Chapter 2

16th Century portraits of the coven hung on the stone walls and their formal and frosted faces glared at me as I walked behind Heidi through the dimly lit corridors of the Volturi's lair. 24 hours ago I had felt confident in my plan of attack and assured of my ability to carry it out, but now I felt like a mouse in a large kingdom. I flicked my night bag over my shoulder in a swift movement and then wrapped my arms uncomfortably around my waist, clenching my fingers deep into the folds of my button down flannelette shirt.

Keep calm, I told myself. It was no use. My blood began to splutter about in my veins and my stomach contracted and pinched inside me. I was certain that the Vampires would hear my frenzied heart beat. The loud clanking of Heidi's heels stopped in front of me, and I looked up to see her force open two chestnut doors to a central room where Aro, Caius and Demetri sat. Aro stood up on my entrance as I fumbled a small hello.

None of them made an attempt to end the awkwardness that followed with words.

Instead, doors opened again to my right and left and the coven revealed itself. Faces I recognised, Jane, Marcus, the wives. There was also a face I didn't recognise. A vampire of about 45 human years who wore a grim expression. Clearly a new born, I thought that perhaps he was the recruit and the reason I should be there.

"Renesmee," Aro cooed, "We meet again."

"I hope under better circumstances this time." Who was this confident woman? It couldn't have been me. My body was quivering with fear. And yet the voice coming from my lips continued, "You must realise, surely, why am I here?"

"No. To what do we owe this honour?"

"I want to live with you- I mean I want to join your coven."

"Dear, dear Renesmee," Aro zoomed closer to me, "You want to join the Volturi?"

The crowd laughed melodically, evilly. I glanced among the group to the wives where one prominent figure breathed in heavily, evidently taking in my scent. She exhaled and stared at me while running her tongue over her incisors. I turned back to Aro and he took a cold, pale finger to my cheek to caress my face. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Yes."

"May I ask why?" he questioned while dropping his hand to his side.

I offered my hand to him, "You can see why."

"No, I want you to say it."

The laughs ended and every vampire's eyes were on me. Expectant. Jane looked toward me evidently with a desire that I should fail whatever test Aro was giving me. I knew from the moment I had seen her again that she would be one of my deepest worries in living with the Volturi.

"My family- The Cullens. They treat me like I am a baby. Like I can't make decisions for myself. They keep pushing me in directions I don't want to go."

Pathetic. Come on Renesmee, try harder to lie.

"Directions?" Aro prompted.

"Human directions," I continued, "They want me to go to high school and college, become a teacher or a doctor, make human friends, have sleepovers, marry a werewolf... They don't listen to what I want."

Almost there.

"And what do you want?"

"Power. Strength. Freedom. I want to be a vampire."

Perfect.

"Pass me your hand Renesmee."

Once again I placed my hand in his reach, ready to unleash a burst of thought and energy. He grabbed hold of it and I let go just as I had practiced. Aro's eyes fluttered for a moment until he suddenly opened them and released his grip from my hand. He eyed me for another moment. I swayed a little, drained.

"Welcome to the coven."

I almost smiled.

"Oh, before we get you settled in I think we should discuss the nature of your initiation with us. Obviously we will be parting with extra resources with your stay and with your training... you'll require training of course."

"I look forward to it."

"To put it simply, in return for our services we need something from you. You have no particular talents as yet. They will emerge with our training. So unfortunately you cannot assist us in being an officer of our law. You do, however, have certain characteristics which we may find... appealing."

The entire coven began to smirk as if in on a private joke. Heidi parted from the room with a nod from Marcus, bolting the large doors behind me. I began to breathe heavily, apprehensive and kept my eyes fixed on Aro's mouth.

"Characteristics?" I asked.

"I would say its floral," he continued, pacing around me and inhaling deeply through his nostrils, "Jasmine perhaps? You are to be complimented Renesmee. You smell devine."

The coven began to slink toward me. There eyes appeared to brighten with the thought of consuming my blood.

"I don't understand?" I foolishly believed that being one of them, well almost, that whatever Aro was insinuating must be a joke. I was half human, half vampire. It should be sickening to these creatures to feast on the blood of their own. But moral thought was not one of their high points. In the end desire, thirst always took over any shred of humanity these vampires may have. Always.

"Consider this as your first lesson in self defence. And don't worry. We won't touch your pretty face."

I backed toward the door, heaving a sigh of agitation upon hitting my head on it. Within seconds the vampires had encircled me with giddy excitement. Aro grabbed me first and threw away my night bag, moving my curls from my neck to plunge his teeth into it. I made a sound. It was halfway between a shriek and a groan and this only seemed to encourage the coven's sadistic desires. My clothes were ripped off. My body was thrown to the floor. At this point I knew I was powerless to stop them. I scrunched my eyes as felt endless jolts of pain across my body; jolts from each vampire imbibing me of my human blood. As my stomach pinched from the smell of rust and salt of my own blood being expelled from my body, I couldn't help but comfort myself with the hope that perhaps this was just an initiation. Perhaps this was to occur once only. But it was not to be so.

A few vampires removed themselves from my body. Satisfied for now. More took their place and the pain I felt remained continuous.

I turned my head with whatever energy I had left to watch these vampires. Their stomachs were round and engorged with my blood. They howled from deep within their ribcage, arching their heads back in an expression of euphoria. Apparently my kind were particularly fulfilling.

Soon they were joined by more of the coven who had finished with their meal until only one was left clinging to juices that now flowed freely from an artery in my thigh. I glanced down to see who it was and saw Jane sucking at my leg, leaving just enough blood for a slow recovery. She gave me a quick look and squinted her eyes as if to tease me for my present state.

Then finally a release. The feast was over. My world faded to black.