Chapter 1

"Any last words?" Aro said, as he looked upon the vampire that was kneeling before him. The vampire's head was bowed, and his frame quaking as he could feel that his time on earth was coming to an end. Felix behind the man, his face cold waiting for his command.

"I am sorry master please spare me! I promise it will not happen again!" Pleaded the man. I had seen this before; the last attempt to live, well whatever living meant being dead for us.

I touched the edge of my sleeve of the black velvet robe that adorned my body. A silent and unknowing shiver crawled through my spine. Despising myself as it happened I watched Aro descend the marble steps, slow and calculating. He cupped the jaw of the man. "I am sorry my child but…" He gripped the man's jaw tighter, enough to hear the sickening crack of his face breaking. "The Volturi does not give second chances." With the snap of his fingers Felix gripped the top and the bottom of the man's head and snapped it off with ease. The ghost of a grimace laced the features of my face as the man's body collapsed to the floor with a thud. Felix tucked the head under his arm and grabbed the jacket of the man's collar and dragged him out of the room. "If that is all the business for today then we will start tomorrow with anything else that needs to be done." The rest of the Coven bowed their heads and left, I did the same and started to leave.

"Carlisle, a word please?" I turned to look at Aro.

"Is there something that you need?"

"Yes, but I would rather discuss this in the library."

We walked in silence, but the sense of uneasiness came soon after wondering what my task may be. Aro opened the heavy wooden door that held the entrance to an ornate library filled from floor to ceiling with books over the centuries. The room always held comfort to me, but I felt that this would not be the case for this conversation.

"Has there been another advancement in medicine?" The advancement in the 1700's had been lacking, but I'd welcome whatever outcome would arise.

"Unfortunately not. Although I do have something else in mind for you though." He said as he walked to the ornate desk that stood prominently in the middle of the spacious room, his fingers gliding over the curves. "You see, every century we hold a…festival of sorts for other vampires to come and take place. Now, I require you to find a human; we're not picky which ever sex you want. You leave in three days at midnight." He turned and walked to the door.

"Why?" Not thinking as the word slid past my lips.

"Look at us! What do you see?"

Monster! I thought, but I knew better than to say it aloud. "Superiority." Aro's eyes turned crimson at the thought.

"Yes! But we are more! We are Gods among men! Do you know how the legends came to be about our kind?" I shook my head, remembering when I walked through the city at night hearing the rumors. "Fear. How do you think we live quietly in the heart of Italy, or others around the world, no riots, or questions? Fear, and showing no weakness, we go out in the night disguising ourselves and telling stories about a dead man who walk amongst the living. A demon who kills for pleasure and feeds from the newly slaughtered flesh! That is why we hunt for this ceremony so that our legacy never dies and fear will strike the hearts when they hear the word vampire spill from the lips of a petrified man!" Aro's hand was still on the brass doorknob and groaned through the head master's monologue. "As you can see my child that is why." His eyes returned to the cadmium red they once were.

"I understand completely." I did not understand at all. Why could we not live in peace; walk amongst humans and feed off animals like I had thought of before. Alas, I knew it would not happen; not now.

"Good, like I said before you will leave in three days, and you must be back before the next blood moon, I trust you will not fail." Five weeks. I thought as I stood there staring at the vacant doorknob which now adorned the finger marks of a blood and power thirsty vampire.

A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long to update I had received a head injury that left me unable to write for a while! Rest assured that this fic will be completed! All the best! Nik! And as always constructive criticism is always welcome.