A/N: Well, here it is- chapter two. This will introduce one of my OCs. I hope you enjoy it.
Two. Protégé
Carlisle led the way through the doors, Esme at his side. I fell back to walk beside Edward behind Rosalie and Emmett, while Jasper and Alice brought up the rear. The interior of the castle was surprisingly modern- and completely unlike what you would expect for a coven of human blood-sucking vampires.
It was far too bright for that.
"Hello and welcome to Volterra. My name is Gianna- how may I help you?" asked a too-happy female from behind a secretary's desk in front of us. I was surprised to see that the woman was human.
"We are here to see Aro, Marcus, and Caius," replied Carlisle. "Tell them it is Carlisle Cullen and his family."
"Of course, one moment please."
Gianna gave us a brilliant smile and strode through a door at the other side of the room, making sure it closed securely behind her.
"They have humans here?" asked Jasper, his voice mirroring the shock I felt.
"They keep them around until they are no longer of use," replied Carlisle in a low voice. "Then they either kill them or turn them, depending on how well they have served."
"So… she knows what they are?" I asked softly.
"She's hoping they'll decide to keep her," answered Edward.
I shivered at the thought of someone wanting to become a murderer. I didn't regret this life, I had Edward after all, but I couldn't imagine knowing what it entailed, yet wanting to have it anyway. The one time I had taken a human life I had gone into a comatose state, overcome by the guilt and visions of my victim's face. Even now, it was a constant battle to keep control- one that I shared with Jasper and only got through thanks to my family.
No, this life was not one you entered willingly.
"Aro says that you are welcome to join him," Gianna said brightly, re-entering the room followed by a tall vampire in a long cloak. "Please follow Felix. He'll show you the way."
Felix was, as I said before, tall. He also had black hair, red eyes, and an olive complexion that looked almost odd with his vampire paleness. His eyes surveyed our group, lingering longer than usual when they came to me and noted the protective stance Edward had taken, one arm wrapped securely around my waist, upon his entrance.
"If you will follow me, I will take you to Master Aro," he said. His voice was pleasant, as most vampires were, and lightly accented.
I moved to follow Carlisle, Felix, and Esme, but Edward held me back, letting the other four go before us.
"What's wrong?" I hissed quietly enough that no one else would hear.
"I don't like his thoughts," Edward murmured in reply, his lips barely moving. "The things he wanted to do to you… they made me want to rip him apart."
I glanced hesitantly after Felix, before turning my eyes back to Edward and grabbing his hand to squeeze it reassuringly.
"Don't worry- he can imagine all he wants, but I'm a one vampire kind of girl."
Edward brought our clasped hands up so he could kiss my knuckles.
"It's not you I'm worried about."
From the dark glare he shot at Felix's back, I didn't need to ask exactly who he was worried about.
"Carlisle, you've arrived!"
The speaker was a tall vampire with red eyes, long black hair, and pale skin that was so pale and thin that it seemed almost translucent. At first I had thought his hair was a hood on his cloak, but I soon realized differently.
"Aro," greeted Carlisle, returning his hug.
"And this must be young Isabella," said the vampire, Aro, turning to survey the rest of the family. His eyes surveyed me closely, and I gripped Edward's hand tighter even as I met his eyes.
"Yes. Bella, this Aro of the Volturi. He and his brothers- Marcus and Caius- are the leaders."
"I have seen that you are quite stubborn thanks to my friend Carlisle," Aro motioned at him. "To learn control so fast- it's quite amazing. A pity though, perhaps the human blood would have grown on you."
It took all my strength of will not to grimace at Aro's words.
"I did nothing that some one else in my position would not have done," I replied instead, keeping my death grip on Edward's hand. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze in reply.
"And other vampire's powers are unable to affect you," murmured Aro. "Quite an impressive gift. Do you mind if I see for myself?"
He held his hand out to me and I blinked at it dumbly, before looking at him with confusion.
"My gift is similar to your Edward's, though not so powerful. I require contact to read other's thoughts," he explained.
"That's not entirely true," objected Edward. "Aro does require contact, but he can hear every thought you've ever had, not just the ones going through your mind at the present."
I was suddenly glad for my power- I don't think I would have appreciated Aro's ability could it affect me.
I stepped forward hesitantly and placed my hand on his. Aro concentrated, though he smiled at me. After a couple of moments, his eyes became frustrated at his lack of success. He still kept the smile on his lips, though it was false.
"How interesting…" he mused. "And this ability works on everyone?"
"Uh, yes sir," I replied. I decided to keep my ability to let down the block secret for the moment. If Carlisle hadn't let Aro see that part of my gift, he must have a good reason for it.
"I wonder if it works against our Jane," he mused thoughtfully, motioning to the small girl-child who stood slightly behind him, next to a boy that could have been her brother (or maybe he was). She smiled angelically at us, but I could steel behind her grin and felt a small tremor of fear run down my spine.
Whatever else she was- this Jane was dangerous.
"Aro, I don't appreciate you treating Bella like a rat to be tested," Carlisle said, his voice holding a hint of disapproval. "I would much rather you not allow Jane to attempt to torture her."
Aro gave a small bow of his head.
"Of course not- how thoughtless of me Carlisle. I am merely a curious creature. We'll think no more on testing young Bella."
I didn't believe his words as far as a human could throw a barn, but I figured that if I kept a low profile and avoided the Volturi Lord, I would be just fine.
"We have a new member ourselves," Aro said. He looked at Felix who still stood next to the door though he didn't speak. "Bring Tiazza here."
Felix bowed and exited the room.
"Tia joined about thirty years ago," Aro told us as we waited. "I found on the side of the road- beat, raped, and broken. Her first matter of business was revenge- her rapists didn't know what had hit her. She's our most promising newcomer."
I had to repress a shudder at Aro's callous treatment of the poor girl's fate. I wondered what such a woman would be like- would she be jaded and cynical, or shy and frightened. I couldn't see the latter making for a promising Volturi member.
By the time Felix returned, the picture I had in my mind of this "Tiazza" was that of a scarred, muscled woman at least six feet tall with evil red eyes and an even eviler smile.
Tiazza was nothing like that.
Following Felix was a woman with looks to rival Rosalie's, though they were almost opposites. Tiazza had black hair and bloody red eyes where Rose was blonde and topaz-eyed. I had a feeling that, had she been human, Tiazza would have been tanned- the sporty track-girl at school. She wasn't much taller than me- maybe an inch or two- and wore simple black jeans, black laced-up high heeled boots, and a dark red tank top, covered by a black leather duster. She gave us a curious glance, her red eyes glittering with intelligence, before she turned to Aro and bowed.
"You wished for my presence?" her voice was as cold as her eyes had become- red ice. Aro noticed this as well, because his eyes narrowed slightly, but he put on a false smile and addressed her.
"Yes. Tiazza, meet my dear friend Carlisle Cullen and his family- Esme, Emmett, Edward, Alice, Rosalie, and their newest member, Bella."
Tiazza gave us a nod, her eyes thawing slightly when no longer locked on Aro. Apparently Tiazza wasn't as fond of her mentor as Aro wished her to be… interesting.
"It's nice to meet you," she said. Her voice was friendlier now and pleasant sounding with a hint of an accent I couldn't place. Tiazza must have noticed this somehow, because she added. "I'm Australian."
"Oh…" I smiled at her sheepishly and she shrugged.
"People rarely expect to meet someone with my ethnic background so far from the south, I'm used to the curiosity," her expression became curious herself. "I cannot get a reading on you- that's never happened to me before."
"Tiazza can read auras," Aro explained, seeing our confused expressions. "It allows her to take an… educated guess at what one's future actions will be, and to see what lies in a person, or vampire's, soul."
"Vampires have souls?" Edward's voice sounded disbelieving.
Tiazza gave a snort that I wouldn't have expected from a member of a group as powerful as the Volturi, but it suited her.
"Of course we have souls," she informed him. "You can't function without a soul. It's why a human's body no longer moves after death- their soul has left them, and that is what keeps you animated. You can exist without a pulse, vampires are proof of that, but even we cannot live without a soul."
"What does the soul tell you?" asked Emmett.
"Whether or not one will go to heaven or hell after they no longer exist, or what they are feeling. It depends on what particular aura I wish to see. If I use the first one, a white aura means they will go to heaven, a black means they are evil and will go to hell- there is no redemption from a black aura. Most everyone- human or vampire- have grey auras meaning they can go either way depending on how they lead their lives."
"But if a vampire takes a human life-" began Alice.
"It's really no different than taking the life of an animal," Tiazza shrugged. "Everyone has a predator- we just happen to play the part for humans."
Edward looked disgusted with this logic and, I had to admit, I was a little bit too. Tiazza noticed this.
"Okay… let's put this into perspective. I like to hunt on my own- I go after murderers and rapists," her grin became wicked. "I have a bit of a grudge against them. Now, tell me which is worse- taking the life of someone who will taken countless lives, or steal the innocence of young girls, themselves, or taking the life of an animal who's biggest crime is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I personally feel sorrier for the creature you killed, the monster whose life I took."
Put in that way, I could see Tiazza's point of view.
Edward didn't.
"You don't have any right to play God!" he snapped.
"Spoken like a true male," replied Tiazza simply. "You have no idea what it's like to be the victim of sick men who take the one thing a woman has- the one thing that means more than any amount of money- for their own sick pleasure. Most vampires remember the pain of turning the most from their human lives- I remember the feeling of being taken so many times against my will that, in the end, it would have been that, and not my other injuries, that would have taken my life. If I have to choose between taking a human life and preventing that from happening to another girl, I'll take the life of the dirty bastard any day."
Tiazza spoke with such conviction that Edward couldn't come up with an argument. I wasn't surprised- I knew that if I were in Tiazza's shoes, I'd probably do the same thing. I couldn't imagine what it must be like for her- to have to live all eternity with the memory of having…that done to her.
I think I'd choose death over rape.
"Now Tia, don't be so angry. Edward is entitled to his opinion as are you," Aro said jovially. Tia shot him a disgusted look- I nearly gave him one myself. To treat such a tragedy so… callously… it wasn't right. Not even for a vampire.
"I'm leaving," Tiazza told him bluntly. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I'm going hunting."
"You don't need to hunt," Aro replied, his eyes narrowing once more.
"No- but I don't want to be here, so I'll hunt," she spun on her heel, but paused to look at us. "It was nice meeting you."
She began walking again, but Aro's voice halted her.
"You are not to see him, Tia," his voice was deadly. "Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Tiazza replied, her voice bitter. "You've made yourself very clear on the matter of him- as have I."
"Tiazza- I do not want to hear that you have went to him-"
"You won't!" she snapped. "Okay? I'll leave him in misery down there- will that make you happy?"
She stalked out of the door, slamming it shut behind her with a loud bang.
We were left behind in the room, a tense silence permeating the atmosphere.