Here we go with chapter three. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I love feedback.


– chapter three –

Stregoni Benefici

"I — I —" Take a deep breath and calm down, Cita! my mind urges. "I'm not lost. I —"

"Standing alone in the hallway of a large villa without any other soul around, and you don't call that lost?" the man muses, a smile gracing around his lips. "Well, then, what would you say you're doing, then?"

I take a step backward; my back collides with the showcase. Damn! No escape . . . "Um . . ." I begin, frantically trying to think of something while playing for time. "Well . . ."

"Let me define 'being lost' for you," another, still unknown voice suddenly says from slightly behind me. I jump in surprise, colliding once again with the showcase; the glass vibrates beneath my fingertips. "'Being lost' suggests a period of transition and uncertainty about arriving successfully at your next destination. You can also say that 'being lost' makes you feel uncertain regarding your place or direction. Would you disagree with that?"

"Um . . . no, but —"

The tall-grown man smiles openly now. "See? So you're lost, then."

I realize that I have no chance against the two of them, not when they are cornering me like that, physically as well as with words. And stuttering like an idiot is not helping my case, either. "I turned the wrong direction on my way out," I say, once more trying for an escape. There is something about the men that makes me tremble, that frightens me to the core. My inner voice shouts loudly at me to run; they are dangerous, and I will get hurt if I stay. But, even though I know that fleeing is the best course of action, I can't move. I'm rooted to the spot, frozen in fear. Maybe they are Alec's henchmen, I ponder. Shouldn't I, in that case, keep them distracted so that Alec can't kill the others so easily on his own?

The smaller of the men laughs briefly. "Losing your way counts as 'being lost' — you remember the part that went, 'uncertainty about arriving successfully at your next destination,' in the definition?" he asks. He then takes a step closer to me, his hand reaching out into my direction. It's a threatening gesture. "Definitions of phrases aside, though, there's more important things to take care of." His hand closes around my left upper arm, tightly. I cry out at the sudden pain, struggling to free myself. He doesn't care, and starts steering me down the hallway, in the direction he had come from. The tall man follows, quickly overtaking us until he walks in front of us, opening a door at the end of the hallway. I'm dragged into another, smaller hallway that opens to a large round chamber. The roof of the room vanishes far above me, light falling in through large windows halfway up the turret.

I immediately realize that this is the turret Alec talked about — all the other tourists are there, talking animatedly and taking photos. They are surrounded by other people wearing clothes in black or varying shades of gray.

On my and the men's entrance, everyone turns around to face us. My eyes lock with Alec's, who grounds his jaw, his expression darkening before turning impassive again. In comparison, my expression must be one of terror; it feels like it. This impression deepens when the other tourists start to mumble, their formerly excited chatter turning to questioning and a couple of fearful murmurs, too.

"Someone got lost," the large man says, while the smaller one lets go of me, pushing me in the direction of the other tourists. I stumble forward, barely managing to stay upright.

"I see," a new voice says. It's soft, more like a gentle breeze in the wind — or a sigh. "Anyone else . . . missing?" I look up in time to see one of the black-clad men look pointedly at Alec.

"No, Master."

Master? Have I heard that correctly?

"I see," the black-clad man says again. He puts the fingertips together, holding his hands like a pyramid in front of him. "Why was she lost in the first place?" And then he holds out a hand in greeting.

Now I am truly lost. Both the man and Alec are in the same room; they haven't moved — much — so why does the man want Alec to shake his hand? My eyes wander over to Alec, who stands still for a moment, then closes the short distance, grasping the man's hand. The contact is brief, but I can't lose the feeling that, in this short moment, the man learns something important. But how?

"I see," the man says, for the third time. However, this time, his tone is sharper, colder, sounding more like a reprimand than a soft statement. Slowly, the man turns around to me. His face has lost all friendliness. "Felix, bring the girl."

The tall-grown man grabs my upper arm and drags me over to the man. If Felix follows his orders without questioning, maybe he truly is some sort of master. Of a sect? An underground rebellion group? Do they want us as recruits?

The master's cold hands take mine, letting them go again the next moment. He frowns, his eyes holding mine, searching something. He then glances back at Alec, looking thoughtful.

"Aro, whatever it is, can't it wait?" a man with snowy-white hair complains.

The master — Aro, my mind corrected — holds up a hand. "Give me a moment, Caius. This is important."

"Take the moment later. I waited long enough," Caius replies, standing up.

Aro sighs; it is the gentle breeze of wind again. "Fine." He looks at me, then at Felix, whose vice-like grip still holds me captive and brings tears to my eyes, then to Alec. "Since it is kind of your fault, you'll make sure she . . . stays with us until afterward." He holds Alec's gaze a moment longer before turning his attention toward the tourists.

Felix pushes me forward and lets go of me. I collide with Alec; his body is hard! It feels like stumbling into a rock. Before I can do anything, he swiftly turns me around, capturing my hands behind my back. I feel his breath in my neck; it sends shivers down my spine, added by the coolness of his skin.

A girl that looks similar to Alec makes her way over to us. She looks me up and down, her eyes thoughtful. "You don't really think that, do you?" she asks. Her voice is as sweet as honey.

"That's not relevant now, is it?" Alec asks quietly.

"No, I suppose not," she replies loftily before walking back over to Aro. Alec sighs.

I try to make sense of their conversation, but I can't. Instead, my mind focuses on Aro, who — I suppose — is the most dangerous of all. He lets himself be called master, so he is a superior to Alec. I then remember that Alec's clothes are a dark gray, whereas Aro's is obviously black. Does this mean that the darker the color, the higher up the rank? Maybe they are militia trying to recruit for a putsch? Then again, Alec clearly told me that he is going to kill people. I can therefore scratch recruiting from my list.

The snowy-white-haired man, Caius, enters my field of vision. He, too, and the woman at his side, wear deep black, though the three people surrounding the two are clad in lighter shades of gray. I suppose their ranks are lower than Alec's then. Felix and the smaller man seem to be higher in position, but still below Alec. The girl he spoke to wears the same color Alec has, so she is his equal. I have to admit, even though I should be shivering heavily with panic, I'm fascinated by the hierarchy and the way they display it through colors.

That changes quickly.

Suddenly, the screaming starts, echoing around the turret chamber. I try to see what is happening, but everyone starts moving so fast they're blurring. It reminds me of when Alec was in my face without my having seen him coming. How is it possible that people can move so quickly? Then my eye catches Felix, towering over one of the men, his grip on the tourist's arms hurting me even as I watch; I'm glad I'm not in the man's stead. With a clarity I would have never thought I possessed, I see Felix lean down over the struggling and kicking man's neck and then bite down. The man screams loudly, intensifying his struggles — to no avail. Instead, I hear bones crack where Felix's grip gets too strong. The man's breathing grows weaker, then subsides completely. When Felix lets go of the man, the body falls limply onto the floor. I can then clearly see the shape of teeth in a bloodied wound. My eyes wander up to Felix' — his have turned from dark, nearly black, to a bright ruby.

I suck in a deep breath. My eyes race over to Aro, Caius, the smaller man, the girl — all of their eyes have turned from dark to ruby. Lifeless bodies lie at their feet, all of the twenty tourists killed in less than five minutes.

The shivers return, and I tremble powerfully in Alec's hold. A horrible sound reaches my ear; I am crying and sobbing wildly. My vision blurs, but I don't care. These people kill brutally by drinking blood. Their eyes change their color once they 'fed' on innocents. There's only one creature I know to be able to do that.

A vampire.

It's only legends! my logic screams. It's only mysteries! Vampires don't exist!

But, obviously, they do.

Through the veil of my tears, I see Aro look over to me. His eyes are frantic, like he is in some sort of frenzy. Slowly, he steps into my direction. Alec suddenly hisses and backs away, taking me with him. His free hand comes up and lies itself onto my throat, seemingly covering it — there is no palpable pressure in the action. Why? My eyes are still locked onto Aro. His advance has stopped, and he looks away. I follow his movements with my eyes when he walks over to one of the chairs that stand in the back.

No one speaks for long moments, the silence more ominous after the screams. The echoes have already subsided; my sobs, sniffles and occasional hiccups are the only source of noise in the room.

The vampires linger against the walls, some crouching, some sitting, others standing. No one is looking in my direction, but every single one's body is tense — like Alec behind me. I can literally feel his muscles flex beneath his skin, making it hard for him not to put pressure onto my throat. But he doesn't move an inch. It feels like he's wary of his friends, as if they will strike and kill me, too, when he isn't watchful.

I have no idea how much time has passed when one after the other relaxes. Felix and his companion quickly move to the dead bodies and start taking them out. Their actions happen in silence, and they happen quickly. I can only watch, enthralled.

"I have to apologize for that scene," Aro starts speaking calmly when the chamber has been cleared of the bodies. "Usually, no human is living long enough to witness something like that." He smiles ruefully, but I can hear that the remorse in his words and body language is only a fake. Why? Does he not bother leaving me with the right impression when I go? You really think they let you leave this place after you saw what they did? my mind asks sarcastically.

Probably not.

I try to bring more distance between Aro and myself, temporarily forgetting I'm still held locked by Alec's steel-hard grip. When my back comes into contact with his body, however, his fingers' pressure on my throat and wrists tightens slightly. I stiffen.

Caius, who has been standing the entire time, saunters over to Alec and me. I feel Alec prepare for another step back, but Aro's order of "No need to move, Alec," renders him immobile. Aro's tone reminds me that he seemed to have been angry with Alec earlier. I then also realize that he holding me captive is his punishment: he hasn't fed like the other vampires, and his eyes have been as dark as Felix' for instance. So he must be hungry.

Wait. Maybe Aro intends me to be Alec's meal once he is through with whatever he wants to talk about first!

Oh God.

"She smells good," Caius comments, vanishing from my field of vision. I hear him walk around Alec and me, reappearing on my other side. "How can you stand being near to her, Alec?" he asks with interest.

"It's my task to keep her unharmed until afterward," Alec says, repeating Aro's order from before the vampires started killing the innocent tourists. "Everything else doesn't matter."

"And at least that job you did well," Aro interjects, getting up and coming over to stand next to Caius. "Release her."

Suddenly, I am free, but I don't move. I feel how Alec steps away from me and follow him — or that's what I plan to do, in theory. In practice, I still stand rooted to the spot where he released me.

"And now, wouldn't it be delightful to hear what caused her to get lost when our other guests were punctual, Alec?" Aro asks. Caius rolls his eyes and saunters back to where the woman stands next to one of the three chairs.

"I'm sorry, Master," Alec says quietly.

Aro sighs. "You have no idea how disappointed I am with you, Alec."

"Would someone care to fill us in here?" Caius interrupts.

Aro snips his fingers toward Alec, who starts to tell about today. He doesn't leave out a single detail; he even recounts our kiss. I blush under the vampires' scrutiny while Alec still speaks. His voice — even while admitting his mistakes — is soft and gentle. I wonder what they plan to do to him once he finishes.

"I see what you mean with the girl reminding you of . . . her," the girl looking similar to Alec says. I haven't noticed her coming over to stand next to Aro. "She has the same eyes." I don't trust myself to look up and meet the girl's gaze. "But she has nothing on Sarah," she concludes sharply.

Aro chuckles. "Dear Jane, don't fret with your brother. Romantic feelings are hard to overcome." She's Alec's sister?

Jane huffs, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Sarah, at least, had charm. This girl here has nothing. She's boring."

"Sorry that I'm not Sarah. If you were to tell me about her, I could try to be like her, though, you know?" I blurt out, then bite my lip. You stupid girl! What did you do?

Jane's face darkens, her eyes narrowing to slits. She hisses at me. Aro starts laughing loudly. I glance over to Alec next to me, and he tries — unsuccessfully — to hide a small smile. "She certainly has fire," Aro says appreciatively. Jane comments on his words with a growl. Aro pats her shoulder.

"That's still irrelevant, considering that she knows too much," Caius interjects from his place.

Aro nods and sighs. "True."

"Who would believe me if I were to tell anyone about what happened today?" I say, fighting to stay alive. "You're considered a myth only, anyway." My hands tremble so I ball them into fists.

Aro looks at me, considering something. "I would like to know something, Felicity," he begins. "Why didn't you run the way Alec asked you to several times?"

I stare at him in disbelief. "You seriously think that I run to save my own life when twenty others are about to die and I know it? You must be nuts."

Growls and sharp intakes of breath resound through the room, and I'm suddenly pressed against a wall, my breath cut off with a cold hand tightening around my throat. I struggle, tugging on my captor's arms, but he doesn't let go. Instead, his grip tightens; my vision starts blurring.

"Felix, let her down," Aro demands gently. "She was just being honest, and I appreciate that."

The giant Felix adds some more pressure before releasing me. I sink down onto the floor, making a huddle of myself, coughing and rubbing my throat. Felix doesn't step aside, throwing his shadow over me.

"Still. No one can be that selfless, to want to die in the place of someone else they don't even know."

I shake my head. "Maybe you don't know enough people, then." Something inside me clicks, making me braver than I really felt. "Right, you don't have time to get to know people. You kill them."

Aro laughs. "I like your wit," he mumbles, smiling in something like fondness.

"Aro," Caius says — a reminder.

"Peace, brother," Aro replies, not looking at the other vampire. His eyes are still latched onto my own. "But why did you go onto this tour in the first place? Architectonical history can't be that . . . interesting."

I remember the many stories Mom told me with an enthusiasm that was infectious. "Maybe to you who lives so long, the fascination is lost, as you surely got to experience it first-hand," I reply. "But I'm not like you. I'm not a . . . vampire." Something in the atmosphere of the room changes upon me speaking that word, but my only chance to survive — if there is one — is to continue. "I'm only a sixteen-year-old girl" — no need for lies now — "that is looking at the past, wondering how things got constructed, got built."

Aro tilts his head. "Your words speak as if from a bright mind. Go on."

"My wish is to learn, to not repeat mistakes that have been made in long since gone years. And to learn the truth behind lies." I know that I'm entering dangerous areas, but I can't stop — not before I say everything that needs to be said. "And maybe to discover past crimes."

A growl rolls through Felix' chest; it's frightening. But I don't look up at him, instead holding onto Aro's gaze. His expression is unreadable.

From the other side of the chamber I can hear someone clapping — it's sarcastic. "I think we've found ourselves a priest," Caius comments. Several of the vampires chuckle.

Aro isn't perturbed by his brother's behavior. "What kind of crimes are you talking about?" His voice is quiet, gentle. But my inner voice urges me to be cautious now, more than ever. One wrong word, and it'll be over.

I gulp down my nervousness, keeping my head held high. I have some pride after all. "I would think that . . . taking the life of innocent people is testified as murder in Italy, as well as in the US."

There's a flicker in Aro's ruby eyes, one that I can't interpret. "Is someone accusing us of murder?" he asks politely.

"No —"

"Are you accusing us of murder?"

Careful . . .

"Hmm?" he gauges when I don't answer. "Are you accusing us, Felicity?"

I'm trembling again and finally look away. "Yes."

The silence that presses onto me feels like foreboding my death.


What will happen to Felicity? Stay tuned for the final chapter.