CHAPTER 17

People are Strange – The Doors

They stepped out into a long hallway. Cold stone. No light.

Edward pulled Renesmee even closer to him.

"Will you need assistance…" Demetri began asking Leah. But her eyes had changed. The soft dark brown color disappeared, replaced by dark amber iris and larger pitch black pupils. Wolf eyes.

"No," she replied to him, a bit tersely. "I could admire the relief on the walls for days. Etruscan?" She sounded like she was making a joke. But she actually wanted to stall until Jacob and Carlisle re-joins them.

No such luck, as Demetri ignored her question, "This way, please, Miss Clearwater."

They walked through the gigantic double doors. By the scent, Leah knew that no human had ever walked here.

And that they were surrounded.

Leah looked up and saw them. Their dark cloaks and stillness camouflaged them in the darkness. A slight flutter here or there would reveal yet another member.

There were far more than ten years ago at the confrontation.

They've been busy recruiting.

They knew nothing about these new members. Who they are. Their histories. What their abilities are.

The voice inside her head growled low.

She may die here.

Edward's anxiety increased. This throne room wasn't in Carlisle's memories. His father had known of three others. Despite his two decades with them, the Volturi still had secrets they had kept from him.

And his daughter was next to him. Renesmee was somewhat aware and anxious as well. But she was mostly curious and still eager to be liked and to impress. And Edward wondered, not for the first time, the wisdom of keeping her sheltered and naïve. An upbringing that he had championed, befitting the time period he himself grew up in. He could hear her thoughts, which meant that they were too far for Bella's shield. They were unprotected and isolated. He would die to protect Renesmee, but he doubted if even his gift could protect them from so many attackers.

The Guards are humming Mozart's Lacrimosa in their minds. Blocking their thoughts. But also intimidating him. Suffocating him. The chorus so loud, he can't distinguish their numbers. Even Felix and Demetri had changed to this song. He can't hear even the gibberish thoughts underneath. He can't focus. This intimidation tactic was for him. This psychological attack was for him. The others can't hear the thoughts. The loud, uniform voices surrounding them was something for him alone.

The she-wolf was blessedly quiet now, at least.

Carlisle and Jacob appeared through a different entrance. Or was it? It was easy to get disoriented in the dark room.

"Welcome, Carlisle!"

A voice rang out. Somewhere in the pitch blackness, a shadow moved. It rose from what Leah surmised to be a dais with three thrones upon it.

Her wolf sight was helping her, but even that didn't give her complete ability to see in the underground darkness. The Volturi didn't seem to be struggling. The vampires must be able to see fine. She wondered if Jacob was struggling at all.

I refuse to be thought of as inferior to these creatures. The Spirit, as she had begun to call the voice inside her head, was indignant. Leah was so startled by it in the dark that she jolted. Demetri looked sideways at her. She pretended to swish her hair back.

Their leader, Aro, reached for Carlisle's hand.

"Is this necessary, Aro? We used to have a friendship based on trust," Carlisle spoke.

"I think you understand that it is, Carlisle. For the sake of our past friendship, let us not play at games," Aro replied, still with good humor.

Carlisle reached out.

Aro's face did not change upon receiving Carlisle's hundreds of years worth of memories.

"So, a vacation in Italy," he finally said. "What a fine birthday present for Miss Renesmee." He said.

No, fucking way… Leah will never believe that there's no ulterior motive to this trip in Italy. Maybe the Cullens found a way to shield their thoughts from Aro. She still can't believe they would be so reckless and uncaring and downright dumb as to risk a vacation in Italy for a birthday gift.

"Young Edward," Aro approached and touched Edward's cheek. Not even the courtesy of asking first, like he did with Carlisle. Leah wondered what was going on in Edward's head. He looked petrified. Then again, don't all vampires look petrified? They're practically statues half the time. Maybe it's just the way he looks, and she just never noticed before.

"Miss Renesmee," Aro reached for her hand. Edward wouldn't let her go from his sside. He stopped her from reaching out. Renesmee looked at her father questioningly. Leah stayed quiet, trying to not attract attention to herself. She could feel the tension. The Spirit was unsettled. It was wreaking havoc on her anxiety.

"Come now, child. You were never shy touching people before," Aro said, his voice teasing. "Were you not so brazen penetrating my mind before with your gift?" Jacob growled low, drawing Aro's attention to him. Leah heard a slight shuffle close behind her. She imagines the Guard getting ready to attack. She hoped Jacob would remain calm.

"Jacob Black," the Volturi leader now turned his attention to him. "The one they call 'true alpha'. May I?" He reached out a hand to shake.

"I'd rather not," Jacob said menacingly. Leah heard the flutter of robes again.

"Jacob," she said his name quietly, to warn him. She hadn't wanted to draw attention to herself, even as the Spirit in her head grow malicious.

The sound of her voice draws Aro's attention to her.

"Leah Clearwater."

He pronounced her name Leh-yah.

All vampires move with grace, but Aro practically floats or glides on air. He moves similar to a snake about to strike. And yet there was something about him. There was a certain allure. Leah could understand why so many were drawn to follow him. She wondered if it was a second gift, but the Spirit would have blocked it. Perhaps, the charisma they possessed as humans get amplified like other talents when they are turned.

"We are supernatural creatures that have to find a way to co-exist in the same universe."

Minus the cussing, Leah heard her words repeated back to her. Words she once said after she single-handedly killed a coven of vampires hunting near the rez. He must have picked that from Carlisle's and Edward's minds.

What now? Leah wondered. Was she a threat to be destroyed? Will her action that night move them to attack the tribe even more than before?

"I am so very delighted to meet you," Aro said quietly. He reached for a handshake.

Leah hesitated. Suddenly unsure if the Spirit can block this ancient, charismatic creature.

Do not doubt me, child! The voice practically screamed in her head.

There was nothing for it.

"I am not afraid," Leah said aloud. Maybe for The Spirit. Maybe for herself. She reached for Aro's hand.

They touched, and Leah felt his power. Her mind emptied, and visions of a forest that opened to the sea filled it. Aro's gift was like an ice pick nicking a brick wall, trying to dig a hole to see through. His eyes finally lifted to meet hers.

"Fascinating," he murmured. There was sincerity in the way he said the word.

Summoning her nerve, Leah curtsied, mockingly awkward.

For some reason, this made Aro smile and it seemed genuine. Like he was pleased by her spirit and courage.

He was silent for a long while. Leah wondered if they were about to be killed. Then he spoke.

"On behalf of my coven, the Volturi welcomes you to our home."