Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Sorry it took so long, but I've just started university so time is a little sparse.
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It was dark. I hated the dark. It may have been a fairly irrational fear, considering my knowledge of the creatures that lurked in the darkness, but nonetheless it chilled my bones.
I reached my hands out in front of me and found them scrabbling on a dry wooden surface. A door? The scent of pine and oak drifted around through hot, stuffy atmosphere. I tried to turn, or shuffled back, but all I felt was another boxed in side. Wherever I had arrived to it was a small dark space, and I thought I could feel pieces of fabric—clothing—hanging around me. An image of Narnia slipped into my mind but it did little to quell the fear.
As the tingle's buzz cleared from my ears I felt my body turn rigid. Screams, crying, bloodcurdling shouts, growls, screeching metal as if it were being torn. They were all that filled the air. My breathing accelerated as the sounds stopped and started until they fell into silence, only the faint crackling of flames took their place.
My hands traced the wooden door in front of me, searching for a handle, but there was nothing. Just the rough surface which threatened to impale my fingertips with splinters.
Smoke drifted up through the cracks in the door and I whimpered as images of roaring flames filled my mind. I could think of no worse way to die than to be burnt alive. I coughed as the sweet, acrid fumes filled my lungs. It didn't smell like the usual kind. There was no woodsy scent, just the smell of thick incense. It was too sweet, too thick, too heavy.
My coughing spluttered as I tried to kick the door open. I'd rather run through fire than choke on this sweet smoke. I could already feel my head swirling with the strength of it.
And then, in flash, the door was gone and in the space where it had been stood a dainty figure of darkness, the fire dancing outside the house it and I stood in. I could see it flickering off its long black cloak, licks of orange and red cutting through the thick violet smoke.
"Well what do we have here?" The figure spoke, and the words were so sweet, so feminine, so deadly, that there was no way it could be anything other than a female vampire.
Her hand shot out, stark white in the dusky darkness, to wrap around my wrist. The strength she used to yank me forward very nearly broke my bones, nearly but not quite. Instead I could feel them bruising and bending in her iron grip.
"Master, we have a live one," she drawled as she turned slightly to the open doorway of the house. Her eyes caught the light, and it seemed like they glowed, a bloody, violent red set in her marble, cherubic face.
No sooner had her words been spoke than another figure appeared before us. He was tall and lean with black hair that seemed to blend with the ebony of his robe. My heart was hammering against my chest as I looked up into his filmy red eyes. They seemed to sparkle as he looked at me, curiosity almost burning away the misty layer over the irises.
"She's so...vital," the girl murmured as she raked her eyes over my body, pausing to stare hungrily at my neck. I knew my heartbeat would be like a calling drum to them, each beat creating a rhythm for their monster to dance to.
"Jane, watch over the clean up, please. Felix is still a little overzealous with his duties." The man ordered in a persuasive voice. Persuasive and yet it held no room for refusal. His hand touched Jane's where she held me, lightly telling her to let go.
Jane removed her hand with an awkwardly movement before leaving the room in an instant. I was used to vampire speed, but that was with the Cullens, and Aslo. These vampires had no humanity left in them so somehow their speed all the faster.
I tore my eyes away from the door through which Jane left, to the man standing in front of me. He was still observing me, although unlike Jane he had yet to hold me against my will. He just watched with those peculiar eyes. Although my heart was pounding against my chest, and my palms felt clammy, I was determined not to show fear so my face was set like stone.
"What is your name, child?" he asked as his head cocked to the side.
I stayed silent, my lips pressed together, and my eyes never leaving his.
"Silence, no screams? No questions, or pleads of mercy?" I scowled at his demeanour. What did he expect? Did he think I would beg him to save me, spare me? He was a vampire, and by the colour of his eyes he drank blood like mine to survive. He wouldn't give me mercy so why should I waste my last breaths giving him the satisfaction of seeing me lose all dignity and strength?
My scowl became a foolish mocking smirk as he tried to stare me down.
"As you wish, if you won't tell me then I'll just take it by force."
He moved so quickly I didn't have time to react. His hands locked around my wrists like manacles, and it took all my determination to hold in the screams as his grip bent my bones, so close to breaking. I couldn't stop the small whimper that slipped out before he lurched away from me.
"So many memories, places, times," he gasped before his eyes caught mine, a million questions running behind their surface. "What are you?" he marvelled.
"Eleazar," he snapped, not through anger but impatience.
Yet another vampire appeared at his side, its dark red eyes casting an intrigued glance between me and his master.
"Yes, master?" Eleazar's black hair shone softly, reflecting the hot colours of the fire through the rolling waves of his bobbed hair.
"It appears Jane has found this little anomaly which has me quite intrigued. Would you mind?" the master waved his hand towards me, stepping back slightly to allow Eleazar to stand directly in front.
"Certainly, master," Eleazer spoke politely, dipping his head before stepping towards me. He was taller than me again, but not by much. I would place him at 5 ft 11 at most. His features were like those of the Spanish immigrants in DeSoto—large eyes and full lips, with a strong masculine jaw. If it weren't for his red eyes and pale skin tone I would think he looked exactly like one of the matadors that danced with the bulls. A proud stance and dark features.
"Look at me," he breathed, a lover's caress rolling of his tongue. I almost felt my eyes drift to his just by the sound of his seductive voice, but I held myself strong, staring only at the floor.
"Look at me," he hissed a little firmer, touching his cold finger to my chin and forcing my head upwards. I clenched my eyes shut and heard his master chuckled.
"She's stubborn, isn't she." he said as if that amused him. I didn't want to amuse him, like some dancing chimp or foolish clown. I opened my eyes to scowl at the master, gritting my teeth and clenching my jaw.
Eleazar caught my gaze and it seemed that only that second was needed. I felt myself get locked in his ruby eyes, happy memories of Aslo passing through my mind. I didn't see any of the world that surrounded me, or the vampire in front of me. I just saw Aslo, and felt the safety he offered me in the darkness.
When my eyes started to hurt I blinked and the memories vanished. Instead I saw Eleazar staring at me with wonder and confusion on his face.
"Such power for one so young, so mortal," he whispered, as if by accident. It was like he was too lost in his own discovery that he didn't realise he was voicing his thoughts out loud.
"Eleazar?" his master urged him.
"My apologies, master, but she...she holds gifts I've never come across before. In all my years I've never felt something like this." There was a heavy pause as his master stood staring at me, clearly waiting for an explanation.
"She's human but there's something—a part of her design—which gives her the ability to—from what I can gather—travel through time." I sent an accusing glare at Eleazar. Whatever safety I had felt during that moment earlier had been wiped away. He had revealed my secret and I knew that could only have bad consequences.
"A time traveller, what a wonderful surprise! Hmmm, you, my dear, are my little diamond in the rough," the master cooed as he reached to stroke my face. I jerked away but that only seemed to humour him more.
"Now, now, child. Don't be like that, not when I am so looking forward to you joining our little family."
I gritted my teeth and huffed, enduring the creeping cold of his touch as it slide down my cheek. My skin felt like it was trying to glide to the back of my body.
"Heidi," the master said softly and a stunning brunette beauty came to stand at his other side. I tried to ignore how her tongue slipped out to lick her full lips.
"Find somewhere safe for our guest," the master said, not taking his eyes off me. I wondered if he saw the dread in my eyes.
"Guest, master?" Heidi asked.
"Yes, Miss Sarelle St Clair will be joining us back in Volterra. In more ways than one."
I stared at the same wall as I had been for what seemed like an eternity. In reality the number of days I'd watched pass by through my barred window told me it had only been about a week since I arrived at Volterra.
I had already counted the number of azure diamonds in the pattern of the wallpaper on the wall in front of me. Three hundred and forty-three blue diamond shapes cut apart by ribbons of golden. I didn't doubt that the golden colour actually had gold threat woven into it. It showed in the way the sunset bounced off it, making it glimmer. It was beautiful; in fact the whole room was beautiful, for a prison cell. It held the finest French furniture, some of the greatest Italian art pieces. Even the carpet I paced upon was made by the talented hands of Persian weavers. It was luxury, but the barred windows and thick locked door ruined the magnificence of it.
I was locked in day and night ever since they stuffed me in here those seven days ago. Of course I had visitors: vampires bringing me food, or carrying out orders to wash and dress me like some rag doll. I could see the hunger in their eyes every time they came, every time that door shut behind them. But it seemed their master had a firmer hold over them than the monster in their natures because they never touched me, not once.
I shifted, heaving the thick skirt of my dress as I moved the circle room, again. The dress itself was far more extravagant than any outfit I had ever worn, but it was heavy and cumbersome to move around in. The layers of frothy skirt accentuated my small waist while the corset constricted my torso to the point of affecting my breathing. Heidi had tied it too tight deliberately. She always did. She was the one chosen to dress me more often than not. She was, in a way, my glorified baby sitter, and I reminded her of that fact as much as possible just to push her temper. She seemed to enjoy our battles of will.
The door clunked as it usually did when someone inserted the key into the lock. I didn't bother turning to see who it was; instead I kept my gazed fixed on the fading sunlight outside my window.
"Good evening, Sweetness. How is that corset feeling?" Heidi's smug voice drifted over to me and I turned to toss her a snarky smile.
"Just perfectly. Still on babysitter duties I see. Next they'll have you scrubbing my toilet." I turned back to the window as she released a snicker.
"I'm far too pretty for that," she said with an offhand tone. It was true; she was a marvellous beauty but with it came a deep narcissism. I couldn't understand why the master had kept her around, although I didn't know much about this place at all. I could hear nothing through the walls, could see nothing but the sky out the window, and couldn't roam anywhere but this room to learn anything. I didn't even know the true name of the vampire who had instigated my kidnap.
I sighed as I listened to the silence. I knew Heidi would still be behind me, but she produced no noise, not even a creak on the wooden flooring.
"You haven't eaten your breakfast. Tut tut, Sweetness, we can't have you going all sour and insipid. It's a good thing you'll be attending dinner with the masters tonight. They'll make sure you eat." I spun with shock at her news. I had never been expected at dinner. My mind started to whirl at the connotations of such an event. Vampires didn't eat so surely they couldn't mean a true dinner.
Heidi glanced up at me with an evil glint in her red eyes.
"You didn't think I came here just for your company, did you?" Heidi giggled and went to thumb through the wardrobe of dresses; although a wardrobe seemed too small for the ornate piece of furniture that held the several extraordinary fashionable fabrics.
"Now how about this one?" She pulled out a deep blood red dress with pearls stitched onto the breast in an ornate pattern. The waist seemed impossibly small in comparison to the large bell like skirt.
I stared silently at her as she grinned and picked up a delicate red choker.
"Yes, this dress, and I think this will look...exquisite around that delicate neck of yours." I sniffed and turned away, standing and waiting for her to just get on with her task. At first I had complained, kicked, lashed out but it made no different and it hurt me more than her. Now I was passive but resentful. I would make sure I kept the demeanour through my dinner this evening. The master had mentioned joining their family but I wouldn't join willingly, I'd make sure he knew that.
It didn't take long for Heidi to finish dressing me up. She took pleasure in scraping her nails along my scalp and dragging my hair up into an intricate piled of curls on the top of my head. When it came to placing the choker around my neck her focus was like that of a hunter, trained on its prey and measuring every minute movement. I tried not to show any fear as she dragged a large breath into her lungs, her face hovering just inches from my neck.
"You look almost pretty, Sweetness," she sneered as she led me out the door for the first time.
My mind thought freedom in that fleeting moment before my eyes registered the thick stone walls and dismal grey, endless tunnel.
"Try and keep up. It would be such a shame if you got lost, who knows what would happen to you." Heidi's voice showed it wouldn't be a shame at all. In fact I had a feeling—if her master wasn't so possessive of me—she would enjoy finding me bloodied and broken in some dark corridor.
I trudged behind her. I didn't run to keep pace but neither did I walk deliberately slow. I didn't want to be left but I enjoyed how I could irritate her. After all if she lost me it would be her head that rolled. For once I liked the fact I was seen as the weak human.
We walked for an age through the sienna bricked corridors and lantern lit staircases. Finally, however we arrived at a grand wooden door, engraved with blackened wrought iron in strong swirling shapes.
Heidi knocked once and a silent reply caused her to open the door wide, revealing to me a room glowing with candlelight. The flames housed in their large glass casings lit up a large rectangular table set out with a single seating at the nearest end of the table. At the far end sat three men, vampires, all cloaked in the darkness ebony. I recognised the central character as my captor, but the other two seemed to hold just a high a holding in this place as he did.
"Miss Sarelle St Clair, as you requested," Heidi bowed her head as she pushed me forward into the room.
There was no one else in there except the three men, no other eyes except their three ruby gazes. It was strange how, although the colour matched, the expressions in their eyes differed greatly. The central man had the same excitement and curiosity behind the filmy surface, while the man to his right appeared to feel nothing but boredom. The one to his left whose hair was as white as snow projected nothing but animosity in his gaze. It was as if the central man was the balance of the two on either side of him.
"Welcome, Sarelle. Please have a seat." The middle man enthused as he stood and indicated the seat in front of the place setting.
I moved cautiously and sat down, rearranging my skirt so it didn't gather beneath me.
"Who are you?" I asked once I heard the door close behind me.
"How rude of me! Of course we should introduce ourselves. We, my dear, are the Volturi. I myself am Aro, to might right is Marcus, and my left is Caius," Aro explained with a smile and I felt my heart palpitate in my chest.
"The Volturi." I murmured at the recognition. Aslo's story rattled through my brain and I felt a moment of awe at the fact I was sitting opposite the very vampires that had such power and ruling amongst the world of vampirism.
"I believe your friend, Aslo, told you of us. Although I hope you won't hold any prejudice given his biased story." I frowned at Aro's words. How could he know that?
"You are not the only one with gifts, child. Neither are the Cullens." He said with a sly smile. He knew of Aslo, or the Cullens, he had known my name without my telling him.
"You know about my life?"
"Every thought, event, and memory. They were rather intriguing I have to say, although not always clear." Aro smiled and in that smile I saw something sour. He knew about Edward and I, the fact the Cullens had revealed their secret to a human, the fact Aslo had revealed his own secret. He would even know about Bella. Wouldn't he? If my memories weren't all that clear then perhaps some things could still be a mystery to him.
"I do not enjoy having my privacy invaded." I ground out through gritted teeth.
"It didn't seem to be a problem when young Edward was the one doing the invading." Aro said lightly, revealing yet again how much he knew.
"That was different."
"Yes, quite. And most unusual as well. I've never heard of a vampire and a human." Aro laughed a little at the idea while Caius sneered in disgust. "They should be punished for such a disobedience."
"It wasn't their fault that i knew and as for the first comment, that's an outright lie and you know it." My words halted them instantly.
"How dare you accuse us, human." Caius spat but I just stared blankly at him.
"Now now, brother mine, Miss St Clair is allowed her opinions." But of course they mean nothing. I read the end of sentence by just looking at Aro's stance. I was just a human, my words meant nothing to them except perhaps to entertain for a while. To feed their lust for power and knowledge.
"Ah here is your dinner," Aro called as a vampire deposited a plate full of herbed meat, freshly cooked pasta, and a seasoned salad. It smelt divine, and my mouth watered just at the sight of it.
"Please eat. You are our guest after all." Aro smiled genially at me and all other thoughts left my mind. My stomach growled and I couldn't ignore it, so I tore into the meal, my manners long forgotten. I hadn't eaten properly in a week and it had taken its toll on my hunger.
The Italian herbs played on my tongue as I ate my way through the meal, not allowing myself to even look around me.
"We must feed you more often. I'm afraid we have all forgotten what it was like to be human." I glanced up at Aro as he spoke and saw a glimmer of interest and wistfulness. His brothers were again polar opposites. Marcus stared off into space, no expression on his face, while Caius' face was twisted with disgust. Of course human food smelt like decay and dirt to them.
"Now, Miss St Clair, we are most intrigued by your ability. Am I right to say you developed it at the age of nine?" Aro asked and I nodded through a mouthful.
"Now what I find most intriguing is the patterns of your jumps, the tendency to visit certain people throughout their lifetimes. The Cullens more often than not."
I stopped eating and placed the utensils down with a deliberate movement. "Yes although the fact that I knew what they were was not their fault," I said carefully.
"Oh yes, I realise that. You learnt that when you were just ten, yes? When Carlisle was attacked." Aro's eyes watched me carefully, measuring my reaction to his words. If he thought I would break down at the horror of the memory then he was wrong.
"You've seen my memories, so why bother with these questions?"
"You intrigue me, Sarelle. And as for your memories, as I explained earlier they were not always clear. This current that seems to possess you seems to make your mental signature a little static." His head tilted as he studied me but I kept my bored exterior.
"There was, however, a name that was rather intriguing. Isabella Swan, I believe it was."
"What about her?" I said flatly.
"Oh did you hear that brothers?" Aro chuckled. "I believe there is some jealousy harboured against Miss Swan."
"Nonsense." I snapped.
"But of course it makes perfect sense to feel such an emotion, given she stole away dear Edward, didn't she?"
Caius thumped the table at the new revelation, turning to Aro with incredulous eyes. "He has broken the rules twice! How can he be so insolent!" Aro waved him off as he explained.
"My dear brother, as of this date he has not committed this treason. It is one of the many events that will occur in our future. We can't act upon a law break that has not yet happened. Can we?"
"But, Aro, we know it will happen, we could use her as proof that we know. Imagine the shock of being betrayed by one you loved. They would crumble instantly. It would be perfect." Caius argued but Aro dismissed him once again.
"All in due time, Caius."
I smirked as I watched their discussion. "How does it feel to be insignificant, disposable, Caius?"
His eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he stood violently from his chair. He would have been at my side in an instant if Aro had not caught his hand.
"Caius, don't listen to the silly human. She's merely saying those things to irritate you."
"But I'm not to be human for long, am I? How will you wave off my comments then?" I spat as I rose from my chair.
"I do wish you wouldn't be so difficult, Sarelle." Aro sighed.
"I'm being held here against my will, having my whole life's memories plundered and examined for your own personal gain. How else am I to act?" I growled as I stared at the two vampires whose eyes showed their irritation. Marcus still seemed far away from this room, his eyes almost vacant. I couldn't help but wonder what had caused him to be that way. Why he never said a word, or reacted to anything around him.
"You could act like you're glad to be alive for one thing." Caius hissed and it was deadly, like death rolling through the air. A swift chill of icy words.
"No, why would she want that, Caius, when in fact she wishes herself dead," Aro whispered and although the words were soft they knocked the wind out of me. That was a secret, a dark, dark secret that I didn't even reveal to myself. It wasn't that I openly sought death but it was always there in my psyche. I was always wondering if it was just around the corner. Always wondering if peace waited for me in death. I wanted that peace, so indirectly, yes, I welcomed death. I just hated that they knew that, that they knew my weakness.
I bit my tongue against the furious lump in my throat. I was done talking.
"Heidi, would you please return Miss St Clair to her room. I believe the night has outworn its joviality." I turned and saw Heidi open the door, a polite smile on her face.
"Of course, Master Aro," she said sweetly as she tugged me forward.
The walk back to my room didn't seem to take as long, but isn't that always the case? It always seems to take longer getting somewhere unknown than returning to somewhere you've been once before.
She roughly shoved me through the door and I turned to see her standing in the darkness, her eyes and teeth glinting.
"Night night, sweetness, sleep tight, don't let the vampires bite."She snapped her teeth before slamming the door in my face. It shut with a loud thud although I could still hear her laughter as it echoed around the walls.
Thanks for reading!
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