Consumed
Part Two

Aro has always had a flair for the dramatic; one that is dutifully entertained by all in the Guard, begrudgingly tolerated by Caius, and taciturnly endured by Marcus.

Just like every other time we've had a visitor, this tendency has come out as if accompanied by flashing lights and a neon sign declaring, Look here.

The whole affair begins with Aro uttering ominously, "Bring him into the light."

This time is no different than any of the others. The command itself sounds perfectly cold and sound of Aro's voice, authoritative and resolute, is enough to spur the two guards into action. We all know that he is only half serious in his unspoken threat to end us if we don't obey – it's a little show for our guest.

The grand wooden doors slam shut behind them and they move gracefully forward from the far end of the dark council chamber to the forefront of the numerous vampire groupings. Their eager red eyes betray the interest that's hidden from their features; they wait for what they all know is about to happen and it excites them.

A boy, who was hanging limply between the two guards upon their dramatic entrance, jumps to life at the sudden commotion, struggling in vain against the two vampires who hold him captive and too preoccupied with them to even glance at the rest of the room. I watch with muted curiosity from my section of the congregation, silent.

I know that he is exceedingly intelligent and perceptive, the very traits that Aro had chosen him for, so he must understand that any escape he can formulate is futile. Nonetheless, his human instinct of fight or flight kicks in as he feels his body begin to move and he jerks roughly against the stone-like arms of his captors.

Once the triad reaches the very edge of the small strip of sunlight that penetrates the otherwise black room, the guards thrust him into it, careful not to let the light touch their skin. The boy falls, unable to catch himself, and the muffled thump of his body making contact with the hard floor echoes against the high ceiling. I hear his low hiss of pain and, eventually, after what seems like minutes, he pushes himself up with his hands into a kneeling position.

Shrouded in darkness, I continue to observe the boy as he glances frantically around the room for the first time. His weak human eyes cannot see our forms, cannot even discern the walls from the surrounding darkness.

However, the sight of dozens of pairs of red, glowing eyes refracting the dim light registers in his slow-working mind and the scent of fear and the adrenaline emanates from him in waves. It heightens the sweet smell of his blood, but it's not enough to ignite anything more than a dull burn in my throat.

The guards who had brought him forth fade into the darkness and he is left alone, haloed by a small rectangle of sunlight. His hair is like soft, languid flames, a peculiar shade of bronze reminiscent of warm campfires in the dark of night, his eyes sharply green as they dart around, from corner to corner to corner. I marvel at the dusting of freckles left on his cheekbones from years of exposure to the summer sun.

Despite his seeming alertness, though, his eyes are bloodshot and dark circles ring them, almost purple against his pale skin. His arms are bare and covered in fine golden hair that glints in the sunlight. I purse my lips against the sight of dark bruises on his forearms – he didn't come without a struggle.

Aro approaches slowly, out of the boy's line of vision until he is only a few feet away. As soon as Aro is close enough for him to see, the boy gasps, shocked at the sudden and unfamiliar appearance of the older man.

A papery, white hand emerges from beneath Aro's dark robes and he reaches for the boy, who flinches away from it like it's poisoned. The sound of a hundred chimes bounces around the room, oddly varied and faint. The boy's wild eyes search for the source, impossible to pinpoint in the din.

A fresh, dry chiming causes the boy to focus back on Aro. Understanding spreads across the boy's features as he realizes that the man before him is chuckling.

"My dear child," Aro says, reaching out his hand again, but careful to keep it out of the light. "Do not be frightened."

The boy shakes his head, leaning away from Aro as far as his awkward kneeling position allows him. Blinking against the bright light, he declares, "You're going to kill me."

Another round of chiming laughter ensues, but a short wave of Aro's hand causes it to cease almost immediately. I stand silent throughout the exchange, despite the amusement of the vampires around me.

Curious, I watch as Aro answers him with more honesty than the boy could have expected from anyone else in the room. "Yes," Aro begins, "but you will awaken to so much more."

The boy shakes his head. "But I won't be me, anymore, will I?" He leans back slightly further, as if repelled, and answers his own question before Aro has a chance. "No, no I won't."

I tip my head to the side, intrigued. It was one thing to read about it, but seeing his abilities in person is shockingly bizarre. I know of the boy's promise as a vampire, his impossible deductive skills splattered across nearly every newspaper in America, but his talents still take me off guard.

Aro, speculative, cuts my thoughts short. "No, I cannot promise that you will be the same, but that is not necessarily bad."

"And I don't have a choice, anyway." It's a statement rather than a question.

Aro's voice almost sounds remorseful. "Unfortunately, you do not."

The boy bows his head and runs a hand through his already tousled hair.

"If you would allow me?" Aro's hand is still outstretched and the boy looks at it, wary. "You know what I will do, yes?"

The boy nods. Low whispers fill the room, although not loud enough for him to register.

"Then, you have nothing to fear." Aro's eyes are kind, his voice gentle, as if coaxing a wild animal to come toward him. The boy stretches out his hand slowly and, when he hesitates just inches away from Aro's hand, his own hovering over it, Aro reaches out and grasps it lightly.

Dazzling rays of light illuminate the chamber, casting the shadowy forms inhabiting its edges into relief. The boy is distracted by the shimmering light for only a moment before he turns his eyes to source of the rainbows of light; the shale-like hand gripping his own.

Aro sighs and releases the boy's hand, stepping back. The brief rays of light, which had revealed to the boy the countless figures clinging to the boundaries of the room, disappear and the boy is left blind to our existence once again, except for our radiant eyes.

"What now?" The boy asks, concern coloring his voice. He is still scanning the edges of the room, eyes straining to define shapes he has no hope of being able to see. I can hear his heart speed up, knowing that the end of his humanity is near.

"Now, we change you," Aro states simply. "It will be painful. It will seem like it will last forever, but it will be over quickly."

Aro's fingers twitch, a minute movement that is meant for me. "If you would like, there is a guard who can take away the pain, but to do so would involve removing your other senses for the duration of the change."

I shift slightly on my feet, my cloak barely a whisper against the stone beneath me. I edge forward, careful to stay hidden from the boy's eyes.

"Neither is really a great choice, is it?"

I nearly jerk to a halt in a manner most ungraceful for a vampire of my stature. I see Jane's eyes flicker over to me from the corner of my eye before training themselves back on the spectacle in the center of the chamber.

Aro shrugs agreeably. "You need not make your decision immediately. Take a moment to decide."

Aro lifts a hand and waves it dismissively through the air. The gathering of vampires in the room stirs, recognizing their part in the script, and filters out of the chamber through the heavy double doors. Their steps are light, muted, and their cloaks rustle quietly as they glide away. It's all part of the act, performed many times for varying audiences.

I stay like always, moving along the wall toward Aro. I glance at Jane as she brushes by me while rolling her eyes at the human boy's indecision. I don't find it as ridiculous as she does, as prolonging his choice provides me with the opportunity to further savor a possible future where he might not want my gift – one, however unlikely, that would allow me the freedom to spend the next days in peace – but I nod to her anyway and wait until the last of the Guard leaves and the doors shut with a resounding thud.

My footsteps are silent as I meander over to them, shrouded by my cloak. Although the boy doesn't see me until I am only a few feet away, he seems to sense that I am there long before I come into view, his eyes staring into the shapeless darkness, waiting. He takes in my alien appearance without expression – my short, dark hair, my red eyes, and the slight stature that lends me a somewhat benign appearance. I come to a halt at his side.

My own face is emotionless and carefully schooled. He stares at me, eyes boring into mine as if he knows my every thought and dream, as if he can see every single atom that makes up my existence and deems them worthless. The unspoken words are held in his gaze, deeply suspicious and relentless in an almost inhuman way.

His gaze unnerves me, makes my stomach clench and my hair stand on end.

He will make a good vampire.

Aro speaks for me, asking the question whose answer will dictate how I spend my time over the next few days. "What is your choice, Edward?"

The boy glances back at me, silent. His piercing gaze seemingly sums me up in the two sweeps his eyes make over my unassuming body; he knows what my purpose is, I see the realization in his expression as soon as his sluggish human brain makes the connection of my presence with Aro's offer. Simultaneously, his posture stiffens, shoulders curling in away from me, rejecting me. Determination takes hold of his features.

"Pain."

"As noble a choice as any," Aro smiles. He lifts the boy to his feet with ease, stepping into the sunlight. Aro's hair is haloed like that of a dark angel's; the boy gasps again, awed. The boy's hair is lit like fire by the rays of multicolored light bouncing from Aro's skin, giving him an almost ethereal glow. My own skin glimmers slightly in the refracted beams and I feel uncomfortable as the boy scrutinizes us both, enraptured.

I am not used to such innocent, inquisitive staring; too often, I am looked at with fear and disgust.

"I will look like this," he states flatly, a stark contrast to the expressions flickering across his features. Aro nods. "It will just belie the truth of what I am about to become."

His reaction makes sense now, the stoic voice and angry eyes – I am once again surprised by his intuition, despite my knowledge of his gifts, but I suppose that is why Aro wanted him.

"Yes," Aro responds before sweeping the boy toward him easily, his frail-looking body disguising the immense strength that he wields. He envelops the tall boy in his arms – his long robes appear almost comical next to the boy's scruffy jeans and t-shirt – and tilts the boy's head to the side with fingers that are embedded in the boy's hair.

Aro's eyes meet mine as he swiftly bites down on the boy's pale neck.


Sounds like Alec might have a lot to be guilty about...

Don't forget to leave a comment in the review section below!