Aro ran through the wood, leaving the twins to wonder. Jane sat still on the forest floor; she placed her pale hand on a nearby root. She could feel the rough texture of the bark against her smooth hand. She could see it again. The magnificent beauty of nature was again visible to her. The blindness had left her in awe, but its disappearance shocked her more than the illusion itself. She kept to herself, not looking at her twin. She didn't want to move.

Alec didn't stand for long. He knew Aro had the answers, he just didn't know whether to trust him. "Wait!" He called out. He knew the man would hear him. Alec didn't waste time, he ran into the depths of the forest after him.

"Alec?!" Jane cried out in terror. It wasn't long until the two of them were running past the tall trees. "Where are you going?"

"After him!" Alec yelled. His deeper, smoother voice still surprised him. He pushed forward, faster than his sister.

"No!" She caught him by the tail of his ragged shirt. "We can't! We can't follow him or even go into civilization! We're not right Alec!"

"I know that!" Alec pushed her away. He was determined to catch the man. "He knows why." Jane continued to run. It wasn't long until they were at the edge of a small town.

Jane gasped. If her heart were beating it would have been racing, pounding itself against her tiny rib cage. "Where are we?" Aro was no longer in sight. This town, this city was bustling and busy even as the night approached.

"I don't know. We've been running all day and…" Alec breathed. "And, I'm not…I'm not tired…but…"

Jane looked down; her throat seared her chilled flesh. "Thirsty?" There was a gleam in her crimson eyes. A gleam Alec didn't recognize. They watched the town, people walking about. Innocent, ignorant people, people who didn't know of the monsters hidden on the hill.

Jane's smile grew. Her beautiful face was stunning but her eyes were the window to a deeper hatred. Bitterness. Alec followed, his lips pressed together in grief and anger. The scent of the town spread through its merriment. "Let's go." Alec whispered. He made his first step but was stopped.

"Wait, children…" Aro held his hand in a halt. He stood tall in front of them. "Wait." He said again. His voice was calm and without urgency. "You will get your fill, and revenge soon enough. But we cannot march in after people. That is not how we are…you see? You must…horn in, tame these cravings you have." He reprimanded them like toddlers.

Jane's lips curved into a grimace. "Who are you?!" She growled.

"Follow me." The man ran and the twins' curiosity pushed them on. They didn't stop to squander away time on the humans below them. The dark spread quickly and they were veiled by the moonless night. It wasn't long until they found themselves near another town. A bigger, beautiful town they knew. Their parents met here, fell in love here… Volterra, Italy.

Deep, deep sown into the darkest part of the city was an alley. It was quiet as the townspeople fell asleep. That didn't stop their running. The twins' footsteps were brief and left unheard. Jane crept quietly, treading behind Alec. Aro stopped in the darkest shadows of the tall wall. "When will we be there?" Jane called out in frustration. Her whisper was a deep hiss that frightened her brother. "We're almost there." Aro told them. The twins were mentally weary, but followed despite their irritation and thirst.

In the Sewer Rivers of Italy they crawled. The depths of their journey, no one knew. It wasn't long until they stopped at a shaft. It was a small underground door that seemed barely big enough for Jane, the smallest of the three of them. But Aro slipped through the door easily. Jane and Alec followed; finding themselves in a stone room, the scent from the water was threatening, and strong. The twins' new senses were put under torture and pain from the stench. But, regardless, they followed. At the end of the stone walled room there was another door. This door was bigger, they went through…turns and twists until they finally reached the end of the road. The last door after several…

"Welcome home…" Aro pushed the tall, elegant wooden door open. It was hidden under the heart of the city. Inside the door there was a dim lighted room; across from them was a tall beautiful staircase. In the speechless awe, Jane cleared her throat. "Where does it lead to?" She asked, pointing at the ascending steps.

"To the tower," Aro answered.

"What tower?" Alec's curiosity burned as did Jane's fright.

"Our tower…that leads to the outside."

"Then why the hell did we run through the waters when there was an easier entrance?" Alec asked angrily, growling. His temper began to get the best of him.

"Shh child, how would it look for us if three creatures were running around the town in the middle of the night? Especially three ominous creatures that are not to see the outside world ever?" Aro explained. His voice was kind but there was a hidden irritation in his tone.

"So…we can't leave the tower?" Jane asked her solemn tone was in mourning. The grief of living away in a tower bubbled in her voice.

"I'm afraid not dear one. Not until the night when all are asleep." Aro's voice was grave contrasting against the sly smile twisting on his face. Jane felt a chill of terror crawl down her spine, a strange cold feeling, a morbid shiver. She wanted to leave and run away, but Alec was intrigued.

"Won't we need to sleep?" Alec asked with skepticism.

Aro laughed a hearty laugh. "No, of course not…but more of this later…I'm sure you two are thirsty. You have run a very long way and you are newborns…" His voice trailed off.

"Newborns?" Jane asked, but Aro didn't answer her.

"Follow me," Aro said curtly. He walked past the large wooden desk, across the marble tiles of the floor. There was a hallway with doors on each side. All tall and intimidating, he walked through one, inviting the twins in.

The office bothered Jane. The carpet was scarlet red, like her eyes. It seemed unlikely futuristic. Not like the rest of the medieval tower. The candles on the wall lit up the room and kept the devious ambience alive. Jane inhaled trying to make the best of a terrifying situation. She couldn't see the hope in the outcome that was inching increasingly close to the twins. She couldn't make sense of the new appearances, their new home or the caretaker…she would have to wait for answers. Answers that promised themselves to her.

She sat at the table carefully. The tall wooden chairs with elegant backing seemed so delicate. Her hand felt the plush crimson cushion as her fingertips brushed against her chalky pale thigh. She pulled on the scraped pieces of her ruined dress as if straightening the wrinkles out of it. Habits were instilled in her from her human life. She felt nothing different. Only the burning…she was thirsty. She sat for a long time while Aro had disappeared shortly after their arrival. Jane felt comfortable in the seat, her posture strong, stiff straight against the tall chair. Her mind wandered easily.

First it was the burning. Then it was the clarity of her eyesight. Then it was the sounds of someone walking. They weren't alone. They weren't alone. They weren't alone. It soon became the darkness of the room, the reflection in the table, boredom, then a transfixion on her disturbing newfound beauty. Her skin…her eyes. She looked into the table's dim reflection. She saw the creature stare back at her for the second time. It didn't make sense for them to be there, in the tower.

She watched Alec pace. It seemed like hours had passed. She examined her brother from afar. The wounds from before had disappeared…healed overnight, healed over the burning. Jane's throat bothered her again. She ran her fingers through her hair; that would help her strange anxiety and calm her searing throat. It didn't. Her hair was shorter…choppier. What had they done to her? A fresh anger built in her.

Involuntarily a growl slipped from her full red lips. Alec jumped from his pacing. "Where is he?" Alec hissed. He was an impatient boy. He had always been. But Jane was growing weary too. "Go find him." Jane said. Her cheery bell of a voice had sunk into a monotonous tone that was dragging against her lips.

Alec walked from where he stood to the door, peeking out of it before he left. Jane could hear him walk away, the soles of his feet hitting the marble gracefully. The door closed behind him. She was alone…for now. She was frustrated. It shouldn't be this way…This shouldn't have happened. But she didn't know what exactly did happen.

Jane sighed. "Soon," She thought. Soon, she would have the answers she needed. Soon, she would understand. Soon, it would make sense.

They weren't alone.