TALKING

(A/N: Be prepared for a shock in this one - it's not fluffy Marcella stuff. It's them trying to have a decent conversation and failing. Miserably.)

I wasn't entirely sure where to begin, but I guessed he felt that, so began for me. "Hello, Isabella. I guess it's time to meet your maker!" he laughed, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. I only smiled - I was too nervous to do much else."I suppose it is.""Follow me please, Isabella," Marcus asked before turning on his heel and marching off. I followed him almost robotically until we reached his room. The door was a vast chunk of ebony with a polished gold plate on the door that read "Marcus Volturi" in a bold, ornate font. The door handle was also of gold, the knob covered in intricate carvings of symbols I couldn't even begin to recognise. Suddenly, his white hand flashed to it, turning it with a quick flick of his wrist and pushing. The ebony slid silently, revealing a beautiful room furnished with black and gold. Unlike the warm, welcoming atmosphere of my room, Marcus' had a regal feel.

"Erm… wow," I said, sitting down on a gold couch. As I did, I realised for the first time what I was wearing. My red satin dress was halter-neck and had a tight band around my waist accentuating my new curves - obviously a trait borne from vampirism. On top was a dark cloak - about the same colour as Jane and Alec's had been, possibly a little lighter. I looked up at Marcus' clothes discreetly. They were similarly beautiful - a dark suit over a crisp white shirt. It was simple but elegant. All of this took me only seconds to think and it astonished me how fast my brain could work. Another result of vampirism?

"I must admit, it is rather nice," Marcus said, stroking a bed post.
"Rather?"
"I've seen nicer. Aro does lavish an awful lot on himself," he said. I laughed.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, unfortunately. He's always been the leader of us, though he would deny it if you asked outright. I think it might be because of his talent. Much better than mine."
"Which is?"
"I can sense the relationships between people - human or vampire."
"Cool…"
"Our bond is strong." I was a little taken aback by this news. I'd just met the guy and already he was pulling pick up lines. And attempting for me, too. Or was he telling the truth? Did we have a bond, and was it strong - even though we'd known each other for little more than ten minutes. Not that vampires cared much for time. Edward had undeniably proved that.

"Pick up line or for real?" I asked.
"It is the truth."
"OK… that's a little strange."
"Why is that, Isabella?"
"Be -" I sighed, realising I'd been about to correct him on my name, but I was Isabella now. The Volturi seemed to be into full names, however long and tedious they might be. "Cause we've known each other all of ten minutes."
"I changed you, though. That gives us a bond, and despite the fact you feel it strange, it is strong. We'll just have to wait to discover what it means."
"I… suppose," I shrugged indifferently.

"Now, I feel we have talked quite enough for today. I would quite like to get some sleep, but I'm afraid that is quite impossible. Some rest is always quite enjoyable, though. Please," Marcus asked, gesturing towards the door. I nodded my agreement, then headed back towards my much more welcoming room, which I had decided conclusively I preferred. Especially since it was free from psychotic and deranged old vampires. With an unnecessary sigh of relief, I closed the door behinds me and fell down on my bed, wishing I could sleep right now. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here in the first place. Maybe it was a bad idea to ask to be changed. Maybe it was a bad idea to try and get revenge on Edward. Maybe - just maybe - I still loved him. Maybe…

I groaned, shaking my head in an attempt to clear it. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to get off as easy as that. Closing my eyes, I began to daydream and remember through suddenly dim images the times Edward and I had shared. And I somehow felt like I was asleep. Of course, I wasn't, but it felt like it, strangely enough. Now all I had to do was settle down and muddle through until I could escape this wretched place, and find my Edward again.

(A/N: I know it's short, but I was stuck for ideas. I've got about a thousand ideas for one-shots/possible stories that I need to get out of my system. I think I'll put them all in one thing so you can read them all without having to look through five million things on my profile or whatever. Might be a couple of weeks until I update again, be warned. I'll try, but no promises.)