Bella's POV
We run the rest of the way once the plane lands. It doesn't take long to reach the city. The stone archways, the brick path, the towering fountain placed in the middle of the square. All of it speaks history and beauty.
"So, we wait?" I ask, taking in the immediate area.
The city is alive with people, mingling and laughing with one another, friendly smiles being passed around freely. Children frolic here and there, their tiny feet not staying in one spot for too long.
"We observe," he corrects. He strides over to a clock tower, his eyes scanning the shadows with purpose.
I trail after him, pausing when two children jump in front of me, shrieking with laughter as they try to outrun another child. "And what are we observing exactly?"
"Everything," he murmurs, his body on high alert.
I follow his lead and search the faces surrounding us, not seeing anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. It's odd, the adults look too happy, too open. I would expect someone belonging to the Volturi to be more ominous, more intimidating. Surely they wouldn't be out traipsing with the humans.
I give the square one more glance over when I think I spot something, or someone, promising. In an archway to my left, I see a dark figure standing in the shadows. Whoever it is is covered by the looming building. The person is obviously trying to be discreet, their face covered by a dark cloak. It seems to be working because I don't see anyone else paying attention to the mysterious presence.
"There," Jasper says quietly, nodding over at the same figure I've been staring at.
Okay then, just me and Jasper.
The person turns in our direction, and I know that we've been seen. I can see him watching us intently. I make out his features now that his face is turned to us, and it's definitely a male. Red eyes, sharp nose, square jaw, impossibly pale skin.
He's a vampire.
"Is he with the Volturi?" I ask, stepping closer to Jasper's side.
Jasper doesn't look away from the vampire. "I think so."
"He is," a soft voice confirms from behind us.
We spin around in unison. My eyes take in a small, blonde-haired girl. Her little pixie face is so young, so innocent, I feel like I'm looking at a child. Her red eyes give her away though. They tell her secret without her having to say a word.
"You seek the Volturi?" she questions, her eyes moving slowly between us. Her gaze is cold, uninterested.
"We have information that we believe your coven will find interesting," Jasper says authoritatively. It doesn't take him long to sink into the role of commander.
"We do not like to have our time wasted." The threat isn't lost on us. Her challenging smirk speaks of a dark humor. This girl is older than she appears to be. The way she holds herself, the way her eyes seem distant. Her demeanor speaks of an old soul in an adolescent's body.
"Your time won't be wasted," Jasper promises, a coolly polite smile decorating his stony features.
"We shall see," she murmurs.
She turns her back to us, stepping delicately towards an alley opposite the clock tower. Jasper and I glance at each other before following the waif-like girl. We walk down the darkened alley. I see the male step in place behind us, seeming to appear out of nowhere.
The street comes to a dead end, and for a moment I get a horrible feeling that this was a trap. Corner the vulnerable vampires, and take care of them. Yeah, that would be a good plan if they weren't interested in the information we had.
I'm about to drop to a defensive pose when the blonde turns her black-lined, red eyes, towards us. "Come," is all she says before disappearing down a hole at the end of the path.
When I glance at the spot the vampire had just disappeared down, I get a better look at the hole. It resembles a sewer of some sorts.
"You said they live underground?" I ask Jasper.
"Yup," he replies, popping the 'p'; the sound like a clap of thunder in the otherwise silent alley.
I position myself the way the blonde had, and take a deep, unnecessary, breath. "Here goes nothing," I mutter.
And I fall.
I don't know what I had been expecting, but this subtle, business-like space wasn't it. There's tan carpet, and sharp white walls. The windowless hallway that I find myself in after the 100 foot drop is unremarkable at best. The only part that I find interesting is the florescent lighting shining down on us from the ceiling.
The two vampires we'd met out in the street instruct us to follow them down the hallway, and through two more doors. At the end of the third hallway, an elevator sits ready to take its passengers wherever they wish.
Piling into the small space with Jasper and two complete strangers isn't what I would call fun. More like uncomfortable and weird. I don't need to breathe, but my lungs apparently haven't figured that out yet. My throat keeps trying to drag in air, and my heart keeps wanting to pound away.
But it can't.
The elevator goes down, down, down, further away from the surface, and the ding that follows when we reach our destination shocks me because it just feels too normal. The office that we're led into doesn't help much either. I almost think I'm going to the doctor's for an appointment.
Directly ahead, behind a counter, sits a middle-aged woman. A human woman, proven by her normal brown eyes. Her presence in this place makes me feel sick. She doesn't look scared, or uncertain, so she must not have to be here, which might be even worse.
As soon as our feet hit the burgundy carpet, she's standing up, giving us a thousand-watt smile. She looks at us as if she's known us forever, like we're the best of friends.
"Jane," she greets. "Felix."
"Hannah," Jane acknowledges, her tone bored. She barely glances at the woman as she glides past to the wooden double doors lining the wall to our right. Hannah doesn't stop smiling until all of us except Felix walks through the doors, and when I look back, she's returned to her seat behind the reception desk, a content expression settled on her pretty face.
"This way," Jane calls.
The stone staircase spirals around like a turret. It goes up for a bit, the steps curving, the walls close together. I start to feel cramped by the time we reach the top, and Jane opens another wooden door; much to my relief.
Marble floors are what I notice first. Natural light is next. The four tall, glass windows set on each side of the room give the large space an open feel. The light sienna walls help brighten the room. Three golden thrones sit at the front of the room; three majestic creatures sit in each one. A few vampires in robes, similar to Jane and Felix's, whisper to each other beside the royal seats.
They're discussing lunch.
"Jane!" the dark haired vampire in the middle throne greets.
"Master," Jane says respectfully, bowing her head before going to stand at his side, leaving Jasper and I on the floor alone.
"And who are our guests?" he questions, watching us with eyes that remind me of a snake's.
"Nomads who claim to have important information pertaining to us," she replies, unconcerned and vicious at the same time.
For some reason, I get the feeling Jane doesn't like us.
The vampires sitting on the other two thrones don't seem to notice our presence, though their eyes are on us. The one on the right has chestnut brown hair that falls to his shoulders. His skin looks thin, like crinkled paper. The one on the left has blonde hair, so light it's almost white. He looks younger than the others, but his eyes are old like Jane's.
The leader's gaze hardens on us, curiosity shining fiercely in his ruby eyes. His interest both soothes my fears and increases them. "My name is Aro," he tells us. "And what might your names be?"
I decide then to let Jasper do all of the talking. I look at him, signaling for him to take over, and he nods slightly. "Jasper and Bella," his voice rings out through the room.
"Jasper and Bella," Aro repeats slowly. Our names sound muddied after him saying them out loud. "And what is this information you have for us?"
His fake smile rubs against me the wrong way; I already don't like him. The role of generous host doesn't quite fit him, but that doesn't seem to stop him from trying to make it work.
"First, I think we need to negotiate," Jasper says.
Immediately, Jane tenses up, and the vampires beside Aro glare at us, no longer looking through us as if we don't exist.
"Negotiate," Aro purrs, a delighted grin splitting his blood red lips up at the ends.
"We need your protection," Jasper answers, unfazed by the subtle changes in the room.
"Many ask for the Volturi's protection; very few receive it," the old, chestnut haired vampire speaks up, his voice raspy from lack of use.
Aro smiles, placing a hand out to quiet the vampire on the right as he gets to his feet.
"Brother, let's hear our guests out first."
The outraged vampire settles down, but his glare doesn't stray.
"By all means," Aro continues, invitingly. "Let's negotiate."