Matching the Cards Up
I stood in front of the three brothers ready to face my judgment for my life. Two out of the three were focused on me while Marcus stared off into space. He reminded me of my mother when she was on a high. God rest her soul.
I waited for them to do something. Caius went first.
"Aro believes that the best vampire to change you is not available to us. I believe that your talent isn't of much use to us unless you can hide from a vampire now while you're still human. So Aro is letting us play a game, you hide for one hour and everyone else looks for you. If you win, you live, but if we win, you die. Agreed?" Caius said.
I swallowed. It didn't sound very fair to me. I was at a huge disadvantage since there was one of me and I-don't-know-how-many-vampires going against me. It was a lose-lose position.
"I agree, but you have to give me a twenty minute head start," I stated, straightening my shoulders for the first time in months. I wasn't going to die a coward. Caius looked amused that I was taking my life so serious. I'd show him how serious I was about living for once in my life. I've always been under someone's thumb all my life and when I am finally free, my almost happiness in threatened.
"Fine, run along then," Caius exclaimed before turning to Aro. "Get Demetri ready for the hunt. Lets see the human go against him".
I ignored what he was saying and hurried out of the room. I could beat this Demetri person. No problem….I hope.
I ran around the castle for as long as I dared before I found myself a hiding place. I was hiding in a dark tunnel in a corner all curled up. I had slowed my breathing and kept my heart rate under control so I could hear what was going on around me instead of only hearing my own heart.
I wish I had a watch to stare at. I didn't want to risk leaving my hiding place before the time was up. I don't know how long I stayed in my corner since I didn't have the sun or anything to even make an educated guess on the time.
My mind wandered as I waited to die or live. My father was probably searching franticly for his son-in-law. Derek's family had owned a successful restaurant back in Milan and that was the only reason I married him. To bad my father will never find either of us, he'll waste a lot of money looking for us. Pity.
I must have dozed off while I was hiding because I suddenly someone was calling my name loudly.
"Mia! Stupid human! Wake up!" a man said loudly over me. He almost glowed in the dark. I could tell he was Italian like me. I yawned and stood. I was assuming that I had won since he hadn't killed me yet so I stood relaxed in front of him.
"Did I win?" I asked, stretching me arms out in front of me. The man growled and bared his pearly whites at me. "I'll take that as a yes. Can you take me back to Aro, please?" I said.
He nodded and motioned for me to follow him. He led me down many hallways and up a few staircases. I didn't bother with trying to remember how many turns and such we were taking.
I cleared my throat. "So are you Demetri?" I asked. He glanced back at me before nodding. "Well, nice to meet you I guess. So, um, why were you the only looking for me?"
"Because I was the one that could find you easiest. I'm a tracker, the best in the world," Demetri answered, glaring ahead of him. I'm guessing that I hurt his ego by not being found and dying at his hand. I guess that makes me the best at hide-and-seek then.
When we arrived back in the throne room, Aro was waiting for me with a big smile on his face while Caius sat glumly on his throne.
"I knew Mia had a powerful gift! Didn't I tell you brother?" Aro exclaimed, looking at Caius. "Now, we have to make arrangements to America. They probably already know that we're coming with little Alice with them but that's not a problem. Just a peaceful visit then back to Italy," Aro said more to himself now.
"America? What's in America?" I asked. I had never even left Italy before so what would I have to leave for now?
"The Cullen clan is in America. Carlisle could easily be able to change you for us," Aro answered me, grinning at Demetri and I like this was the best thing ever. A low growl came from Demetri again.
"Can't someone else change her? There is no need to take her to them, master," he sneered. Aro stared at Demetri for a moment.
"Don't be so bitter, Demetri. Just because two women can hide from you isn't an excuse for a rude behavior," Aro scolded him.
I stayed clueless as Demetri, Aro and Caius talked about the trip to America. My feet were tired from standing and I was hungry when they finally finished the decision about it all. All I knew was that Felix, Demetri, Jane, and Alec were supposed to take me to America in a week's time.
Demetri took me back to Jane's room. "Do you need anything?" he asked. I could tell he was out of practice with dealing with humans.
"I need food, fresh clothes, a tooth brush and a hair brush," I replied immediately. He blinked in surprise that I had actually asked for something. He gave me a quick nod and ran off somewhere.
I made myself as comfortable as possible on Jane's couch again and waited for someone to bring me my things. Suddenly Felix was sitting on the floor by my feet, looking up at me. After I got over my shock of having someone pop up randomly I talked with him a little.
Felix talked about being a vampire and what the Volturi guard does and such. I have to admit that now that I knew what vampires could do, I was more aware of my situation and how easy it would be to get killed from hanging out with the guard while I was still human. And I was worried about how my transformation from human to vampire will hurt.
Demetri joined our conversation too once he got back from shopping for me. They didn't stay for too long though; they agreed that staying so close to me would probably end up with me getting crushed under their hands or something.
I actually liked talking to them, even if they had to kill humans to survive; I thought they were very funny. In my whole life, no one ever bothered with trying to get along with me or cracking a joke while I was around. It almost felt like I had friends, almost.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up on my own for the first time while in the castle. This was my fifth day here. I was really getting along with Felix, Demetri, and a few other guard members. Everyone was preparing for the trip to America, except me. I always followed someone, mostly Felix, around all day to keep me company. I was really starting to like Felix; he had such a unique sense of humor, a very dark sense of humor but still.
"Mia, are you hungry yet?" Alec asked me from his corner. I sighed. Alec refused to sit near me just in case since he hadn't feed in a few days. He said he didn't want to slip up and get punished by Aro. Alec seemed determined to take the best of care of me, which meant constant check ups.
"Not yet. I'll let you know when I do, for the hundredth time," I exclaimed before I went back to reading my book that I had selected from their large library. It didn't seem too much longer that he was asking me if I had to go to the bathroom or if I was tired.
"You know what, lets take a walk," I stated, feed up with his worrying about me. Alec followed my led out of Jane's room and into the corridor. I ignored the uncomfortable tingling feeling that I got as he walked behind me.
Suddenly Felix was walking beside me easily like he has been there the whole time. I was starting to get used to these sudden appearances here in the castle by everyone. It was surprising at times but convenient if you were lost in a corridor.
"Alec, why don't you take a break, you look too up tight. I mean, humans have survived thousands of years without a vampire babysitter following them around," Felix said. I grinned and glanced back at the short man compared to Felix. He looked slightly relieved that he didn't have to suffer my sweet human smell any more.
We walked beside each other, Felix slowing down to match my steps every once in a while. "Can we explore the city today?" I asked him, hoping that he'd say yes and take me immediately. Felix frowned and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.
"Why do you want to go into the city? There's just reeking garage and loud, annoying humans everywhere. Nothing exciting down there," Felix explained in a bored tone, stretching his arms above his head. I sighed unhappily for the first time in days.
"I haven't seen the sun in over a week, Felix. Humans need sunlight to stay healthy," I said, trying to convince him to let me out of the castle. His face scrunched up as he thought it over.
"You humans are too weak and delicate! You're lucky to have lived this long in a house full of vampires," Felix boomed out. I stared at him before laughing at how wrong he was.
"I've never felt so safe and happy before in my life. I'm glad to be living in a house full of vampires. Life is better like this," I exclaimed, gazing ahead of me. I was relieved to express my feelings to someone. This was something new that I was going to take full advantage of for as long as possible.
Felix laughed and patted my head like I was a child which I suppose I looked like next to him. "You silly woman!" he chuckled before leading me down another corridor.
I was surprised when Aro and Sulpicia were waiting for us in a room. Felix went straight to Aro and took his hand. Aro released his hand almost straight away and looked up at me.
"You want to visit the city? Who will you take with you?" Aro asked. He seemed amused that I'd want to leave the castle just like Felix. I nodded and tried to keep eye contact with him so he knew that I was serious.
"I'd like to take Felix with me and perhaps Jane," I replied. Aro chuckled and just shook his head.
"I think Mia should be allowed to go into the city if she wants to. I mean, she is a guard in training so she'd need to know the city very well," Sulpicia piped in suddenly. She smiled brightly at me and winked at me. I grinned and waited to see what Aro would say now.
"I suppose that would be best then," he said, giving his wife a loving smile. Sulpicia smiled at her husband then at me. I smiled back.
"Well, go on and enjoy city," Sulpicia exclaimed, shooing us out of the room.
"Man, can you pull some strings or what!?" Felix hooted, grinned down at me. I giggled before running down the hallway, eager to enjoy the sun and see other humans. Felix ran ahead of me and waited for me to catch up with him.
Apparently, Jane had heard of my plans of going into the city and that she was supposed to come with us. She was a white blur as she headed towards me until she stopped in front of me.
"I've brought money so when you get hungry or need something I'll have it, okay?" Jane exclaimed. I nodded. Jane and I were still working on becoming friends. We were polite to each other but I could tell she didn't like my human slowness and the fact that I've stunk up her room with my smell. Perhaps when I was a vampire we could become friends.
Jane gave me a piggyback ride with Felix running beside us though a complicated series of tunnels until I seen dim light up ahead. We arrived in an alleyway with only one streetlight somewhere in the city. I jumped off of Jane's back and deeply breathed in the fresh air.
The two vampires followed me out of the alleyway, glancing around us to make sure we were safe and all that jazz. I was almost giddy with freedom. I have never got to go shopping for myself. My mother or the maid always went out for me.
Night life in the Volterra was very interesting. Of course, teens and college kids were running around having a good time but so were adults, young and old mixed to together to enjoy their wonderful city and I could join them.
I ignored the bars and the fancy restaurants and headed straight for the first clothing store that I seen. Before I ran to the rack of clothes, I turned to Jane to ask a very serious question.
"How much money did you bring?"
"A couple thousand," she answered, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal. I might have gone into shock if it wasn't for the fact that there were a lot of nice clothes just waiting for me to buy them.
Felix reluctantly stayed with us as I shopped all over Volterra; Jane seemed to enjoy the girl time though. Jane loaded the shopping bags on Felix while she paid for everything. I felt like a little kid locked in Disney World as I ran to each store.
"Why do you need all these clothes?" Felix grumbled in the eleventh store we were in. It was probably midnight but all the stores were open. I would have normally been in bed by now but the vamps didn't need sleep and I didn't want to so….
"When I get back from America, I'm going to get my own room so I'll need clothes to go in the closet. A girl can never have too many outfits, vampire or not," I explained to the grumpy man/vampire.
"You sound like Heidi," Felix murmured before eyeing a middle aged woman that had walked by. Jane whispered something to him then he ran off.
"Where is he going?" I asked, not even looking up from the rack of clothes I was checking out.
"He was hungry so he was going to drop off your things then get a snack," she stated, looking at a long black dress about her size. I swallowed and tried not to think of what snack meant.
Jane and I had our female bonding time until three in the morning. She gave me a ride back to the castle and into her/my room. I thanked her for going with me into town. She sat with me with me as I laid there waiting for sleep.
"What was your life like before you can here? Aro makes it seem like it was horrible," Jane asked, watching my eyes drop from exhaustion. I sniffed and looked away from her.
"It wasn't very nice. My mother did drugs and my father hit me until I married Derek then he abused me also. There was no way to get out. I wasn't allowed to do anything that I wanted to do. My mother died two years ago, right before Christmas of my senior year of high school. That's when my father decided that I should marry for the sake of our family wealth. Does that seem horrible to you, Jane?" I said.
She stared over my head then glanced back down at me. "Your life is better here with us. You'll like working with the guard, going on missions with us to keep the peace safe. You already fit in so well with us already anyway," Jane replied, smiling at me.
I smiled back then said my goodnight to her before falling asleep. My dreams were calm and peaceful all night.
Author's Note: Hi, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't know if anyone has figured it out yet but Felix and Mia become friends first then get all romantic. Sorry if that disappointed any of you. See you in the next chapter…and the Cullens! :)