( DISCLAIMER: I don't own twilight or the characters in any way. i do have a few ocs that i own, obviously. oh, and there IS actually a Hotel La Locanda, so google it and look at the room that Vienna's staying in! yeah, i don't own hotel la locanda, but i wish. oh, and i'm going to mention a time difference, but i'm too lazy to mention too much about it. )
Natalina had supplied me with a lot of food last night – apparently my grandmother was incredibly kind to her and had given her extra money if I liked what she did for me. She took care of the groceries, dinner and bringing in my bags. Obviously Jocelyn had offered her a lot.
I woke up early in the morning for some reason and stayed awake. I took advantage of the hotel's free Wi-Fi and sent e-mails to my friends and my family – especially Jocelyn, who I had reason to chew out. I didn't expect for Natalina to be up to my room for at least another two hours, so I fell back on my bed and decided to close my eyes for a bit. Last night all I'd been able to dream of was the two men that I'd seen earlier. The one with the dark hair and the one with the lighter, almost blonde-silver hair filled my dreams and left me sleepless. Both of their eyes had been extraordinary and for the few moments that I'd been able to look into them, I had seen the strangest color ever.
Eight hours difference – it was such an odd time in Italy, but I felt fully rested. I had fallen right asleep – flying always tends to exhaust me.
But I didn't dwell on that; instead I decided that it was time to get out of my pajamas. I hopped up from my double-wide bed and rushed to the bathroom, where all my hygiene products had been stored. I was used to having to get ready quickly – for school in the morning I normally could only take about five minutes to put on my makeup, but today I had all the time I needed. I carefully applied and then reapplied cover up and then foundation, some eyeliner on the top lid and finally mascara. I glanced at the clock after I left the bathroom. Easy enough, that had taken… seven minutes.
"Jesus Christ!" I muttered, rolling my eyes. Maybe if I would've put on a little more make up… no, I'd be fine.
My sundress had already been laid out on top of my suitcase. I checked the weather forecast a million times every day for the weeks leading up to this, hoping that it would be warm enough to wear my new summer wardrobe. Quickly I slipped into the teal sundress and then fell on the bed. Boredom washed over me and so I flipped on the television.
Two hours later I woke up again, stretched across the bed with the TV still on – and Natalina's high, carefree voice calling out to me through rather thin door.
"Viennnaaaa," she sang. I could hear her prancing about behind the door.
"Coming!" I yelled, grabbed my shoes and then left. I fucking hated time changes.
In my hands I held my white wedges, I was sure that my hair was mussed from sleeping again, which was probably why she gave me the sideways look. I ran my fingers through my brunette hair – even though it was naturally dirty-blonde – just to straighten it up a bit. Natalina raised her eyebrows at me and pursed her lips in a half smile while I threw my shoes down and slid my feet in.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we made our way out to our car once again.
"Didn't I tell you we were in the epicenter of the historic district? How about we just drop you off there and you can walk around for a bit? I know the time difference is going to kill you today, but it seems like you've got enough sleep. I'll meet you for lunch at two, alright?" Natalina practically kicked me out of the car into a throng of people all going the opposite way. Of course.
It was only after I had fought my way to the center of the gorgeous stone buildings that I finally noticed al the beauty around me. I saw some native olive-skinned, lightly-freckled Italians passing by me, speaking rapidly in their home language. I stood there for a moment, just to soak in all that was Volterra, Italy, until I felt a hand at my shoulder.
I quickly spun around to face whoever had touched me and was faced, once again, with someone so ethereal that I had to pause to drool for a moment. The most shocking part about this was that the person that I was staring at was a girl – at least, I thought. There was a moment of uncertainty in my mind. She looked similar to the boy I'd seen yesterday, but slightly different – pale skin, dark circles, peculiarly colored eyes, short, dark hair and plump limps.
I took a step back.
"Oh my!" The girl started, feigning distress. "I'm quite sorry – I thought that you were my friend. I guess I'm mistaken, then!" She seemed incredibly enthusiastic about something, but I couldn't decide what.
"Don't worry, it's fine," I replied in a less-than-enthusiastic voice. I was still staring at her as if she was something from another planet, which should've disrupted her peppiness, but it didn't at all.
The girl sighed. "I'm Jane – have you seen a girl around here, Camilla?"
I shook my head. Jane, that was her name, so plain – she was a plain girl, but there was something there that I couldn't put my finger on… "I'm so sorry, but I haven't seen a Camilla anywhere." Jane seemed to be insinuating that she wished for me to help, and I took the bait – I just couldn't stop looking at her. "But I, uh, I could help you look for her."
Jane clapped her hands together in what, for a moment, looked like false peppiness. She grinned and motioned for me to follow her. "I lost her somewhere around the castle…" she muttered in a voice so sweet that it had to be unreal.
"Huh?" I partially snapped out of my trance. "In where?"
"Oh, nowhere," her voice sweetened again.
I followed her for about five minutes – but I had no idea where we were going. I was too transfixed on the back of her head to look away, but when I managed to look away I saw exactly what I didn't want. I was in a wide hallway of a stone building – there were dim lights from the walls and as soon as I realized that I wasn't in the square I started to freak out.
Jane obviously sensed that something was wrong, because she spun around and faced me. "Is everything alright?"
"Where are we going?" I hesitated and then stopped.
I watched as Jane smirked a bit before her smirk turned to a smile. "We have yet to find Camilla, so I thought that I would be kind to you and allow you to come to the tour that the two of us were going to go on. We," she paused for a moment. "are in the Volterra castle. I'll show you around if you like, but if you'd rather not."
Had I been male then I probably would have fallen for her charms, but she was so obviously trying to draw me into that room that lay ahead. I could hear voices from the room, soothing voices. "And why might I be allowed this exclusive tour?" I asked, my puzzled hazel eyes half-closed.
For a moment Jane paused once more, hesitating as I had only just. "My brother, my brother has found work here and offers me free tours for those who are my friends. Be you my friend? Or should you wish to turn back and leave? It is amazing, honestly, you must know that it is one of the best things here in Volterra." Jane flashed me a genuine smile that made me do the same - I couldn't figure what to do – so I nodded.
"Mhm," I agreed, staring over her shoulder to see what she saw. "Sounds lovely as can b—" I stopped speaking as soon as Jane turned back around, her ears practically perking up at an unheard sound. I watched her as her head turned to peer around the corner. "Wha—" I started to say, but then I heard the angry footsteps.
"JANE!" I heard an angry voice call.
Jane turned to me and then grabbed my hand. I drew back, for her hand, soft as it was, sent shivers down my spine for the cold. She motioned for me to follow her towards the door at the end of the hall, but then something caught my eye.
Something… or someone.
There he was again, the boy with the dark hair, the boy who looked just like Jane – the boy with the strange eyes that I saw yesterday. The first thing he did was glance at me; jaws clenched, then put a stern hand on Jane and pull her slightly away from me. I was positive that they were talking – I could see their mouths moving, but when I tried to listen in on what they were saying I couldn't hear a single word after they noticed that I was listening.
At first I could hear Jane's hushed, fake sugar voice. "I brought her for you, Alec." Her gaze was unfailing – she didn't look away from Alec for a single minute, except when she was regarding me. "You wanted more of these, didn't you?" I could tell that the boy, Alec, was pissed. Alec… that was his name.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Alec asked her in a louder voice. Jane used hand motions to tell him to quiet down. I caught words like 'not her', 'told you' and other words that scared me, until their voices reached an inaudible level. I watched, confused, for any sign of what was going on, but I didn't get a single one.
(AN, the conversation that jane and alec were having went something like this – except they were talking in frequencies that she couldn't hear.
jane: these girls are your favorite, brother. i was doing you a favor. do you not wish for her?
alec: no! i say to leave her be.
jane: if you do not want her then i shall have her.
alec: you just fed – you'll feed yourself sick. now leave her be!
jane: flustered i'll find myself another, then. spits and leaves )
Somehow the conversation was over after about thirty seconds, which was odd enough. Their mouths moved faster than I could ever imagine, and I stood there, waiting for them to finish. Jane seemed to give up faster than Alec did – but she left with the same glare. Jane turned to me and her eyes flashed a bit as she looked at me and then stormed off, but before she left she spat in obvious dislike of Alec. Almost immediately after she had done that, Alec opened his mouth – it looked like he was going to sigh, but instead he yelled "MARGHERITE!"
A girl from the same way that Jane had left came in. Her red-gold hair looked dazzling, even in the dark light, and I barely was able to contain myself from staring at her more than I did Jane. Maragherite's eyes were an odd violet-blue and her skin was a glittering white color. She looked as magnificent as Jane and Alec, except… she was even prettier in a girly way than Jane.
"Ottengala da qui!" Alec seethed, speaking in rapid Italian. (AN, translation: Get her out!) Margherite looked shocked that he would act quite so rude to her – or at least, that's what I thought.
"Perché?" A confused female questioned as Alec angrily gestured multiple times to the door. (AN, translation: Why?)
"Ottengala appena!" He repeated, still pointing rapidly at the door and then at me. (AN, translation: Just get her out!)
I didn't understand what they were fighting about – but obviously it had something to do with me and the door. After a severe blonde moment I came to the thought that he wanted me to leave, which was why his fierce glare was on me, and then the bewildered woman.
"Ma come, Alec?" She still looked confused and that only seemed to fuel Alec's anger even more. He was stamping his feet and shaking his head at the woman. (AN, translation: But how, Alec?)
"I don' la cura di t, LA OTTIENE appena, Margherite!" As he got angrier and angrier his voice grew softer, but with more of a gruff tone to it. Margherite – as I guessed that was her name – and Alec turned to glance at me with worried and enraged looks on their faces, respectfully. I stared back at the two of them, both obviously fighting over what to do with me. For some reason I felt like the only child of divorced parents – and both of them wanted me – but in this case it was obvious that neither of them wanted to keep me. (AN, translation: I don't care, just GET HER OUT, Margherite!)
It seemed like Margherite was going to reject him once more, but then she shook her head and spat. "Ma è… eh, la vostra perdita!" I was positive that her spitting meant that she wasn't going to give in and this Alec had to do whatever he didn't want to do. Instead, I heard Alec's angel voice give me sweet words for the first time. (AN, translation: But she is… eh, your loss!)
"I'm sorry –" he paused, as if he was trying to remember my name.
"Vienna," I added. Quickly I surveyed the momentary look of pleasure and astonishment, for it left as quickly as it came. He seemed pleased with my name and didn't offer his own, seeing as how I knew it already.
"Well, Vienna, I'm incredibly sorry, but you won't be able to take the tour of Volterra castle today – I'm sorry about whatever Jane promised you, but I think it's full up right now for the tour. You're welcome to come back when it's not quite so crowded. If you'd just give me your contact information –" Alec looked surprised as I cut him off. Hell, he talked like an old man
I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry, but I don't give that out to strangers – I'll just come back tomorrow."
His reaction was immediate. "The sorry is reciprocated, as I don't think that you'll be able to come back tomorrow."
"And why not?"
"We're full up tomorrow and the next day, and the next day for sure. Maybe on your next trip you can come, but I'm so sorry – we won't be allowing you to partake in this for the next week or so."
"Amazing! I'm staying for more than a week." I grinned, obviously hoping that I had won.
He shook his head in annoyance – but his eyes flashed a deep red when he spoke. "There's a dance tonight right off the historic district. Go there – you'll have more fun there than you would here." I could sense a threatening tone in his voice. "You'll be fine with Margherite."
I seriously doubted that.
But before we left Alec pulled Margherite aside and spoke something into her ear. At first she looked relatively composed, but afterwards she glared at Alec, resentment in her eyes. "I will not touch the girl," she murmured smoothly, though I could hear it. Ever single word was a different sentence, each had a different emphasis. For some reason it seemed like Alec couldn't trust Margherite with me.
Margherite looked at Alec one last time, then turned away.
"Do not feed, Margherite." He muttered to her while the silent girl turned away, her pale cheeks reddening by the moment.
"Vienna?" He asked.
"Yes?"
"Go tonight, it'll be fun." And then he walked away, leaving me with Margherite.
( AN / okay, this is actually the beginning of EXCITING chapters. don't worry, there will be awesome things, like car-chases… or maybe not. the theme-song for this is OUT OF CONTROL by SHE WANTS REVENGE. listen to it, love it and buy it on iTUNES. come on, it rocks. out of control / tear you apart are the theme songs for this and the next chapter. listen to tear you apart…maybe there's a hint there. D
oh, and margherite is a volturi version of Rosalie, only evil, resentful and slightly less gorgeous and with red hair. but she's still pretty, don't worry! margherite's… just vain and resents humans the same way that rosalie resented bella.
and next chapter should be up in the next day or two, whenever i get around to it.
and yeah, this chapter is another sucky one, but i'm sorrrrry. you should see what I have planned for the next chapter.
what this one's lacking in, i swear i'll make up for it with more excitement
NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE SO MUCH FUN FOR ME TO WRITE, SO IT'LL BE UP SOON.)