Chapter 9

(Demetri's POV)

I didn't understand it. Why did she make my throat burn so much? Never in my long immortal life have I come across a being that has affected me so much. She had noticed in the car how dark my eyes were before I even noticed the burn in my throat. After she pointed it out though I had to swallow all the venom in my mouth. And then Heidi chose the worse time to make her presence known and after her little boredom rant, I was sure Chloe knew of my behind the door relationship with the allure vampire. When Heidi finally noticed Chloe, her eyes sparked with that look that made me groan inwardly. I would have to find her later and stop her from thinking too much into what happened today.

"Dinner Demetri!" I heard Felix shout and I quickly ran to the feeding room. Aro gave me a curious look when I entered probably wonder about my absence today. I was sure he was about to walk over to me, but Heidi walked in followed by our food. What was unusual today, was that instead of picking off the first human that ran by me, I sought out a young blonde female.

"Ah Demetri," Aro walked up to me, stepping over the dead humans, "we missed you today."

"Apologies master." I simply replied and handed him my hand. He took it and his eyes briefly lit up for some reason then he seemed to remember something.

"Oh that reminds me," he muttered, "Eleazar is here today. Demetri could you please fetch Chloe for me and bring her to my office. I'm rather curious about something." I raised an eyebrow and watched him leave while Heidi bounced up to me.

"So-" she started to say, and I cut her off.

"It's not what you're thinking." I said and walked out while feeling the curious glances of members from the elite guard. Heidi followed me out and blocked my path with an amused smirk.

"Why so thirsty then?" she challenged, "I was sure you fed this morning." I let out a long sigh watching her glow with excitement.

"I know!" she clapped making me jump and then she vanished. Oh, dear lord save me from what ever that woman is planning…

(Chloe's POV)

When I got to my room Jamie asked where I had been and I lied, telling her I just went out on my own to explore a little. She was satisfied with this response and left me alone to shower. Once I was clean and dressed, I opened my room door to go find Jason for some game time, but I ended up running smack into someone.

"Perfect timing," Demetri smirked while I backed away a little dazed, "Aro wishes to see you." I blinked at him as his words registered in my head.

"D-Did I do something wrong?" I asked in worry and he shook his head before pulling me out of the room and closing my door. He placed a hand on my back and led to Aro's wing which is supposed to be off limits to lower guards.

"No," he assured, "he just wanted to see you." We arrived at a double door and Demetri knocked lightly.

"Come in," Aro's cheery voice sounded and Demetri opened the door for me then followed me in. Aro was sitting behind a large desk smiling at a vampire that was seated in a chair opposite of him.

"Thank you dear Demetri," Aro smiled, "you may leave us now." I noticed Demetri hesitated a little before bowing a little and leaving the room.

"Sorry for calling you up so suddenly," Aro said waving me over and I walked closer to his desk wondering if vampires could get sick to their stomachs, "no need to be nervous dear. I just wanted you to meet an old friend." The brown hair vampire stood up then and shook my hand.

"I'm Eleazar," he smiled softly.

"It's nice to meet you." I replied politely.

"Eleazar here has a special gift," Aro said and I looked back at him, "he can tell what gifts other vampires have. You see when you told Afton about your bad feeling and I called off Alec and Jane from their mission, we later found out that some enemies were attempting to trap my dear twins that day. Your bad feeling seems to have saved their lives." I pressed my lips together betting that was just luck but didn't dare to speak.

"Well Eleazar?" Aro looked at the man who studied me a little.

"I've seen a similar gift with a nomad named Peter," Eleazar finally said, "they can get feeling about events, choices, people; but it would seem hers is far stronger. At least it has the potential to be." Aro smiled brightly and I bit my lip.

"How marvelous!" Aro exclaimed with a clap of his hands, "thank you dear for taking the time to come here, Demetri can escort you out of my wind."

"Thank you." I replied with a bow and turned to leave.

"Oh!" Aro suddenly said and appeared next to me with a smile while holding his hand out, "may I see one more thing?" I have him my hand wondering what else it could be. A bright smile once again graced his lips as he let go of my hand.

"How interesting that our tracker is so taken with you," Aro said quietly, probably so said tracker couldn't hear him from his spot in the hall.

"Um what?" I asked a little stunned and he waved his hand.

"Never you mind dear," he said, "now off you go." I bowed again and left the room to see Demetri leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and one leg crossed over the other. He looked completely at ease as he looked away from the ceiling and to me.

"Done?" he asked, and I nodded. I walked next to him as we walked through the hall of Aro's wing. We were just about to reach the exit when a gust of wind blew past us and Heidi was standing there with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips.

"Heidi?" Demetri asked with a small sigh.

"You two went on a date today, didn't you?" she asked while leaning forward a little and I blinked at her in shock.

"It wasn't-" Demetri started to say and moved to be standing closer to us.

"Oh this is so exciting!" she clapped her hands in excitement, "after all these years Demetri has finally found-"

"Heidi," Demetri groaned, cutting off what she was going to say, "I told you that it's not what you're thinking. You're so exhausting."

"I know," she smirked then looked between the two of us.

"What do you think of him?" she suddenly asked me, and I backed away; my back hitting the wall as she cornered me.

"He's a real gentleman you know," she continued and that feeling of being trapped started to consume me again.

"Heidi," I heard Demetri say with a sigh through my growing panic.

"Oh and he-" she stared to say, but a growl cut her off.

"Back away from her Heidi." A growl echoed through the hall and the three of us looked over to see Alec glaring at Heidi. I was finding it hard to be scared though, because all I could feel was the wall against my back and my trembling hands as the panic started to consume me.

"What the Hell Alec?" Heidi snapped not moving from her spot. Alec appeared next to her and shoved her back, forcing Demetri catch her wearing the same shocked look Heidi had.

"She needs space you idiot!" he snapped at her and I think it was then both Heidi and Demetri notice my trembling form. I spotted my exit route and ran off as fast as I could to my room without looking back.

(Demetri's POV)

I watched in worry as Chloe bolted out of the hall as I helped steady Heidi from being pushed by Alec.

"What the hell Alec?!" Heidi snapped, "you scared her off you idiot!"

"You're the idiot," he snapped back, "if you had actually paid attention you would've noticed her trembling before I got here. Or are you so self-centered, you can't tell when someone is in pain?" My eyes moved between the two, ready to stop a fight; but also worried about Chloe. Then I felt a small amount of guilt when I remembered Chloe had acted the same way at the ball. Was she trembling then too?

"Why you!" Heidi growled and Alec narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's a normal response," Alec said before Heidi could say anything else, "for those who have been abused their whole lives." My teeth clenched a little at his words.

I should've known that, why didn't I put that together? All the signs were there…

"What's going on here?" Aro's voice came from behind us.

"Nothing master." Alec muttered before vanishing and Aro looked to us. He held out his hand and Heidi placed her hand in his while I waited for my turn, but it took a lot of effort to not go after Chloe.

(Chloe's POV)

My hands shook as I leaned against my bedroom wall. I wasn't even able to make it to my bathroom before my panic overwhelmed and I fell to the floor trembling and trying to breath. I faintly heard a door open and close, but I was in too much of a panicked state to notice.

"Hay," a voice said from next to me and I felt a hand placed on my shoulder as someone knelt to be by me. "Just breath, you're ok." I felt a hand rub my back a little and I focused on that as I took some deep breaths and tried to stop my trembling hands. After what seemed like an eternity, I stopped trembling and took a couple more breaths. I looked over at the person and my eyes widened when they landed on Alec Volturi, the most powerful vampire in the world was kneeling next to me with his hand on my back.

"Didn't know I was that scary." He smirked, but there was something wicked about the smirk. I would've been afraid, had it not been for the gentle look in his eyes.

"It's going to take time," he suddenly said, moving his hand from my back and to my head, "coming from years of abuse doesn't just go away, even after being turned." I stared wide-eyed at him as he stroked my head a little.

He knows? How would he know?

"Jane and I went through the same thing for years after we were turned," he said, "although our reactions were far more violent than yours, there were times when Jane would panic like you. It took years for Aro and his brothers to help us." I bit my lip and took in a shaky, unnecessary breath.

"I-I didn't mean to run off." I whispered and he nodded.

"It's instinct," he said, "I know." A knock came at the door then, making me jump a little and Alec moved his hand to my back again as he looked up. Aro walked into the room and shut the door behind him.

"My dear I'm so sorry," he said with an unusual serous tone, "I did not realize it was so bad. Are you alright now?" I nodded a little as he stood behind Alec and looked down at me with worry. He studied me for a moment before nodding a little.

"Well, you just get some rest now dear," he said, "come Alec, thank you for taking care of her." Alec patted my back a little before standing up and following Aro out of my room and closing the door behind him.