Lara

"Amun," Lara called softly. From above Benjamin distinctly heard her faint voice and stiffened slightly. Amun was gone with Kebi and Tia was feeding. Leo is her guardian, though he is feeding as well.

He hesitated then jumped inside the hole, walked through the icy path, and stood at the door of the ice-covered building. For a brief moment, he wondered how Lara, the woman with the unborn child, was able to survive even this long.

"Amun, please help me up," she beseeched, struggling to sit upright. Benjamin decided not to inhale the scent and entered the threshold. He helped the woman sit up comfortably, his gaze focused on her bulging stomach, reminding himself of what the child could mean to the world if he would not eat this human right now.

"I thought you were Amun," she told him and Benjamin merely shook his head. "Can I ask who you are?"

"Benjamin," he said then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Her little voice rang in the hollowness of the room. He gazed back at her, noticing the pleading look. "Don't go yet. I --- I don't like being alone."

"You wouldn't want me near you," he uttered, exhaling, realizing the change of atmosphere in the room. He realized that the room actually has air, hence the human living in it. He never asked Amun how the girl was able to breathe.

"You didn't kill me and I know you won't," the woman whispered, though her belief was strong. She knew what situation she was in and how important her unborn child is to the future of humanity.

"Fine," Benjamin agreed and sat on a corner, "I'll be here until you sleep."

"I just woke up."

"Might as well enlighten me with how you live down here." By this time, he had already sensed her scent and it was tempting him incredibly. He presumed that if he knew her a little better he would have more control over his yearning.

"I sleep, they feed me, and everything just repeats. I'm never allowed to go outside and I'm afraid to."

"How are you able to breathe? Does Leo have some ability to let air in this space?"

"That's what technology is for." She smiled. "Leo doesn't have a special power and all this ---" she motioned around her, indicating the oxygen-tolerant room "--- is from that tank over there." She pointed at the black tank in the opposite dark corner.

"So the air you breathe out converts it into the air you need? What exactly powers the machine?"

"The sun."

This made Benjamin smile in amusement. He never considered that machinery could be useful in this era. Let alone the Volturi using such object, since they were very old-fashioned and orthodox. They relied on their powers, not human-made tools. Nevertheless, Benjamin couldn't agree more that it was a wise choice for them to choose which objects to use.

"Where is the father of the baby?" he asked and Lara sighed.

"He is with all the other Supernaturals. Unfortunately, they did not let him stay with me here."

Supernaturals, Benjamin thought, is that what they call us now?

"Your love must be so intense to have conceived a baby in this kind of time," he spoke and Lara's cheeks reddened, though her expression changed when Benjamin said, "I always wanted a child of my own."

She saw the somewhat grim look on his perfect face and had the urge of comforting him. However, she felt a contraction within her and winced. Again, the pain occurred and she only knew what was happening. She stared at Benjamin's suddenly stiffened countenance and panted.

"I'm having my baby."

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Review Review Review!!! No recaps needed for this one, since the previous chapter was about Seth and Bella...=) I've also been updating faster than usual...that's good, right?