Sophia's POV
I woke up slowly at first taking in the fact that I was very warm and felt cocooned in a thick blanket but that my hands were freezing and when I flexed my fingers I felt a smooth rock like textured statue but as my eyes opened and I was met with dark rusty red eyes looking down at me, I yawned loudly and heard him chuckle a little.
"Did you sleep okay?" I nodded my head sitting up a little getting myself out of all the blankets.
"I'm okay, except for the suffocating blankets"
"Well you wouldn't exactly let go of me the moment you went back to sleep and then you started shivering in your sleep, I'm not exactly built for cuddles" he replied and I laughed at his choice of words.
"Is that what you let me do, cuddle you"
"Pfft no" he scoffed getting up but I was starting to see that there was a softer side to Demetri and I was beginning to like that about him, I was actually beginning to like a lot of things about him. "You hungry?" he asked and I nodded my head watching him as he walked to the same phone from yesterday. "Valentina, prepara la colazione e portamela in camera" I furrowed my brows, I really needed to learn Italian.
{Translation: Valentina, prepare breakfast and bring it to my room}
"Can you teach me?" I found myself asking him.
"Italian?" I nodded my head. "We'll see" he smirked making me roll my eyes but couldn't help smile at him.
"I'm going to shower" I stood up and started walking towards the bathroom closing the door behind me flipping the lock although I knew that wouldn't stop a vampire.
I had a quick shower just to wash myself down then I climbed out wrapping a towel around myself, I really needed to ask about getting new clothes somehow since they didn't exactly allow me to pick up anything from my apartment not that there was much that I would've wanted to grab for sentimental value.
"Sophia?" I jumped at the knock on the door. "Your foods here"
"Okay I'll be out in minute" I replied pulling on my old clothes before I left the bathroom walking out towards where he was sitting opening a silver food cover. "So I take it a silver stake isn't going to kill you" he laughed at that.
"No, like you've pointed out our bodies are as hard as diamonds, nothing can penetrate our skin except other vampires" I nodded my head before taking a seat and started eating my breakfast, this time I had two poached eggs, a couple of pieces of bacon, some toast and a glass of orange juice.
"So uh...do you have to feed often?" I found myself asking and watched his whole body froze. "I'm sorry you don't have to answer, I just...your eyes are darker"
"You're too observant for your own good"
"I'm sorry, I'm just curious"
"I'm sure even someone in your timeline has heard the saying 'curiosity killed the cat'"
"I thought you said you couldn't kill me"
"No I just said I couldn't kill you in that moment"
"Yeah right" I scoffed eating the last thing on my plate which happened to be the bacon. "So I was wondering, is there any way I could leave-" his head snapped up with a deep frown. "To get some clothes and you know...human essentials"
"Oh" he looked down. "Uh...that's not going to be possible, the ancients won't risk letting you out"
"So I'm honestly stuck here for the rest of my life"
"I can arrange for Heidi-" I scoffed cutting him off.
"You mean your girlfriend"
"She's not my girlfriend, she's never been-"
"Oh should I have said your lover, is that a better terminology Mr Casanova" I spat at him and he sighed with a small smile on his face.
"You sound jealous"
"Why would I be jealous, not like I'm anything special" he frowned at me. "Anyway, am I going to be stuck in this room all day or do I actually get to leave it?"
"You're staying inside" he told me with a hard stare and I sighed.
"Well what pray tell are we supposed to do all day?" I asked him annoyed since it clearly looked like he didn't have a TV or real entertainment for someone of this century.
"I actually have to go out but you're going to stay here and not leave the room"
"Great, here I was starting to think of this place as less of a prison" I pouted sitting back on the couch crossing my arms and he had the gall to smile and laugh.
"I'm sure you'll survive"
"As long as I stay in this room" I scoffed and he shook his head before he grabbed his grey cloak and left the room and this time I swore I heard a lock click into place making my eyes widen as I stood and went over to the door trying the handle but was stopped as it was indeed locked from the outside. "Demetri!" I hit my fist against the door angrily.
"It's for your own good amore" I heard his smug voice from the other side of the door before I heard his footsteps leaving as I hit my fist against the door one last time before I stormed over to the couches and sat down pouting, I was acting immature I know but it was so boring here.
{Translation: Love}
I wish there was some way that I was able to make it so my scent was hidden from vampires that way I could actually walk around this place, go out into the garden at least without risk of getting my throat torn open by some asshole, I sighed narrowing my eyes at the door if he was going to keep me locked away like some 'Rapunzel' then I was opening these damn curtains, I wanted to at least be given the privilege of sunlight, he may be a vampire but I was not.
I threw open both curtains smirking as light filled the room, I knew Demetri would be pissed but I didn't care since it served him right, I sat down in the seat below the window which overlooked the very garden that Demetri and I strolled through last night and it was beautiful, it had flowers everywhere and looked like it belonged in one of those garden magazines which was curious considering vampires seemed to not like sunlight or was that just Demetri.
I don't know how long Demetri had been gone since there wasn't even a clock anywhere in his room but I was aware of the setting sun in the background, I'd decided to grab one of Demetri's books and was reading it when I heard the door unlock and my eyes widened hastily getting up to close the curtains suddenly afraid of the repercussions but I wasn't quick enough and I heard the door open making me instantly turn around in fear when my eyes met Demetri but then my fear turned into amazement at the sight.
"What are you doing?!" he yelled disappearing before my eyes only to remerge in front of the windows and closed the curtains but I stopped him when he was in front of me and the window behind me.
"This is what happens to a vampire in the sunlight?" I asked him as he glared at me but I was too mesmerized by the sight of his skin, it was glimmering like a thousand diamonds and I found myself reaching out my hand touching it to his cheek feeling the hard stone likeness of his skin beneath my fingers. "Your like crystals...it's beautiful" as soon as that word came out of my mouth his hand shot up grabbing my wrist pulling my hand away from his face.
"I told you not to open the curtains" he growled out pushing me away from him shutting the curtains.
"Why so I wouldn't see you all shiny and glittery?" he glared at me going into his closet slamming the door between us, I don't see what the big fuss was since it wasn't like he burned in the sun...I didn't cause him any pain well at least that I knew of but he didn't appear to be in any pain, I don't think I'd ever get a handle of his mood swings.
I sat down on the couch waiting for him to come out my mood souring knowing that he was angry at me and my gut told me that was a bad thing, I was all for testing waters but should I have really poked the bear...vampire.
The door opened but I didn't lift my eyes hearing him move about the room before he took his usual seat on the couch opposite me and I could feel his stare in my direction and it took everything in me not to look up and meet his eyes, I didn't know what I would see and that was enough to keep me looking down.
"I'm sorry" I finally said after agonizing minutes of silence. "I don't understand what I did that was wrong though" I felt brave when I wasn't looking at him. "Does it hurt you?" he scoffed.
"No"
"Then why-?"
"Because I don't like it" he replied and I found myself looking up eyes scrunched together in confusion.
"I'm sorry" I spoke again right before there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Demetri growled out clearly upset with the disruption.
"Signor Demetri, ho le cose di Sophia che lei ha chiesto alla signorina Heidi di acquistare" I frowned especially since I could only understand was Demetri's name, my name and Heidi's name.
{Translation: Mr. Demetri, I have Sophia's things that you asked Miss Heidi to purchase}
"Entrare" Demetri called out and the same woman you brought me food walked in pulling a baggage cart which had various boxes and clothes bags. "Mettili nell'armadio, poi vattene" she nodded her head and went to the closet quickly doing whatever he'd told her then was quickly leaving.
{Translation: Enter}{Put them in the closet, then leave}
"What was that about?"
"I bought you some clothes, Heidi picked them out" I frowned since I hadn't thought he'd be serious. "They should all fit since you and Heidi have the same body structure"
"Great" I muttered swinging my legs up onto the couch casting my eyes off him.
"Don't be so ungrateful" he snapped at me and I turned to glare at him.
"I'm not ungrateful" I growled back.
"Well then accept them"
"I don't need them"
"I beg to differ sweetheart, you've been living in the same clothes for three days now"
"I don't need charity from you" I spat back looking away from him.
"It's not charity, I'm not living with the stink" he argued making me glare at my lap but didn't say anything back. "Your behaving like a petulant child" he went on so I continued to ignore him and he quickly understood that I was done arguing with him as he disappeared before reappearing on the couch across from me with his usual book in his lap, I rolled my eyes at him annoyed by his behavior as we sat in absolute silence.
After a good amount of time passed I started getting bored since I was literally just sitting and watching him read out of the corner of my eyes and was growing restless and began fidgeting with a pillow that was on the couch pulling at the seams a little just doing something, my eyes looking around the room seeing one of the curtains wasn't completely closed and there was a thin line of sunlight peeking out from behind it and my mind drifted back to finally seeing what sunlight does to vampires, I didn't hurt him in anyway and in my opinion he looked beautiful shining like a million tiny diamonds which is why I didn't understand why he was so defensive about it given I'd complimented him.
I don't think I'd ever be able to understand Demetri, he was a very complex person that I could never begin to understand and that vexed me, I don't know why but I felt myself wanting to know everything and anything about him especially since it was a given that I was to be trapped here until he decided he was done with me and that of my fate which rested purely in his hands and I still had no clue on what he wanted me for especially at times like this where we were just sitting in silence, I can't provide any entertainment surely especially considering he could be doing a thousand other things than entertaining me.
"Your staring" I immediately jumped at the sound of his voice and realised that my eyes had ventured over to him and that I had in fact been staring so I quickly turned my head in the opposite direction, I heard him breath out before the book snapped shut. "Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked me and my eyes widened turning back to him with shock before hastily nodding my head, itching to see anything besides these walls. "Let's go" he got up and headed for the door not even turning back to see if I was following but I doubted he had to given I'd gotten up so fast that I'd nearly tripped and I could've sworn I heard some laughter from him as I met him at the door. "You stand beside me at all times, understand?" I nodded my head. "Okay"
We walked out and I couldn't help the smile on my face, just thrilled to be out of that room but remembered to remain by his side with the knowledge that there were others in this castle that surprisingly were worse than Demetri so I found it easy to stay by his side as we walked through the halls and I was happy and captivated by just how amazing this place really was not even knowing where I was.
"You said you liked architecture, I thought I'd show you more of the castle" he spoke as if reading my mind and I turned to him raising an eye, did he lie to me about not being able to read my mind like that other vampire. "What?" he asked with a dumbfounded look that I could almost say looked adorable.
"Nothing" I replied since he really couldn't read minds, since if he could I knew he'd have said something about the fact that I'd just thought he was adorable. "What's your favorite part?" I asked looking around.
"Of the castle?" he asked and I nodded my head watching as he seemed to think about for a second. "Come with me" he stated suddenly grabbing my hand and my eyes widened a little still not used to his cold skin but let him lead me through various hallways before he stopped in front of two large wooden doors, he pushed them open and we walked in, my eyes instantly rising in shock seeing thousands upon thousands of books.
"Wow" I drawled out turning around in the spot seeing the entire room was made up of bookshelves as tall as the ceiling with multiple levels, it was breathtaking and soon my eyes drifted back down to eye level and I saw a piano in the center of the room and hesitantly walked over to it running my hands over the delicate ivory keys. "Do you play?" I asked and he nodded.
"Not really, Master Marcus is the true pianist" I nodded my head slowly before my hands started moving over the keys playing something that I remembered from one of my foster families, they'd been all about accelerating kids talents and had made me take piano lessons which I actually liked but when I refused to do it for their liking they'd of course thrown me out and back into the system.
I found myself immersed in a song that my foster parents had made me learn until my fingers bled and it was the song that I knew 100% and that was Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and my fingers had never forgotten it and I didn't even need the sheet music to play it, they'd thought it was an enchanting song for a little girl to play.
"You can play?" I heard Demetri question moving closer to me as I'd taken a seat and continued on playing, smiling a little by the impressed tone of his voice.
"Magnifico" a new voice suddenly said and I jumped, hands snapping away from the keys turning to the doorway seeing none other than Aro standing there.
"I'm sorry" I immediately stated looking down avoiding his eyes.
"It's quite alright child, that was beautiful" he smiled moving further into the room. "I had no idea, Demetri's mate was such a beautiful piano player"
"Neither did I, master" Demetri smiled at him and I found myself blushing a little.
"I'm not...that was..." I stuttered nervously still avoiding the vampires eyes, I quickly snapped my mouth shut when I remembered Demetri's warning that I shouldn't speak to the elders without being spoken to.
"Marcus will be quite impressed with your skills my dear" I heard him say but didn't look up or speak. "You don't have to be afraid of me, child" he added and I found myself looking up at him before my eyes met Demetri's and he nodded that it was okay.
"Thank you" I replied being polite.
"Do you know others?" Aro suddenly asked me and I nodded my head slowly. "Please, please" he gestured to the piano and I frowned a little as I deliberated with myself on what I knew that was good enough to play in front of him.
The only other one that I completely knew by heart was from a movie, 'Once Upon A December' from Anastasia so I decided to just go for it and started playing it finding myself lost in the music as it hit home a little as I was without a family and when I was younger I wished that I had family out there somewhere.
"Remarkable, you are very gifted my dear" Aro beamed at me when I was finished.
"Thank you"
"Demetri is very lucky to have you" he smiled over at Demetri and my eyes drifted over to him seeing he had an almost mesmerized look on his face as he stared at the keys. "Wouldn't you agree Demetri?" Aro asked him and that seemed to snap Demetri out of his thoughts.
"Yes" Demetri smiled at me and I once again found myself blushing.
"I'll leave you two alone now, pardon my intrusion but I felt I had to listen to your wonderful talent Sophia, I feel I must also tell Marcus, I'm sure he'd love to hear you play as well and might even be interested in tutoring if you'd like to further your skill" my eyes widened a little.
"Oh yes, thank you so much sir" I told him honestly since I really did love the piano and wished I could've studied it more but when I refused to play for profit for my foster family...well you know already and I hadn't had the chance to continue on with it.
"You can call me Aro, child" I smiled thanking him once again before he left the room leaving me alone with Demetri and there was a silence between us now that was a tad awkward as he just stared at me.
"Can we see other rooms?" I asked feeling I'd had enough of this room for now.
"Of course" he replied with a smile holding out his hand for me and I surprised myself by placing mine directly into it without any hesitation before he led me out of the room and we continued visiting a variety of different rooms, a ball room with stunning architecture all the way onto the ceiling, he showed me the kitchens where I'd actually found myself having some lunch once I smelt the food I got hungry and Demetri of course watched me eat while the human who'd prepared my food was nervously watching him watching me which meant it was a very awkward lunch for me before we set off again. "I'd like to show you my passion"
"You mean you do something besides read" I joked and he actually smiled at me as he lead me down a different corridor and I realized we weren't too far from his room again but he lead me to a different door opening it up, it was small in contrast to every other room we'd been too and it looked more like a rustic art studio with easels, paints and sketches everywhere.
I moved through the room taking in the many art pieces surrounding the walls and on display of the easels feeling quite impressed by the artwork before I turned back to Demetri remembering he'd said this was his passion.
"Are these yours?" I asked and he nodded his head. "They're beautiful"
"Not as beautiful as your piano skills" he remarked and I fought against the blush this time.
"I can disagree with you there, I only know the couple of songs where these are quite different, you show a lot of different skills and artistry in just these few alone" I pointed out to a couple of landscapes that looked like they were off the garden we walked through. "It's amazing"
"Thank you" he smiled which in turn made me smile. "Perhaps you'll allow me to paint you one day"
"Oh no, no, no trust me I wouldn't want you to waste your skills by painting me I mean look at me"
"I am" he smirked moving towards me and I found myself unable to breathe when he stopped in front of me. "You have a lot of self-doubt Sophia and I can't help think it has to do with your previous relationship but let me tell you that you are beautiful" he spoke and I found my eyes locked on his as he was right in front of me, I could feel his breath on my face and it caused blood to rush to my cheeks as I nodded my head surprising myself by how easily I believed he was speaking the truth. "Come on we should head back, nights falling and you'll find the castle is a bit livelier at that time" he stepped away from me and I could do was blink as it seemed like I came out of a trance that I knew had been him, he bewitched me somehow.
We walked back to his room in silence walking side by side before he opened up his door and stepped aside letting me in but he hesitated by the door and when I met his gaze I understood his look, he was leaving me alone.
"You're leaving?" he nodded his head almost regretfully.
"I'll be back in the morning, I'll have Valentina bring you dinner"
"You're going all night?" I asked anxious especially after last night's nightmare, he seemed to calm me down last night afterwards and that's not something that's ever happened before.
"Yes, I have duties to attend to outside of Volterra" I frowned even more worried given the fact that he wasn't even going to be in the castle, what if that other vampire comes for me while he's not here. "What's wrong?" he asked suddenly in front of me, the door shut. "Sophia, look at me?" I moved my eyes to meet his. "What's wrong mi amore?"
{Translation: My love}
"What if something..." I trailed off not wanting to sound weak or helpless even though that's exactly how I felt.
"You'll be okay, Felix will still be here and he'll keep anything from happening to you so long as you stay in this room okay" I nodded my head before he walked to his closet and pulled out the grey cloak putting it on. "Don't worry Sophia, I'll be back before you know it" he smiled at me and I offered a small smile in return before he was gone closing the door behind him and I heard the lock slide into place but it didn't bother me this time knowing that he really was doing it for my safety even though I still doubted it could stop a vampire if they really wanted in.
After I knew he was gone I decided to go into his closet finding the clothes that were delivered earlier this afternoon, the girl that had brought them in had hung them up but they were all still in clothes bags and the boxes were stacked neatly in the corner and my curiosity was peeked at this Heidi's taste and I found myself going through it all seeing as I had nothing else really to do.
There was a couple of short summer dresses which I felt were a bit impractical given it was always a bit cold in here but I didn't know if this was normal for this time of year so I left them in the bags, I found several pairs of brand new jeans...expensive jeans and a couple of t-shirts which surprised me as well as the new pair of converse sneakers that I found in a box, I had at least a couple of weeks' worth of casual wear that surprisingly seemed to match my style so I'd have to give that Heidi some credit but there was also three different styled ball type gowns which I felt were a bit extravagant and unnecessary since where could I possibly have use for them so they of course we left in the bags and seeing as they were already hung up and there was a couple of drawers free beneath them I decided to put away some of the clothes and placed my new shoes into the shoe rack finding some heels that matched the dresses which I left in their boxes and stored on a shelf.
I don't know what persuaded me to take over half of Demetri's closet but he only had one side of the room filled with his clothes and I somehow knew that this would be okay with him seeing as he bought me clothes in the first place so he must've known I needed space to store it all and once I was finished with that I went through the bags finding various shampoo's, conditioners and body soaps which I placed in the bathroom before going back and finding a whole six bags filled with undergarments making me blush a little seeing quite a bit was lingerie type underwear which I never wear so I hid them in the drawers opting not to think about that since like the dresses they were going to unnecessary and was glad there was some standard bras and underwear in the mix so I left those towards the front.
Finally done with that I stood up right as I heard a knock on the door before the lock flipped and someone pushed the door open making me nervous until I saw the same girl from the kitchen earlier, this must be Valentina since she was carrying a tray of food.
"Buonasera signorina, ho la sua cena" I frowned at her, not understanding a word she said.
{Translation: Good evening miss, I have your dinner}
"I'm sorry, I don't understand" I told her as she set the tray down then left and my frown deepened seeing I'd have liked to thank her but then she obviously didn't understand me either so I shook it off and lifted the silver cover seeing a pork roast and my mouth watered by the smell and quickly dug in finishing off 90% of it before I placed the cover back over it, I would like to return the tray to the kitchen but I was actually going to listen to Demetri and not leave the room so I left it having a feeling she'd be back to collect it anyway.
I decided to shower finally able to actually wash my hair and body properly before getting dressed in some cotton shorts and a bed shirt that was in the mass of clothes I'd unpacked before I sat on the couch with Demetri's book and actually re-read 'A midsummers night dream' finding myself drifting off a little before I set the book down and laid down with the pillow and blanket I used last night deciding to sleep on the lounge again as I felt more comfortable here.