In her Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer created a world unlike any other. She owns this world, and I love playing in it.
This story was originally inspired by a spooky little nightmare I had.
My Spooky Nightmare - A Second Chance at Life
Chapter 9 – Meeting Demetri
After Alice's vision of a Volturi visit, the work to finish the main building began at a feverish pace. Fortunately, the order for the windows was rushed at the German factory, so the living quarters were completed the day our Volturi visitor arrived.
Carlisle had put off any other work on the building for a few days, and the Cullens had moved all of their equipment into the unfinished part of the structure. I stepped back to take a look at the front of the striking building that was emerging. Although I had seen Esme's sketches, seeing it without the equipment in front allowed a clearer view of what Esme had been trying to accomplish. The main space in front of the complex was not terribly different from any other clearing in the jungle, because as many trees as possible had been purposefully left on the grounds. You could only see the entrance of the building at ground level, not from above. The cliff overhang masked the building's undulating front wall, which was almost entirely encased in glass. The waterfall next to the main entrance produced a light mist which mingled rainbows among the spray and brought a sense of peace to the scene. The overall effect was of a building peacefully coexisting with the landscape.
Everyone had hunted that morning and then stayed close to home. Carlisle had been playing his cherished operas on the stereo system he had brought from the United States, and without the din from the construction, the music added an odd touch of old-world Europe to this jungle scene. Benches had been brought to the front and placed under the trees, and we all sat outside, watching Jasper and Carlisle playing chess.
I could tell something was up, though. Although the Cullens usually made efforts to "appear human", by fidgeting, today they were nearly frozen in place. It was as if they were using all of their senses in high alert.
Oddly enough, my shy friend appeared from time to time behind one of the trees at the edge of the clearing. She wore her usual white linen dress with a matching hair bow, and her dark eyes twinkled as she caught my eye. She seemed to be enjoying the music but was clearly staying out of the Cullens' sight lines. I realized this was a skill, and wondered if she was staying out of sight because even other immortals feared vampires. I thought I would run this theory by Carlisle and Jasper later in the evening.
Around 1:00 P.M., a light rain drove us inside for a few minutes. We gathered in one of the guest bedrooms on the second floor, as the downstairs area had still had paper and runners on the floor due to the ongoing construction.
That's when I saw a stranger appear from across the clearing. He was a wearing a long grey cloak.
"Demetri," muttered Carlisle.
"Who?" I asked Esme.
"He's like the Volturi's sleuth, dear. But don't worry; Carlisle lived with them for decades. They'll talk to him, it will all be OK." Somehow the way she was hugging me close to her didn't make that seem like much of a possibility.
Carlisle went down to the front door and welcomed the visitor. They had a quiet conversation, and then I was called downstairs.
I went down and saw Carlisle and Edward standing next to a tall vampire dressed in a cloak. He was inhumanely handsome, like the other vampires I had met. I was, however, immediately struck by his red eyes. His handsome face had a cruel cast to it, and he looked as though he relished seeing me.
"Bella, this is Demetri. He is from Volterra, Italy."
Demetri didn't answer; he just stared at me hungrily.
Jasper growled, and Demetri responded with a haughty look.
Demetri turned back to Carlisle and said something in a voice too low for me to hear, then left after bowing to the ladies. He cast a smirk at me over his shoulder just as he was passing through the door that sent shivers up my spine. I couldn't help biting my fingernails as I watched him leave.
Carlisle, Edward and Jasper looked between one another in despair after his departure.
"What happened?" I asked softly, breaking the silence.
"Demetri is the Volturi tracker," Carlisle began. "He can find us anywhere, which is what he wanted to prove by his visit today. We put him off by suggesting that as you were here with us, you were in no position to reveal what you know about our kind.
Unfortunately, those calls you've been making to your parents on Skype were either picked up by hackers or were leaked in some other way. I know your mother and father are being careful, but they might have mentioned something to a friend that was repeated in a public place."
I started to object, but Carlisle raised his hand, with a sad look on his handsome face.
"The rags pay people to spy. You never know where a reporter or photograhper might turn up. All we know is that the tabloids are all saying that you are at some secret, undisclosed location. They're claiming that you are (or were) the subject of a clandestine government study involving vampires and vampirism. You are still considered a liability by the leaders of our kind."
"But even if I was dead, they would keep the rumors going, right?"
"Probably," replied Edward softly.
"We'll deal with it tomorrow," Jasper said grimly. "We told him to go hunting."
I gasped, thinking of my friends.
"What? What was it, dear?" asked Carlisle.
"It's just that…there are people down here, around us. I saw her again this afternoon, outside!" I said anxiously.
"We didn't see anyone," said Edward softly.
"Yes, I know. She seems to know how to stay just out of sight. It's as if perhaps she's not altogether human herself. I think she's one of the dolphins," I blurted out, then stopped. They're going to think I've gone insane. And perhaps I have.
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