Blood was on the stage, and somehow, it had even found it's way on the dress Aro had bought for me. I saw it on my hands, felt it on my face. How did it get on my face? I couldn't stop staring at the bodies in front of me. They were shredded, ripped to pieces, their throats devoured and then crushed.

I started backing away, but before I could, Aro was in front of me, his red eyes glowing bright, freshly fed. He took my arm, and I was forced to stop. "Little one, look at me." My breathing picked up, and I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. My voice was frozen silent. "Ariana, look at me."

Finally, my eyes shot to his, and I blinked as everything came back into focus. I quickly turned my head to peer behind me at the stage, which was all but empty. My dress was still a pristine white, and my hands clean. I reached up with the arm Aro wasn't holding onto and felt my face. What was that?

Aro observed me, his friend Pierre also looking at me curiously. I tried to calm my breathing as my heart pounded in my ears. Everything was so loud. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to get the memory of what I had seen out somehow. I heard Aro sigh as his hand moved down my arm until it grasped onto mine. He could see everything now.

Once Aro had taken what he wanted, his hand reached up to lift my chin. A salty stream had begun to fall down my cheek, and he gently wiped it away with his thumb as I swallowed hard. "It is quite remarkable," Aro spoke as he released me. He turned to Pierre. "Do you remember Eleazar? I had him read her, and apparently, she can see into the past. You and I had quite the run of the place a century ago. I had forgotten what fun it was."

"It would have been more fun had you not put your laws into place, but it is what it is," Pierre commented.

"Understandably so, of course." Aro grinned then gazed back down at me.

My breathing had calmed, but my body was still a shaking mess. I suddenly felt so cold. The cloak, which Aro had taken from me at some point once we entered the theater, was placed back around my shoulders, and I gripped at it to hold it in place. "That happened?"

"Yes. I brought another young girl back then. I imagine you were viewing her memories. Her ghost must wander here somewhere," Aro replied mysteriously as he glanced up into the boxes above us.

So what he was saying, not only was I having flashbacks of my past, but I was also having flashbacks of someone else's who was already dead? How was that even possible? I paused. Vampires weren't really possible either, but I had met plenty of them to prove that thought false. They were entirely possible, so maybe this was, too.

It probably should have terrified me about what he said of killing this other girl, but it didn't. It only made me feel sad. I knew there had been others, but I never really connected the pieces until now when Aro said it with his own words that he had brought another to this exact same place. Why did he bring me?

I watched as Pierre held out an envelope to Aro, and Aro took it before sticking it into his inner jacket pocket. It was an uncomfortable exchange, and I was ready to leave. Perhaps sensing the distress I was feeling, Aro remarked, "It seems I should be getting my pet back home. It has been wonderful seeing you again, Pierre. Please do take the time to stop by Volterra when you are in the area again."

Pierre bowed his head in acknowledgment. "I will remember to do so." Pierre's eyes then fell on me. "I hope this one fares better than the last."

"You have no idea, old friend."

.

We were back in the car, and Aro, strangely enough, allowed me to sit on the side to look out the window. Renata sat between Aro and me, and the two of them were conversing in Latin, another one of those languages I could pinpoint from hearing it so often but not able to speak myself. It was beginning to grow dark outside, and Aro had told the driver to take us somewhere. I assumed we were heading towards the airport, but I was surprised when the driver stopped just outside of the Eiffel Tower.

I gazed up at it through the window. I never thought I would see it in person, and it was really cool. Now that the sky was growing dark, the lights of the tower began to turn on and shine brightly. I wondered what it would look like at the top.

I heard the side door open, and Aro stepped out. Soon enough, he was at my door, opening it for me. Renata got out behind me, and the moment Alec had stepped out of the car, he bowed to Aro and disappeared. I glanced up, and Aro chuckled. "He went to secure a present for Jane. She will be disappointed if we come back empty-handed." Well, that wasn't something I wanted to see.

Aro's cloak was still wrapped around me, and in the night air, the temperature had dropped significantly. I held it close to my frame, and Aro took hold of my other hand and led me over to a security checkpoint where he handed the officer whatever it was Pierre had given him. The checkpoint officer examined it thoroughly before smiling and gesturing for us to follow him.

Renata was still behind us when we entered an elevator, and I tried taking deep breaths. Was Aro really taking me up this thing? I turned to him and said quietly, "I hate heights."

"The view from the top is captivating, my dear. I can't bring you to Paris and not have you view such a splendor," Aro answered, pulling me closer to him as the elevator moved upward.

When we stopped, I was sure we had reached the top, and Aro eased me out. Much to my disappointment, we were only on the second floor. There was another elevator that would take us further up, much further up than we were already. Aro released my hand, and I glanced at him warily, but he nodded. I took a few steps away, over to the railing. There was a covering over it for safety, but that still didn't stop my stomach from dropping when I peered down.

I turned, and Aro watched me, a slight smirk on his face as he made his way over. "Shall we continue?"

I sighed and touched my hand to his as I relayed my question by thought. You're not going to throw me from the top, are you?

He laughed. "No. I would never do such a dreadful thing. What a waste of your sweet and precious blood. Come."

The next elevator ride felt like forever. I had my eyes closed the whole way, but I could sense Aro's amusement. We stepped out. I could feel the wind on my face, see the lights all around me, and straight out ahead, the lights of Paris. It was beautiful.

My pulse still raced, fear evident in how tense I was and how I immediately clung to Aro, but even still, I couldn't close my eyes or peer away. It was amazing how people knew to stay away from us. They gathered on the other side of the viewing area, far away from Aro and me. Even Renata, who stood some feet away, had no one near her. It must have been the vibe or energy they gave off, especially in this light. They appeared even more inhuman.

I felt Aro's hand come up to my hair and begin to release the messy bun that Chelsea had put it in. His fingers worked gently, taking it down, not pulling strands at all, and I wondered for a moment how he could be so delicate about it. Chelsea just tugged my head this way and that at times. Speaking of which, she probably wouldn't approve of what he was doing right now.

The parts that were braided, he didn't bother to undo them, but instead, dropped the braided strands to the side. After having it up the way I did for so long, it had a nice, fluffy wave. I bit my lip. "You are lovely, my dear," he said to me, his voice low.

"If you say so," I replied back quietly.

Aro hummed before leaning down, so I could feel his breath along my throat as he spoke. "I do say so."

He wouldn't drink from me here, would he? Not with all of these humans around. That was too risky. Even still, I could feel his breath along my pulse as he breathed in my scent. It was beginning to make me very nervous. "Aro?"

Aro backed away with a sly smile on his face, and the butterflies began to flip. "What do you say to another proposition, my dear?"

A/N: I could go on, but I'll end this one here because I'm falling asleep, and I still have reading to do for class. It's a mild cliffhanger, I suppose. I wonder what it is Aro will propose this time. Another game perhaps? I guess we'll find out next Monday. Thanks for reading! Be sure to review!