I sat wide-eyed, staring at the obvious king and leader of this group of vampires. His poise even shouted that he was the authority. His palms were pressed together lightly, his fingertips touched to his chin, as if praying. Yet, his eyes were fixed unblinkingly on me. The milky quality that the red orbs had seemed to unnerve me. I felt like a million spiders were crawling over my skin, and I couldn't move to even wrap my arms around myself.

Aro advanced slowly, taking slow, lingering steps. His suit did not even make a sound as the fabric rubbed against itself. Every little trait about him was so…unnerving.

He repeated his words. "I have missed you, sister mine."

I stared back at him, unsure what to do. I settled for a slight nod, acknowledging his words.

Aro's face smiled just a bit, his lips pulled into a flawless half-grin. "How are you finding your quarters?"

"They're fine," I replied, shocked at how small and weak my voice sounded. I gripped the sheets in my balled fist, not taking my eyes off of him. He continued to stare at me, but his gaze was contemplative and curious, not shocked and awed.

I decided to break the insane silence. "Can I help you with anything?"

Aro chuckled lightly, lowering his hands from his lips, but interlacing his fingers, keeping them together. "No, no, sweet sister; I merely have a few questions for you."

I swallowed, preparing myself for interrogation. "Okay…"

He paused for several seconds – never taking his eyes off of me – taking a deep enough breath to raise his broad shoulders. "Are you angry with me?"

…huh?

"…Excuse me?" I mumbled, completely confused.

"Are. You. Angry. With. Me?" he reiterated, being condescendingly slow, as if he was afraid I was an idiot. His features were somber.

"Well…not 'angry'; I'm a little frustrated about why I'm being held here, and no one will tell me anything…" I said, deciding that this would end faster if I just told him the honest truth.

Aro blinked. "You are speaking of today?"

Of course, you idiot…you were there.

"Yes…" I trailed off, turning my head to the side in bewilderment. Was he dropped on his head as a child?

A dawn of understanding crossed over his face. "Ahh, you are still bleary from your descent, I understand…"

Descent? I couldn't hide my look of 'what the heck is wrong with you?'.

"Look – " I started, but he cut me off.

"Do you remember anything?"

"…About…?"

"Do you remember anything at all?" he asked intensely, walking more forward to stand in front of me. I leaned backward the closer he got.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you not recognize me at all?" his voice became deadly quiet, his hands rising to touch his fingertips to his chest as he gestured to himself.

I shook my head. "Dude, look - "

"Nothing? Not a smidgeon? Not even an image from when we were little ourselves? Nor anything of heaven?"

…Oh, Gatsby, I landed in the loony bin.

"No, I do not." I ground out, wishing to look anywhere but his eyes. I could not tear myself away from the desperate, intrigued…sad eyes…

Aro suddenly inclined his head, his eyes closing off. "I see." he replied shortly, lips pressing into a thin line. He exhaled heavily, and looked…relieved.

I wasn't sure if I was seeing things, or if I was observing this enigmatic, obviously insane man correctly.

Aro

She doesn't remember. Perfect…

Intense relief flooded through my body as I felt every muscle relax. She did not know of the deed that I had done to her. But many questions were still unanswered. Was she aware of her likeness to my dear sister? Did she have a purpose? Did she have any…gifts?

"I shall leave you, now. I can see that you need rest, my dear." I said, extending my hand to her in a friendly manner. My intention was only to see her thoughts.

She eyed my hand for a moment, not moving her hand. In a flash, I grasped her hand tightly – with no means of escape – and placed my other hand on top as well, concentrating on the stream of consciousness that I was working for. She struggled against my grip, but I held her fast. I wanted to know…I had to know if she was my sister…if she was somewhere in this girl.

I did not get a chance, however, before a blinding and agonizing pain shot through my entire body. I stiffened, dropping her hand immediately and gasping sharply. I squeezed my eyes closed, stepping backwards, and hitting the door. Upon opening my eyes, I saw a horrified expression on the young woman's face. As soon as I could recover my senses, I approached her again; the reverberation of the sudden blow still tingling through my ancient body.

"How did you…?" I began, still staring in awe of her. She stared right back, sliding back further onto the bed and cowering somewhat against the headboard.

"Please…" she whimpered, gripping the pillow in one of her fists, her body trembling.

Gods above, what a gift!

And it would be all mine…

A smile slowly spread across my face as I just imagined the possibilities.

"Rest now, my dear!" I gushed, turning on my heel and bolting from the room, my mind reeling.

Amelia

Gottsfried's canned ham! I shrieked internally as the smile spread across Aro's face. I did not catch the last words he uttered before he rushed out the door, closing it behind him. After he left, I stared at the door, completely frazzled.

Oh, sugar, honey, iced tea!

I've got to get out of here.

I sprang immediately from the bed, flying to the door.

"I knew he'd come." A calm voice said from across the room. I froze, spinning around, and sliding down the door, too weak to deal with anyone else. I was drained from the roller coaster of emotions I'd just experienced.

Didyme gave me a tiny smile, staying against the opposite wall with her hands held together. She looked somewhat timid, eyeing me carefully.

"…You came back." Was all that I could muster.

"Of course I came back; I can't leave you to deal with this alone." she replied, still smiling carefully. I stood up from where I was, walking towards her.

"Oh, Didyme; I'm so glad that you did. I need you." I whimpered out, rushing to the bed and flopping down onto it before I lost consciousness. Warmth spread across my back as I lied on my stomach. I turned my head to see Didyme with her hand on my back, rubbing it slowly. Although she could not actually 'touch' me, I could feel the warmth of her attempt.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"You are welcome." she smiled, continuing to soothingly rub my back with the warmth of her hand.

"I'm so sorry for what I said; I shouldn't have been so insensitive, I – "

"Shh, shh…" she cooed, silencing my words. "I know."

"How can you forgive me so easily after the things I said?" I asked, turning onto my side to look directly at her.

She only smiled. "I learned it from my husband. He was remarkable with forgiveness. When I got angry, I would say the most hurtful things about my brother, or the coven, but never about him. Anyway, he would always instantly forgive me for being difficult. He was so…perfect that way." she all but gushed. I could tell from the way her words were pronounced that she was smiling.

She truly loved him. Anyone could see that. It was endearing; beautiful.

She obviously loved him for a reason; do you think you could too?

…What are you saying?

I exhaled heavily, flopping my face down onto the fluffy mattress with an incoherent grumble. Didyme giggled.

"What?" I growled.

"You're just so funny when you're scatterbrained."

I gave another warning growl, to which sent Didyme into another chorus of laughing. I decided to give up before I tried to tackle her, and end up shoving myself onto the floor instead.

As the minutes passed, the hand that Aro had touched continued to stay cold, and tingle just a bit. I lifted it up, examining it for some unknown reason, but trying to figure why his touch lingered. I hated it; I wanted it off.

"What's wrong?" she asked, puzzlement laced into her voice.

"I just…can't get it off."

"What do you mean?" she asked, leaning her head closer to my hand.

"Him. I can't…shake that feeling…"

Didyme frowned, attempting to take my hand in both of hers, but ended up enveloping it in a layer of warmth instead. The feeling of Aro dissipated in a few seconds, leaving me with lingering warmth as she removed her translucent hands.

"Thank you," I mumbled, sitting up off the bed and hugging my knees.

Didyme observed me quietly for a moment. "Are you all right?"

I paused for several seconds, and then shook my head. "No…no, I'm not." I said weakly. The entire day was crashing down on me, and it was too much. The pressure on my shoulders and in my chest was crushing; suffocating…

"What was he doing? Why did he have to touch me? Scare me like that?" I said, my voice simpering and pathetic as fear wove its way into my thoughts. Didyme shushed me again, cooing me almost.

"Do you know about his gift?"

"Hmm? Gift?"

Didyme let out a light chuckle. "Do you remember when I told you that some vampires have supernatural gifts? Extra talents, as it were?"

I nodded once. She continued. "Aro's is tactile telepathy; he has the ability to see every thought you've ever had with a single touch."

Wow.

I sat in absolute awe. "Every single thought? As in…every thought?"

"Yes,"

Embarrassment flooded my mind. Everything? Every malicious, angry, sad…steamy…thought I've ever had, he knows about!

Didyme hummed loudly, trying to get my attention back. She smiled gently as my eyes went back to her.

"Everything?" I said again, my voice a mere squeak.

"Don't worry," she said comfortingly. "He did not see anything."

"How do you know?" I whimpered out, the very idea that he has seen the most intimate thoughts of my mind, and was probably mulling over them right now in his head, mumbling 'stupid human…'.

"Because I stopped him."

"How-?"

Suddenly, the pieces clicked. The expression on his face, the way he jumped away from me quickly as if I was a snake, the way he gawked at me afterward.

"I didn't know I could do that." I said, eyes wide.

Didyme burst into laughter. I glared at her.

"You are so silly." She giggled. "You can't do that. I did it for you."

Dang it.

"Why?" I questioned, sick of all of her little games.

Didyme straightened her dress, folding her hands in her lap. "Let's just say that I don't want him to know about my plan just yet. My brother has a way of…getting in the way."

"Mmm," I replied, not knowing much else to say. "Is he always so…creepy?"

"Creepy?"

"Stares like a ten-year-old boy at a zoo with a weird mix of pedophile-ness…" I said, scrounging for words to describe the character in my room only minutes earlier.

Didyme snorted.

"He's not always like that, but I can see how you'd see him that way. He can actually be incredibly sweet when he wants to be. He means well, I assure you." She replied.

"Yeah, okay." I said, maybe a little too sarcastically. Didyme gave me a sideways look, then tore into giggles.

"Pedophile?"

"Yes!" I said, completely serious. Didyme continued to giggle for several moments, sobering herself with a dainty cough.

"Why did he want to see my thoughts?" I asked, twirling a piece of my part-of-a-set blonde hair, glancing at Didyme's matching locks.

"He's curious; he likes seeing everyone's thoughts. I think it's an entertainment thing for him."

"But that doesn't explain everything," I sighed. "Why the spectacle of me? I obviously look like you, but why does that bother him so much?" I understood perfectly well why Marcus was intrigued with me, the same as the other women who came earlier, but what hand did Aro have to play in all of this?

"He's my brother,"

"Yeah, him and everyone else here…"

She rolled her eyes. "No, stupid; he's my actual brother. We're related by blood."

"Ohh," I hummed. "Got it."

But wait; that still didn't explain his behavior.

"Does he think I'm you?"

Didyme's lips pulled into a grim line. "I think he's hoping you're not."

"Why?"

Didyme shrugged. "Let's just say it's a sensitive subject."

"No, tell me. I need to know."

Didyme shook her head, closing her eyes. "Amelia, you're not ready."

I huffed. "Not you too. Telling me that I can't even be informed about the things that concern me!"

"Listen to me, young lady," Didyme said, suddenly putting on a dark tone that made my hair stand on end. "There are things about this world that you don't need to know. Things that can be disturbing and dark; I need you to trust me when I say that you will not understand right now. Please have patience."

I stared at her, scared and awed at the same time. Gone was carefree Didyme; in her place was the powerful angel that she was. I dropped my head immediately, feeling as if God himself has scolded me through her. Gads, I just disappoint everyone, don't I?

I rolled my lips inward, my eyes brimming with tears of shame. "I'm sorry." I said, my voice betraying my emotion at the end, and breaking a bit.

A few moments later, I felt a warmth cocoon around me fully, hugging me on all sides. I sniffled, leaning into the warmth.

"It's all right; I'm back." She whispered into my ear. The warmth continued to hug me close. I trembled a bit, laying down onto the bed with the warmth still on me.

"I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that." She soothed.

"Yes, I did." I replied, my voice still trembling. "I've always been pushy. And I shouldn't be; you're my only friend…"

She smiled, and I felt a small dot of warmth on my cheek. She must have kissed me. "And you're mine."

I smiled for the first time in what seemed to be a long time. Before I knew it, my mind was drifting off to sleep, and my body with it.

"Didyme?" I mumbled drowsily.

"Hmm?"

"I think he's nice."

She knew exactly whom I was talking about. I could hear her smiling as she spoke. "He's lovely; I'm glad you like him. He'll do something special for you soon, I know it."

I wished to reply, but I was unable to, for my eyes drooped, and I was gone.

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