(8) "I'm Joining Your Crappy Little Renegade Pack."
The huge building in front of her was daunting yet the pull she became accustomed to over the past week was familiar and welcoming. It had aged since she'd seen it last, but the architecture was immaculate enough to cover the twisting green vines, mossy patches, and stains littering the surface due to old age. Humans mulled about around her, some glancing at her in confusion and some ignoring her presence altogether. She wasn't worried about them and their behavior. Truly, she was worried about meeting the Volturi again.
She was curious about the pull she felt towards Alec and the smell that permeated the air whenever he was around. That was the only reason she was in Volterra to begin with. The Volturi's thirst for power was great, and the gleam in Aro's eyes when he had seen her power in action worried her. She wanted the freedom of leaving on her own accord, if necessary, but that could be next to impossible if she showed her face in front of them. Could she really chance her freedom just to satiate her curiosity? She shook her head and turned away from the building. Surviving was what she did best. Surviving was all she knew. Survival. And loneliness.
She had exposed herself without having to by helping the Cullens and personally killing Joham. The Cullens had Nahuel to witness for them, and the Volturi were going to kill Joham themselves. There was no need for her to come out of hiding, though she hadn't known at the time of Rosalie and Emmett's arrival. And no one had any need for her now; she'd done what she came out of hiding for. So, now she could go back home and pretend none of what happened in the last month or so was real. She could pretend to live in the dark again. Odessa nodded her head as she walked away. That was a good plan.
"Where are you going?"
She froze in her spot as a shock ran through her body. She bit her lip and wondered briefly if she could outrun him. That was an easy answer: No. She wasn't fast enough to outrun a full-fledged vampire. She was turned around and faced with an annoyed Alec Volturi. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes stared her down like he was trying to analyze her next move. She stared back and inhaled conspicuously, basking in the smell of a pungent and sweet aroma. She saw Alec's lip twitch before it settled back into his signature pouty look.
"I was just going home," Odessa answered truthfully. She would have lied but lying wouldn't have done any good. Besides, she wasn't going to hide an absolute fact. Either way, she would get what she wanted.
"You promised to come here and stay," Alec said. A breeze waved through the air and ruffled his cape and hair. His eyes refused to stray from hers and he refused to blink, unsure if she would use the chance to run away or make a move against him.
"I did no such thing," Odessa replied heatedly. She stared unabashedly into his eyes and tensed for good measure. She needed to be ready in case he tried something against her. She doubted he would with so many humans around, but she wouldn't lower her guard. Alec was an unknown variable, meaning anything could happen around him.
"You did not object either," Alec said, reminding her of his words to her when they last saw each other. She pursed her lips and glared to the side. Honestly, she really needed to be aware of her surroundings more. She could have avoided this confrontation if she had just paid attention!
"What do you want from me?" she asked impatiently.
"Is it not obvious?" he asked curiously. "Are you acting stupid to avoid it or are you really that naive?"
"Insulting me is the last you should do if you want me to stay," she retorted. She turned away from him and started walking away, only to be stopped once again, this time by a hand that refused to let go no matter how hard she tugged. He had stepped closer, invading her nose with his scent. "Let go!"
"Come with me," he ordered. Her head swam and she blinked hard to try and rid herself of whatever spell he had casted on her. It was futile; all she was doing was irritating her eyes and making herself look foolish. She tugged again, feeling a small burning sensation at her joint from pulling hard enough to rip a thick tree branch from its perch.
"Let. Go."
"Make me."
Odessa's upper lip lifted, and she bared her teeth in a smirk so evil that the people walking around them gave them a wide range of room. She took control of his life's essence and pried his appendage off her. If her senses weren't so clouded by the scent that lingered around the Volturi guard, then she would have thought of doing so earlier. Honestly, she had never felt so affected by something before. And no one had ever mentioned such a sensation. Not even Vera had mentioned it, although Vera wasn't trustworthy to begin with.
Alec watched in carefully veiled astonishment as his body moved on its own. He had never been bested before in his entire life and he was very satisfied his mate was powerful enough to handle herself. Every display of power she had shown in his presence was more than enough to impress him. It was attractive in his eyes for a woman to hold and control so much power. His eyes dilated just thinking about it.
Odessa made Alec take a step back and ordered him to remain still until she was out of eyesight. Long term commands were harder on her because they took up more energy, but she could hold it until she escaped from his grasp.
"Do not follow me," she demanded. She turned and immediately bumped into a hard chest. She raised her head to identify the person and paled when she recognized them to be Felix. He stared down at her with an unimpressed look in his eyes and grabbed her hand to restrain her and not arouse suspicion. Standing beside him was Jane and Demetri. The former looking none too happy and the latter looking bored.
"You ran off brother," Jane said monotonously. "The masters are expecting us." Her eyes flicked towards Odessa, and they narrowed ever so slightly, a sign that Jane did not trust the girl, nor did she like her. All the same, if the girl was her brother's mate, Jane would have to tread lightly. An angered and annoyed Alec was dangerous. A snide comment about his mate got Jane angry and disagreeing words and looks from her brother. If it were anyone else who had made the comment, they would be smothered with his sense-depriving gift for days.
"I did not want her to slip away like the first time," Alec replied. He stared at Felix and Odessa's linked hands before he glared at Felix. His upper lip moved, and he titled his head in a jerky movement. Felix cleared his throat and dropped Odessa's hand when Alec walked up to them. Alec grabbed her hand with both of his and bowed, bringing her hand up to his lips to press a chaste kiss against it. He looked up at her through his eyelashes and asked, "Will you accompany me into the building?"
Odessa's eyes widened and she blinked slowly, slowly processing what he was doing. When it occurred to her that he was trying to sweet talk her into joining him, she scowled and rolled her eyes in disdain. She huffed at the tightening sensation around her hand, a warning that she should not pull away. Off to the side was a vendor selling panzerotti. It has been more than a few hours since she last ate, and the sight of the cheese and tomato filled dough pocket had her mouth watering.
"I need to eat first," Odessa said firmly. When Alec did not move, she elaborated, "I am still partly human. I am hungry and want food. I will eat first and then join you in a bit."
"How do I know you will not run off?" he asked dubiously.
"You will just have to trust me," she answered. After a moment, he nodded and released her. He saddled up next to his sister.
"Do not wait too long to return," Jane warned. "The masters will be pleased to know you are here."
The four of them left, leaving Odessa alone to feel relieved. She gathered herself before she walked up to the vendor and bought a panzerotti. She took a bite out of the steaming hot, savory dish and relished in the cheesy goodness. She took her time eating it, wanting to get her thoughts and her next plan of action in order. It was inevitable that she would stand in front of the Volturi once again. Her gift was too strong. Ever since she used it during the confrontation, she was on their radar. She could run from them for however long was necessary, but it would be futile. She took another bite and sat on the ledge of a water fountain. She felt the water rush behind her and felt a few droplets attack her back, creating wet spots on her light pink blouse.
The more she thought about it, the more she was coming around to the idea of walking into that building. There were positives to doing it that she could focus on. For example, she'd finally get her answer to why Alec smelled so good. She'd also be able to see the inner workings of the Volturi. She always wondered how such a big clan could exist without killing one another off. Vampires were tricky creatures. Anything could set them off. A whisper under a breath or a brush of the shoulders could result in death. Of course, those were extreme cases, but even so, it was risky living with so many vampires at once. Odessa could barely live with Vera without wanting to break her face in, though that may have been due to Odessa's excessive time away from others.
Her curiosity would be the death of her, she was sure. There were so many instances that almost got her killed because she wanted to satiate it. Within the last two months, she was almost killed twice: once by the Volturi - although that one didn't really count because she was able to stop everyone before a fight could break out - and once by her half-sisters. Really, what was one more time.
She polished off her small calzone-like food and stood up to throw away her napkins. She brushed off her jeans and walked towards the entrance of the castle. Upon entering, she was greeted by a young woman with mahogany brown hair. She had a red smile painted on her clear face and stood up when she saw Odessa enter. The receptionist greeted her in Italian, to which Odessa ignored. A human receptionist was not what she was expecting. She wondered if the human knew that her employers were mythical creatures that could drain her in seconds.
She followed the warm scent to find Alec and the rest of the prominent members of the Volturi. She came to a huge set of double doors and briefly debated with herself if she should knock. She shook her head to ward that thought off and pushed the doors open with dramatic force. She was met with a spacious throne room filled with a handful of vampires. The four main guards were stationed throughout the room, along with a few members she had yet to meet. Chelsea, a short and light brunette stood next to a male with blond hair named Afton. Santiago, a dark-skinned vampire with long locs stood a few paces away from them. The last vampire she took note of was Renata, a ravenette who barely reached five feet tall. Renata stood behind Aro, who was seated in one of the three chairs in the middle of the throne room. Caius and Marcus flanked him in their own chairs.
Aro stood from his chair and walked forward. Renata followed his movements. Odessa didn't remember if she saw the vampire next to Aro during the confrontation. Judging by the shadowy movements the woman made, she should have noticed her. Regardless, that just meant she needed to sharpen her observation skills. He reached a hand out to Odessa, who had her arms crossed over her chest.
"It is such an honor to see you again, Odessa," Aro said as he clasped his hands together.
"Likewise," she replied with niceties.
"May I?" he asked, gesturing with his hand.
Knowing she didn't really have a choice, she offered her hand and let him read her memories. It was over within a few seconds. Aro hummed and turned his back to her. He walked back to his seat and sat with a contemplative expression.
"What is it brother?" Caius asked impatiently.
"I am unsure on what to do with her," Aro answered thoughtfully.
"Meaning?"
"She, herself, is unsure on how to proceed with us. She does not want to stay yet there are some underlying curiosities she wants answers to. It would be in our best interest to carefully consider whether she should be allowed a grace period," Aro mused.
"Grace period?" Odessa questioned.
"We don't let just any vampire into the Volturi, my dear. There have been attempts to infiltrate the Volturi. It is not uncommon for others to join our coven and climb our ranks to attempt an assassination on my brothers or myself. Every new member goes through a thorough grace period that tests their loyalty. You either pass or fail, there is no in-between. If you pass, you join the ranks of the Volturi. If you fail, you die. It's quite simple, really," he explained nonchalantly.
"How did you not catch them when they arrived? Surely you should have been able to read their thoughts and gather their intentions," Odessa pointed out incredulously.
"Gifts of the mind can be fickle," Aro answered. "And there was a time at which we saw no need to check memories so often."
"You think I will attempt to end the Volturi?"
"You have no ties, no loyalty to anyone. It would be easy for you to sell us out to save yourself." She made a face, to which Aro asked, "Is that not an accurate observation?"
"I know of Chelsea's gift. If I go through this grace period and I see no advantage to being in the Volturi, will I be able to leave on my own free will?" she asked. "Because if not, I refuse to go through with it."
"As I said, young one, every vampire who goes through the grace period has only two options. Of course, we can always negotiate when we get to that point. You are much too strong and have too much potential to turn away," he said matter-of-factly.
"Master, may I?" Alec asked unexpectedly. Aro waved him off, allowing him to do whatever he planned to do. Alec walked up to Odessa and stood in front of her with a determined look on his face. "Stay with me."
"So you keep asking," Odessa retorted.
"Then, say yes," he pushed.
"It is not that simple, Alec," she sighed out. She didn't know if she felt comfortable joining a clan. It was a big step, and she wasn't sure if she would even fit in. And what of her freedom? Would she be allowed to roam around and go out on missions outside of Volterra? Or would she be reduced to some stay-at-home guard, slowly gathering dust and translucency? What would be her duties? Would she have to stand around all day in the throne room? Was that what the Volturi did? She was half-human. She needed breaks and food; things fully fledged vampires didn't need. Would she be content staying with the Volturi for an eternity? Even if she wanted to find some sort of family - a place to belong - her hibernating habits were too valuable to give up.
She looked at Alec and saw the slowly growing concern in his eyes. His burgundy eyes drew her in to agree, to say yes and not look back. She focused on him and his essence, picking it apart to analyze it. Every person's essence was different depending on how they lived their life and their morals. Alec's essence was black with wisps of dark blue. Black symbolized power and formality, evil, death, and mystery. It was a tribute to the acts and deeds the Volturi had him do and the image the Volturi held. Dark blue symbolized strength and reliability. Odessa already knew he was strong; his gift was one of the strongest to manifest in a vampire since the beginning of the species. Reliability was another thing. He'd never had the opportunity to show his reliability to her. But her gift was never wrong. She was never wrong when interpreting her gift.
So, she took a leap of faith.
"Yes. I'll join the Volturi."