Pandora

Chapter XV:

Zwischenzug

Edited by YanaTG and updated on 11/05/2020

I've decided to put original version of Pandora (chapter 1-18) on Dropbox (as PDF). Dropbox has two options you can choose from: with reviews replies or without.

Dropbox links are in my TUMBLR ACCOUNT: sunset-wishes-upon-hill

Thank you to those who have read, reviewed and favourited my story:

95sdawn- Alec will appear more regularly soon, for now, he's staying clear from her. More drunk Jessica to come in the future!

LoveForBooks 'p- Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this update!

Guest#1, Guest#2, Guest#3- Thank you guys for reading, I'm so happy you all liked the chapter. Enjoy this chapter as well!

Alis-volat-propriis97- Haha, who needs Jessica x handsome vampires when you can have Jessica x food!

The Page Master, L- I'm glad you liked them! I can be a bit picky with stories and characters in particular because I prefer them to be in line with canon characters, not to mention Volturi are quite interesting and fascinating characters that are often neglected. It's also why I decided to rewrite Pandora since the original version were quite fast paced and hurried.

Lya- Hello Lya, thank you for reading and taking time to review my story. Before I address Alec and Jessica issue, your take on Aro and Demetri is right, Aro's the only one who wants Cullens while Caius prefer them dead or at the very least out of the way and heeding the law. Demetri wants to turn her but would rather persuade her than forcibly turn her.

Now with Alec – some of the readers will feel uncomfortable or downright reject this. I personally imagine Alec to be movie Alec than book-Alec (played by Cameron Bright, he did an amazing job despite little screen time/script). As story develops and Alec makes his intention known, like most, Jessica would be disturbed by the implication.

Jessica both anticipated and dreaded at the thought of meeting her. There were so much similarity between them; after all, they were twins: the same angelic faces – one feminine and masculine, only she had fuller lips than her brother and her eyes blazed with emotions like flames in skull compared to Alec who rarely allowed emotions to affect him. Ironic enough, their gifts couldn't be more suiting of their character. Fire and ice.

I know Alec told me not to do this but..silence creates misunderstanding and misunderstanding creates hate. She had done many things others have told her not to do and had yet to learn from them. Well, life and death are providential and there is nothing a man can do in the face of death, as Mr T says.

Unlike last time, she didn't dare to walk straight in the garden without an invite but teetered nervously by the entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the young, blonde female.

"You." The young vampire growled with disdain, body trembling with anger.

Jessica backed away, hoping to convey she would not trespass into the garden without a definite invite. There was no warning, except Jane's vehement glare focused on her. Shock of blistering fire raced through her bloodstream. Jessica's body contorted, jerked in the soil.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have gone into your garden. Please forgive me." The words tumbled out clumsily, lame and ineffectual. The pain didn't lessen, "I was rude–I disrespected you and for that I regret that–I'm sorry for bringing your brother into the mess as well–I just came here to say that–whether you accept it or not, I wanted you to know how much I'm regretting my actions."

The pain continued and continued, stopping only barely what her body could bear. But she got up, propping herself to her feet and put down the Roman hyacinth she had brought again from Giulia that morning to the ground. The beautifully arranged bouquet was all ruined, she must have held them in her grip as she fended against the pain. Jessica turned to walk away; unable to look at Jane without jabbering another bout of apologies.

"Why do you want Jane's forgiveness so much?" Demetri decided to inquire in genuine curiosity. He had known she has been leaving the flowers by the garden each day despite Jane's rejection and occasional punitive rewards.

"Maybe I want to be friends with her."

Demetri grasped her arm to turn her toward him, disturbed frown marring his handsome face. "You are insane."

Jessica tilted her head defiantly, "Why? I've became friends with you and Alec."

"Friends..?" Demetri scoffed, "Is that what you think this is?"

"Oh, did I hurt you with the friend zone?" Jessica gasped mockingly, "Screw a friendzone. I'll brotherzone you. I'll call you my uncle. I'll invite you to a family reunion and introduce you as my favourite cousin."

"No, I meant you believe Alec regards you as a friend?" Demetri clarified with an amused laugh, unaffected by her caustic mocking.

"Well, before you came along and this whole thing happened, we were chill. But I don't think we're friends anymore."

His eyes narrowed with suspicious glint as he examined her face, "Something happened." The confidence in his tone evinced it wasn't said in a question, rather a confirmation of his speculation. Her blank façade faltered fleetingly before it soothed back into her poker face but it was too late to hide from his sharp observation. Nothing escaped him. He wasn't called the greatest tracker in the world simply because of his powerful gift; for thousands of years, he along with his maker had been meticulously honing his gift, pushing past its limit to become who he was today. A mere human's attempt to lie was as significant as a grain of sand on the ground.

"Because I'm trying to apologize to his sister against his advice." Jessica admitted, biting the inside of her cheeks, "It's nothing. I don't learn that's why."

She felt him slightly lean back, granting her the needed space from their closeness. It reminded her of that day in the tunnel she wanted to forget. He had left her before she could justify her reason and rationalize his sudden outburst to her. It greatly saddened her that their cautiously built relationship fell apart so easily from a single mistake. Then again, all relationships are like that – hard to build, easy to burn down.

"You are right." Demetri agreed, "You do not learn."

Jessica waited for what would probably be a teasing jibe of her character when she was surprised his next word was actually pleasantly styled.

"But that is what I expect from you; it is part of your charm."

Jessica gifted him with a grateful smile.

There was only one certain situation where Jessica would declare with utmost conviction it is better to face vampires with chopsticks.

Her email read:

Dear Jessica,

You're report assignment on Political and Economy was due on Monday and have yet to be handed in. Please submit them in APA format with your candidate number by tomorrow or I will have you marked fail.

Regards,

Mr. Turnell.

Jessica groaned. About now would be a great time for them to say I'm either dead or undead. It would be so unfair if I hand in my essay and an hour later, they be like 'today is the day of your death' .

She immediately typed a reply on her phone:

Dear Mr. Turnell,

I apologize for not submitting my 2000 words sociology report a few days ago but I assure you that I have the most valid and agreeable reason as to why I had not been up to date with my assignments.

As you know, I have been away on a travel to Italy – not as romantic as it sounds. In recent light, I have discovered a secret that has put my life at risk, of which I cannot discuss over the email or in person or with any living beings – even with the animals. I understand how this must sound equitable to 'I have troubling personal affairs I need to settle quietly' but I assure you that this is very life threateningly real and I am afraid if I involve you, you may not get out of this mess alive.

Please note, this is not a threat nor do I dare to do so against my most favourite and respected teachers out of all Forks High faculty members.

So forgive me if I forgot that I had an essay or two that was due last week, in fact, I have not been procrastinating and would know better than to jeopardize my future more than it already has. You have said once, 'As mortals, we're all dying, just at different speeds.' I am, however, Usain Bolt of dying.

You know my candidate number not my story.

I think, therefore bitch I might be.

I'm stabbing you in my mind.

Jessica.

Of course she wasn't actually going to send this email to Mr. Turnell but damn was she tempted. How does someone word out 'I'm being held hostage by group of ancient vampires in their castle in Italy so would it be possible to exempt me from school works until I sort this out so that I may come out of this situation alive?' without mentioning 'vampires' or 'hostage'?

Defeated, Jessica rewrote a sensible, auspicious reply Mr. Turnell would be expecting:

Dear Mr Turnell,

I am truly sorry I was unable to hand in my assignment. It had been such hectic month for me, being in another country with the time difference and all. I know this is no good excuse. I will submit the essay in APA format with proper citation tomorrow. Thank you for giving me an extension.

Kind regards,

Jessica.

The screen faded into black, her despondent reflection gazing back at herself and a small bruise forming below her right jaw. She had accidentally punched herself in the face while trying to pull her blanket up that morning in sleepy haze and spent an hour crying, thinking, if that doesn't describe my life, I don't know what does.

Then she was left reminded of piles of school assignments and works that had to be proffered soon; the reason for the brief pretermit that her responsibility being occupied by the discovery of vampires and the shock.

Every minute you're not dead should be a minute spent enjoying the fuck out of life. Jessica protested inwardly, especially if today might be my last day alive.

Her phone read 01:30AM. 8 hours of writing. 200 words written. Panic was setting in. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she sipped on her mix cocktail of bitter, black Americano and Red Bull with a dash of beer. It was at times like this was she envious of vampire's inability to sleep and here she was doing everything within her power to not to fall into the alluring spell of deep slumber. But sleeping wasn't an option. A bizarre double-think consumed her caffeinated mind. There was five hours until sunrise, and every passing moment meant the deadline is inching closer; somehow those 200 words on the computer screen had to become 2,000 and she didn't had the faintest clue how that was going to happen – in a metaphysical sense, it was bewildering and profound. Yet on the other hand, the morning was freedom, when the confines of her bedroom ceased to be prison walls and she can finally sink under that soft duvet.

Reaching for the fifth cup of coffee-Red Bull-alcohol mix, her hand started to shake. I'm striving to be consistently positive but people and life are always trying me. Jessica growled in irritation.

"What are you doing?"

Exhausted and sluggish, she didn't register his face appearing next to hers' nor his arms draping over her chair.

"You're seeing a perfect example of school's law of motion: a student in bed will remain in bed until a large force of panic is applied."

"What?"

"It means I have less than a day to hand in a 2,000 word essay and I'm pretty sure the 200 words in this essay have nothing to do with discussing Hobbes's account of human nature. Sometimes I wonder where my life would be right now if I took playing the recorder more seriously in elementary."

Demetri stared at the laptop screen, skimming through what she had typed in millisecond and nodding, "You are right, what you have written is entirely irrelevant to Hobbes."

"Truth to be told, I don't even know 2,000 words. I'm sure Mr. T will have a field day ripping into this essay."

"Ah."

Jessica leaned back into the chair and unwittingly to his arms; lids heavily draping down when her mind came across an idea she hoped he would sympathize.

"Do you want to write my report for me?"

He arched a questioning brow, expression sardonic, "You really like to make yourself unpredictable; I never had anyone ask me to do their studies before."

"Yeah, yeah, there's a first time for everything – vampires aren't exception. Are you going to type up 2,000 words for me or not?" Jessica snapped. The souring of her mood deriving from volatile combination of caffeine overdose, stress and sleep deprivation.

"I can help you but I will not do your work for you." He chided, settling himself beside her in a spare chair at the table.

"I can pay you. Cash." She sounded so desperate now, "Not too much but we can negotiate."

The corner of his lips curved to his ear; pressing a long, slender index against the line as though not to allow a laughter escape. "I have plenty." He said after a little while.

If there was a perfect epigraph to describe her life, it would be: 'woman who thought she'd lost all hope loses last additional bit of hope she didn't even know she still had.'

"Fine, whatever, I need to get this essay done like right now, so don't bother me." Jessica grumbled, "And why did you come in here, I could have been sleeping or something."

"You weren't. Your breathing pattern was irregular."

The rhythmic typing ceased, her head slowing turning to face Demetri with a petrified expression, "Were you..spying on whether I was sleeping or not?"

"No, I was just passing when I noticed you were not sleeping as usual." Demetri clarified, "You snore often."

Fierce, flaming blush rode across her face, stuttering, "I-I do not snore! Ask anyone that slept with me! I don't!" It dawned that her comment contained a very, implicit sexual innuendo and rushed to define them, "You can ask Bella and Angela and my mum! Even Lauren!"

He shot her a teasing smile, implying he was reveling in her fluster, "I believe you."

While having someone awake at 2AM with her was less lonely and fun as it was, she needed to finish her essay because she was still a student and needed to fulfill her duty even if one were held hostage by vampires. Even if I were dead, my grandmother would make my spirit go to school.

"Look, it's fun to talk to you and stuff, but I really need to focus on my work right now."

"And I am more than willing to help you."

"But I'll have to do the work." Jessica sighed.

It was 9AM by the time she flashed out a 2,000 word report on Hobbes' account on human nature and having consumed more than 8 cups of caffeine potent cocktail, it left her feeling jittery and unpleasant. By four in the morning and on her sixth cup, she didn't exactly feel fresh and energized no matter how much Red Bull-coffee she guzzled down, rendering her into a brain-dead zombie. She peaked and then crashed, energies having been expended on staring at the wall excitedly leaving her with the tell-tale sign of all-nighter tremors in her legs and hands.

Her email was brief and frank, void of pleasantries. No hello or even a notification of what the email entailed. Just an attachment and a simple click to send.

"It is done!" Jessica praised. Thank you coffee, thank you Red Bull, thank you alcohol, thank you tears!

Turning to Demetri who had been by her side for seven hours, rooted in his seat that sometimes she could have mistaken him for a statue if not for their constant communication, she said with gratitude, "Thank you."

Fortunately for her, an ancient vampire who had studied every aspect of philosophy and religion were a much better resource than Googling hours for articles she didn't know where to begin with.

"Now it is done, I shall collect my payment."

"Cash, okay? I just need to find my wall–"

He bent and gave her a brief, chaste kiss on the cheek. "That is all I need."

It was a sort of kiss that was more innocent and enigmatic in the barometer of intimacy – while the lips were where love, the passion, the feelings were wildly expressed, cheeks were reserved from mutual acquaintance to friends, between families and lovers. So Jessica, while perplexed by the meaning he seemed to want to impress upon her, was left just as flustered by the contact.

"Get some sleep." Demetri told her, patting her head like her grandfather, when alive, often did when she was a young child.

It's at a time like this I realise just how old he is. Jessica inwardly thought.

"Where are you going?"

"To leave you in peace so that you can rest." Demetri replied with a smile, "You deserve it. I will tell Gianna to not disturb you for the day."

"Thank you." Jessica returned then added hesitantly, "If you're not busy, can you help me with my work again sometimes?"

"It would be my pleasure." He nodded, "The payments are sweet enough."

Jessica rolled her eyes in exasperation. He could be so difficult to understand sometimes. Like all the other vampires in the castle.

Jessica knelt down by the garden's round trellis arch to place her twelfth flower, mind still foggy from pulling an all-nighter stunt despite sleeping through the whole day.

Black Mary Jane shoes with small heels belonging to petite feet came into her view, prompting her to peer up at its owner.

"Jane?!" The sight of the female vampire reminded she wasn't welcome. It was why she had been leaving flowers, unseen. Jessica stood up, turning to leave. "Sorry, I'll leave now."

"Why are you doing this?" Her question was tinted with razor-edged, distrusting undertone.

Jessica faced her, startled in disbelief at Jane's apparent sangfroid. While having heard her speak before, it was the first time hearing them, devoid of unconcealed malice and hostility.

"Because I offended you by coming into your garden without asking for permission.." Jessica responded but the truncating tension and vocal pitch suggested her message fell incomplete – there was more to say or there were questions to be answered. "..I-I want to be friends with you."

A warning shock trilled through her, not harsh enough to have her writhing on the floor like last time, just enough to force up her guard.

"I will ask you once more, what is your intention?" A growl escaped her, crimson eyes glowing in the light.

Jessica bit down on her tongue, having expected such reaction. Tilting her chin up in defiance, Jessica met her stares. "I'm not lying to you. I simply want us to get along, if not friends. I don't want you to hate me and I don't want any bad blood between us."

Jane scoffed, "You are deluded. Vampires and humans can never be friends. You humans cannot even coexist with others without destroying them."

"I know." Jessica wholeheartedly agreed, "Humans are much weaker than we think. Because we are weak, sometimes we become cruel. I used to think horror were full of monsters, zombies and vampires – the fact that these things are paranormal and come from a place that isn't a part of a natural world, was what makes them scary. But I've come to learn that sometimes horror doesn't have to have anything paranormal; sometimes monsters are human. I admit I'm not a good person but each new day is a chance to become someone better."

Jane remained emotionless and regarded her with an exulting, yet steady look arising from a clash of newly awakened feelings. To Jessica it was sufficient: she read it as if Jane had actually uttered these words: 'Huh, you're not what I thought you were.'

Jane wheeled around, disappearing into the garden once more. The flowers left forgotten.

Jessica visited the museum again in hopes of seeing Caius and challenging him for another exhilarating round of chess. If there was one thing that she found the running of the gallery to be peculiar was that they often rotated around the art works as its central piece for the week. Today, a new canvas was displayed and beneath it at the bench sat a figure. Her eyes narrowed in effort to sharpen out the blurry figure; her recent eye test showed they were slightly near-sighted but it wasn't too much of a concern to wear glasses constantly when carrying out her daily task except when she was in class and needed to see the board or watching movies and TVs.

Jessica smiled excitedly, striding further to the hall with excitement. Nearing enough for the image to become clear and animated, her smile dropped and subtle terror made its way to her gaze. The person she found was not Caius at all.

Aro.

"Ah, I have been expecting you." He stood up, a gentleman showing respect in the company of a lady.

'I have been waiting to kill you' his greeting seemed to say. Jessica flinched, reeled back, muscles tensed ready to embrace flight, blood pumping to her feet and heart tattooing against her ribcage.

"It is alright," Aro appeased, "I won't kill you. I thought you could join me for a game of chess. My brother enjoyed playing with you last time."

While it was gratifying to hear that Caius enjoyed playing with her despite his avowed grudging demeanour, Aro's invitation couldn't sound more horrifying than Death inviting a poor soul to dance with him.

No thank you. Hell to the no. Fuck to the no. She wanted to say, taking out a cross and holy water to throw at him as says one should do when they encounter a vampire. Pressing down on her tongue and carefully weighing her words, she asked, "Are you good at chess?"

"I believe so."

"You believe so? That's a vague answer."

"Sometimes ambiguity is a wise approach."

"Edward said you guys don't have respect for human lives." Jessica confronted. That had been the very first warning and advice Edward had parted her on their first conversation; no further explication was needed to be said.

A ghost of a smile traced his lips, "We could say the same for humans."

"That's why you either kill them or eat them. So why am I still alive?" She retorted with defying bearing in her eyes.

"You are our guest."

"For how long? I don't want to overstay your welcome if I hadn't already."

"There is no need to worry for such thing; you have been a respectful and pleasant guest so far and we have no objection in your stay."

Damn what a savvy, politically-neutral answer. She grieved. A perfect response any politicians would vy to aspire under journalists' grilling interrogation.

"I think barging into your library and challenging you in the face is far from being respectful or pleasant."

"I thought it was quite engaging."

"I expected you'd kill me seeing I caught onto your scheme."

There was a brief suspension before he responded, "I know. You showed me. Now, enough about death, He will come in his own time – won't you kindly indulge this bored, old man for a game?" Aro motioned toward the arranged chess board.

Jessica wordlessly closed the distance and held out her hand, her compliance momentarily bewildering him. She repressed the shudder as their skin touched, his hand smooth and cold with the solidness of marble sculpture.

"You nearly drowned as a child."

Surprise broke through her neutral façade, brows shooting up to her hairline. So it's actually possible? He can actually read my entire thoughts and memories?

"Yeah, an arsehole pushed me into the river but I assume you already seen that." She reclined into her seat and Aro followed suit.

She took a glimpse to the artwork he had been appreciating; a gloomy illustration of grieving, statuesque woman draped in black robe leaning against a pillar, confined in ornamented vessels of withered wreath, cypresses and a setting sun provoking traditional emblems of mourning framed inside the tabernacle frame that reminded her of a temple doorway. Jessica thought he'd prefer more cheerful paintings simply because he tried to assert himself as such with his almost childlike manner.

"It's Lachrymae by Frederic Lord Leighton, meaning 'tears' in Latin." Aro mentioned, noting her interest in the art. "Belonging to the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, Leighton depicted a woman standing next to a funerary monument. The Greek elements of this painting represented the nostalgia this group of artists felt for ancient times."

"When were you born?" Jessica asked, unable to deny the urge to know about this man.

"I was born in Greece but I cannot remember much of my human life."

"Am I right to presume you probably mean Ancient Greece?"

"Yes."

"No wonder you chose Volterra – reminds of home, right?"

His only response was an ambivalent smile, sliding his white pawn into E4.

Jessica sent her black pawn to E5.

"It seems you have earned Jane's forgiveness." Aro commented, putting forward his knight into F3.

Jessica took a moment before she also advanced her knight to C6. "It's been a slow progress."

White bishop to B5.

Dangerously close to her stationed pawns. Jessica pursed her lips, agitated by the aggressiveness of his attacks.

Her black knight to F6.

White pawn to D3.

Black bishop to C5. He attacked her knight in C6, voluntarily giving up his bishop to her pawn taking his place on C6.

As the game progressed, sweat beads formed down her temple and brows furrowed into her forehead, creases deepening more prominently; he had positioned the knight into the centre of the board until all her pieces were cornered, unable to move or attack without sacrificing her significant pieces – she had never seen a knight such as his having devastating effect on the board. His queen was just as dangerous, securing him an exquisite triumph against her king.

What a brilliant but mad man.

"Who did you learn to play chess from?"

"We had similar game like chess in my time called Petteia and new rules can simply be adjusted."

Petteia. She ingrained the word into her mind to recall later.

"So I'm not going to die?"

"You have no intention of exposing us – that is most important."

"But the rules are clear, humans who discovers about..you is to be either turned or killed."

"Yet they are not acquainted with Carlisle and his family."

Jessica narrowed her eyes, sceptic, "Just because of that? You're willing to bend the rules you've created for..Dr. Cullen?"

"He is my friend and I treasure him very much."

Aro's statement disconcerted her; it was not that she thought he was incapable of appreciating a good friendship, rather she didn't think he'd allow the situation to unfold to the extent for the sake of friendship he and Carlisle shared – an abstract, honest concept such as friendship didn't seemed too much of value to a man of power like Aro.

Jessica realized, as manipulative and opportunistic as he was, this king of vampire seemed torn between two things he prized. Power and friendship.

"If you don't mind me asking but how did you became friends with Dr Cullen?"

"He used to live with us in the castle before he went and formed his own family." He said, concise.

She wondered about the history these two men shared, yet she also understood there were some innermost secret that was better left private.

"Don't tell Caius I said this, but you're a better chess player than him. You beat me in 26 moves while it took him 47 moves to win."

"I know."

"..You can read everything I felt, saw and heard." She ratified, alluding to his knowledge of her childhood trauma. No one else but her parents and perhaps that young boy, if he still remembered, knew.

He nodded. The colour drained from her face, leaving her to swallow with fear and realization – she had no game in hand and nothing could deceive or be concealed from this man and just like her pieces, her cards, as few as they were, will be exposed. From the beginning, she was playing a losing game. Every person was a narrative, an open book he could simply glimpse on a whim. Aro had their entire stories with nothing but a touch; a light breeze of skin against skin. Her entire lives, splayed before him – all the secrets, all the forgotten memories, even the glint of illicit and immoral thoughts hidden away in the deepest ocean of her mind.

"Then you'd know how I came to know about vampires.." Jessica managed to gulped down the rising trepidation, "Giada..she-she kept the secrecy-she must have known I knew something, no one else believes her."

"I know." Aro interrupted her, "I remember her ancestor being but a young child when I first met her. You remind me of her – she, too, was curious and did not fear us like the others."

"You won't..kill her?" Jessica hopefully appealed; she wasn't sure if she could bear blood in her hands.

"She will soon die and the story with her." Aro declared blatantly, "We are, after all, creatures buried in myth."

"Then may I visit her sometimes?"

"Have I ever imprisoned you?"

"Not physically, no."

"You are free to do as you please."

"As long as it's within your constrain." Jessica corrected. For herself. "If I make a mistake, then it's over."

Aro cast her rueful look of a forced man submitting to the power of a despot, even though Jessica knew it was an act to project sympathy on her circumstance, "I am afraid in my position, there's a limit; the verdict made is equally weighed by my brothers' contentions."

Jessica retained the mask of indifference at his answer that was, simply put: 'yes, you will die if you give me a single, good reason to do so.'

'..equally weighed by my brothers' contentions.' She echoed inwardly, before concluding, Bullshit.

..You're the one with the true power.

Edited by YanaTG and updated on 11/05/2020

Petteia- also called Pessoi, Poleis, or Polis. Petteia and pessoi may be translated as "pebbles", "stones", or "pawns", an obvious reference to the gaming pieces. Poleis and polis means city or cities, but these terms may have been used to refer to the playing board or the cells of the playing board. This was a game of the ancient Greeks, vaguely described by Plato, Aristotle, Polybius, possibly Homer, and others. The game is played with black and white stones initially lined up on opposite sides of the board. The main attacking tactic is to capture enemy stones by surrounding them between two friendly soldiers.

Here's what I wrote in original Pandora regarding this, albeit this input has been edited, altered and added:

"Now I myself is someone who believes have what one would consider 'knowing basic right and wrong' to live in this day and age as a 'normal' person. Of course, what's right and wrong are influenced by our culture, education and traditions as history. Philosophy had shown us the ever changing norms parallel to time and technology and this is firmly rooted in our mind that it's difficult to change our views.

To answer why I am writing this warning is because this chapter and future chapters will contain themes of infidelity, non-monogamous relationships and implication of sexual nature that may be considered heretical in its nature and many readers may find reading such things disturbing and controversial but I ask of you, dear readers, to keep open minded.

I try to understand that vampires are beings who have 'died' as humans and were reborn as something resembling an animal disguised in human skin that mainly acts on primal instinct and therefore cannot be expected to adhere to norms and morality set by humans and its society. Even in books, they are coded as predator.

Vampires in Twilight has their own rules and laws, along with its entirely different ruling government and when I read all four books, I noticed it was always a pair and I presume this was more influenced by the writer's religious belief.

Vampires have no concept of time or age or morals or ethics the way humans have. Vampires – Volturi in particular, were born from various ages where morals, ethics and what defined adulthood/childhood were very different, ranging from Ancient Greece to Middle Ages to Enlightenment era to Victorian era to modern period. Humans judge by people's appearance because it gives you an idea of what sort of person they are: age, ethnicity, gender, social class, personality traits and even physical strength. The book says when they become a vampire, this is stripped away – their skin colours are bleached away and their human side becomes dormant. In the case of Alec and Jane, they are known as the strongest vampires in the world because of their power regardless that they were turned so young. Age/physical appearance becomes unreliable source in judging how old and how strong vampires are.

To Jessica, she might simply see Alec as a young boy because she cannot separate human age to vampire age. To other vampires, Alec's physical age doesn't matter, what matters is which coven he belongs to, what power and how old he has been alive.

TL:DR: So I hope that you guys understood where I'm coming from and that you remember that vampires and humans are entirely different creatures with different morals and ethics. Age and physical appearance doesn't matter as much to vampires than to human. This is what I'm trying to portray here.