Three days earlier

I had my sketchpad opened before me and a pencil ready in my hand but I found myself staring blankly into space.

All day. It had happened to me all day. I was partly irritated with myself for my inability to do much except space out. After all the times that I'd mercilessly teased my twin for doing the same over a boy she just met… maybe we were alike after all. Because all I could think about the entire day was the strange run in with the mysterious man in the dark, his striking features even in the lack of light, his velvety voice and most of all the sincerity that had reverberated throughout his words.

'Come on, Mia. Snap out of it!' I scolded myself the way I had often done with my twin. 'Focus - you're here for a reason and you're forgetting that.'

But still my pencil remained mostly unmoving as my brain refused to do as it was told. I'd attempt to sketch the beautiful arches in front of me but then my mind would slide to how perfectly sculpted the strange man's jaw and cheek bones had been. Because of my treacherous mind, I'd barely sketched out the shape of the arches by the time the sun had set; that had been about an hour ago.

I sighed and I was debating just giving up and going to find dinner when I was broken out of my thoughts.

"Good evening."

I almost jumped out of my skin when the soft voice sounded from beside me. As it was, I did fall a little out of my chair as I swivelled around so fast my neck cracked. I didn't really mind, however, as I found myself staring up at the same man from the night before. He looked highly entertained as he peered down at me, his face partially hidden in the shadows although I could definitely see enough to notice he was barely containing his mirth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He smiled and I melted just a little bit.

I was not so far gone, however, that I wasn't struck by the obvious.

"How did you find me here?" I asked suspiciously. It seemed more than a little coincidental that this stranger had found me at my hotel the day after I had told him where I was staying and I was beginning to re-evaluate how I felt about him.

He chuckled lightly.

"You told me you were staying at the Rosa della vita." He reminded me.

"Yeah but what are you doing here?" I asked, still confused and suspicious. He grinned at me.

"I am staying here as well." He explained. "You just never asked me."

I frowned at that. "You could have said so yesterday."

"I thought it would be more entertaining if I could find you and surprise you." His grin widened. "I was right."

I tried not to let his smiles distract me. I almost succeeded.

"Well, that was presumptuous of you. What if I had left by now? Or if you just weren't able to find me again?" I asked challengingly.

He laughed heartily - something about what I'd said was apparently extremely funny. I momentarily forgot to ask what however as the sound of his laughter struck me numb; it was like listening to an angel or to chiming bells. For a dazed moment, I again briefly wondered if it was possible that he was a... but then I shook my head against it. There was no way he could have bumped into me the other night if he was like the Cullens.

"What's so funny?" I finally asked after I finally managed to latch onto my sanity again.

"You are." He smirked as he walked a little bit closer. "You are quite amusing."

"I don't see how what I said was funny." I answered slowly, again wondering just how sane this man was. His smile widened but he ignored that.

"To answer your question, I took a chance. It seems I was lucky."

'More like I was lucky.' I mused as I watched him while he peered at the sketchbook in front of me.

"Artist's block today?" He asked and I blinked in confusion. Then, remembering the lack of progress I'd made on my drawings, I jerked back my sketchbook a little defensively.

"You could say that." I muttered.

"Hm."

He seemed confused by my awkwardness but I wasn't about to apologise for that. If I did, I'd have to apologise every other hour. I was no Bella, who was on a whole other level when it came to stunted social skills (especially as of late), but I was still just a teenage girl.

"Any particular reason you were distracted from your work today?" The man asked, drawing my full attention back to him. I frowned.

"I didn't say I was distracted."

"You didn't have to." He tapped the page that still lay before me. "This is enough proof."

Glancing down at the page that really didn't have many marks - even erased marks - I grudgingly had to hand it to him. "Fine, you win. This time."

"I always win." He smirked, teeth flashing again although there was a hint of danger to the action this time. I shrugged it off: I'd seen vampires and werewolves fighting. What could a normal if handsome person feasibly do in the middle of a hotel garden that I hadn't already faced before?

"Do you?" I asked aloud, my tone challenging. The man's lips curved up further at my tone. "Well, be prepared to lose often now that you've met me."

"I look forward to seeing you try." He seemed to be withholding laughter and I narrowed my eyes playfully at him. Yes, I was flirting with this handsome stranger who was apparently flirting right back at me; so sue me.

"You'll regret baiting me." I warned teasingly and he laughed again, that full laugh that made it sound like angels were playing music.

"We'll see." He answered at last, his tone indulgent like a fond uncle to his favourite niece.

Something caught his attention then because he let out a frustrated sigh. I noticed he seemed to do that a lot… or maybe it was just around me. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Like I wasn't sure what it was exactly that had caught his attention; there was no one around except us and he hadn't even looked away from me.

"What?" I asked in confusion and the man refocused on me apologetically.

"I must leave." He explained regretfully. "I have a… dinner appointment."

"Oh." I was a bit disappointed but my stomach rumbled at that moment so I resigned myself to that disappointment.

"Will you at least tell me your name?" I asked. He looked a little surprised before he conceded. Kind of.

"Only if I may know the name of my own beautiful companion."

I frowned at him and protested, "I asked first."

"And I asked second." He shot back at me, flashing a smile that was irritatingly winning. "Besides, I do believe the saying goes, ladies first."

I narrowed my eyes at him while his smile widened with amusement. I debated fighting him over this; I didn't particularly like the idea of backing down and letting him think he won again… but I also realized the pointlessness of arguing with him over something so trivial.

"Fine." I huffed after a moment's deliberation. "I'm Mia."

"Mia."

I tried not to shiver at the way my name sounded as it fell from his lips. He seemed to be testing it, contemplating something as he did. I noticed he seemed to be entertained by his own thoughts.

"What's so funny?" I asked, confused and again wondering if I should feel a little wary of what I was getting myself into. But he just shook his head and gave me a polite smile.

"Nothing. Is it short for anything? Amelia, perhaps?" He asked and once again my eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Yes… how did you know?" I replied slowly and he gave me a wide, innocent grin.

"Lucky guess." He answered.

I frowned, not believing him in the slightest, but this just seemed to heighten his amusement as he said quite decisively, "I think I prefer Mia."

Something about the way he said my name made me shiver. His tone had been light as he spoke, a little too light as if he had intentionally kept it so, but I had noticed the hint of depth when he almost caressed my name with his tongue. The hint of something dark, perhaps of possessiveness… perhaps of desire. I almost questioned him on it, especially when I noticed his amusement was back as he briefly pondered his own words, but that was when he finally gave me what I wanted in the first place.

"My name," he introduced in a soft and silken voice that automatically had my heart pick up just the tiniest bit, "is Demetri."

Present

My movements are almost robotic as I walk beside Alice, following the boyish vampire that Edward had called Alec.

Alec was quite possibly the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on (which was saying quite a lot given the company I had kept in the last year). Unlike all the other vampires I had met so far, he was quite young physically, likely somewhere around thirteen or fourteen - right on the brink of changing into a man. Because of this, he held a youthful beauty the other vampires lacked, appearing as perfect as the finest painting of a cherub with his full lips, big eyes and slightly rounded cheeks.

The boyish vampire had come to collect us to meet 'Aro', a prospect that I was frankly dreading. It also seems I am right to feel so as the Cullens remain grim beside me while Alec leads us back down the corridor where we had fled from earlier. Edward and Bella are bringing up the rear behind Alice and I, my twin clinging to Edward as she changes colour with every step we take toward the terrible room she had apparently vacated earlier. I don't blame her. I am also feeling physically ill as we get closer and closer to the chamber.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Edward asks worriedly after a moment when Bella starts turning a sickening shade of green.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Bella admits weakly, moments before she finally can't hold it anymore and she charges to the side of the corridor.

The smell of her vomit as she coughs up what tiny amount of food she had in her stomach almost has me joining my twin; I barely manage to suppress the urge because I know I won't feel better. Likely, I'll feel worse when I think about the fact that I ate my last meal with Daisy - I feel the bile threaten to spill up into my mouth and force myself to breathe.

I notice the way Alec glances at Bella with mild disgust and I almost snap at him. Almost. Only the dual force of Alice's arm tightening around me in clear warning and Edward shooting me a look and brief shake of his head has me keeping my mouth shut.

Once Bella is done, Edward helps her up and Alec continues on down the hallway as though there had been no interruption.

We enter through a wooden door into a stone antechamber before coming out into a bright, cavernous room. It's perfectly round and I realize we're in a castle turret. Long windows that are two stories above our level throw thin rays of sunlight into the room, creating the natural light. There are also several massive wooden chairs - like thrones - spaced unevenly against the far side wall, curving around the edge along the stone. In the centre of the room, in a slight depression, is a drain. I don't understand it's use at first. Then the realization dawns on me and I almost do vomit as I picture what it is used for; I can hear Bella heave beside me and know I'm not alone in my reaction.

Completing the picture that looks like a scene out of a horror movie is a group of maybe twenty vampires, all with glowing bright red eyes and dressed in surprisingly light clothes. The colour doesn't really diminish the comparison to gritty horror though. I don't look around; I don't want to make out any of them too closely. The knowledge that Demetri has to be somewhere in this room only drives that desire. So I keep my eyes fixed in front instead as I face three of the oldest vampires I have ever seen.

It's quite a strange experience to actually notice their age. I don't have much experience in the whole vampire thing, of course, but I know Carlisle is well over three hundred years old and still doesn't look a day over thirty if even that. But the three vampires in front of me have translucently white skin that almost looks delicate and papery, unlike the smooth white marble of other vampires. The two dark-haired vampires that stand in front, as though to meet us, look especially ill with the way their powdery-looking skin contrasts starkly with their long, black hair that falls effortlessly into black robes. And their red eyes, although light in actual colour like the others, have a strange clouded quality as if a milky haze covers their irises.

I have never really thought that vampires, real vampires like the Cullens and not the kind depicted in books or movies, could scare me with their physical appearance. Even giant Emmett had an unearthly beauty that drew my eye and held it. But it seems I was wrong. These vampires, particularly the beaming dark-haired one in the centre, terrify me on sight.

'Run!' My mind screams at me before I force it to shut up as the smiling vampire calls out brightly, "Alec! You have returned with our guests!"

"Yes, Master."

The boyish vampire gives a smile as he answers and it makes Michelangelo's paintings of cherubs look like grotesque zombies from hell. He truly is beautiful like an angel; and I shudder as I think about his angelic lips pulled back over a bloodied neck just minutes earlier.

Edward shoots me a look, his expression pained, and I finally register his own dark eyes - almost black. My mental pictures are probably the last thing he needs with how thirsty he is, especially when he has Bella so close to him… but I really can't help it. Edward finally looks away and I know it's because he understands. Annoying as his gift is, it definitely has it's perks.

The ancient vampire meanwhile has turned away from Alec to beam at us as he looks our group over. His eyes land almost instantly on me and make me squirm although he addresses us at large.

"Edward, Alice, and young Bella! I did not think we would reunite so soon! But once I heard dear Amelia had joined us as well here in Volterra, well, you can only imagine my joy at such a surprise and excuse my eagerness to have you all back!"

I absolutely start when he says my name so fondly, as if we've been friends for centuries rather than meeting for the first time. I can only think of one reason for this. My thoughts darken and I fight not to seek out the face I know. Only Demetri could have told this strange vampire about me as he's the only non-vegetarian vampire here who could possibly know who I am, although the reason as to why he would tell his 'master' about me escapes me.

"It wasn't him. Aro found out about you through me."

I shoot a glance at Edward at his confession, but he doesn't see. He hasn't taken his eyes off the dark-haired vampire who is watching me with light amusement while Edward continues.

"Aro is gifted."

I glance back at the vampire - Aro - who smiles even more widely at me. I frown a little, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. What could his ability be? And how powerful must it be to have so many follow him? This time, I'm unable to stop my eyes from flying uneasily about the room, resting for a brief second longer on the one face I know. Demetri.

He stands not far from Aro's right, indicating to me that he is quite highly ranked here - although I suppose, they could easily have an entirely random standing assignment unrelated to human conventions. It seems Demetri hadn't been looking my way either but as if feeling my gaze, he looks over suddenly at the same time my eyes fall on him. It's brief and we break eye contact quickly, but I'm still left shaken as I pull my eyes quickly away from cool, unreadable red eyes.

Edward makes a strange noise beside me - as though he is simultaneously amused and surprised - at the same time that the other dark-haired ancient vampire standing beside Aro reaches out and touches Aro's hand.

Our group glances between Edward and the ancient vampires warily. I can sense Alice's confusion but I'm just as uneasy as I wonder what's going on, what Edward 'heard'.

But before either I or Alice could ask, Aro says to his brother, "Thank you, Marcus. That's quite interesting."

I'm still completely lost, but no-one else seems to be bothered, only lightly curious by the exchange. I'm also confused because Marcus doesn't look the slightest bit interested as he glides back from Aro to join his blond brother at the thrones that line the back wall. Two of the vampire guards move with him, shadowing his every move. I briefly wonder again why on earth vampires would need bodyguards… and just how powerful they are to earn the respect of not just their guards but the threats that warranted the need of the guards.

"Amazing." Aro murmurs, breaking me from my thoughts although he appears to be talking to himself. "Absolutely amazing."

I'm extremely frustrated by now, and I'm not alone. Alice also looks guardedly confused, the pixie-like vampire glancing briefly at Edward even as her eyes continue to roam around uneasily. Edward finally turns to me and he explains in a quick and quiet voice, "Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of yours, Mia."

"Mine?" I repeat, frowning.

"Yes." Edward elaborates shortly. "With- us. Bella specifically."

I detect the faintest pause in Edward's tone and shoot him a puzzled look. It's clear Alice heard it too (of course she did if even I did) and she's also giving Edward a look, but he seems disinclined to say much else in front of Aro although I notice his eyes flit quickly to the side. The movement is so fast I barely even register his eyes moved and I definitely don't see where he was looking; but Alice obviously does and her gold eyes widen in shock.

'What is it?' I wonder in my head, looking at Edward.

I know he heard me but he ignores my thought as Aro smiles and murmurs to himself, "So convenient."

I wonder briefly if an eternity of standing around makes someone not realize they can be heard when they speak aloud. Edward snorts softly at my errant thought, drawing some curious looks. But no one questions him as Aro says more loudly while surveying our group, "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."

I glance again at Marcus's placid face. I can definitely believe that.

"I must say, even between twins, it's unusual for Marcus to notice such strong familial ties in humans." Aro continues as he peers at me and Bella.

I tense - it's somewhat flattering to know that despite how much Bella and I have fought and been at odds since we moved to Forks, she still cares for me the way I know I do for her. But all Aro's pleasantries are setting me further and further on edge, especially with Edward so stiff and locked beside me. And I can't help but wonder again how it is that Aro seems to know all these things; Edward said he was gifted, so did that mean Aro could hear thoughts like Edward?

"Aro can hear a person's thoughts once he comes into physical contact with that person. Every thought you've ever had in your life." Edward explains to me. I also do recognize that it is for my sole benefit as it seems everyone else is well-acquainted with Aro's ability. I briefly wonder if Aro is able to hear Bella's thoughts, the way Edward isn't able to.

"No."

I glance up at Edward, and he's looking at me. I know he's answering my question so I jerk my head in a nod of acknowledgement and thanks before looking nervously back at Aro as he clears his throat.

Aro smiles and I think he meant it to be reassuring, but I can't help but start to hyperventilate. His bright red eyes just remind me constantly of the fact that he just had over forty people killed, and seeing his teeth just makes me wonder if he's the one who killed Daisy. The image of Aro bent over my friend as she screams while he sucks her dry flashes through my mind, and I fight a whimper.

Aro suddenly lifts his hand toward me, his bright red eyes flashing with what I later realized was curiosity. But in the moment, at the action, at the sight of his flashing red eyes, I jerk in surprise and for that brief moment I completely panic.

"Mia, no!" Edward yells, at the same time that Alice sucks in a sharp breath that sounds like a hiss as it passes through her tightly clenched teeth.

But it's not in my control, it is a reflex to protect myself.

And the metal covering of the drain shoots up and heads right at Aro.