Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic so be gentle! Would love to hear thoughts on what you think or what you would like to happen. In this story there's no Bella and I'm not sure yet if the Cullen family will make an appearance. I don't own any of Twilight or it's characters, just Tess and Adria. Thanks! LilacLoves
Chapter One
It was dark, it was always dark here. I rushed through the halls of the castle, my fitted black silk gown brushing off the floor as I went. Father had summoned and it was never a good idea to keep him waiting. I could hear people talking in the grand hall even though I was still far from reaching the room. One of the perks of being born to a human mother and a vampire father, every one of your senses was heightened to a supernatural level. I turned into the last corridor and pushed the great oak doors open revealing a room full of vampires. Oh goody. As I entered, silence descended as all eyes turned towards me. I had grown accustomed to this reaction from people, I suppose it was down to what I was. Being a half vampire half human was not common, it had been thought to be impossible, yet here I was. Even from looking at me you could tell something was different. I had the long dark brown hair and emerald green eyes of my human mother but the pale white, vampire complexion of my father. One of the many questions I had been asked in the past was if I drank blood and the answer was, thankfully, no. The only difference between me and a normal human was I was stronger and faster, another few of my vampire traits.
I headed towards the platform at the head of the room where my father sat looking breath taking as always with a welcoming smile on his face, his raven black hair neatly tied behind him and his red eyes watching my every step. He was beyond handsome and looked as if he had stepped right out of a renaissance painting. However, I knew under that smile was a man of evil beyond words, a man who saw me as nothing more than something to use in his thirst for more power. My father's name was Aro and he was head of the Volturi, what you could call the royal family of vampires, and I was his daughter Adria, though I hate to admit it. As I approached I could feel a sense of excitement radiating from him, another one of his famous surprises was clearly on the way. I hate my father's surprise's , the last one he had given was to tell me that on my eighteenth birthday he would be changing me into a vampire. It was, as he said, "The perfect age to become ageless." My eighteenth birthday was a mere four days away and little did he know that I had no intention of becoming a full vampire. To feed on people, to use and kill others, to lust after power as they all did, the thought sickened me. But what could I do, my father was probably the most powerful man in the world, to disobey a man like that was never a good idea. I finally reached the platform and my father stood and extended his hand, escorting me to my seat on his right-hand side. I sat and waited, knowing that something I wouldn't like was coming.
"My dear friends, for those of you who don't know, this is my beautiful daughter Adria, the one and only half vampire half human to walk the earth," he announced, smiling broadly. "Now that she has joined us I can make the announcement that I am so very excited about." He paused and again scanned the room, letting the crowd of friends and those belonging to the Volturi guard wait in anticipation for his next words. A feeling of dread was settling over me as I waited, along with the others, to hear what was coming.
"As you all know, there has been some…conflict, with a coven of vampires in Venice that has had us quite worried for some time but I am pleased to say that they have decided to come here, to Volterra, and join us so that we can greater rule the vampire world and never have to worry of humans realising our existence." With this there was a round of applause. Aro beamed down at them, revelling in their adoration. "Thank you everyone, thank you. Now, if I could ask for silence," and the whole room went deathly quiet, awaiting his next words. "There is more," he grinned before turning to me and again extending his hand. I arose and move to stand beside him, the feeling of dread expanding through my entire body until even my toes tingled.
"I have decided to solidify this alliance with the Guiseppe coven with something ever-powerful…marriage." My head snapped up, to stare at Aro in disbelief. He squeezed my hand without looking at me, a warning. I stayed quiet and could feel my eyes begin to water so I returned to staring at the floor while blinking furiously trying to keep the tears at bay.
"Drake, leader of the Guiseppe coven, please come forward," Aro called formally. I saw movement in the crowd and looked up to see a well-built vampire coming towards us. He had brown hair slightly lighter than mine and piercing red eye's which were fixed on me, along with what could only be described as a sick smile, it made me feel like trembling in fear. He couldn't have been more than twenty two or twenty three when he was turned into a vampire but I could tell from his presence that he had to be almost two hundred years old now. He arrived at the foot of the platform and waited for Aro to finish his speech.
"I am delighted with this arrangement and the wedding shall take place after Adria has finished her transition into our kind. And now…we dance!" he finished. I looked down at Drake and he held out his hand to me. I tried to back away but Aro held me firm and pushed me forwards. I looked back at him and his eyes were now ice cold, no sign of the warmth that had inhabited them mere moments ago. "Adria, do not keep your fiancé waiting," he said, slowly and clearly. I was to obey or there would be consequences. I turned back to Alec who was waiting expectantly and slowly descended the steps leading off the platform. I reached him and he took my hand and led me to the dance floor. His touch was ice cold, making me shiver.
"I am quite happy with how this has all turned out, aren't you my darling," he said in a velvety but sinister voice.
"I am not your darling," I spat, trying and failing to control my temper. With that he pulled me closer as we began to dance. I tried to pull out of his grip but it was like fighting against steel, I wasn't going anywhere.
"Ah, but you are my dear Adria. You see, you are part of the deal that will settle the feud between our two families, and it is quite a splendid deal if I do say so myself," he replied, looking me up and down, making me feel sick to my stomach.
"Well it's a pity I don't find it so splendid!" I retorted, putting as much venom in my voice as I could muster. He tightened his grip on my hand making me gasp and have to stop myself from crying out.
"Now, now Adria, behave will you. I will not have my mood dampened on this happy occasion. We will be married by the end of the week so you will just have to grow accustomed to the idea, I know I have." He smiled before pulling me even closer. With our faces now side by side he reached down and I could feel his lips skim my neck. "You smell so delicious my love, I wonder if anyone would notice if I just had a taste," he hissed, his eye's turning a dark red as his lips hovered over my pumping veins. I looked around desperately but everyone was dancing and no-one was paying attention to us at that moment. I knew I couldn't call out because Aro would be furious. He was beginning to descend on my neck and I tried to pull away but it was impossible.
"No, please don't!" I begged. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled my head slightly back, giving him more access. Just as his teeth were about to sink into my skin I felt a tap on my shoulder. Drake straightened immediately and I turned to see Tess, one of my father's guards standing behind me.
"I am to escort you back to your chambers now Adria, your father wants you to get your beauty sleep, you have an exciting week ahead of you," she said in her eerily quiet voice. Tess was one of the few people i considered a friend here in Volterra, she had all the abilities of a regular vampire, speed, strength, etc. However, her's were just that little bit more heightened, she's was always that little bit faster, stronger, better hearing. Because of this, Aro had ordered her recruitment, against her will. We bonded straight away over being mutually used by Aro. I was walking away with her when Drake grabbed my hand and spun me to face him before whispering "I will see you very soon Adria, and I look forward to having you all to myself," and kissing my hand. I was too afraid to reply and simply turned and rushed away. I had always thought I could never fear anyone as much as I fear my father, but Drake was doing a good job of changing my mind. I was now days away from becoming a vampire and being expected to kill and feed on innocents and now, on top of all that, I had a crazy, psychopathic fiancé. I had two options. I could do as I was ordered and live out my life as the monster everyone here wanted me to be while being married to an even bigger monster or…I could escape. There was no decision to make, I had to get out of here, and fast.