CHAPTER 15

"Right this way, Irina." The woman—human, surprisingly—at the front desk motioned to the back door. She walked with Irina down the hall, staring forward.

Irina stared at the human woman in the corner of her eye, next to her.

The human woman twisted the large knob and pulled with all her strength to open the large wooden door. "Go ahead."

Irina slipped passed her and into the dim-lit room. She has never been to the Volturi's place. Or should she call this their palace? It was big enough to be one.

"Who are you, visitor?" A deep voice asked suddenly, but still warm and welcoming.

Irina looked to the other side of the large room, "Um, I'm Irina. I'm looking for Aro."

A dark figure stood up and glided across the floor to Irina. She remembered from centuries ago who this could be. "I am him." He looked down at Irina and a smile grew on his mouth. "Irina! I remember you now. Your mother was one of the creators of the immortal children."

Irina squeezed her eyes shut and let out her breath in a huff. "Yes; that Irina." She grumbled.

"I'm sorry, does her absence still hurt." Aro apologized.

"'Sting' would be the correct term." Irina corrected, looking Aro in his red eyes.

Aro put a hand on Irina back and guided her to a huge marble table, "Again, I'm sorry. But, you know, rules are rules."

Irina slightly flinched because that's the last words Aro said to her mother before he threw her into the fire to die.

"I'm sure she was a good person. I didn't want to do it." Aro continued without noticing her uncomfortable reaction. Aro pulled a metal chair with velvet padding for the seat, back from the table for Irina to sit.

Irina sat down and let Aro push in the chair to the marble table.

Aro was on the other side of the table in a millisecond. He sat in between two other men in black robes. "Irina, I'm sure you met Caius." He pointed to the white haired man sitting on his right.

How could Irina forget Caius? She narrowed her eyes at Caius' cold glare, and then turned them back on Aro. She nodded.

Aro pointed to his left, "You didn't officially meet my younger brother. This is Marcus."

Marcus looked like Aro, but younger and had darker hair.

Aro folded his hands on the table. "How are you? How have you been?"

Irina sighed, "Bored. It's just been me and my two sisters, plus two new members." She remembered how Eleazar and Carmen had left the Volturi. Should she say that they used to be with the Volturi? Or would that sound like that was teasing? "We've been living up in Alaska for the past century or so. Don't worry," She assured as she saw Aro's concerned expression, "It's not highly populated, so no one notices. We stay in our permanent residence most of the time anyway. The only time we step outside is for buying extra things to keep us entertained, I guess," Irina rang a little laugh, "And of course to hunt."

"Speaking of hunting," Aro started, looking confused at Irina's eyes. "What is the color of your eyes?"

"Gold. Well, they're kind of dull right now." Irina shrugged, "I haven't hunted in the last couple days since I left."

Aro rubbed his chin, "I have a close friend who has the same eye color. His name is Carlisle Cullen."

"I know him. We're very close friends with the Cullens." Irina admitted.

"So you hunt animals too?"

Irina nodded.

Caius grunted in disapproval, "Why would you do that to yourself?" His chin was raised and one eyebrow was slightly raised. He is testing Irina on her answer, and trying to ask with a terrible poker face. Caius wanted Irina to say that it was monstrous and wanted to have a reason to kill her.

Irina knew how to answer his question. She put on her own poker face and made her body relax in the metal chair. "We don't like to kill people. We chose this option as a family to become more merciful to humans."

Caius' face dropped and he rolled his eyes, "Humans do not need mercy. They're just little nutrition packets for us to suck dry."

The statement made Irina cringe, "You were a human once, Caius. Did you think that you were just a packet of blood that didn't need a future or life then?"

Caius slammed his fist on the marble table, making the marble crack where his fist landed.

It made Irina jump and grip the arms of the chair.

"Don't bad mouth me!" Caius screamed horrifically.

Irina breathed deeply.

Aro laid a restricting hand on Caius' shoulder, "Brother," He looked back up to Irina, "What brings you here Irina?"

"My mate was killed."

"We cannot bring the dead alive." Marcus said dully.

Irina grinds her teeth, "I know." She rubbed her forehead, "I came to inform you what killed my mate." She emphasized.

"A 'what'?" Aro asked bemused, "Not a 'who'?"

Irina nodded slowly.

"Well, what is it?" Caius asked impatiently.

"Werewolves. More than one." Irina finally answered.

The three brothers looked to each other and sat back.

"No such thing. We've defeated the werewolves centuries ago. There are no more." Aro explained softly.

Irina's eyebrows came together in anger, "Then do you want to explain to me how my mate was killed? Because Carlisle himself told me that they killed him."

"Have you seen these werewolves yourself, with your own eyes?" Aro asked softer than Irina's rant.

Irina's face stayed rigid, "Well…no, but—"

"There are no 'buts'!" Caius interrupted, "Either saw you saw them, or not!"

Irina looked from Caius' furious expression to her hands in her lap, "No."

"Per amor dea!" Caius shouted in Italian, with one hand in the air, and angrily sighed.

Aro leaned forward again, "We need visual evidence, from a witness. You can go be our witness and I'll see if it is a real werewolf. Otherwise, it can't be a problem and we can't interfere with it."

Irina sighed, "Okay, but can I just stay here for a couple days until I leave back to America. That reminds me. I also came here to find my place. I was thinking that maybe I could find happiness here, because I sure don't have happiness where I was."

"Won't you miss your sisters? You might not be happy there, but maybe they are happy with you around." Aro said.

"I know they will miss me…but they could visit me here."

Aro nodded. "I'm sure we can fit in another witness. I'll have Angelica introduce you to the other witnesses." He was about to call for her.

Irina stopped him, "Can I hunt first? I'm kind of thirsty." She smiled sheepishly.

Aro turned back to Irina with a sly grin, "I could have Heidi go out and grab you a few humans, if you'd like."

Irina lifted her chin and thought on that one a little bit. But finally she shook her head, "No, I think I'll stick with animals, but thank you."

Aro smiled bigger, "Are you sure?" His red eyes are judgmental.

Irina almost fell for the humans, "No, —I mean, yes, I'm sure!"

Aro and his brothers chuckled. "Alec!"

A small boy walked from the darkness behind Aro. Has he been there the whole time? Were there more back in the darkness? "Yes, master?" The little boy answered kindly.

"Would you please ask Heidi to snag a few humans for our new member of witnesses? Tell her she is very thirsty." Aro ordered the boy.

"Right away, master." And then the boy was gone before Irina could stop him.

"Oh, no, please Aro. I don't want human blood." Irina tried to explain hopelessly.

Aro waved her pleas away, "Don't fret, young one."

"I'm a couple centuries old, I'm not that young." Irina said lightly.

Aro continued without taking in Irina's little comment, "You're not getting the right kind of nutrition from those weak animals. This is good for you."

Irina looked unsure.

"Besides, you'll be living with us now. You should eat like us from now on. You can't expect Heidi to bring in a few bunny rabbits with the humans, can you?" He said with a laugh. The others joined in with his laughing.

Irina bit her lip. The criticism is embarrassing and hurtful, but she is most definitely not going to talk back to the Volturi. She learned her lesson with Caius. She wasn't sure what she was getting herself into right now. Irina could feel the power that the Volturi are already putting on her. Not being able to speak for herself, eating differently, and becoming a prisoner from the outside. And most importantly, she would have to be under to control and power of Aro, Caius and Marcus, like the boy. But it's too late to get out of this. Once you make a bargain with the Volturi, there's no way out. How did Eleazar and Carmen get out?

A few minutes later, from the same doors Irina entered through, another woman came in with a body in her arms, two actually.

The gorgeous woman—Heidi—laid the two bodies on the ground next to where Irina sat.

Humans, by the smell of their blood. The humans weren't dead, but sleeping. It is the middle of the night.

Irina swallowed loudly. The itch in her throat was burning as she inhaled the scent of the blood.

"Go ahead, dear." Aro edged, "I know you want them, and I can see it in your eyes."

Irina breathed deeply and bit her lip as her throat burned again. With a shaky hand, Irina reached down and pulled one of the humans up by the collar of his shirt. With her other hand, she held the back of his head. Irina brought her mouth down on the human's neck, pulled her lips back from her teeth and dug them in the soft and warm neck of the human man. She could feel the blood pour from the wound she made with her teeth. As soon as the sweet human blood touched Irina's tongue, she couldn't stop drinking.

Aro started to smile a sinister grin of power.

The human eventually woke up from his slumber and started to scream in pain. His screams woke the female human up. They must have been a couple. She was startled awake and then screamed for him. Heidi held her still.

The human man died as Irina sucked the last of his blood.

Irina dropped the drained man and stood up to pull the screaming and crying female human from Heidi's arms. Irina gripped the female's hair and pulled her head back to arch her neck, so Irina could get at it. She did the same to the female as she did with the male. After she drained this human, Irina looked up to Aro, wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand.

Aro smiled devilishly. "I told you, you needed it."

Irina has never felt so good after she fed since they stopped hunting humans. "I guess I did." She admitted. She could feel the warm blood inside her, it was strengthening her, warming her body and making her feel…not dull like how animal blood used to make her feel, but wired, electrified.

Heidi picked the two lifeless bodies up from the ground and started for the door.

"Thank you, Heidi." Aro said no louder than a regular inside voice, still staring at Irina.

"Mm-hmm," Heidi murmured back, not turning around.

"Now, Demetri." Aro called over his shoulder again.

A man walked slowly from the darkness this time. "Yes?"

"Retrieve Angelica. She needs to help Irina get to know everyone around her." Aro ordered.

"Yes, sir." Demetri turned around and walked back into the darkness, his footsteps still sounded in the large, dark room.

Aro turned back to Irina, "You'll love Angelica. Everyone does, she's an angel." He rejoiced.

A minute went by when Demetri returned with a woman on his arm.

Angelica has black, wavy hair that stopped at her shoulders. She did look like an angel, and her face was just angelic. She has soft eyes, even though the red color made them piercing. When Angelica and Irina looked into each other's eyes, Angelica smiled. It made Irina relax a bit and smile back.

Irina stayed sitting in her chair as Angelica walked to her side with her hands folded in front of her. Angelica looked to Aro with the same smile.

"Ah, Angelica. This is Irina, she'll be joining us as a witness. Won't you be the darling that you are, and help her around the empire?" Aro asked sweetly.

A hiss escaped the darkness behind Aro.

"Hush, Jane." A young boy's voice said in the darkness, near where the little hiss broke out.

Angelica looked cautious to the darkness behind Aro. She seemed like she was trying to be more harmless then she already was. "Yes, Aro." She looked away from Aro and the darkness to the floor. She grabbed Irina's forearm and pulled her out of the metal chair, dragging her back the way she came with Demetri.

CHAPTER 16

Irina and Angelica became good friends through the few weeks. Irina stayed with Angelica and her other friend Adelina. They're room was cramped and in the basement. There aren't many things in their room except for a desk-side table and a few books. They both have twin-sized beds one either side of the room. The room is so small there's only enough room for your legs between the beds.

Irina didn't care. She had more fun just talking to the women than she ever had living with her sisters throughout the centuries. The places and the experiences they've been, and the people they've met were extremely extraordinary to Irina.

Feeding time came more often than what she was used to. Usually, Irina and her sisters fed only when they were really thirsty and their eyes were black. The Volturi on the other hand, feed every time their red eyes are a dull burgundy. So, Heidi brought in humans at the end of every week.

A few witnesses had to come up to the Main Room, that's including Irina and Angelica. They assembled their selves, all twenty-four witnesses on either side of the Volturi's thrones. All twenty-four witnesses stood still as they watch Aro and his brothers monstrously kill five vampires. They broke the law by foolishly letting humans see them arrive from the oceans in a sunny environment.

Must be newborns, not a few years old, Irina thought at the scattered remaining of the five vampires.

On the way out with all the other witnesses, Irina noticed that human receptionist at the front desk again. The human woman is talking on her phone. Irina figured maybe she should call Tanya and Kate, let them know that she was fine at least.

"Can you make sure that it's a private call, please?" Irina told the human woman, holding the phone to her ear.

The human receptionist dialed three buttons and turned the phone to Irina.

Irina dialed the rest of Tanya's home phone number.

"Hello? Hello? Who is this?" Irina identified Tanya's voice asking nervously; rambling.

Irina had her mouth open, but nothing was coming out. She didn't know what to say. Of course Irina wanted to reassure her worried older sister, but then if she started talking about how she is right now, then she might say too much. But she had to try and keep her mind clear and certain. "Tanya."

"Irina…?" Tanya's voice questioned softly.

Irina nodded, "Yeah. How've you been?"

"Oh, my god! Irina! You've made me and your sister, Kate worried to death, hypothetically of course. But still…Where are you! You better tell me, or so help me—"

"Well, Tanya, I have been just fine. Please don't worry about me, and don't worry about where I am. I chose to live—" Irina stopped herself. She was going too far and saying too much. "I'll talk to you again in the future, but I'm not sure when. Goodbye, sister."

Irina hung up the phone on the mahogany desk.

"Irina! Irina!" Tanya screamed into the phone in her kitchen. "IRINA!"

The dial tone rang in Tanya's ear.

Kate was sitting on the counter next to her, her expression in a mess.

"Damn it!" Tanya slammed the phone down on the receiver.

Kate slid off the counter; her face hopeless, "Well, where is she?"

Tanya squeezed her eyes shut and kept them shut as she turned around to face Kate. She shook her head as she looked up to Kate's dead eyes with her own dull eyes. "She didn't tell me."

Kate put a hand on her down-turned mouth. Her eyes tightened, "What is wrong with her?"

Tanya pinched the bridge of her nose with her perfect, white fingers and closed her eyes again. "What do you think, Kate? Her mate was killed, she never does anything with us, and Irina isn't the same person that she used to be. She's damaged in so many ways."

Kate leaned against the wall next to Tanya, "Yeah, I remember back when mother was still in our lives, Irina was the one who convinced us to always stay together…as a family, and she never wanted us to separate. But now she's the one who's gone and left us. That's what angers me, she thinks she can just leave us and not tell us where she left or when she's coming back!"

"If, she's coming back…" Tanya noted.

Kate looked at Tanya with her eyebrows up in concern, "What?" She asked, barely a whisper.

Tanya nodded, "Irina said that she'll talk to us again in the future, but she didn't know when. Talk, not see. She'll call, but not see us in person."

Kate tilted her head back and hit it against the wall hard. "Ugh, Irina…Fine, the next time she calls, I'm talking to her. You're not getting enough information out of her."

Tanya put her hand up and dropped it to her thigh, and walked in the living room.

"Who was that?" Angelica asked as Irina walked back to their little group, traveling back to their rooms.

Irina shrugged, "Um, just my sisters. I had to tell them that I'm okay. I never told them I was joining the Volturi."

Adelina frowned, "Good, you shouldn't tell them."

Irina's eyebrows drew down at Adelina, "Why shouldn't I?"

The frown Adelina wore ceased and had turned into a neutral expression, "It just brings problems here if you have outside family or relationships. Enough said."

"I don't think that was enough said."

"Well, sometimes the outside family or relationships don't like that you're in here and want you out…and they try to get you out. It makes the Volturi angry and they get defensive. And sometimes the outsiders…die." Adelina gave a light, one shoulder shrug, "I don't think that's what you would want to happen."

Irina looked down at the cement ground, her sisters faces swimming in her head and behind her eyelids. "You're right; I don't want that to happen."

CHAPTER 17

The ancient, wooden door opened with a swing.

Irina and Angelica look up to the door where Demetri stood with his hand on the door knob.

"Aro wants to speak to you about your scheduled trip." Demetri mumbles quickly and leans against the door frame, folding his arms across his chest.

"Hey, Demetri!" Adelina rejoiced, sitting in the corner on her small bed with her long skinny legs folded. "How's the light up there?" She joked.

"Great, it's too bad you can't enjoy it like the rest of us Guards." Demetri raised his eyebrows as he looked around the dark, cement room. "But you're not worthy of that, are you?" His red eyes stayed on Adelina.

Adelina shook her thin, bronze hair, "You don't have to be snooty about it." Her British accent is thick.

Irina stood up and hugged Angelina and Adelina before stepping past Demetri in the small doorway. She knew she was going to be leaving after she talks to Aro.

Demetri didn't move from his stop and made Irina brush up against his body as she past him. He watched Irina with a smile. When Irina was out of the room and starts to walk down the hall, Demetri looked back at Angelica and Adelina's suspicious expressions with a glare, and slammed the wooden door shut behind him.

He caught up with Irina in a flash. They both walked quickly side by side in the pitch black hall. "So where are you going exactly?" He asked in a low, but sensitive voice.

Irina stared at the ground before her, with no expression. "That's none of your business."

Demetri smiled and glanced over at Irina, "I'll just follow you anyway."

Irina pursed her lips and her eyes scrunched, "Why would you do that?"

"Because you're so pretty and you kind of interest me." Demetri said with a wink.

Irina rolled her eyes, "Uh, thank you…I guess."

"No problem there."

Irina looked over at Demetri's smile. She flinched and yanked her hand away when Demetri tried grabbing it. "No, no, no, no."

Demetri looked hurt, "What's the problem, gorgeous?"

Irina locked her hands together behind her back and looked at her feet as they turned a sharp corner. "I'm…still not ready for another mate…after my first one was killed."

"Well, I'm not looking for a mate," Demetri attempted to touch her arm, "I just want to…"

Irina thrashed from Demetri's touch, "No!" Her voice grew louder. "I told you I'm not ready!"

In an instant, Demetri violently slammed Irina into the cement wall, one arm against her neck, while the other grabbed one of Irina's arms. "I really don't care if you are ready!"

Gasping in shock, Irina bared her teeth and with her free arm gripped Demetri's arm that was pressing her against the wall hard. "Get off me!" She struggled to get out of her throat. With her hand on his arm, she tried prying his hard, muscular forearm off her chest and neck.

It was no luck because he is too strong right now. Irina could see it in his bright crimson eyes. Demetri's had his white teeth bared as his other hand groped down her side and gripped her hip and down her thigh. His mouth moved to Irina's ear, "I just want to mess around." He breathed quietly.

Irina was able to bite down on his wrist in a quick movement and made Demetri to loosen his pressure on her neck.

Demetri stumbled back a half step and cursed at Irina. Irina braced herself against the wall when Demetri charged back at throat. Irina closed her eyes tightly, anticipating the strong hands that will squeeze her neck. But nothing came, and nothing touched her. She felt a whoosh of air that passed her and a thud, and then now groans of pain. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around her.

Demetri was on the ground in front of her, at her feet cringing and twitching. He was groaning in pain.

Irina looked around and found Jane standing a few feet away from the both of them. She is staring at Demetri in disgust.

"You unfaithful, twit!" Jane's high and furious voice was lethal in a hiss. She stepped closer removing the hood of her black robe, and stared down more threatening. And then Jane kicked Demetri without a warning.

Demetri yelped in pain and cringed more, holding his rib cage.

Jane's eyes shifted from Demetri to Irina in a blink. Irina flinched into the wall, waiting for the pain. "Come on, Irina." She sounded helpful, but that could have been Irina's mind playing with her.

Irina relaxed and followed after Jane's quick and fast step down the dark hallway and up the stairs to the main meeting room.

"It's time for your journey back to America, Irina." Aro said standing up.

Irina stepped closer, "Is it time, already? It feels like I just got here." She forced out a little chuckle. She didn't want to go back to Washington, and she didn't want to see her family nor her extended family.

"Yes, it does seem so. But it has actually been four weeks. We gave you some time to rebuild yourself here. Now it's your turn to bring us your proof of the werewolves that killed your mate." Aro gestured and then linked his fingers together in front of him.

Irina scrunched her eyes innocently with a smile, "What was going to be my proof again and how was I going to get it?"

"Your evidence is the werewolves." Caius said each word deliberately and sharp. "You're going to get it by seeing it."

Aro looked to Caius beside him embarrassed and then turned back to Irina, "And then come back and I will see it in your thoughts."

Irina regretted asking the question, but she needed it for the trip. She left right away and in a rush without saying goodbye to Angelica and Adelina.