Chapter 3 – Dark Hallways Words: 1,669

The hallway still seemed eerie, I felt chills shudder through me.

Chelsea sighed at my slow human pace, urging me to speed up.

The walls were tall and mounted with large paintings, beautiful paintings that were meters upon meters long. They were vast and detailed. There were oil paintings, tempera, watercolours. I stopped when I saw one of the most immaculate pieces of artwork I have ever laid eyes on, it was of a garden, full of lights, angels, flowers, It was magnificent, around three meters wide and nine tall. Chelsea noticed me eyeing the painting and glided next to me, I jumped when her ringing voice sang "It's beautiful, I take it you like. It's called: Garden of lite" (A/N I made it up, btw, hence the crap name)

"Like? No, I love it" I whispered more to myself.

She grinned and mumbled to herself "Whatever you shall desire, m'dear."

I was confused but let it pass, remembering I was in the presence of a vampire. I was in an underground castle full of vampires, one could kill me never mind all. I looked over at Chelsea, her eyes were a glazing red but didn't withhold the milky film that Aro, Caius and Marcus had. Her skin was white but not the translucent type the three main vampires had. It only seemed that Aro, Marcus, Caius, Sulpicia and the other white cloaked vampire had the milk film eyes and that powdery, translucent paper like skin. I looked down noticing I was still wearing Sulpicia's white cloak, it was beautiful and when you looked closely at it, you could see gold woven through it. Chelsea took me through a large oak door, carved with swirls and patterns. She flung the door open with care, smiling greatly at me and gesturing me in. I walked in and gasped. The room was beautiful furnished with dark oak, a canopy bed with ice blue silk, the walls were ice blue and the floor oak. It was stunning, framed with small paintings of different scenarios. The bed was layered in silk and cushions. Compared to the Villa, this was beautiful; no yellow, purple, green or tiny bed, this bed looked fit to hold ten people.

"Hehe, Love it don't you" Chelsea giggled.

I turned grinning; I nodded and ran to the bed, flopping down onto it. "It's magnificent"

"Great, Heidi shall be along in an hour, the bathroom is just through that door, you are to be washed and Heidi will supply clothing" She smiled greatly before gliding out my room, my room.

I walked through the smaller door, to see a large bathroom, it was ice blue and white tiles covering every flat surface, a large bathtub that looked almost like a pool in the middle which descended into the floor, there was a small fountain in the middle of a cherub pouring water, large mirrors that lined the walls and long chiffon sheets that wrapped from the ceiling around the bath. I could only 'wow' at it.

* * * * *

The door burst open to reveal a tall blonde, the same blonde who directed the... 'tour'. Her eyes were now red and I guessed that the reason they were a burgundy purple before was because of blue contacts. I only wished that I could go back in time, not leave the villa, I could be with my parents who must be worried sick by now. What would they do? How will my mother cope? She wouldn't, my mother being my mother would go into a spiralling depression, especially after just losing Grandpa.

"Quit daydreaming! We have work to do" Heidi scolded. I looked up to see humour in her eyes "petty human" she mumbled to herself.

She drew me to her, stripping me to my underwear. I felt nervous, exposed but didn't dare argue. Her eyes took in my shape as she looked like she was calculating equations. "Hmmm... aha!" she exclaimed.

She flew out the door to come back in seconds later, holding red silk. She grinned and slung the silk over me as I held up my arms. I looked down seeing a waterfall of crimson silk, it clung to my body and showed all my curves. The silk caped over the floor beneath me and had straps that covered my shoulders.(A/N All pics on profile)

"Ta-da!" she smiled clasping her hands. "What a beautiful dress!"

Dress? She regards this as a dress? I regard it as a nightgown with the silky smoothness that I have to pry from my skin. I never noticed she pulled me to an old oak chair with white beads lining the arm rest. She began fluffing my hair, it was naturally curly from the middle down but she seemed to be adding volume to the top. She bent over and lined my lips with red lipstick and layered my eyes with mushy-goo otherwise known as mascara. I didn't understand why she was dressing me up, must be her favourite pastime. It only took her a few minutes to get me ready.

"The red really makes your blue eyes pop..." she sighed "...I used to have blue eyes, they were bright, but I lost them when I became what I am" she mused, then I realised she was no longer talking to me but herself.

I tried to lighten the mood, don't know why, I was talking to a vampire not a friend "So do you have any powers?"

She giggled "Nothing special, just basic vampire stuff and I have a power to make people trust me, that is why even though you didn't feel like you wanted to come on the 'tour' you came because I made you trust me, I'm known as a fisher because of my power, I 'fish' for the food"

My eyes widened and I felt as though I had been conned. I had never had the choice to come really, she had tricked me. I went with my wall of will-power dismantled. I had been forced against my own instincts, my own will. I felt a few tears cascade down my cheek. I hadn't came because of curiosity, I came because the monster wanted me to. I would never see my parents, granny Deirdre, Auntie Jenna, Uncle Sam, I'd never see my friends again, hell it upset me to know I'd never see my enemies again. I was alone, guarded like a fugitive by vampires, freakin' vampires and I was treated like food, I was regarded as dinner!

Heidi sighed "Foolish girl, your mascara is running, please stop crying your making me feel bad"

I'm making her feel bad? What have I done, cry? Maybe she isn't heartless, no! No, all vampires are heartless, soulless monsters. What am I saying, Sulpicia isn't, Aro doesn't seem to be, Heidi and Chelsea don't seem heartless. But Alec does. I shuddered uncontrollably for a second, just at the thought of his name.

"Why are you crying?" she looked worried.

"Why? You are asking why? I have just accepted to become a vampire to save a little girl I don't know, I am never going to see the people I care about again, I am in a castle filled with vampires and there is no way out alive" I was shocked my voice didn't falter.

She looked sad and distant "I'm sorry, but trust me it will get better"

Get better. It isn't going to get better. Never, I will forever be a monstrous beast. I will be wrapped in white marble skin, forever dammed to have red eyes. I will forever be a creature of hell. I could run, no I can't. What a stupid Idea. Maybe there could be some negotiation.

I looked around to see Heidi had left.

If I'm going to live here, I'm going to have to know my way around, right? Okay, so I am a curious person.

I stepped out the door, trailing red silk behind me. I stepped into the corridor, and turned to my right. Seeing the mounts of paintings hanging from the wall, I came across a staircase. The stairs were marble and had a red thin carpet that travelled up. I tip-toed upstairs, smiling at my sneakiness. I stopped as I breached a dark hallway. At the end was one door, one door alone in the hallway. It was tall and curved, but dark and mysterious. I walked forward, and met the door. I slowly bent my hand down and let my fingers graze the handle. I began to turn it but before I could I was thrown into a wall.

I felt my head bang, but knew no blood was spilled, thankfully, being in a confined area with vampires and bleeding isn't a good mix. My heart raced and I tried to build a scream but couldn't. A figure stood staring down at me, I couldn't see the figure's face but his voice was like rough silky velvet.

"What are you doing, girl!" He demanded and I cowered against the wall.

I felt the fear course my veins, the coldness of the situation paralyse me.

"I-I'm s-o-sorry!" I whispered, knowing he could hear.

"What were you doing here?" He growled kneeling and bending to my face. It was Alec, which made everything twice as terrifying. His face looked paler in the darkness, his crimson eyes burned mine. His face resembling hate. "Answer!"

"P-please! I-I'm sorry, please don't hurt me!" I whimpered and drew back as his face came closer.

"You pathetic human! Get up!" he bellowed and I rose to my feet, still cowering. My legs felt like jelly but not in a good way. "Leave!" he ordered and I didn't dare disobey.

I ran down the hallway, passing the watchful eyes of the paintings.

What'dya think? Alec is a bitch, eh? I was thinking about dropping a piano on his head, but to melodramatic right? Please update! ;) xx

Leila'xx