Colour me surprised, pleasantly of course so perhaps a yellow, at all the reviews, I mean wow :)
II: Paradise City
Alice wandered in the city of Volterra under cover of darkness. She had waited outside the city walls until the sun had begun to set; she didn't want the Volturi to catch her in daylight. Her visions had been coming in thick and fast in the days since she had left Alaska, and entering the city of vampires before the sun had set only ever ended in her death. Entering in darkness yielded only slightly better results, no matter which gateway she used. "Good evening, ma cherie." A friendly voice with a French lilt called to her from the darkness. "It is a beautiful time, don't you agree?" A young, lean man melted from the shadows, deep red eyes gleaming in the streetlights. His dark hair was long, pinned back by a silver clip, his features pale and chiselled. Alice let her eyes rove across his form; he wore a dark suit that allowed him to disappear into the darkness easily, but on his lapel was a gold pin in the shape of an intricate letter 'V'. The French man was Volturi. She relaxed her guard.
"Yes, it is. A beautiful evening in a beautiful city." She locked golden eyes with ruby, looking up at the man with an impish smile. "Perfect hunting conditions, am I right, monsieur?" The man's eyes crinkled into smiles, his lips pulling back to reveal razor sharp, ivory teeth.
"A vampiress? No wonder I was so stricken by your radiance. May I ask your name, belle fille?" Alice cocked her head to the side, quirking an eyebrow at the man; it wasn't often she struck a rapport so neatly as with this vampire, and if her visions were not mistaken he could become a good friend. "Of course, where are my manners?" He swept into a deep bow, seizing one of Alice's hands and grazing his lips across the dainty knuckles. "My name is Victor Delize, at your service, mademoiselle."
"Alice Cullen." Claret eyes twinkled as he looked down on her, releasing her hand only to caress her face with a calloused thumb.
"I assume you are not here for pleasure, Alice." She stepped back, out of his reach, drawing another bow from him. "I apologise for my…forwardness. I am not used to restraining myself around such beautiful creatures." Alice finally gave the tinkling laugh that had been brewing in her chest.
"No harm, no foul." Her family's motto fell from her lips before she could stop it, and then it was Victor's turn to quirk an eyebrow. "Victor, I would like to ask a favour." The Frenchman smiled and held out his hands in a gesture of acceptance. "Could you take me to Aro Volturi please?" The smile fell almost as if she had stricken him.
"Why would you wish to see him? He is not the kind of man you would wish to meet, my friend." Alice ran a hand through her hair, leaving it in its usual chaotic state, flashing him a smirk and just a glint of fang.
"Oh, Victor, but we've already met." When Victor returned her smile there was a hint of respect in his darkened eyes.
"Then I would be happy to be your white rabbit, Alice." He took her hand, gently this time, and began to lead her through the mazelike alleys of Volterra.
/
The journey to Aro's throne room was much shorter than Alice remembered. Maybe her 'white rabbit' had taken her a different route to Jane's all those years ago. Or maybe now that she wasn't terrified for Bella's life, time didn't seem to stretch on so much that the walk seemed like a funeral march. Maybe now that she was taking the walk of her own free will, it simply felt shorter.
She hadn't even cringed when she'd seen the human woman at the desk on her way in, a different woman to before, even though she knew the pretty blonde's fate. She could see it; just beyond the sight of her mind she could see the woman's rosy skin being torn by ivory fangs.
Absently she noticed her guide had stopped walking. "This is where I must leave you, Alice. I wish you luck." Victor ghosted his cool lips across the back of her hand before released it. She winked one golden eye.
"I don't need luck, I can see the future." Victor gave a rich laugh and pushed the heavy wooden door open, holding it for her to pass. As Alice flitted inside he let it close with a snap behind her.
Inside the large marble room, Aro was sat in the centre throne, but the chairs that flanked it were empty. The whole room was empty except for Aro. As soon as his crimson eyes lit upon Alice he clapped his hands together, smiling in what could only be delight.
"Alice. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" His ancient eyes searched her face earnestly and she forced herself to smile back at him. The sight of one of the most powerful vampires in existence still set fear blossoming in her chest.
"I'm here to see if your offer still stands." Aro stood slowly, a frown pulling at his perfectly pale features.
"What offer, dear Alice?" He sounded almost breathless, but there was curiosity, pleasure and just a hint of greed there too.
"The offer of joining the Volturi." Alice forced her eyes to lock with the bloody crimson of the vampire lord's, and fought to keep her gaze steady as he paced, slowly, nearer.
"Why ever would you want to join us? Of all people I thought you would be the last to come here seeking a home." She could hold his eye any longer, and an involuntary flinch shot through her body as the door behind her opened again.
"Aro, we have a situation." A confident, yet childlike voice echoed through the room. Alice didn't need to turn to know that Jane was stood behind her. Aro's eyes never flickered from Alice's, searching the golden pools for his answer.
"Take Alec with you and deal with it." He muttered, his own eyes darkening. Alice knew he was probably wishing for Edward's power, she winced; thinking of Edward was painful. A flash of wonder blurred through deep red and Alice knew that the other vampire had seen her wince.
"May I ask why a Cullen is here?" Jane was used to having Aro's undivided attention Alice knew that. She also knew that being ignored, by anyone, was not something the child put up with.
"You may ask, but I believe you have a 'situation' to deal with." The vampire lord's voice was clipped, and a delicate hand raised itself, almost of its own accord, as if it wished to caress Alice's face. Alice tilted her head, exposing her throat, and the hand came to rest at the base of her neck.
Neither of heard the door slam as Jane left the throne room; they were both too lost in Alice's thoughts and memories. Flashes of home passed Alice's eyes; Bella and Edward's wedding, her divorce from Jasper, Nessie's birth, writing her letters, tearing up her letters, hugging Bella, writing the letters again. She broke away from Aro's touch gasping for breath that she didn't need. "I see." Sorrow laced his voice and features and Alice found herself feeling a kinship with the man.
"Does the offer stand?" Her own voice shook slightly but Aro didn't appear to notice.
"The offer stands, Alice Cullen Volturi. The offer stands."
Alice Cullen Volturi, I like it :)
