ALEC POV

My eyes crack open slowly. The pain has finally stopped after what must have been at the minimum a century. My breathing is shallow, but with every breath a whole new batch of scents bombards me. I can smell everything in every direction. A whole plethora of unique, delectable scents exists here, wherever I am.

I look around the room I'm in with new eyes. Eyes that can see every thread in the burgundy bed and golden curtains, can count the little pieces of the carpet, can see the most minute cracks in the ancient coffee table.

My ears hear all. Voices talking, loud cracks, laughter, yelling. The light swoosh of the tassel on the curtains as it sways ever so slightly because of the air conditioner. The low hum of the computer in the corner.

I sit up quickly, moving faster than I ever have before. My muscles are all on the same page now, working together as a team. I am out of bed and on the other side of the room in under a second. My motions are light and swift and elegant.

I'm a vampire. No other explanation.

"Awesome.." I breathe, feeling the power that lies in my muscles.

I stare down at my hands. They're as white as snow. I am curious of what vampire beauty has done to my features, but I don't have time to check. There is a knock at my door. I answer in half a second.

I find the man with black hair and a black cloak that had a seat at the middle throne. He is much clearer now, which makes him even creepier. By his side is a skittish looking girl with wavy dark hair and another girl with her arms crossed, choppy black hair, blood-red lipstick, and heavy make up who looks like she has a million other places she'd rather be. A burly guy stands in the back, his muscles the size of my head.

"Hello, Alec." Creepy-guy smiles as if we're old friends. I almost want to know how he knows my name, until I remember yesterday and his power.

"Uh, hi." I stare at him in confusion.

"May we come in?" He asks.

"Uh, sure." I open the door a little wider, allowing them room to enter. He comes in and stands in the middle of the room, hands folded together.

"You're taking things rather well. Not surprising since I imagine you already know everything there is to know about the life that has become yours." He muses. I just stare at him. "Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Aro, leader of the Volturi, and this is Renata," he points the brunette, "and Daphne." he points to the scary black-haired one "and Felix." the buff guy gives me a grin tinted with malice.

"I'm not here to become BFFs with the kid, Aro. Let's get this over with." Daphne sighs, rolling her red eyes dramatically.

"Calm yourself, Daphne dear. Alec, I do feel so dreadful for doing this act to you. It's time for the Volturi to rid the world of our only threat, the Cullens. And with you on their side, it only weakens us further. I do so hope someday we can forgive and forget." Aro begins to laugh. Daphne rolls her eyes as if she's heard it a million times before.

"Stay away from the Cullens. Lay a finger on Renesmee, I swear to god you're dead." I snarl, a growl actually building in my chest. I've heard Renesmee growl before, and I always thought she did it on purpose to try to scare me. Now I realize it just happens uncontrollably.

"I like him. He's got edge." Daphne smiles a little. Aro gives her a pointed look.

"Your devotion is inspiring, Alec. I'm sure you'll feel differently in just a few moments though. Felix." Aro waves his hand towards me. The guy in the back pushes forward and then lunges for me. My body instinctively reacts, dodging away from the attack and then pouncing again, trying to get on his back.

As if anticipating the move, he flips and grabs me, slamming me onto the ground. I war with him but am barely able to get him to budge. Finally I'm too tired and give up.

"Don't you just love the weakness of a vampire who hasn't fed." Aro grins.

As Felix holds me down, Daphne's face appears upside down above me. I feel her hands come in contact with my head, fingers gently massaging my temples. Her eyes close, and then so do mine. It feels like lead weights are pressing down on my eyelids, forcing them shut.

A sharp pain spasms through me as if I'm being electrocuted. I cry out, and then slip into darkness once again...

I awake with several faces peering above me. I glance from face to face, knowing them but not actually knowing them, if that makes any sense at all. I sit up slowly and they all move away.

One of the girls comes and kneels on her knees next to me. Her hair is long and choppy with a few streaks of purple towards the front on the right with bangs that swoop across her forehead. Her skin is the whitest shade of white, creamy alabaster, and her giant cartoon-like eyes are large are a sparkling red lined in thick black lashes and dark make up. Her lips have on red lipstick, her body is amazing, and she is staring at me with worry.

"Alec, are you okay?" She asks in a voice that sounds like the most beautiful symphony, raising one hand to my head. Her touch is warm and soft.

"Who's Alec?" I ask her in a daze.

"Aha!" Someone laughs delightedly. I look up to see an enthusiastic man with long hair staring at me.

"You're Alec." She tells me, smiling a little in amusement.

"Oh. Right, yeah. And, uh, who are you?" I grin at her.

She laughs. "My name is Daphne. I'm a member of the Volturi, the clan of vampires you're staying with."

"Vampires?" I cock my head to the side. Is she crazy?

"Yes, vampires. You're a vampire too." She smiles.

"I think Alec has a lot of catching up he needs to do. Maybe you could help him out, Daphne." The black haired man in the corner says.

The girl's expression turns from amused and playful to dark and irritated. "Of course." She sneers at him, then stands up and offers me her hand. I grab it and slowly stand and follow her out of the room, trying not to make it too obvious I'm checking her out.

She begins explaining things as we walk aimlessly. She tells me all about vampires and how another vampire named Renesmee Cullen was trying to murder me when Aro and Daphne saved me.

"Renessme Cullen? I know that name.." I tell her. Thinking of the name brings feelings of happiness and love to me. I push those feelings aside. I should feel nothing but hatred towards someone who tried to kill me.

"I bet you do." She says almost in disdain. She tells me everything I need to know about the human world and how the human and vampire world get along as long as humans don't know of us. I ask her of my human life and she says I had no family and nothing to my name.

"You and Aro really did save me." I smile at her.

"We did." She agrees with a smile.

"I guess that means I owe you." I tell her. Her smile slips.

"You owe me nothing." She says, and then so quietly I'm nearly positive I wasn't meant to hear it, "I've already taken everything."

She keeps walking and I shrug and fall into step and a new conversation with her. I'm really starting to like this Daphne girl.