Chapter 5

I walked back into the living room to find Demetri still seated in the chair, as though he had never budged. I took a closer look at him under the bright lights of my living room. His complexion was noticeably pale, not quite albino pale, but definitely paler than anyone I had ever met. And to top it off, he was undeniably attractive, possessing a face that could easily make any male model feel insecure. I couldn't help but wonder if his striking appearance was a vampire trait or if he had been an exceptionally good-looking human in his former life. His eyes caught my attention next, and I couldn't help but notice their unique color, they appeared to be a deep shade of red. That was freaky.

"Could I ask you some more questions about vampires?" I settled down on the sofa, feeling a wave of curiosity wash over me. "I thought of one question, and it just led to two more, and so on."

"Of course," Demetri nodded, a warm smile on his face, showing his willingness to answer my inquiries.

"How does one become a vampire? And once I do become a vampire, how would it affect my life?" I asked, eager to delve into the intricacies of vampire existence.

"Good questions. Becoming a vampire is quite simple, really, all it takes is to be bitten by a vampire. You see, vampires possess a substance we call venom, and if enough of it enters your bloodstream, it initiates the transformation." Demetri winced, seemingly recalling the experience. "Unfortunately, I must tell you that the change itself is excruciatingly painful. It's like being burned alive from the inside out. Regrettably, that pain persists for three days, which is typically the duration of the transformation. There is no way to avoid the agony. But once the process is complete, the pain instantly ceases, and you are a vampire."

He glanced at me, checking if I was keeping up with his explanation. "When someone becomes a vampire, we refer to them as a 'Newborn' because it takes time to readjust to the world with all the newfound abilities. Your vision, hearing, smell, and even your thought process will undergo significant changes. Everything you once took for granted will be altered, not to mention the array of new skills you'll acquire. Vampires possess impeccable motor skills, so if you currently struggle with balance, that will no longer be an issue once you're transformed. Initially, your senses may go haywire, but they will gradually stabilize within a few days. However, one thing that remains constant is the appetite. A newborn vampire would instinctively attack any human, irrespective of their intentions. It's crucial to keep newborn vampires under control to prevent them from going on a rampage. With the prevalence of cameras and phones, it's more important than ever to monitor their behavior until they acquire self-control. The duration of this learning period can vary from a few months to around a year, and after that, it's usually smooth sailing. Now, what other questions do you have?"

I pondered his words for a moment. "So, it's not a 'bite her and leave' situation. If I'm out of control for months to a year, what would happen to me? Where would I go?" I voiced my concerns, seeking clarification on what awaited me during the transition period.

"Well, according to the law, when a vampire turns a human, they are responsible for taking care of 'the newborn' during their first year. It's seen as a close bond between the maker and the new vampire," Demetri explained. "If I were your maker, you would come with me, and I would guide you through your newborn year. Once I determine that you're capable of being on your own, you can choose to leave if you want. As for where you would go, I live in Italy. Believe it or not, I reside in a castle. I think you would really enjoy it there," he added, offering me some insight into the potential path that lay ahead.

"What would happen to my old life? My parents, my friends?" I asked, a sense of unease settling in as I anticipated the answer.

Demetri's expression turned contrite, and he responded, "I'm sorry to say that once you become a vampire, you wouldn't be able to see them again. Firstly, as a newborn, your instincts would lead you to drain them without even realizing it so you would not want to be anywhere near them. Moreover, your appearance would change so drastically that it would put them at risk of discovering our secret. I apologize, but some things are unavoidable."

I pondered over Demetri's words, feeling the weight of the situation and the potential pain it would cause my parents. How would they interpret my sudden absence? Would they believe I was dead or had run away? I couldn't bear to put them through such agony. However, a glimmer of hope flickered in my mind, a possible lifeline. I decided to voice it, hoping it would offer some solace.

"I understand what you are saying, but if there is a chance I can delay the transformation and attend college, could I not simply tell my parents that I got a job overseas? I wouldn't have to see them in person, but we could still communicate through phone calls or emails. My dad has never traveled outside the country, and my mom is often preoccupied with her own pursuits. I don't believe it would cause any harm. What do you think?" I asked, searching for a compromise that would minimize the pain inflicted on my loved ones.

Demetri contemplated my suggestion for a moment, his expression serious and thoughtful. "To be honest, Bella, I don't see any harm in that approach," he replied. "However, I must caution you against getting your hopes up prematurely. While I will do my best to plead your case, I must be honest and say that I've never heard of the Volturi granting someone extra time before their transformation. I have reasons to believe they might consider it in your case, but I can't make any promises or guarantees."

"You've mentioned several times that you think I'm special for some reason," I pointed out, a hint of curiosity in my voice. "But honestly, I see myself as the most ordinary girl in the world. Could you please explain what you mean?" I leaned forward, eager to understand his perspective.

Demetri's smile widened as he spoke, "I assure you, Bella, you are far from ordinary. In fact, if you were, you would have never made it past our initial meeting. You don't realize how rare it is for someone to be given the chance to become a vampire. Compared to the human population, vampires are a mere handful, numbering only several thousand. While I haven't met them all, I have encountered many throughout my long lifetime. Okay, I will tell you why we're having this conversation and why your life was spared."

He looked at me intently and continued, "All vampires possess the abilities I mentioned earlier, such as speed and strength, as those are standard for everyone. However, very rarely, there comes along a vampire with an extraordinary extra ability. These cases are exceedingly rare."

"What do you mean?" I asked intrigued.

"We do not know why or how, but very rarely a vampire discovers that they possess some sort of extra power. My boss, Aro, who is the leader of the Volturi, has a gift of this nature. When he touches someone, even if only for a brief moment, he gains access to their entire thought history. He can see every thought that person, whether human or vampire, has ever had. With a vampire's perfect memory, he can instantly recall any detail about that person."

"That sounds both like a blessing and a curse. To have such a vast amount of information in one's mind, how has he managed to maintain his sanity?"

Demetri laughed, and his smile revealed his amusement. "There are some who say he hasn't," he said, clearly finding the notion of Aro's sanity amusing. "Truthfully, I think it just gives him an eccentric personality." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Now, I have a gift too. In fact, many in the Volturi possess an extra ability."

My curiosity piqued, I leaned forward and asked, "What is your gift?"

Demetri's eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and excitement. "I am what is known as a 'tracker' among vampires," he explained. "Once I have met someone, I possess the ability to know exactly where they are in the world. That's why I was sent to find the vampire who was on the run earlier today. Having encountered him before, I could easily locate him wherever he went. Every gift is different and unique, and mine happens to be tracking. I am regarded as the best tracker in the world."

I listened intently, my curiosity growing with each word. Then, Demetri's next statement caught me off guard. "Now, as for the reason you are not dead, it is quite simple. You have a gift too."

I stared at Demetri in astonishment, completely taken aback. "What?" I questioned, my voice filled with disbelief. How could he think I had a gift? "What do you mean? I've never noticed anything unusual about myself."

Demetri smiled, his expression mirroring my astonishment. "I was just as astonished as you are," he admitted. "It has been a common belief that a vampire's gift manifests after their transformation, taking years if not decades or centuries to develop and master. However, to my surprise, when I first met you, I realized you had not just one, but two gifts."

"What were they?" I asked, bewildered. "I don't recall doing anything other than falling on my ass. I doubt that would be highly valued as a gift."

Demetri laughed, and then continued, "Yes, well, you probably didn't notice, but when I was advancing on you, sorry to say, to kill you, something stopped me. It felt like a force holding me back. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was there, and it had to be coming from you. Now, tell me, what were you feeling when you saw me advancing?"

I thought back to that frightful moment. "I was scared out of my mind, and I remember thinking, 'stop, stop, stop,' and you did stop, to my surprise. You mean something happened when I thought that?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"It did, Bella," Demetri nodded. "If I had to guess, you have some form of weak force field ability. We call abilities like that 'shields.' They are quite rare, and no two are the same. There is a vampire in the Volturi named Renata who has a shield ability. If someone advances on her, she can make them go in another direction involuntarily, in a confused state. Hers is strictly a defensive ability. I think yours will be much more powerful."

Demetri's words filled me with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "How could it be more powerful if you just described it as weak?" I asked, seeking clarification.

"No offense, Bella, but as a human, you shouldn't possess any abilities. That's what makes this so extraordinary," Demetri explained. "Your current weak shield ability, though modest, holds great potential. Once you become a vampire, its power will increase exponentially, just like all other skills. I'm certain that your shield, which may seem weak now, will become one of the strongest in the vampire world."

Demetri paused, his expression filled with intrigue. "But that's not all. To my surprise, I discovered that you have a second ability as well."

"What else did I do?" I pondered, racking my brain for any unusual occurrences. However, I couldn't recall anything out of the ordinary.

"My ability does not work on you. It may not sound significant to you, but in my 2500 years, your mind is the only one I cannot penetrate with my ability. I have attempted many times, Bella, and it's as if you're not even there when I try to read you. I am unsure how to classify this or whether you would be immune to other vampires' gifts. It's an intriguing thought, and it would only become stronger when you become a vampire," Demetri explained.

"It is for those reasons that you are alive, and why I believe you possess more bargaining power than you realize. With your potential, we would greatly value your presence as part of the Volturi or at least as an ally, should the need arise. Maintaining your goodwill would be much easier if we didn't force the transformation upon you against your will. Fortunately, you are open to becoming a vampire, which is a good thing, as I would have turned you even if you desired death. I would have hoped that once you experienced the life of a vampire, you would find it to your liking and change your mind about death," Demetri explained with a smile, revealing that I had no real choice in the outcome. However, there was still a glimmer of hope that I could have a say in when the transformation would occur, which was what I sought. To be honest, based on what he had revealed, being a vampire seemed more appealing and captivating to me than that of any ordinary human life.

"Now, if you were to have several more years, I personally believe it would only enhance the development of your gifts. And, as long as you did not meet an untimely demise, it would undoubtedly be beneficial for you, as you rightly pointed out. I will explain all of this to Aro when I speak with him later tonight. Please know that I will do my best to convince him on your behalf, Bella. I must admit, I have taken a liking to you, which is quite rare for me, considering my usual disposition towards humans. Perhaps I have a little bias after living for millennia," he chuckled. "Now, tell me more about your life. If you were granted this extra time, what sort of things would you like to do?"

I smiled, relieved that Demetri seemed to be a decent person, or vampire. I quickly debated in my head and concluded that yes, a vampire could indeed be considered a person. Shaking off the distraction, I focused on the conversation at hand. "I haven't had many life experiences," I admitted. "There are certain things I'd like to explore before my life takes a drastic turn. For instance, I've never even had a boyfriend. I'd like to have sex at least once before I'm changed." I blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed discussing my nonexistent love life with a stranger, especially a vampire stranger.

"That's hard to believe, Bella. You're a very attractive young woman. Surely, you must have had male suitors?" Demetri's comment caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but feel a bit flustered by the compliment.

"I haven't really found high school boys to be my liking, so that has killed any chance for me to do much of anything," I explained, feeling a sense of disappointment. "I've only been on one date before. It's quite discouraging, considering all my friends have gone much further, if you know what I mean. I'm still at the starting gate." With a heavy sigh, I expressed my frustration at my lack of romantic experiences.

"You know, I might be able to help you with that," Demetri smirked, his eyes fixed on me intently.

My head snapped up, eyes locking with his as my breath hitched. "What?"

Let me know your thoughts. I thought I should point out that I'm not doing the usual vampire mates thing in this story. Here, humans and vampires fall in love the old-fashioned way. Bella and Demetri will start out as friends, and their relationship will develop throughout the story. The next chapter will find Bella very, very happy.