Chapter 2 – curiosity

"Finally?" The man in the middle looked astounded. "You are here, all alone, in a forest far from anyone you know, far from anyone who can save you and you say 'finally'?" His milky red eyes glowed with both disgust and curiosity, his lips a thin line with a slight curve up at the ends. He too was smiling, just like me.

I sighed and said "Yes, finally." I continued to eye the man in the middle, his long black hair gave perfect contrast to his almost translucent skin tone and while he looked really old he still managed to look as if he was no older than 40. I realized I'd seen this man before, but where? I had no time to ask, for he was already opening his mouth to speak again.
"Do you know who we are Isabella?"

I thought for a minute more while they stood there as statues, only their cloaks and hair moving in the slight breeze.

"I recognize you, but not the other two" I answered truthfully. "Though I can't remember where I've seen you before" I quickly added.

The girl to his right gave out a very unladylike snort before she continued to stare at me with the same furious glare as before. "There there Jane, don't be upset. I can't imagine neither Carlisle nor Edward has told her much about us." He turned his gaze back to me with an unreadable look on his face. "I'm Aro, this is, as you might already have guessed, Jane and the man on my left is Demetri. "
"Oh." Now I remembered where I had seen this man Aro before, In Carlisle's study when Edward gave me that tour around their house. He had been in that painting of Italy with Carlisle and two other men.

Aro returned the smile to his lips and continued "Well, now that we know who everybody is, can you perhaps tell me if you know what we are?" Was he joking? I'm sure he knows that I know, why else would he be here? "Yes, I know what you are." My voice was steady and my eyes didn't leave his when he said out loud what I already knew was coming.

"Then you know why we are going to kill you now, but first, may I touch your hand?" His question confused me a little and when I stayed quiet he simply said "Humor me Isabella."

Sure, why not. I was going to leave this dreadful earth soon anyways, why shouldn't I take his hand? With probably as much grace as a fridge I started to move towards Aro with my hand held out, and then stopping in front of him waiting for him to make the next move. He reached out and touched my hand ever so slightly before a look of confusion landed upon his face and he grabbed my hand a little more forcefully, but still gentle enough as to not break any bones. His face only gained more confusion as he spoke again "Jane."

The little shorthaired girl gave me a look that sent shivers down my spine, but other than that I wasn't sure how to react to her. Her face twisted with fury and confuse as she turned her head to Aro with a look that apparently told him all he needed to know, whatever that was.

"Well, this certainly changes a few things…" He said with clear curiosity showing in his smooth voice. "Tell me, child, can Edward read your mind?" I felt a stab of pain in my heart when he spoke the name out loud. I hadn't heard it in such a long time, nor did I want to hear it. All I wanted to do was, if not to forget, then to simply not remember. That way it didn't hurt as much. I realized Aro still wanted an answer to his question but in no way did he look angry for having to wait for it, only curious.
"No… he couldn't. He never could". I said hesitantly "Why do you ask?"

Aro gave away a small chuckle before he continued "Well, that doesn't matter now, does it? How do you feel about going to Italy with us?" At this, both Demetri and Jane turned their heads from each other, to Aro and then to me a few times with aggravated looks on their faces. "Aro, what are you saying?" The little girl was almost screaming at the older man, but he merely looked amused before shaking his head and continuing, turning from Jane to me as he spoke. "Jane, I do understand your resentment towards this girl here, but don't forget who I am and who you are." She nodded slightly, looking a bit ashamed. "As for you, Isabella, I can see you have potential. I can see that there is a great possibility that you can become a highly thought of member of my guard, and with that in mind, I will give you a choice." He smiled for himself as is he had just said something extremely funny, Jane and Demetri on the other hand looked as angry as ever.

"You may choice to die here right now, or come with us and we'll take care of you."

I stared at this man in front of me in disbelief, "Why?"

"Why?" He seemed as stunned as I just did when he mimicked my answer.

"Yes, Why?" I took a deep breath. "Why do you want me? I'm just… just… Bella."

"You see Isabella, I've already said I think you might have potential, and even if I might be old, I'm not so old that I can't see what might be a good thing for me." He tilted his head slightly to the side and gave me a look that showed that he wanted an answer, fast.

"I don't want to eat humans!" My voice was fast and high-pitched but he clearly found that amusing as well because he just laughed and said "Oh, I think we can handle that little problem when we get there. Is that you decision then?"

I started to think about my father, Jacob, Edward.. I really had no one left. Of course I had Renee and Phil, but I don't want them to see me like this, so broken that I might never be fixed again. I don't want to hurt them like I hurt Charlie. He spent his last months of his life watching me clinging to reality when all I wanted to do was just drift away. It had really killed him inside, I knew it. No, I did not want my mother to have to go the same thing. She had Phil; she could have another baby, one that's whole. One that can be happy and one that's not trapped in some dark place in her own head.
"Ok, I'll go with you."

Jane gave out a disappointed growl and Demetri gave me a piercing look before turning his head to Jane, obviously they both were a more than a little upset that they had gone all this way for, as they probably saw it, 'nothing'.

"Oh good, well, come this way Isabella. Our car is right over there" He waved his hand In the general direction of the road I thought I'd lost. Jane and Demetri diapered ahead but Aro apparently found my lack of balance funny as he walked at human pace all the way back to their car. I couldn't see my car everywhere but before I had a chance to ask Demetri spoke up for the first time. "Eh, yeah, since we thought you wouldn't need your car anymore we kinda threw it of a bridge not far from here." He gave me a slight smile before jumping into the driver position of the dark car, Jane took the front seat and Aro gently slid into the back. With one last look over my shoulder I climbed in after him and nervously fastened my seatbelt.

When I finally could climb out of the car after a ride that would have Him looking like an old grandmother on a Sunday trip I was temporary at a loss for words. Not that I had said much in the car either, but now I was sure that I couldn't have even if I wanted to.

In front of me was a red carpet spread out, waiting –with no doubt- for Aro and his followers, that, I realized now, included me. I light smile spread across my face as I followed behind Aro towards the gold colored jet. I could feel Jane shooting daggers with her eyes at my back, but I couldn't care less, why would I care? I was only alive now because Aro wanted me, he wanted Me. I could tell that didn't go down well with Jane.

As we walked into the plane I was so caught up with all the luxury inside that I tripped, over what I do not know, and fell face first towards the surprisingly soft looking red carpet. I closed my eyes and prepared for impact, but there was none. I could feel strong hands around my waist as I was put right side up before opening my eyes. Demetri had a hard time holding back his smile as Jane muttered "You should have let her fall…" He shrugged it off and walked past me, nodding in the direction of one of the large red chairs paired up two and two facing each other with a small table in the middle. Aro sat by himself in the back of the plane, clearly not interested in any company as he took up a small folder of some kind and started to write in it.

Demetri and Jane sat down facing each other and I took the seat appointed to me, the one across from Jane's who was also facing forward. Demetri apparently didn't care that he was about to fly all the way to Italy backwards, but then again I guess vampires don't get motion sickness very often.
I looked out my window as we sped up the runway and soon we were high up in the air looking down on ant-like-cars that were crowding the freeways in the morning traffic, probably on their way to whatever job the occupants currently performed. I pulled the curtains closed and rested my head back against the smooth red fabric.

"Jane, cut it out already!" Demetri's annoyed voice woke me from my slumber. I quickly glanced around the plane and then rested my eyes on him, wondering what had happened.
"Eh, I was only having some fun; you didn't need to yell at me." She stared at Demetri for a few seconds then she turned to me. "Look, she didn't even feel a thing." I stared back at her, what had she done? What hadn't I felt? Was I hurt? I started to mentally feel through my body, arms were okay, as were the legs and well, pretty much everything except my knees, but I'm sure that's from all the falling I did in the forest.

"What did she do?" I asked Demetri with a voice not as powerful as I would have wanted it to be.
Demetri looked at me deep in thought before he answered, as if he wasn't sure he was supposed to tell me anything, but then a look of determination took over. "Jane has a 'funny' gift that allows her to inflict pain on whomever she chose, anyone she wants. She's never meet anyone it hasn't worked on before, and neither has Aro." Oh, so that's what her problem was.

"What's Aro's gift?"

"My gift is not much unlike Edwards, except for the fact that I need to be touching the person and then I'll be able to know their entire history, every single thought they've ever thought throughout the years will be mine as well". I hadn't noticed Aro approaching, but as he sat down in front of me I somehow felt ashamed for not asking him directly instead of Demetri. His eyes whoever did nothing to show his emotions, his face had that same little smirk that I was already used to as he leaned back and faced Jane. "Even though you cannot hurt Isabella I would recommend that you stop trying, Jane. One day she might be able to do worse to you."

I stared at Aro in disbelief, Jane looked very doubtful as well but didn't argue. She had probably already learned there was no point in that.

The rest of the flight was spent in silence and when we touched down again we had the same kind of red carpet waiting for us outside. A small boy that looked like he could be Jane's twin held the doors of a limousine open for Aro. He gave me a confused stare and then looked at Jane in wonder, she merely started to shake her head slightly before sliding in after Aro in a sweeping move. I tried to glide into the car much the same way as the others had done but only managed to hit my head while doing it. I could hear the boy trying to keep from laughing out loud before he closed the door behind me and quickly appeared in the driver's seat.

Time was a hard thing to grasp right now I noticed, I had no idea how long I'd been in this car when Demetri suddenly said "We're almost there now Bella, look out the window."

I was suddenly grateful for the fact that he used my nickname and not the one Aro insisted on using, it made me feel a bit more at ease in this weird situation of mine. I looked out the window and saw an almost mediaeval looking town spreading out across the land. I felt taken aback with the scenery as I blurted out "Wow, this landscape is amazing!" I felt my face turn beet red in seconds and quickly turned my head further towards the window so the others wouldn't notice. Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Aro merely nodding an agreement to me, a smile on his lips and a spark of… something? In his eyes. "I'm glad you like it Isabella, this will be your home from now on." His voice was honest and silky smooth, and I could do nothing but at least try to trust his intentions for me.

As we came in to the city I could see all the families out shopping, the kids running around and the birds flying above trying to find something leftover to eat. The was not a cloud in the sky and even though the car windows were tinted dark black I could see everything with ease, the fountain in the middle of the square and the big clock tower that threw its shadow across the ground. I found myself wondering how they managed to live here in this country of light without being noticed, and how would they be able to get out of the car? With that thought the huge iron gates in front of us opened and reviled a road that led downwards, into something similar to a car park at a mall.

I watched through the windows as the last rays of sunshine hit the roof of the car before everything turned black.

It seems like some of you like this story, but I'd really love to get some reviews of what you like and such. :)
Thanks to Megsly for your awesome review (I tried to do as you told me, you were right. As always) :p
Also thanks to Imstardancer12 for saying you loved it. :)

Take care, and please, if you have a moment to spare, do write a review to tell me what you think.