It was still dark when I felt something drop onto the end of my bed. I sat straight up, feeling dizzy as I reached for my head. Alec was by my side, holding me still as he told me not to move too fast for my body was still recovering from the blood he took.
I had fallen back asleep in his arms and when I opened my eyes again, I was on a plane. I shuffled loudly, forgetting where I was just before Alec grabbed my hand. I felt the coolness and then slowly sat back down into the leather seat as I let out a deep breath.
"We just got here. Try and get more rest. It will be a long plane ride." He whispered, stroking my hair. I nodded and fell back to sleep.
"Ma biche," Alec whispered in my ear. "We are here."
My eyes fluttered open to the cabin once again, my tongue wetting my lips as I stretched as much as I could in my seat. I turned to the window, seeing the clouds drift away as we descended to the airport.
Italy was breathtaking – even from up here.
There were vast amounts of green and gold.
The sun stood tall just beyond the mountains, glistening on small spots of water.
I felt myself awaken quickly and I bit at my lip, trying to contain my excitement.
"It's so pretty." I said out loud, bringing my fingers to my mouth. "Will we be able to see all of it?" I asked Alec.
"No, of course not." He chuckled. "Italy is too big to see in just two days. We will do what we can and then come back later." Before I could say something, Alec was taking off my seatbelt. We stood from our seats and grabbed our belongings before heading into the airport.
"Stay close to me, Bella." Alec said as he put a hand around my shoulder protectively as we picked up our bags. We walked outside, a man next to a black Jaguar waving at Alec who caught his immediate attention. The man was tall and thin with short brown hair, his eyes a red color that was all too familiar.
"Peter!" Alec called out with a smile, letting go of me but not letting me stray away.
"Alec, it's a pleasure to see you again." Peter said as he shook his hand, smiling down at me. "You must be Miss. Bella. Last time I saw you, you were just a little girl. You've grown beautifully."
I felt my cheeks rising with pink.
"Peter, we must go I am afraid we are…" Alec trailed off and began to speak lowly, so I wouldn't hear. I was too used to him blocking me out; making sure my human ears could not hear what he was saying. Peter didn't waste anytime and held the door out for me. I smiled at him; grabbing my bag and bringing it close as I slid into the back seat.
The two in the front talked lowly, once again for the protection of my ears but I stopped noticing after a couple of minutes. I looked out the window, watching as fields of orange and yellow passed me, green trees blooming flowers that I had never seen before like a painted picture. I was so mesmerized that I hadn't even noticed we had stopped.
"Edward will be late." Peter said to Alec, gaining my attention. Edward. The name rang so many bells, but I just couldn't place my finger on a face. I couldn't put it together. It was as if something was blocking me.
"Doesn't surprise me." Alec chuckled, jumping out of the car and opening my door.
"Edward?" I asked him as I stepped out. "I thought your friend was named Aro."
"Yes, we are meeting Aro later for the dinner. But we will be staying at Edward's house." Alec said, popping the trunk open and grabbing our bags.
"Do I know this Edward?" I asked Alec, watching as he quickly exchanged a glance to Peter who looked away.
"You met several times when you were young, Ma biche. You probably do not remember. Come on, let's get inside." And like that, the topic was dropped.
Edward's home was quite… exotic.
It was an old Victorian home, large and covered with vines. It was beautiful but had a very strange sense to it. Almost if I had been there before or had seen it in a magazine. There was a pond with a fountain out front and as we passed I dipped my hand into the glistening water, smiling as the fish inside swam about. We stepped up the large staircase and headed inside, a man in an all black suit opening the door for us.
The inside was just as incredible as the outside.
A long red rug ran from the door step and into the living room where old ivory furniture sat, the fire in the black pit crackling as a large mirror rested on top of it. A staircase was to my left and Alec was already at the top of it.
"Come, Bella. We must get this day started." I still looked around, enchanted by the sight in front of me and very slowly began up the stairs, finally reaching Alec who snapped at me to fasten my pace.
My room was all the way at the end of the hallway, my bed king sized with dark blood red satin covers, a balcony with French doors just to the right of the room that looked off to the endless fields. I was enamored with the room, finding myself just standing and staring at its beauty. Alec barked at me once again and left in anger leaving me to hurry with a warning.
After unpacking, I nearly ran out of my room knowing that Alec had thin patience's and as I hit the last step, I bounded across the corner, coming in contact with something hard. I fell back with a loud thud, groaning as I reached back and rubbed my tail bone.
I looked up to see a woman, glaring down at me with ice blue eyes.
And like a switch, she began screaming at me in Italian.
I didn't have to speak the language to know what she was saying.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I began, standing up quickly as my face flushed with fear.
She was not a vampire.
But she towered over me with long red hair and black stilettos.
"If you ever run into me ever again, I swear that will be the last thing you do, do you understand me?" The woman spat in a thick Italian accent and I nodded my head quickly feeling my nearly beat out of my chest.
"What is going on in here?" Alec hissed, now directly in front of me and protecting me from the young woman.
"Nothing that concerns you." The woman spit.
"I don't think that's any way to speak to your elders, now is it Victoria?" Alec growled, a rumble vibrating in his chest. "If you speak like that to Bella again I will make sure that's the last thing you will do. Understand me?"
I watched from the side of him as this very human girl huffed, flicking her hair behind her where several white scars scattered over her neck. Actually, as I had taken notice in her very revealing attire, the scars were all over her arms and legs.
They almost looked like… Bite marks.
I hid back behind Alec as the girl walked away, fearing that maybe this isn't the safest place for a human. Alec turned back to me, a slight smile on his lips as he touched my chin, giving me a sense of hope that I would be okay.
"Sometimes, my doe, you have to watch out for those lionesses as well."