Chapter four

Light flooded the room, and I was momentarily relieved. Then I saw the room I was in and wished I had remained in darkness. The room was lined with cells identical to the one I was in. And in each one was a human.

"W-what is this?" I asked horrified. The people were all adults, most of them females. Some were sleeping on the ground, others rocking back and forth, and a few were just sat at the front of their cell, staring straight ahead, but not really seeing anything.

"My food supply." He paced around the room. "You see, I'm rather highly ranked in my world. What you saw in the hall was a public feeding – the vampires that inhabit this castle all feast together. I, however, tend to take the best specimens before the others have access to them, and bring them here. My own, private, food supply."

"You're sick." I spat. There was nothing else to say. "Is that why I'm here? You just want to keep me until you're peckish?"

"No, no…You're different. You're only here to witness." He observed each of his captives whilst he made his way around the room, until he came full circle back to me. "Would you like to pick one, or shall I?"

"What do you mean…" He waited for me to understand. "No!" I gasped. "No, definitely not!"

"I didn't think so." He continued to pace for what seemed to be an eternity, finally stopping at a woman who looked to be in her twenties. "I think I'll have you." He unlocked her cell and began advancing on her. She immediately began to sob, crawling to the back of her cell. His eyes turned black as he pounced on her, dragging her out into the room. He dropped her in front of my cell just out of my reach.

"Please don't kill me!" The woman cried. He ignored her pleas and slapped her across the face.

"You'll be begging me to kill you in a minute." He growled cruelly.

"Stop, don't do this." I tried to reach the women through the bars, but she was too far away. "Aro, stop!" He ignored me, and began kicking her in the stomach. "Leave her alone!" I shrieked.

"Tell me, Cassandra, if I were human, would I be able to do this?" He took her arm in his hands and snapped it like a twig. She screamed in agony trying to crawl away from him. I stared in horror "Go on, then. Run." He spoke to her, a smirk on his face. She got up and ran towards the staircase, but in a blur he appeared in front of her. She turned and ran in opposite direction but again he moved so fast she ran into him. This went on for several minutes, with him never growing tired of it. My hands were shaking. I couldn't watch this anymore.

"Would I be able to move this fast?" He spoke to me. I shook my head, placing it in my hands. "Oh, no you don't. You will watch this and you shall not be able to deny your situation anymore by the time I am finished."

"No." I whispered.

"Yes." He clarified.

"You can't make me." He appeared in front of me.

"You will either watch now or I will torture and kill every human in this room until you do. What do you choose?" For a moment I did nothing, then I removed my head from my hands and met his eyes in reply to his question. There were tears streaming down my face. "Good choice." He took the woman by the hair and threw her onto her back. Stabbing his claws into her shoulders, he scraped them down the length of her, stopping at the bottom of her ribs. He gripped her so hard I heard one of them crack. She shrieked and finally gave up.

"Stop! P-please, just k-k-kill me. D-don't hurt me anymore! Please…"

"I knew you'd see it my way." Pulling her neck towards him, he looked at me as he bit. "This is for you." I felt sick. She screamed at first, but in no time, she grew weak and went limp. Falling unconscious, Aro drained her of her blood and her heart finally stopped beating.

"You are so sick." I spat once more. "You are sick and twisted and sadistic and-"

"A vampire." He reminded. "Just as a cat would play with its' prey before killing it, I like to play with mine. It's the same as you humans, you don't think twice about eating a chicken because you need it to live. We need your blood to live. There's no difference. There is always prey and predator. You humans are just too used to being at the top of the food chain."

"Maybe so, but there is no need to…to do that!" I motioned to the mutilated woman on the floor.

"For your information, I am not usually that violent. Without humanity, we would not be able to exist, therefore I try to respect the human whose life I am taking to sustain mine. The only reason I was so violent was to show you the extent of what I can do."

"I've seen enough."

"And yet you haven't seen everything…"

"Nor do I want to." I stated.

"It's too bad that's not your choice." He swung open the cell door and took my hands. "I know you, Cassandra."

"How can you possibly know me?" I hissed. "You met me only a few days ago – during which you haven't exactly interacted with me much. You don't know anything about me."

"Oh, but I do, Cassandra. I know that your mother died giving birth to you. I know that your brother blames you for it, and deep down you agree with him. I know you used to visit her grave every Wednesday and lay down tulips because it was her favourite flower when she was alive. I know that you see Caleb as a brother, a better one than your real brother, and you have done ever since he protected you from Ashdon Faraday, and rescued you from that locker. I know that Ash is the one you dream of, that haunts your nightmares even to this day. I know that even the mention of his name increases your heart rate, and that I remind you of him. That's why you've had more nightmares since being here, and worse than you've ever had before. I know you're deepest fears are the dark, being left alone, being vulnerable and someone harming Caleb, which is why you hate me so much right now but fear me too much to tell me – because I have left you alone, in the dark, I have made you feel very vulnerable, and your precious Caleb's life is in my hands."

I tried to back away from him, pulling away. He wouldn't let go. "H-how do you know that?" I stammered. "Nobody knows that – I've never spoken it!" I slammed against his chest, but his grip only tightened. "Let go of me!" I screeched. This wasn't possible. These were things I had never told anybody. He chuckled.

"You do not need to speak for me to know what is going through your mind, my sweet." What did he mean? "Must I spell it out for you?" He seemed to reply to my thoughts…but he couldn't be…could he?

"No…that's impossible…"

"Is it? If it's possible for vampires to exist, then why shouldn't it be possible for some to have unique powers? Like…reading every thought a person has ever had with a single touch…" His grin contorted into a cruel smirk at my face.

"No! Get off of me!" No, this can't be real…

"It's very real."

"Stop doing that! Let go!" He did. I fell backwards, landing on the floor of my cell. Scrambling away from him, I backed into the wall. "St-stay away from me!"

"It's too late, Cassandra. Think of the amount of times I've had physical contact with you since you arrived. I know everything there is to know about you." Images of his hands brushing my skin, holding my face, lacing my dress flashed before my eyes. How many times? How many thoughts had he read? How many memories had he stolen?

"I hate you." I whispered.

"Hate me all you like, it's not going to do you any good. You shall not escape here. I can read any escape plans before you have a chance to carry them out." I didn't hate him. I despised him. With all my heart, I despised him.

"We'll see…" I hissed. I was going to get out of here. I didn't know how, but I was. He pounced on me, pinning me to the wall by my neck.

"Know this, my child. Nobody, undead or alive, leaves this castle if I do not wish it." He dropped me with a thump. "And if I am under the impression you are going to attempt to leave against my will, I will be inclined to restrain you, which, as entertaining as it would be for me, would be rather unpleasant for you."

"I don't care. I don't care what you do to me, but I am not just going to sit here and stay put, like your pet." I spat the word as if it were toxic.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I'll just have to…leave you here for the night..." He taunted. "Alone. In the dark…" My heart rate increased, and he chuckled. I didn't say anything. "Or, you could be a good girl and do as I say." He voice was patronising. I glared back, but refused to reply. He slammed the door shut. "Alone in the dark it is then." He turned to leave.

"No!" I burst out. The lights went out and everything was silent. I know it's stupid being afraid of the dark at my age, but it makes me really uneasy. "No, no, no…" I whispered to myself. I hugged my legs to my chest and put my head down. My hands began to shake and my breathing quickened. "It's okay." I told myself. "There's no one here, y-you're fine." Memories just seemed to flood into my mind, memories of Ash and lockers and dreams. "He's in Cambridge." I told myself. "H-he's not here."

There was a sudden bang across the room. I yelped, jumping up, I looked around me, scanning for movement but everything was black. I backed into something hard, gasping, I leapt forward only to hit the cell door. Screaming again, I fell backwards, scrambling into the corner. My breath came out in short, jagged gasps, I was almost hyperventilating. "Letmeoutletmeoutletmeout…" I breathed. Tears began to trail down my face as I began to rock back and forth. "Pleeeasse...let me out, don't leave me here, somebody let me out…" I muttered. "Please!" I lay my head on my knees.

"Aro…" I whispered. My voice cracked. "Aro!" I spoke louder this time. "Please, I'm begging you, Aro!" I sobbed. I had to get out, it was driving me mad. I crawled forward to the bars and began scratching at the floor. It was cold and hard, I couldn't dig through it. Have to get out have to get out. I scratched and scratched, not even knowing why. I wasn't getting anywhere. My fingers should have been hurting but they weren't – I didn't care. I gripped the bars, shaking them, but it did nothing.

There's no one here to save you. A voice echoed in my mind. "Go away!" I shrieked, clawing at my head. "Damn you, Ash why won't you go away…" You belong to me, my girl. "Why you leave me alone? Please, leave me alone!" I do love the effect I have on you… "Arghhh!" I screamed, gripping my temples. "Stop! For God's sake, stop!" I sobbed. "…Please, stop, make it stop! Let me out…Please?" I rocked back and forth, clutching my hair, tears streaming my face. "I'll be good…I'll do what you say…I won't try to run…Just don't leave me here …Aro!" I screamed.

The light flickered on. I glanced up to see Aro standing over me, unlocking the cell. "You-you came back." I stuttered.

"I never left." He took my wrist, pulling me upright. "I must say, that was rather entertaining. I've never seen someone react like that to turning off the light." He smirked.

"Shut up." I muttered.

"What's that? You want to sleep here tonight? Okay the-"

"No!" I burst out. "No, I'm sorry, no!" I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. With all his mood swings, I was beginning to think he was bipolar.

"I thought not. Would you like me to let you out?"

"Yes, please." I muttered reluctantly.

"'Yes, please' what?" What did he want me to say?

"Yes, please, umm, Mr Aro, Sir…?"

"Master will suffice." I stiffened, looking away. He wanted to address him as 'Master'? As if I was his pet? Catching my gaze, he raised an eyebrow. I bowed my head and swallowed.

"Master." I confirmed. He lifted my chin to meet his gaze.

"If you ever try to escape me, when I find you – and I will find you – I will lock you down here for a week, and I will not come back. Judging by what you were reduced to in five minutes, I think we can safely say you would not be sane by the end of it. Come on." He led me back up the stairs to his living area and sat me on the sofa. Again, I sat said nothing until Aro broke the silence.

"You have quite a…reaction…to the dark, don't you?" I looked at him confused. How did he see it? "Vampire night vision." He explained.

"Oh…I know it's pathetic, let's not discuss it." I muttered.

"Very well. What would you like to discuss?" He crossed one leg over the other, sitting back.

"I wouldn't like to discuss anything." I stated.

"Really? You haven't got any questions? Come now, if you're forced to socialise with me, you'd be as well get some information out of me while you're at it."

"Who are you?" I asked? "I mean, I know you're Aro, but who are you?"

"I am Aro Volturi. Me and my brothers, Marcus and Caius, are the highest authority there is among my kind. Together we rule over all vampires across the world, concealing our existence, keeping peace and ensuring the law is followed. We form the coven of The Volturi and are the closest our kind has to royalty. Our guards serve similarly to how the human police service would; their occupation is to catch any law breakers, and to protect myself and my coven – my coven consisting of my brothers and I, and our wives. The Volturi Guard, although they live here in the castle with us, are apart from our actual coven. This is the way it has been for millennia."

"So…you are the vampire kings, who are in charge of the vampire police, who are in charge of the vampire population all over the world, who have been living among us for thousands of years?"

"Correct." How can vampires have existed for so long without us knowing?

"What laws do you have?" Surely, vampires just did as they pleased?

"Don't expose yourself to humans is the biggest. So clean up any left overs of food, don't go out in the sunlight-"

"Do you burst into flames?" I asked eagerly. That would be a way to get rid of him…

"No…" He laughed, bemused. "No, that is just a myth. Garlic also has no effect on us, nor does holy water or any form of stakes. The only way to kill us is to tear us apart and burn the pieces – which I human cannot do, so don't get any ideas." Damn, I thought. "We do in fact have reflections, we can enter holy ground and can cross running water. We cannot breed, new vampires – which we call 'New borns' – are humans who have been bitten by a vampire and injected with our venom. We need blood to exist, human is preferable. We are faster and stronger than humans, and some of our kind possesses certain gifts, in the same way I can read minds."

"So…why can't you go out in the sunlight?" He immediately looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, um, we're not allergic to sunlight, as such, but we have some sort of reaction. We, err, sparkle."

"What?" I wondered if I had heard him correctly.

"We sparkle." He hissed.

"You're not serious." I giggled. "The big scary vampires sparkle?" I laughed at the thought.

"Enough." He demanded. I managed to reign in my laughter, reminding myself who I was talking to. My smile dropped immediately and I looked down, averting his gaze.

"So, not all vampires have powers?" I spoke quietly.

"No. Many among our ranks do, but that is because they are here because I can utilise their powers. It makes them special. For example, my brother Marcus can see relationships between people, and we have a guard who can manipulate them. We have a guard who can track people – bare that in mind – another who can create the illusion of pain. We've a member who can cut off all senses leaving victims helpless, all things that can be quite useful to me." His eyes glinted. It was clear he was attached to his power. He seemed to collect talent, adding to his ranks with different gifted vampires.

"Why me?" I asked emotionlessly.

"What do you mean?"

"Why am I here? Why am I still alive? You obviously have some reasoning, some use for me. I mean, you tried to be rid of Caleb the first chance you got, but not me. You could have locked me up with the rest of your food supply but here I am. Why?" He didn't say anything at first, he just held his chin, thinking.

"I'm not sure. I heard you talking to Caleb long before I walked into him and your personality intrigued me. I saw you through Calebs' eyes when I helped him up, saw bits of your past. You interested me. You seemed different to the average English girl. So I thought I'd keep you around for a while. Maybe one day make you one of us."

"I would never agree to that." I stated.

"People change their minds over time. You know of our existence, therefore can never leave. You cannot remain a human in a castle full of vampires for ever. At the end of the day, you shall either change or you shall die. Those are your options."

"Death is preferable." I would never become one of them. I wouldn't give him what he wanted either.

"Like I said, people change their minds. We shall see. Perhaps your will reconsider when you see Caleb."

"When can I see him? And why would that make a difference?" I said. I wanted to see him, see for myself that he was okay.

"Tomorrow, and all will become clear then." I yawned. "You are tired. Come, to bed with you. It is late."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" I said yawning again. He raised an eyebrow in my direction.

"I'm assuming you meant 'Yes, Master Aro'?" He said, taking my hand.

"Yes, Master Aro." I repeated tiredly as he led me back to my room, too tired to put up any sort of fight. I would not give in to him completely, but for now, compliance was simply easier.

"That's better." He approved. I crawled into my bed, pulling the sheets over me. They were so thin, and this room was so much colder than the rest. I shivered slightly, curling myself into a ball. "You are cold." He stated. Aro left the room momentarily, returning with a blanket and a glass of water. "I apologise." He spoke whilst laying the blanket over me. "We do not get cold, you see, so have no form of central heating, as you humans would have. I forget sometimes that you are so much easier to neglect than us."

Yeah, because locking me in a room in a castle full of vampires against my will, using my best friends' life to bargain was definitely not neglecting me.

"Enough." He said, his hand brushing against my arm. Oops, he must have heard that.

"If you don't like what I'm thinking, don't listen…" I muttered.

"I said enough. If I do not like what you are thinking, simply do not think it." He stated. "Otherwise, there's a lovely dark cell with your name on it downstairs." That shut me up. "I presume by your sudden silence that you do not want that?" I shook my head, shuddering involuntarily. "I thought not."

He handed me the glass of water and I immediately became weary. "Before you say anything, I will not be leaving until that glass is empty, and the content is in your stomach. It will help with your nightmares, so you'd be doing us both a favour by co-operating for once and drinking it." I glanced down at it, hesitating. "Oh, for goodness sake, just drink it, before I force it down your throat myself. It won't kill you, and if it did, you said yourself you'd prefer that to the alternative so what's the problem?" I downed the contents of the glass and gave it back to him. "See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?" I didn't respond. He turned to leave.

"Thank you." I spoke quietly, without thinking.

"What did you just say?" He asked, stopping.

"I said thank you." I repeated.

"Oh. Well, you're welcome." He slipped silently to the other side of the door. I noticed his hand hovering over the light switch, hesitating, but after a few seconds he dropped it, leaving it on. I was glad. The door clicked closed behind him, and I heard his footsteps echo into the distance.

"Good night, sweet Cassandra." Were the words that followed me into sleep. A long, dreamless sleep, where for the first time in years, I felt at peace.

Hey guys, hope you liked that Thank you VERY MUCH to my one reviewer on my last chapter – a guest who named themselves 'volturi' – your support is very much appreciated, and thank you to anyone who read my story at all. If you don't like it, fair enough, but if you do, PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me so happy and gives me so much motivation to write more If you don't like where it's going, tell me, and if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them. I haven't quite decided my story line yet, so I might use some of them. Again, constructive criticism is welcome, I'll update again soon. My last exam is in two days (YAY) so I'll have a lot of time to write afterwards. Also, I'm struggling to make Aro sound…Aro-y, if that makes sense? Is it just me, or not? If not, how do I make Aro more Aro-y? All the best,

Scarlett