Will you help us?" Samael asked with strained patience.
This no doubt injured his pride to ask for help and she could feel it too in his grip.
She looked up at the three kings and gazed at each in turn. The one in to middle was a raven dark beauty. His face revealed his ancient years as it seemed to have an inner glow. She was familiar with it and understood its significance. Her master was over two thousand years old and his face did the same.
She saw him descend the short stairs and approach them. His red ruby eyes boldly raked over her form as he stopped inches from them. She noticed the other kings came down as well and stood to his left and right. She was taken aback at the blonde one as he gazed with much distaste around him. He did stop however, when he took a moment and gazed at Kindling. His eyes did appear to darken as he took in her loveliness and its intensity frightened her.
The one in the center as well and she thought it extremely rude that they would not look at her master. She shifted her uneasy glance at the one to the left and as she looked into his sad eyes, something gripped her. She felt a connection and gasped as his crimson eyes fell upon hers. Everyone not looking at her, was now and Samael's grip increased so much that she started to cringe from it.
"Aro...?" The one on the left growled out in expectation for him to act.
"Jane...dear?" Aro turned his head slightly but wisely not taking his eyes from Samael.
Kindling felt a rush of power that gathered around her and she stepped protectively in front of her master. She felt her gift activate within and project it outward. She knew instinctively to look at her target. Jane.
Suddenly, a scream of agony tore through the great hall and Jane hit the floor; writhing in pain with her brother at her side, holding her.
"Alec!" Aro called with panic rising; eyes widening at Kindling's actions.
The boy vampire ran forward and unleashed his power.
Kindling in the midst of her torture of Jane; snapped back her power and gathered a new power and aimed it at Alec. Everyone saw him collapse to the ground; out cold and subdued.
Aro hissed violently and rushed forward but was knock-out by her power and sunk to the floor as his robe covered his face.
When the blonde one acted, he too fell victim to her great power and was crumbling at her feet.
The king on the left, remain standing. He looked around; slowly and moved in front of Kindling. Her red eyes shimmered with luminous; liquid effect as he stared into them without fear. She faltered suddenly at his loving expression, as she stood mesmerized by his sad eyes that stirred her hardened emotions. Then he moved to act against her. He flitted forward and pulled her backward, into an embrace; after spinning her. He wrapped his hand around her neck in one fluid motion. She struggled in vain against his strong hold and was now at his mercy. She felt the power inside dissipate; leaving her helpless.
Just then, as the fight was heard by the guard; Felix with Demetri flitted next to Samael. They laid hold on him and ripped him to pieces before he could save himself. Kindling's shock filled eyes, welled up with tears. Even though he was a cruel man; he had somehow managed to evoke her love; for she did not know any better than his.
"NO! MASTER!"