The rest of the day passes without incident and as I head out of school at the end of the day, I think of nothing but Nicholas. Ivy links her arm through mine as we make our way to the school gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of my Old World cousins. I think about telling her about my moment with Nicholas earlier, but then I realise how much I want to keep it to myself, a secret preserved at the front of my mind, so I can savour the memory of his scent, the sight of his face and the feel of his almost touch.

Ogon interrupts my thoughts as he bounds up behind us. "What were you thinking about? Just now?"

"Nothing." I say the words too hurriedly and my cheeks flush.

"OK," Ogon says, unconvinced. "But I've never sensed that kind of emotion from you before, you felt so….elated."

I suppress a smile and Ivy looks at me with interest. She opens her mouth to speak, but she is suddenly distracted when we reach the gates.

Demetri and Felix shift out of their statue-like positions to greet us. They are both quite taken with Ivy, even Felix, who I've barely seen crack a smile before now. They are keen to know more about the connection between Voltaire and the Old World and they press Ivy for information on our journey home. Ivy tells them everything she knows and everything the Denali Scientists suspect about the links between our worlds.

"Do you believe in the possibility of more worlds?" Demetri asks.

Ivy's mouth sets in a tight line. "If there were, we would've found them by now."

"I think there's still a lot we don't know about our worlds." Ogon says.

Ivy's head whips towards Ogon and her eyes narrow. The darkness is there again, flashing across Ogon's face. No one says anything further on the matter and I wonder about the curious exchange.

Demetri hastily changes the subject. "When you come to Earth, you must visit us in Volterra," He tells Ivy.

Ivy talks excitedly about how she hopes to join the Conservation Programme as a Scientist. She talks about how she wants to study disease in the hope of finding cures for humans. Demetri watches her carefully, drinking in every word she says. A little further on, Ivy takes the path that leads to a huge, sparkling white building with powder blue turrets and flags of the Denali crest billowing in the breeze.

We say goodbye and Demetri presses his lips to her hand, she giggles girlishly as she skips up the path to her house. We head home, but instead of heading up the winding path up to our household, Ogon takes the gravel path towards the coast.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"To the Cullens," Ogon grins. "You're training starts tonight."

Demetri and Felix look at each other confused.

"You don't need to come," I tell them. "We're safe with the Cullens."

"Our orders are to stay with you til you return home."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, but I'd rather you didn't watch."

Demetri smirks. "As you wish."

We reach the shoreline and Ogon lifts me into his arms like a baby. It makes me feel like a child and I scowl.

"I'm sorry, Roma, but you can't jump that far yet." Ogon crouches low and then springs towards the Cullens household. Demetri and Felix follow closely behind as we land with a soft thud on the shale surrounding the fort. I look up at the tall, black turrets, speckled with white. Seabirds roost on the towers, their high pitched calls echoing around the stone walls of the keep.

Gabe stands between two solid, wooden doors already open to permit us. "Welcome. My son mentioned that you might stop by."

"We were hoping to use your training rooms. If you will permit us." Ogon says.

"It would be my pleasure."

Gabe nods welcomingly at Felix and Demetri and then leads us through the courtyard. It's quiet except for a huge granite fountain in the middle of the yard which splashes and gurgles as tiny shoots of water dance across the surface. Demetri and Felix stay beside it, relaxing into their statue-like positions.

"May I ask why you wish to use the rooms?" Gabe asks.

Ogon looks sideways at me. "My sister hopes to join the Volturi Keepers in the Old World. She has a very special gift which we want to keep under wraps until she takes the entry test."

"Ah of course, Pyromancy."

I look at Gabe in surprise.

"Nicholas told me," Gabe says with a smile.

"I'm not a Pyromancer, I don't see visions."

Gabe smiles. "With a little time, who knows what you will become." He leads us into a foyer lined with suits of armour and then along a dark corridor, dimly lit with candles. A few Cullens pass us, they greet Ogon but they keep their distance, almost pressing themselves against the stone wall. They barely glance at me.

"We use the smallest training room mostly for storage, if you can clear some space you can use it whenever you want. It's right at the end of the hall," Gabe stops walking and gestures towards the door. "If you'll excuse me, I have something I need to attend to." Gabe leaves us and disappears back towards the foyer.

"Thanks Gabe." Ogon calls after him.

The training room is dull and dusty, motes float on the narrow rays of late afternoon sun that filter through the narrow windows. Statues covered with dust sheets stand stationary around the room like sentinels preparing for battle. I imagine them leaping into action once the sheets are taken off and I jump when Ogon whips the cover off the nearest one, sending a billow of dust into the air. A wooden, faceless mannequin rocks backwards and forwards on its stand.

"We should move these. This whole place could go up." I wiggle fingers in front of Ogon to show my meaning.

"They're reinforced."

My heart skips a beat. I turn to find Nicholas flanked by two other Cullens I recognise from school.

"My Dad said you might need a hand in here."

"We just need to move some of this stuff so we can get started." Ogon says.

Nicholas smiles. "No problem."

The Cullens move past me and they start pushing the equipment to one side. They dart around the room at top speed while I stand helplessly in the middle. Within seconds the room is clear. Nicholas skids to a halt beside me, the muscles in his arms bulging against the sleeves of his fitted black t-shirt. I imagine reaching out and touching the contours of his arm, his chest….

Ogon clears his throat behind me. "Would you guys mind giving us some space?"

Nicholas nods and gestures to the other two. They disappear out into the hall.

"Ok," Ogon starts. "I want you to clear your mind. Let go of your emotions."

I empty my mind until all I see is black and I relax my shoulders.

"You're still feeling." Ogon says.

I try to concentrate. I screw my eyes shut and I clench my fists. I feel it then, a twist of anxiety in my stomach, a tense tingling feeling rippling all over my skin and something else. A warm feeling wrapped around my heart. I concentrate on each sensation and I try to push them away from my body, forcing an invisible barrier between me and them, just like the force which prevents Nicholas from touching me. I feel it give and then the tense, tingling feeling rolls off my body and rests in the palms of my hands, tickling my fingers. Next, I concentrate on my anxiety, I imagine reducing it to the size of a pebble like the ones which sit on the beach outside of the Cullens' household and then I crush it to dust.

I try to get rid of the warm feeling in my chest, but it doesn't budge.

"That one's fine," Ogon says with a smirk. He takes a few steps back. "Now think of fire, imagine holding it in your hands."

I raise my hands towards the ceiling and I think of the blaze that I started in the classroom earlier. It starts as a small flicker and then the training room is aglow with a ring of fire. I stand in the centre, feeling the heat on my skin. I concentrate on controlling the flames. I'm doing it, I am powerful, a true Voltairian Vampire, I won't be a laughing stock anymore. Images of school flash before my eyes, the Gazini's laughing at me, blasting Nicholas into the lockers, Nicholas unable to touch me…suddenly the ring of fire is a huge flaming wall, trapping Ogon and me within the inferno that licks the high ceiling.

"Control it Roma." Ogon yells.

"I can't." My emotions wash over me, clawing at my skin and invading my mind.

Water suddenly flows through the windows, flooding the floor and dousing the flames in the process. It laps at my knees, soaking the hem of my dress.

Nicholas splashes towards me, halting inches away from me. "Are you OK?"

I nod. "I'm fine."

"You can control water?" Ogon asks.

Nicholas grins. "I was hoping to keep it under wraps until I join the Conservation Programme." His eyes fall on me. "But it seems I'm not the only one with a secret power. Those flames were pretty impressive."

I look at him in surprise. "I can't control it, it just bursts out unexpectedly."

"Roma you did control it," Ogon says, "Maybe just for a few seconds but it's a start."

"My Father told me you want to join the Volturi Keepers." Nicholas says.

I nod.

"You know there's more to being a keeper than powers."

"She knows," Ogon says. "But we have to get her powers under control. Old World vampires are susceptible to fire – she'll reduce them to ash."

Nicholas folds his arms across his chest. "Maybe I can help."

Ogon looks between Nicholas and me. "I don't think Roma…"

"How?" I ask.

"Well, in our household, we learn control through combat. I could help with you training and I'll be on hand for…fire safety." Nicholas grins and his beautiful white smile is almost dazzling.

"Sounds good to me," Ogon says. "Roma?"

I smile at Ogon and then at Nicholas. "Can we start now?"

"Sure, I have some time," Nicholas looks thoughtful for a moment, then he takes a couple of steps away from me. "So, the most important things to remember in combat are strength and speed. I can't touch you of course, so I'll have to use this."

Nicholas rushes to a crate in the corner of the room and pulls out a long spear. "Remember what Ogon said about clearing your mind."

I nod and I try to shake off the anxious feeling clawing at my insides.

"No fires this time," Nicholas says with a smile. "Imagine yourself as a warrior." He spins the spear in his hand so it looks like a turning wheel, almost hypnotising. Suddenly, Nicholas launches the spear towards me, I dodge it easily and I hear it clatter against the wall behind me.

"That was good," Nicholas says. "This time I'm going to throw it much faster. Get ready."

Ogon walks towards the far end of the room where he leans casually against the wall with his arms folded. He nods encouragingly and I take a deep breath.

Nicholas darts behind me and retrieves the spear, he launches it at me again with such speed that I hear it whistle over my head as I duck. I barely have time to move before Nicholas darts across the room, catches the spear and throws it again. This time, he propels it towards my legs and I jump into the air, curving into a graceful arc before landing delicately on my feet.

Nicholas and Ogon applaud.

"Wow! I've never done that before." My legs feel a little shaky, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Your reactions are good," Nicholas says. "And you're pretty fast. Let's see how strong you are. Ogon, I want you to restrain Roma."

Ogon steps behind me and wraps his arms around my middle, pinning my arms to my sides.

"Roma, try to break free." Nicholas instructs.

I try to struggle out of Ogon's grip but it's no use, he's too strong. Unless….I draw my arms closer to my sides, I lift my feet up and then I rock forward, slamming my feet into the ground. It cracks a little under the force. Ogon is thrown over my head, but he twists in mid-air to land on his feet.

"Not what I had in mind, but that wasn't bad." Nicholas laughs.

The familiar flush creeps back into my cheeks.

"You want to try the fire thing again?" Ogon asks.

My smile falters.

"It's OK," Nicholas says. "I can help if something goes wrong."

I take a breath and I shake my hands out. I step away from Nicholas and Ogon and I close my eyes. The ring of fire reappears, I see it blazing beyond my eyelids. This time I count down from ten before willing the flames away. They die down and then disappear completely, leaving just a trace of smoke in the air.

"You did great." Nicholas says.

"Thanks."

"We should head back," Ogon retrieves our bags. "Same time tomorrow?"

"I'll look forward to it." Nicholas says the words carefully and his eyes follow me as I leave.