"Ow," I groaned as I woke up.
"The humans awake," someone pointed out from beside me.
"It doesn't matter, we're here anyway," a girl bit back. "Demetri, grab the human. We're taking her to the Masters."
"Don't touch me," I slurred groggily as I slapped my hands around. I felt the car we were in come to a stop and immediately opened my eyes and looked around. Jane was positioned in the front passenger seat, with the giant man Felix driving. In the backseat with me was Demetri. As quickly as I could, I crawled up from my uncomfortable position and flung myself against the side door, trying to stay as far out of his reach as possible.
Hissing I raised my hand to hold my head, which was throbbing from being hit earlier.
"Please let me go. I promise I won't say anything. No one needs to know, just drop me back at my mum's apartment, I won't say a word. If you don't my parent's will never stop looking for me. They'll find you."
Jane snorted. "I'm not too worried. We managed to get you all the way to Italy undetected."
"Italy?" I breathed. "You kidnapped me to Italy!" I roared. Before I'd even had a chance to draw another breath, the door I was leaning against opened and I tumbled out, landing hard on the ground below, the wind getting knocked straight out of my lungs.
Jane let out a malicious chuckle as I gasped for breath on the ground by her foot. "Pick her up Demetri. We'll see what the Masters want to do with her," she smirked before walking out of my eye line.
Feeling a cold, hard arm snake around my waist, my body was jerked up off the ground. I struggled in vain, trying to get out of his grasp, but with the throbbing head, and lack of oxygen in my chest, I couldn't do much.
"Are you going to make it easier for yourself and walk or am I going to have to carry you?" he asked.
"I can walk," I hissed angrily and he slowly released me.
As soon as I was freed, I made a break for the exit. Before I'd even been able to take three steps, there he was. Right in front of me.
"That wasn't very smart," he muttered.
"Go to hell," I snapped back.
He chuckled lightly before stepping forward and grabbing my waist again, lifting my feet off the ground and walking after Jane and Felix.
After walking down a few corridors we reached the front of some ominous doors. Immediately something in the air changed, I felt darkness. It was like a punch to the stomach. Whimpering I started struggling again. I knew as soon as I went through those doors, there'd be no escape.
"No, no, no, no," I started panicking as Jane opened the doors, the rest of us trailing in behind her.
The room was dark and cold, built almost entirely out of ancient stone. Despite the dark atmosphere, the room was bright, with long window slits illuminating the chamber. In the centre of the room was a peculiarly placed drain. The only furniture were three thrones, and in those thrones sat three men in long robes.
"Jane, my dearest, you're back!" the one in the middle cried in delight, clapping his hands together. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent, his eyes the same horrifying red as the one's who abducted me. As his eyes surveyed over the group, he froze when he looked at me. "Oh dear," he muttered. He glided across the room and took ahold of Jane's hand, not taking his eyes off of me.
"We found her in Paris, Master. She is wearing the crest," Jane explained.
"Yes, my dear, I see that," he muttered, swallowing nervously. "Release her," he commanded of Demetri, who immediately let go of me, sending me crumpling to the floor.
"What is it Aro?" another of the men asked, this one with silky blonde hair. "Why is the human wearing our crest? Surely we can't allow this, it's disrespectful," he hissed, glaring down at me.
"Patience brother," Aro held up his hand. "We must tread lightly."
"Master?" Jane asked in confusion.
"Hello my dear," he spoke, and I looked up to see him smiling cautiously at me. "Welcome to Volterra." He took a couple of small steps toward me and I immediately scurried back, trying to keep out of his grasp. "We have no intention of hurting you, dear Wilhelmina," he smiled making my eyes widen. He knew my name. "Demetri, fetch Alec from the library. Keep him calm, don't mention the girl," Aro requested, his eyes briefly flickering to Demetri before returning to me. "I so very much didn't want us to meet this way, my dear. My apologies for your… rough handling," he cast a look at Felix. "It is a happy surprise, however, that you are here."
"Aro!" the blonde man hissed. "Explain."
"A story for another time perhaps, Caius," Aro chirped happily, but his face conveyed warning. "I trust brother, that my assumption is correct?" he asked, turning to the man sitting on the left.
The third man's hair was long, and his expression one resembling eternal pain and boredom. "Indeed," he sighed, as though speaking took considerable effort.
Aro let out a loud peel of laughter, clapping his hands together. "Marvellous."
Before anyone else could speak, the sound of the doors opening again caught everyone's attention. Before I could look to see who'd returned with Demetri, a loud growl reverberated throughout the room and a flash passed before my eyes as a figure ran in front of me, crouched down in a protective stance. An animalistic snarl ripped through his chest as he addressed the congregation in front of us.
"Alec," Aro sang in an attempt to calm him down, but the boy didn't relax his stance.
"Enough!" Caius yelled and Alec immediately fell out of his aggressive pose and ceased growling.
"You'll see Wilhelmina has joined us, my dear boy," Aro smiled happily. "Perhaps a little earlier than expected, but it's a delight nonetheless."
"I thought we were waiting?" Alec asked tensely. Hearing his voice, my breath hitched, there was something so familiar about his voice.
"We were, but she's been escorted here by our dearest Jane."
"Jane!" Alec hissed and the girl frowned incredulously.
"How do you know my name?" I shakily asked Aro.
"Oh young one," Aro smiled. "There is so much I know about you it's delightful."
"What… what are you?"
"What kind of a question is that?" Caius rolled his eyes.
"Vampires, my dear child. We're vampires," Aro answered, ignoring Caius's snide comment.
Despite the ridiculousness of his answer, I believed him. Given what I'd witnessed, the speed, the red eyes. It was true. And I was terrified.
My breath became ragged as I frantically flung myself away from them. Hearing my flustered panic, Alec turned around to face me and my eyes widened. It was the boy from the bookshop.
"No," I breathed. I tried to haul myself to my feet to run away, but the pain in my head became too much and I stumbled. Before I had the chance to hit the ground, my body was caught by Alec, who'd arrived by my side impossibly fast.
His eyes widened as he brushed some of my hair aside to view what was no doubt an aggressive bruise forming on the side of my head.
"Let me go!" I roared, flinging my elbow around in an attempt to connect with his face. Before I could hit him, he released me and took a step back.
"Be careful," he warned. "You'll injure yourself."
Reaching my hand behind me, I stumbled backwards until I felt the wall, and then proceeded to slide down it and bury my head in my knees.
"Give the child space my boy," Aro spoke, clearly discouraging Alec from coming closer. "Wilhelmina," he spoke up from directly in front of me. Startled, I looked up to see him close to my face and let out a small scream. "We mean you no harm, I wish to make your stay here in Volterra as comfortable as possible for you. We've prepared a room for you, Alec will escort you there whilst I explain to the others the situation at hand."
"Would you like to explain it to me?" I ask quietly.
"All in good time," he smiled, holding out a hand to help me up.
Hesitantly, I took hold of his hand and allowed him to pull me up from the ground. As I stood on my feet, he grasped my hand between two of his and closed his eyes in contemplation. I tugged at my hand, trying to reclaim it, but I could not move it from his grasp.
"Illuminating," he breathed as he released his grip. "Alec, escort our guest to her chambers, and perhaps some ice for her head," he suggested as he lightly touched my bruise, pulling away as soon as I flinched.
Alec nodded obediently and walked to my side, gently touching my arm. "Do not touch me!" I snapped, yanking my arm away from him.
"Willa…" Alec sighed as he reached for me again.
Turning away from Alec, I looked to the real authority in the room. Aro. "You need to let me go. Someone will have seen me get taken. I have people who will miss me. They'll be searching for me. You need to let me go, or they'll destroy you."
"My dear, I do not fear the retribution of humans. I assure you, they cannot touch us."
"They'll end you," I hissed and his smile fell.
"Now Alec," Aro instructed harshly.
Alec grabbed a hold of my arm, firm enough to pull me, but not harsh enough to bruise, and dragged me from the chambers and into the next chapter of my life.