Chapter 8

Its been six months since I came to Italy. Athena and Damien were right, the Volturi did keep me busy. Most of my time was spent going out with Jamie and a few other lower guards to check on covens. Other things I did was simple chores around the castle, but I still had a lot of free time. Luckily, the Volturi had a hug library in the lower guard area along with a big lounge that had a huge TV and games in it. On my second day here, Jamie introduced me to two of her close friends, Riley and Jason.

Riley was very funny, but a huge flirt. Jason was more laid back and enjoyed playing video games. I quickly learned that Jamie was the person to go to if you wanted to know what was going on in the castle. She seemed to be able to pick up on so much information and had so many things to gossip about. I was walking down the hall on my way to go meet Jamie in town to do some shopping when I heard voice coming down the hall. I looked up to see the infamous twins walking towards me wearing their uniforms. They were in a quiet conversation as they headed towards the exit, probably leaving for a mission. An unsettling feeling suddenly popped into the back of my head and it made me feel uncomfortable. I quickly pushed those feelings aside like I always do when they come up and moved out of their way.

"Alec, Jane." The two stopped close to me when Afton walked up to them. "are you two off for your mission already?"

"Yes," Jane replied with a cold tone and I bit my lip, I just wanted to leave but the two most dangerous vampires were blocking my exit. Suddenly my bad feeling increased and I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will it away.

"Are you ok Chloe?" I heard Afton ask and I quickly looked up to see him looking at me in concern and it was then the twins noticed me. They both glared at me with cold expressions and I quickly nodded my head.

"Yes," I said to Afton then decided to tell the truth, "just have a bad feeling, I'm probably just thirsty." Afton opened his mouth, but a cheery voice came from behind him.

"Oh my dear twins are still here?" One of the leaders of the coven, Aro asked walking over to us. "oh and I see our newest guard member is here as well. Is everything alright?" Aro asked now noticing how Afton looked at me in worry and I looked down.

"Chloe was just telling me she had a bag feeling about something," Afton told Aro who frowned.

"My dear." Aro held his out to me and I wondered if a vampire could go paler than we already are. Of course, I know of his gift, and it scared me knowing that he could see my past. But knew I had to, so I reluctantly gave him my hand; never taking my eyes off the ground. After what seamed like ages, he pulled away with a small frown.

"Alec, Jane." Aro eventually said, "I'm going to delay your mission for the time being."

"Master?" I heard Jane asked in disbelief.

"Now, now young one," Aro said in a calm tone, "I just want to check something first. Now you two run along." I felt the twin's eyes on me before they left back into the castle.

"Dear Chloe," Aro continued, "I believe you were going out. Run along dear." I quickly nodded and made my escape, trying not to feel upset that now someone knows about my life.

"What kept you Chloe?" Jamie asked as she waved at me from the entrance of the mall. I apologized and we walked into the mall as I told her about my encounter before I left.

"Holy shit," she gasped, "I can't believe you got away from Jane without getting hurt." I flinched a little, I was well away of her gift. Jane and Alec were the same age as me when they were turned, but I knew better than to let appearances deceive me. I learned about that a long time ago.

"Ok!" Jamie smiled, "our mission to day is to find dresses for the ball tomorrow night." I held back a groan, I didn't want to go to the ball; I really hated crowds. But Afton said I was required to attend for at least a couple hours.

"Alright." I muttered and Jamie chuckled as we walked into a high end dress store. Jamie found a dark pink tight fitted dress in a matter of minutes. I opted for a royal blue dress that fit my tightly from the top and down to my waist before flowing out at my hips. It wasn't poofy like Jamie's dress, but I like it. There was a small shear slit that went between my cleavage and the point ended right below my cleavage. The back was open with silver straps holding together the dress. After we got our dresses, we picked out some jewelry and shoes before returning to the castle. I put my dress in the closet after steaming it and cuddled up in my bed while opening my book.

I enjoyed the rest of the evening reading in my room with the occasional visit from Jamie. I never did hear from Afton and what became of the twin's mission that Aro suddenly decided to cancel. But I just tried to forget about that portion of my day and move on.

And then the dreaded time came, time for the ball. Jamie came into my room and we got ready together. She styled my hair by curling it then taking a few strands from the top and doing a loose braid in the back. After applying some light makeup, we headed down the hall to the already packed ball room.

"Chloe!" Athena ran up to me and gave me a huge hug, which I returned and hugged Damien.

"How are you dear?" Athena asked while Jamie walked over to Riley and Jason.

"Great," I smiled and told them about my time here so far. I talked to them for about an hour before they walked off to go say hi to their other friends.

"That's a lovely dress." A voice from behind me said and I turned to see Demetri wearing an extremely expensive looking suit with a red shirt on. There wasn't a single wrinkle on any piece of clothing he had on and I briefly wondered if he was a perfectionist.

"Thank you." I muttered a little and he opened his mouth to say something.

"Demetri!" Heidi came up to him wearing a long blood red dress that made her cleavage stand out, a lot. "I've been looking for you. I want you to meet a friend." I watched her drag him away but not before he gave me one last glance. I quickly joined Jamie, Riley, and Seth and we all hung out for a while and giggle like school kids as we watched people. At some point Jamie had walked off and when I went to find her, I found her engaged in a heated make out session with someone. Knowing I'd be blushing if I were human, I quickly walked out onto the large balcony and let out a long breath.

"Not a people person?" I held back a groan at that all too familiar voice. Why wouldn't he leave me alone? I've managed to avoid him in the six months I've been here and thought he had forgotten about me, but apparently that wasn't the case. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as he leaned his back against the railing with his arms crossed. God I'm not even that graceful and I'm also a vampire! I bit my lip and looked out at the large, dimly lit garden hoping if I ignored him long enough, he would leave.

"Or perhaps you just don't like me." He continued and I could feel his eyes on me. I nibbled on my lower glossy lip hating the feeling of guilt that went though me. Every time I thought about him or he was around, I couldn't hold back my guilty feeling at how much I owe him and that I'm no where near being able to pay him back.

"I just don't like being bothered." I finally came up with something to say.

"So I've noticed," he replied but made no move to leave me alone.

"Tell me," he said after a moment of silence, "did you enjoy your stay at the hotel?" my whole body stiffened. Crap, he remembered that! He remembers me…

I quickly turned to run back into the ballroom, but he was already standing in front of me and my back hit the railing as he placed his arm on either side of me, trapping me.

"You shouldn't run when someone asks a question," he said with smirk as he leaned closer to me. My hands that rested on the railing started to tremble a little while flashes from my human life came back to me. I hated feeling trapped it made me start to panic a little.

"Get away," I whispered a little and he raised his eyebrow a little while I tried not to panic even more.

"It's a simple question Chloe," he said not noticing my shaking hands.

"Get away!" I hissed and harshly pushed him away in a panic. Demetri stumbled back a little, clearly not expecting that and I took the opportunity to hop over the railing and run through the garden and back to my room. Once I was in my room, I leaned against my closed door and sunk to the ground while gripping my hair in my hands and trying to calm my shaking body as I squeezed my eyes shut. I took a few deep breaths before finally calming down enough to get up and head to my bathroom where I took a long hot shower. The sounds of lower guards returning to their rooms told me that the ball was over, but I didn't bother to come out of my room. I stayed in the bed and tried to distract my panicked thoughts with a book.

The next week I spent time with Jamie, Riley, and Jason or in my room. Athena and Damien had come to say goodbye to me before they left after the ball, and I was grateful that I had calmed down enough for them not to notice something was wrong. At the end of the week though, I decided that fresh air would be a good idea; so, I made my way to the large garden and sat on a bench in a secluded area with a book in hand. I was so focused on my book that I didn't hear someone walking over to me.

"I did not mean to offend you at the ball," Demetri said, and I looked up to see him stopped a few feet away, "I apologize for my actions."

"No, I'm sorry," I said quietly, "I overreacted." Demetri shifted a little as he placed his hands behind his back.

"Perhaps a truce?" he said, and I raised an eyebrow at him as he continued, "how about you accompany me today?" I looked away for a second, debating. But I decided that I did owe him after my actions at the ball and after everything he's done for me.

"Alright," I sighed while closing my book and standing up and Demetri smiled a little and moved to the side while gesturing to me to follow him. I quietly walked behind him to the castle garage and stopped to see him opening the passenger door of a Lamborghini. Mumbling a 'thank you' I quietly got in and he got into the driver's side and started the car. I stared out the window watching the sun rise as he sped through the streets and onto the highway.

"You're such a strange woman you know that?" He said after a while of silence, "has me curious about your story." I tensed a little again and pressed my lips together.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" I finally asked with a long sigh.

"If I had would you still be alive today?" he challenged, and my shoulders slumped.

"Why did you help me?" I whispered while looking at my hands.

"Not sure," I heard him mutter after a while and I glanced up at him as he stared out at the road. After another hour we pulled into the parking lot of an aquarium called Aquarium of Cattolica. I've heard Jamie talk about this place, but never took the time to go. Demetri handed me some contacts and I reluctantly put them on then followed behind him towards the entrance. He showed the ticket people some card and we were allowed inside as the doors opened for business. I stopped when we walked by a huge tank and watched the big sharks swim by the glass. I walked over to the glass and pressed my hands to it as I looked into the large tank full of fish.

"Wow," I said watching more sharks swim by.

"Never been to an aquarium?" Demetri asked as he came to stand next to me. I frowned a little as I watched some fish.

"No." I admitted and saw him glance at me through the glass reflection.

"Not even as a child?" I moved away from the glass and started walking to another part of the building.

"Didn't have that kind of childhood." I muttered, stopping to watch a little girl smile at her parents as she pointed to fish in a tank. I moved my eyes to look at the jellyfish tank, admiring their glowing colors.

"They didn't have places like these when I was a child," Demetri said and I looked over to him and he smirked, "the wheel had just barley been invented." I smiled at this and let out a small giggle.

"I doubt you're that old," I replied, and he chuckled.

"Only fifteen hundred." He said lowly so only I could hear.

"Well that is kind of old then." Demetri smirked and I followed him into the next room where there was a large open tank for people to touch different sea creatures. I watched kids giggle as some manta rays splashed them. I followed him passed that tank and into a tube area that went though a larger tank where he stopped to watch a few sharks.

"Humans find such excitement in such little thing." I heard Demetri mutter and watched him stiffen as a couple kids ran passed him.

"You don't like kids." I stated and a small smirk appeared on his lips for a second.

"Rather annoying creatures." He replied, "too noisy for my taste."

"Well they're just kids," I said, "they don't know better yet."

"I thought that was runaway teenagers." He said with a raised eyebrow as he looked to me and I clenched my teeth.

"I had a good reason." I hissed lowly then stomped away and to a building with more tanks and some displays.

"And what would that reason be?" he asked, coming up behind me.

"It's none of your business." I snapped and watched as he pressed his lips together for a second.

"I've offended you, again." He stated after a moment and I turned my back on him.

"I just don't like talking about my childhood." I muttered while walking away. I came to a stop at another huge tank and plopped down on a bench that was against a wall and I watched the creatures in the tank swim around. I could see Demetri take a seat next to me out of the corner of my eye.

"I find that you are an infuriating woman." Demetri said while resting his hands on his knees as he leaned forward a little, also watching the fish.

"Thank you." I muttered and heard him chuckle a little and we fell into silence. I pulled my legs onto the bench and hugged them to me while resting my chin on my knees.

"Why to you insist on trying to talk to me anyway?" I asked, "I'm sure there's more entertaining woman at the castle." Demetri didn't respond right away and after a few minutes of silence, I didn't think he would.

"There's something different about you" I heard him mutter, "you're not boring." I looked over at him to find his eyes already on me. I quickly looked away and let my hair hide my face.

"There's nothing special about me." I whispered.

"No," he said, "I don't agree. You're…interesting and a mystery to me. I'm usually very good at understanding people. Predicting their actions is like second nature, but you never do what I expect. I find it to be very frustrating." I looked back at him then.

"You sound like a perfectionist." I said and he smiled brightly, showing all his perfect white teeth.

"I have been called that on many occasions." He replied. We sat in silence for a little longer and I went from watching the fish to watching the people around me.

"Perhaps it's just my long years of tracking," Demetri spoke again also watching the humans, "but I've learned that people are very predictable. Even without my gift, I could find them because they all do the same thing. They run and hid, thinking they've gotten away. It's such a boring pattern."

"Sometimes the thought of getting away is enough for some of us." I whispered, "even if we know we'll be caught, at least it's a time where we can be free." Demetri straightened up and leaned against the wall while crossing one leg over the other. I jumped a little when he softly moved my hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

"Do you not feel free Chloe?" he asked softly, "are you still afraid of what you were running from." I bit my lip and buried my face in my knees.

"I am." I whispered, "I-I know I shouldn't be. But I am. I don't think I'll ever be able to escape it. All the memories, the people and the fear. I feel like no matter how far I am, I just can't escape." I felt a hand rest on my back in a comforting way and let my shoulders drop a little. Damn I hated this man, why can he make me talk so easily?

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice announced over the speakers, "the penguin feeding time will be in ten minutes." I took a deep breath and stood up while Demetri followed.

"We should keep walking." I muttered and walked away.

We stayed at the aquarium until closing and I excitedly bought a penguin stuffed animal from the gift shop along with some educational books on marine life. The first hour of our drive back to Volterra was spent in silence except for Demetri playing some Mozart piano music.

"How do you track people?" I asked and he glanced at me for a second.

"Every person's mind has a different essence." He said, "I can fell and see that essence and pinpoint their location."

"What does an essence look like?" I asked and he tilted his head.

"A person I suppose," he replied, "each one is different." I stared at him for a moment and noticed that his contacts had finally melted away to reveal black eyes.

"Are you thirsty?" I asked and he frowned.

"I fed before I left." He muttered.

"But your eyes are black." I stated and he swallowed a little.

"Huh." Was all he said, and the conversation ended. After another hour he pulled into the garage and parked his car. Turning off the engine, he got out and I followed.

"Demetri where have you been?" Heidi asked walking over to him, not noticing me. "I've been really bored you know." She purred a little and something click in my head. So, they have that kind of relationship. I bit my lip and looked at the ground unsure of why that bothered me.

"So I was thinking – OH!" Heidi notice me then and I looked up at her as she looked between me and Demetri. Suddenly her eyes seemed to sparkle, and a bright smile appeared on her face.

"You know what, never mind" She said while backing away, "I have something else I need to do now." She vanished then and I heard Demetri give a long sigh.

"Um," I finally said, "Thank you for taking me out today. I enjoyed it." With that I grabbed my bag from the gift store and bolted out of the garage and to my room.

Author's note:

Eight chapter updates in one day! I'm really enjoying this story more than the other one :D

Oh and sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes, didn't feel like editing it right now, but I will when I'm bored in class one day :)