Chapter 2

When Aro spotted his favorite Volturi guard, Jane, entering the masters' throne room, he smiled warmly, a smile perhaps larger than usual for having just fed. When a distraught Heidi stepped out of the shadows to stand next to Jane, Aro's smile faded.

The two other masters of the Volturi, Marcus and Caius, shared concern looks as they remained seated in their ornate thrones atop a marble platform set above a half dozen stone steps. The three sharply dressed leaders coolly gazed down from their perches in the centre of a hemi-circled marble chamber, a room free of furniture except for three thrones and a few accessory pillars that lined the back wall. Of the three masters—vampires each over three centuries old—Marcus, the eldest, sensed the urgency most.

Receiving subtle nods from Marcus and Caius, Aro stood from his throne to lead the questioning. "Jane, Heidi, such a pleasure to see some of our favorite children, especially after such a delightful feeding. No doubt, thanks to our Heidi's reliable due diligence." Aro stopped before the two women as they stood motionless, silent, and obedient, waiting to be address by any of the masters. Aro studied the two guard's expressions, as he often would for sport, seeking out any microscopic sign from either of the two stoic vampires. Following the source of the distress, he turned to Heidi. "But something went amiss this time? Speak freely, my child."

When Heidi hesitated, Jane spoke first, her voice assured and direct. "Master, we have a stray. A male left the group before we could guide him into the tunnels."

With pursed lips, Aro took a step back. "How can this be?"

Heidi broke her silence, the dismay still in her voice. "It's my fault, Master. He didn't respond to my persuasion. I'm not sure how, but he simply walked away from the group. This has never happened before. Please accept my apology."

"It's not Heidi's fault," injected Jane. "She did try to stop him at the risk of nearly exposing herself to the sun. I believe the man was simply immune to her gift, mine too."

Aro gazed at the distraught guard. "Don't fret my child. It was not the first time someone was immune to our special abilities; nor will it be the last."

Appearing to relax, Heidi began to say, "Thank you, Mast—"

"But," interrupted Aro with a raised finger, "your natural beauty and charm should have been enough to bend the will of most men."

Recognizing the return of Heidi's worry, Jane said, "Perhaps she was simply not that man's type, Master. Those things can happen too."

The man lowered his raised finger, calmly clasping his hands behind his back. "Ah, perhaps you are right."

Caius began lightly tapping the armrest of his chair with his finger, a sound that resonated loudly in all the vampire's ears. "I take it that you are going to hunt him down tonight?"

Jane bowed. "Yes, Master,"

"But...," Aro began, anticipating that his favourite guard had more than a simple hunt planned.

Jane looked into Aro's eyes. "I would like permission to study the man."

Aro began to pace the room with slow, delicate steps. "Why?"

"Because of the recent events with the Cullen coven, particularly with a Bella Cullen."

Aro glanced up briefly at his fellow elders, smiling briefly before returning his attention to Jane. "You think this man could be a shield, like Bella?"

"Perhaps, Master. That is why I would like to pursue this matter."

"Turn him," said Caius. "See what he can do. If he's worth keeping, you can then persuade him to join our coven."

"Master," replied Jane, "what if he refuses to join our coven? We cannot bend his will if he's immune."

"If he doesn't do what we say, have Felix tear off his head," replied the master with a hint of annoyance.

Jane's gaze drifted to the seated Marcus, and then to Aro as she searched for a more delicate response than the one that had come to mind.

Knowing his prized guard, Aro read Jane's reaction and smiled. "Brother, our darling Jane doesn't think that prudent. Do child, tell us why."

Jane gave a slight nod of respect and said, "With the shift of power amongst the covens, not to mention, some of their new alliances, we need to strengthen our own."

Caius exchanged a brief look with the Marcus before rising from his throne to join Aro at the base of the steps. "We are already the most powerful coven. Or...do you disagree, Jane?"

"I agree with you, Master. I simply want more power. I want this coven to be even stronger."

Aro guffawed. "And so we shall, thanks to you, dear one. How would you like to proceed?"

"If this human has a gift, we need to make him...want to join our coven. This will guarantee his loyalty."

Caius sneered at the suggestion. "Just threaten him and be done with it."

Jane shook her head. "His immunity could allow him to escape. And Heidi may never be able to persuade him. In the last 100 years, our world has drastically changed for the worse. Our remaining undiscovered by the humans is becoming more difficult. Moreover, I don't want to make an enemy of someone who might be gifted. And I don't want to destroy a potential weapon if we don't have to."

With growing intrigue, Aro eyed Jane warmly. "So, how are you going to earn his trust?"

"I'm not," replied Jane. She nodded towards Heide. "She is."

Heide gasped before turning to her friend. "What? Me?"

"From your fishing, you already know everything there is to know about him. He has already been introduced to you."

"No, no," pleaded Heidi. "He's immune to my persuasion. I'm no use to you in this matter. You should be the one that befriends him."

With both hands, Jane gestured at her body, sneering as she said, "I'm a 1200-year-old vampire trapped in a teenager's body. He's not going to reason with me. Your power may not work on him, but you're still beautiful and charming—when you want to be. He's a human male. All you have to do is smile at him. If you have to, rub your body against his; that's bound to work."

"Uhg!" exclaimed Heidi. "I will not degrade myself with a lonely hu—"

"Silence!" barked Caius. The man turned sharply to ascend the steps to his throne. "You will both go and reason with this man. If it appears that he will be uncooperative, kill him."

Neither woman dared to contradict the master. They stood as still as marble as their frustrations stewed.

"You have your orders," said Aro as he turned to ascend the steps. "Do report back to immediately."

For a fraction of a second, Jane stood defiantly still—time for the three masters to take notice—before replying, "Yes, Master." She turned slowly and exited the great chamber.

Left stunned, Heidi bowed nervously in respect before turning for the exit. She did not catch up to Jane until her friend reached the elevator. Entering the car, Heidi asked, "So, what do we tell this...Steven? I hope you have a plan."

"I do," replied Jane. "We'll tell him the truth."

...

Fretting in his hotel room, Steven's hands wildly shifted through the suitcase contents that he had poured onto his bare mattress. He instinctively could tell that someone had rifled through his possessions, but he did not care; he had to find his passport. He stood up and padded his wallet in his front pocket, once again ruling out a pickpocket. This left him to conclude that the passport had been tucked into his suitcase—though he could not remember doing so.

And why was my room stripped of the bedding? he thought again as he sat on the bare mattress, searching between the pages of a travel magazine from the passenger jet.

At the sound of a knock on the door, Steven moved swiftly to the door in the hope that hotel staff had found his carryon bag, which had also been removed 'by mistake', as explained by the hotel manager. "After unpacking no less," Steven commented aloud before opening the door.

Much to his surprise, he did not find any hotel staff with his missing bag. In their stead, he discovered his tour guide and the teenager from the museum. "Heidi? Do you know what's going on with my room?" asked Steven in exacerbation. His eyes then shifted to the teenager, whose calm demeanour appeared unusual.

Jane removed the blue American passport from her robe pocket and held it up for the man to see.

"Is that mine?" he asked.

"You dropped it in the museum."

Steven gripped the small, softcover blue book, but he could not pull the pliable passport from the girl's two fingers. As he pulled, he began to step backward into his room as the girl followed through the door. "Excuse me, but this is my room...and...[grr]...probably my passport. Please let go."

Heidi followed them into the room as the two continued to tug for control of the passport. Glancing into the hallway, the tall woman swiftly, yet silently, closed the door to the room.

"Hey, I never invited you in. And would you please let go of my pass—" Steven's body froze as his hand gripped Jane's exposed forearm. The cool touch of her skin sent shudders through his body. Steven had never encountered anything supernatural before, but he wholeheartedly recognized this…thing to be no ordinary girl. Holding her arm, he thought it similar to gripping a metal railing anchored in concrete, unmoveable, cold to the touch. He released the teenager's arm and passport simultaneously.

Jane stood still so not send the man into a hysterics. Moving her head slightly, she said, "I recommend not panicking."

Steven took a staggered step backward as cold sweat began enveloping his body. He leaned against a folding metal chair at the foot of his bed and asked, "Are you human?"

Remaining in place, Jane smiled ever so faintly. "I used to be. Both of us."

The man began studying Heidi, who now stood to the side beside a tall dresser. "What are you then?" he asked, realizing that the tour guide now wore a matching charcoal grey robe over her red velvet dress.

Heidi shrugged faintly. "You will probably find it hard to believe."

Breathing deeper, more rapidly, Steven said in full disbelief, "What? Vampires?"

As Jane stood motionless, ready to act swiftly if needed, Heidi began gazing about the room when her eye fell upon a large metal coin atop the dresser. Picking up the coin for Steven to see, she proceeded to press her thumb into its center, bending the coin into a 90-degree angle. She tossed the coin to the stunned man. "Many of the fairytales taught to your as a child are actually true."

Turning the coin between his fingers, Steven found the metal warm from being forcibly bent. His breathing became shallower as his eyes shifted between his two unwanted guests.

Jane took one slow step forward and reached for the back of the metal chair. With one hand, she gripped the curved metal bar that formed the arching frame of the seat back, crushing the steel in her hand as if it were aluminium foil.

"Um...," began Steven before wiping noticeable perspiration from his brow. Glancing at the moisture on his fingers, his hand noticeably shook. "My instincts tell me that I should not scream; correct?"

"I wouldn't," replied Jane. "If you did, I'd be forced to silence you, and I'd probably take off your head in the process."

Steven suddenly felt as if he would be sick.

When Heidi saw the man cover his mouth, she promptly shuffled away. "No-no-no. These shoes are new." She pointed to the open bathroom door. "Go!"

Steven dashed into the bathroom as vomit exploded into his mouth, bursting between his fingers as he dropped to his knees before the toilet. He retched long and hard into the bowl. The force of each retch felt as if his eyes would burst out of his sockets. One of the women turned on the light to the bathroom as he progressed to dry heaves. After a couple long retches, the man slumped down onto the floor, resting an arm uncaringly over the rim of the toilet, his shirt soaked with sweat.

Heidi moved to stand behind Jane in the doorway. Seeing the mess, she said with a sneer, "Humans can be disgusting at times."

"No argument there," added Jane, equally repulsed.

His throat burning from stomach acid, Steven swallowed hard and asked the unthinkable, "Vampire?"

"Yes," replied Jane, her demeanour simple and honest. She then watched that familiar look of hopelessness that often came to her prey wash over the man's face.

Heidi thought the man too complacent with the discovery, commenting, "We never thought you would be so easily convinced."

Unable to stop his hands from trembling, Steven tucked them under his arms in a vain attempt to hide his fear. "What is there not to believe? I can sense your evil. I...I..." Steven nervously rubbed his numb face with both hands. "The sensation of meeting you is...indescribable."

"Indescribable?" Jane shared a perturbed look with Heidi before eyeing the disheveled man on the floor. "And there's no need for name calling. We're simple creatures who have evolved from our human form. Your lot is much more evil than us."

"Huh?" The terrified man appeared confused, on the edge of hysterics. "How can you say that? Do you not feed on people?"

"We do, for their blood," responded Jane in a flat tone. "But we only kill what we need to survive. Humans kill for sport, and in mass, something we don't do."

Heidi inserted herself between Jane and the doorway, adding, "You need not fear us; we actually came here to bring you good news."

"What? I've won another all expense paid trip, this time to Transylvania?"

"Sarcasm," said Jane with a slight smirk. "See, a normal human would never dare be sarcastic. Normal people become overwhelmed when introduced to the unseen world. Normal people would be still in denial about now. You're different mentally."

"I'm not. I'm not begging for my life because I know the futility of the situation. I've fallen into the tiger's cage with no possibility of rescue."

"You're also different in another way." Jane's focus intensified as she stared at the man. After several seconds, she relaxed and said. "Just now, when I was staring, you should have felt the worse pain in your life. You're special, and I want to know the how and why."

After a long pause, the man cleared his throat and asked, "I don't understand, aren't you going to kill me?"

Jane took a hand towel from a small shelf and tossed it onto the man's lap. "I'd prefer not to."

With trembling hands, the man took the towel and dabbed his mouth dry, saying to himself with a quivering voice, "Vampires? This cannot be happening."

"It's happening, we exist," announced Heidi as she leant against the doorframe.

"What do you want from me?" asked the man.

Jane knelt down to look the man squarely in the eye. "We want to turn you into one of us. We want you to join our family."

"Why?"

"It's the only way we can learn of your special ability," replied Jane.

Steven swallowed, fighting the urge to vomit. "Is becoming like you permanent."

"Are you kidding?" asked Jane as she stood. "Haven't you read the books? Or seen the terrible movies? They seem to have covered most of the facts."

The man's gaze drifted to the floor as he took deep, calming breaths that resulted in nervous, staggered exhales. He lifted his head swiftly to ask, "Do you really feed on blood? Do you actually kill?"

Jane's expression remained unsympathetic. "We all kill in our own way. All our existences require the demise of some living thing in some form or another, whether human or vampire."

"I've never killed."

Jane pointed to the man's leather shoes without commenting. When the man looked away, she frowned as the mess around toilet was becoming harder to ignore. She asked, "What did you eat tonight? I suspect it had a heartbeat just a few days ago?"

"I've never killed a fellow human, and I never plan to."

Heidi shook her head in dismay. "I suppose you're a tree hugger too."

"What if I am?"

"Then I have good news," began Heidi. "Vampires have almost no carbon foot print. In fact, our diet is beneficial to the planet."

As the man stared blankly at the woman, Jane turned to her friend. "Really?"

"Yes. I recently read a long article about carbon footprints and eco-travel. I did the math."

"No; I didn't mean that," said an annoyed Jane. "Do you really think this helps our current situation?"

Taking a deep breath, Steven asked, "What if I refuse to become like you?"

Jane looked down at the man. "I will have no option other than to silence you. We have remained a secret for a very long time, and there is a simple reason why."

Finding her small friend's direct approach caustic—if not unhelpful, Heidi tried to defuse the situation. "If you become like us, you will become virtually immortal. In addition, you would belong to the strongest coven. Think about it, you'd be free of wanting."

"I want my humanity." Hunching over the bathroom floor, the man turned his head away from the women as his body continued to tremble with fear, his pallor beginning to hint at shock.

Heidi wrinkled her nose as she turned to Jane. "If he's just going to sit there, maybe we can hose him off. The smell is starting to get to me."

"Humans always smell, even on their best days." Jane stepped out of the bathroom before asking her friend who followed, "Did you bring any money?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Give it to me." After receiving the money from Heidi, Jane whistled to the man on the bathroom floor, holding up the cash for him to see. "Here. This will cover any belongings you may have lost when the hotel staff emptied your room. There is also more than enough money to enjoy yourself about town."

Through the bathroom door, Steven stared at the teenage sized vampire with dumbfounded perplexity—as did Heidi.

"We'll return in...," Jane began to say, pausing as she assessed the man's character, "…in three days. That should be enough time for you to decide if you would like to be part of our coven." She carefully deposited the cash onto the corner of the mattress.

"Are you crazy?" Heidi asked as her friend turned for the main door. "What if he runs to the police?"

Jane stopped to glance at the disheartened man on the bathroom floor. She smiled and said, "This one's clever, a realist. He knows that the police would not listen. He also knows that if he should do anything stupid, it would result in a fate worse than death."

Heidi watched the man give a faint nod to Jane's words, upon which she turned to her small friend to receive a more reassured look. After a brief moment of contemplation, Heidi pressed her lips tight together as she nodded acceptance to the plan.

As the two women turned to leave, the man quietly said, "I suppose this explains the shocked look on the hotel manager's face when I returned. Is he one of you too?"

"No," replied Jane. "He simply knows not to ask questions. Do you have further questions?"

Slowly, the man began to shake his head when his back straightened with a thought, "Can I have my passport?"

"No," replied Jane, to which Steven's gaze drifted back to the bathroom floor.

A second, even more sobering question came to Steven. He lifted his wavering head and asked, "So what happened to the other tourists?"

Jane stared at him with her indifferent, red eyes, a look that told him everything.

Realizing that he had escaped death twice this day, Steven lunged for the toilet. Since he had already emptied his stomach moments before, he heaved dryly. His internal pleas to God began spilling out between retches, pleas ignored by the two keen-hearing women departing down the long hotel corridor.