Alec traced his thumb lovingly over the thin skin below my jaw, testing my pulse. "I cannot live without you."

For the first time, my body fell into fight or flight. And I chose flight.

He was in front of me before I'd even fully turned around, hands gripping my forearms. "No!" It was the scream that comes from your throat with all the power of your gut as if it's been waiting to tear through the back of your throat. To burn you for expelling so wretched a sound. It meant nothing to the ravenous vampire within him. "Don't, Alec. Please don't –"

It was as if my pleas had fallen on deaf ears as he tightened his hold, pulling me in by my waist. He tutted, "I know, baby, just close your eyes." I repeated my cries over and over as he shushed me, pressing a kiss to the side of my head, and dropping to my neck.

"Please, no – please, please!"

I begged unconsciously, desperately, repeatedly for him to change his mind. There was no patient build-up as he nipped the skin over my pulse. He moaned at the thin separation between his fangs and my blood. I tugged against him, nearly collapsing in his arms before his hold transferred to a firmer grip.

His fingers tightened on my torso until two clear cracks triggered a sharp pain that reverberated throughout my body. I yelped, scrambling to get away from him, but still, he refused to let me go. My eyes pleaded with his as they darkened, black swallowing red before his face began to shift and morph into something else right in front of me.

Until it was no longer Alec staring back at me. It was never Alec to begin with.

Travis's lips turned up in a twisted grin, fangs bared, "calmáte ventarrón [chill out*]." His hand trailed purposefully along my spine, and I cried out as he whispered, "don't you want to live forever?"

~•~

Aro's sly, singsong voice spoke up across from me. "You hesitate, child?"

"I'm only thinking." I blew a piece of hair out of my face, scrutinizing the chess board as if there was a possibility for me to turn the game around. I wasn't above cheating, but my options were limited when playing against vampires, and the game was already too far along.

Caius commented sadistically, "a forfeit game is a lost game."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I cursed inwardly. How did he know I planned on quitting? "Not according to the definition."

"Saffiya..." Aro clicked his tongue to hide his humour, a poor attempt at a warning for me. I would never get away with this attitude if it were not what Caius was aiming for. He seemed to enjoy sparring with me, as there was no way for me to win. I'd have no more buttons to push after a day with him. Every bone in my body was willing me to fight back when:

"Check." Aro elegantly knocked my knight to the side and removed it from the board.

My pinkie twitched.

Aro started up what Caius had grown bored of, likely some kind of rude tactic searching for the same form of entertainment. "And how is your Italian coming along?"

I grit my teeth while Aro was looking down, trying to answer evenly so as not to give away my frustration with the constant nagging. "Fine."

He raised his eyebrows, amusement growing. "È così?" [Is that so?]

There was a hostile, mocking scoff, "truffatrice!" [con artist] The scratch of Caius' pen was followed with, "do not fib, Saffiya."

I whipped my head, glaring at the back of his head, "I'm not lying."

"Even a white lie is false."

Aggressively, I knocked Aro's knight off the board in defeatist retaliation. Unaffected, he slid his bishop into place. "Checkmate."

I grunted in response, throwing my arms across my chest and slouching back into the chair. Aro was grinning as if he'd just kicked a puppy, and he inquired, "do you wish to play again?"

"No, thank you." I ground my jaw, "I wish to draw."

"Very well."

Pushing back from the table, I grabbed my sketchbook (I'd been encouraged to put it under my seat and engage in some light brainwork) and returned to the raised windowsill. It was just barely wide enough for me to fit, but I preferred it to the other shapes and chairs in the room. I was not a particularly competitive person, but I was exhausted. A result of either poor sleep or a lack thereof, and it did little to ease my well-earned tantrum and odd preferences. To add to it, I may have retreated to my corner, but Caius was not done with me. It was not long before his aggravating voice attacked my ears once more.

"She should be studying," he began tautly as if I were no longer in the room. "Rather than wasting time imitating the success of another." I bit my tongue, ready to ask just who had pissed in his chicken nuggets when I was saved.

"And what subject would you have her learn next, Caius?" Marcus commented in his own blithe tone. Selfishly, I hoped he was as tired of Caius' bullying as I was.

Bitterly, he spat, "etiquette to start."

I snorted, drawing attention back to myself. I did my best to cover it with a convincing sneeze, knowing better than to push my boundaries. He looked away, unimpressed but said no more.

The knock on the door only registered with me when it opened as I continued 'imitating' a random composition by Rembrandt. My pencil dug a little too hard into the paper, the tip snapping off. I maneuvered the lead back into a loose hold, but even then, I didn't look up until I heard the greeting.

"Masters."

"Ahh, Alec! Our dear boy." Aro welcomed his cherished protege, whose eyes were already waiting for mine. I puffed out empty air and forced the lead tip back in, refusing to get another pencil at such an awkwardly inconvenient time. "How is our guest?"

Guest? I assumed that was Aro's word for what Alec's team had called a prisoner when they'd returned from their mission two or so weeks ago. It was sort of difficult to tell time with the Volturi. "The guards tell me he is as well as we wish." I frowned at that, the comparison to a modern version of medieval racketeering flashing through my head. I mourned my knight, still knocked carelessly to the side of the chess board across the room. Aro smiled proudly, arrogantly at Alec. These vampires reeked of suspicion and deceit. No wonder I ended up with them.

In a response far too cheery for the topic, Aro complimented, "wonderful!" The air shifted, and I could practically feel Aro's focus move to me. "Ah, yes. A shame you missed Saffiya and I's latest chess match." I grimaced, refusing to acknowledge the commentary. My pencil gave in, and the lead fucked off somewhere on the carpet. "It was quite a game."

"I doubt it not, Master." There was a moment of silence.

"Shall we, brothers?"

And just like that, Marcus abruptly disappeared from the table in front of me. My eyes searched for him discreetly, finding Caius and Aro had also taken their departure – uncharacteristically, as they left without additional comments. Only Marcus had stopped in front of Alec. Whatever the man said made the boy's eyes flash to me before he nodded, and the elder vampire left. I pretended my focus had never strayed, even if my moving pencil marked nothing on the page.

A soft whip of wind was evident after the click of the doors and the stillness that followed.

My eyes drifted closed as my hair was brushed over my shoulder. However, I shrugged away because losing four times in a row to Aro had made me fucking moody.

Unaffected, Alec innocently brushed the pad of his fingers across my stilled hand. "Tell me, Tesoro [darling], why are you unhappy?" I swear, if he used some ambiguous Italian nickname again, I was going to lose my mind.

Thankfully, somewhere in my rational brain, I knew it wasn't Alec's fault. So, the slower his thumb stroked across my skin, the more susceptible I became to my over-exhausted emotions. When he reached for me again, I turned into his body, resting my head in the crook of his neck. He helped me off the windowsill, and I gave in to my weight as his arm wrapped around my waist to support me. I guess if anyone knew the distinction between my irrational anger and my lack of sleep, it would be him.

"Come," Alec said after a moment. He secured my fingers with his and coaxed me from the room.

Talib and Percy were not waiting for us in the corridor, but I didn't comment on their absence. Alec's pace was slow but deliberate, and when we went down the staircase instead of up, I knew I was right to be suspicious. I tried to stop, but Alec merely brought me along with his stupid vampire strength. My already tested temper was beginning to blow hot air into my lungs until I was finally guided through an unfamiliar entryway. Curiosity won out.

A solid glass wall on the right revealed the garage. I spotted the Bugatti we'd driven last time among the line of cars that were almost as expensive as a can of gas these days. I glanced at Alec, but he only continued forward, pushing open another door.

A door that led outside.

The cobblestone street was a welcome sight, and Alec was already awaiting my wide stare.

I called him out. "I thought it wasn't safe to leave the castle."

Remaining quiet, Alec instead cupped the back of my head and kissed my temple. Even I could tell the night air was quite chipper, but I eagerly followed after him, locking my arm in with his. I didn't catch his surprise at the action. I was too busy staring at the row of additional vehicles underneath a hangar, just waiting to drive free on an open road. He guided me to a silver vehicle with a black roof. There were empty car spots on either side, which I only noticed because he opened the passenger door.

Ignoring my deductions, I stayed where I was. "I'll drive."

He smirked and opened the door wider. Scoffing, I mocked his silent routine as I slipped into the car — which only amused him more. He'd closed the door and started the car before I could even reach for my seatbelt.

I paused because there was no center console between the driver and the passenger seats. Should I sit in the middle? Did he want me to be so close to him? What kind of car didn't have a console in the front seat?

"Saffiya." My eyes widened, shooting up to see Alec's stern countenance. "The seat belt stays on this time."

The car pulled out from the hangar, facing the opposite direction of the city streets. He barely waited for my agreement. With the click of the seatbelt, the speed-eager vampire took off down a back road behind the castle. At least, I assumed it was some back road, as large trees loomed above us, hiding us from the world. The geography surrounding the castle in Volterra still confused me, but there was no way we would be entering the city streets as I knew them.

Especially when there was a break in the foliage and the thick brick walls of the city towered over the single-car path. To the left was the familiar hill of the olive groves and vineyards surrounding Volterra. Even in the dark, the view was spectacular, and I had the bittersweet wish to see more of the actual city, just as much as the land around it. Perhaps one day.

As we pulled onto one of the main hilly paths, the lights from another auto flashed in the rearview, and I glanced in the mirror to see another expensive, flashy sports car following us. Alec made no move to acknowledge it, so I assumed it must be Talib and Percy, or some of the other guards.

I sat back, looking above me and frowning, realizing why the roof looked so odd. I thrust my hand up, flattening it against a thick fabric. This time, Alec seemed more tentative about my next discernment. He was ready.

"If I lower the roof, I need you to promise that you will not go sticking your head out of the car again." I let out a short gleeful laugh, unable to contain my newfound excitement. I wasn't a car person – I was a car experience person. Ever since I was a kid, I knew the fast ones were fancy and shiny, and the jump from 0 to whatever number was thrilling as hell-o. So, I did nothing to hide the grin on my face. Alec sighed, pressing the button to remove the roof and warily glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. He'd chosen the car; it was his own fault.

As the air commandeered the vehicle, I let my head fall back. The wind whipped through my curls, leaving them as unruly as ever. I didn't mind. This was freedom. I threw my hands up like a rollercoaster – nearly giving Alec a heart attack as I did – breathed in the air as best I could without suffocating myself and eventually let my arms drift down into the safety of the car.

My forearm rested out the window, and I stared as my hand waved and flexed in the wind as if I could see the air shifting around it. Alec turned on the stereo, and a lilting Italian song floated softly through the speakers. I hid the resulting yawn behind my hand, catching Alec's attention.

He let the thrill of the convertible settle before it seemed a specific topic could no longer stay inside his head.

"Jane said you were experiencing night terrors."

My hands went to mess with the buttons on the car before I answered. "Yeah, well, none I can recall." I spared a glance at him. His inner brow tugged up, wide puppy dog eyes exposing his justified doubts, examining me instead of looking at the road. "Alec, I'm fine. Just a little sleepy."

"You may sleep now."

"Now?" I said, already yawning again. "Where exactly are we going?"

He shrugged, tilting his head. "Close enough to be safe. Far enough for you to rest." I frowned, but Alec insisted. "Lay down, Saffiya."

I leaned against the window, my still sour mood poking through as I challenged him, "you said my seatbelt had to stay on – " he rolled his eyes at my snark and undid the belt himself.

Cautiously, I maneuvered around, realizing my bold sauciness originated from some misplaced nervousness. Unaware of my hesitance, Alec's arm snaked around my middle to pull me to his side. Obeying, I leaned back till the crown of my head rested lightly on the door and on his lower chest. And to think, I'd been worried about moving into the middle seat when I was now practically lying across his lap.

Nevertheless, I turned towards the back of the seats and in my already half-conscious state, immediately nuzzled into the soft fabric above his ribcage. The solid black v-neck was quite modern, and a semi-formal fashion that seemed a bit riskier than the turtle neck or layered jumpers. That thought remained solitary as my brain forced itself to shut down, the exhaustion begging to be free.

He left the top of the car down, and the wind no longer struck my cheeks but rather whistled around me like a sweet storm. The smell of rain in the air but not a dark cloud in sight. With mock thunder that rumbled through the air without threat but only a wish to be acknowledged. Like a gift from mother nature after a hurricane, a storm that reminded you of what was good about nature when all it had done was show you just how dangerous it could be. It was an innocent display of power, this storm. With Alec's wrist lightly weighted across my abdomen and the comfort of the natural world, I could finally breathe.

Gentle fingers brushed strands of hair from my cheeks only a moment later.

"Darling," the voice was drawing me from my own mind, but its mellifluous tone nearly lulled me back into the drifting amenity of peace. "Saffiya." The flutter of butterflies in my stomach was not quite as drowsy as my head because the vibration from their animated response convinced me to open my eyes.

I groaned softly at the disturbance, but the lilt across Alec's lips was worth the loss.

"Look up." I let my eyes wander past his head to the unusually bright roof of the car. It took another two blinks for my eyes to adjust fully for me to realize what I was seeing.

I shot forward, forcing Alec to lean back as I began turning in the seat as if the night sky had angles. I needed the best one to see it all. I settled with facing the back of the car, my knees on the seat as if trying to get as close to the sky as possible.

A coat Alec had turned into a makeshift blanket fell from my torso. Alec caught it and tried to slip my hand through one of the armholes. I pushed it away like a child, never taking my eyes off the stars.

"Saffiya, darling," my eyes snapped to him. God, I loved when he said that. "It is cold." I huffed, inconvenienced by my condition and silly things like the weather. I let him help lift the coat over my shoulders.

He, too, shifted in his seat, leaning against the car door and watching as I absorbed every inch of the sky that I could. Alec's knee brushed mine, but he didn't seem to take note of it. I, however, had the briefest consideration of just how easy it would be to lean over and –

The names of some stars were familiar to me, and while I would like to think I could identify them in the sky, I would have more luck doing almost anything else. It was not the stars themselves that I yearned to see, but there was an openness that came with the night sky. Something I was very much lacking recently.

"The Masters are conscious of the fact that being secluded inside the castle has been difficult for you." This drew my attention, and I lowered down into the seat, my knees folding against his calf. "Marcus suggested an outing now and then to temporarily remedy any...distress."

"So, we can do this again?" His expression dulled at my question, and he turned his head to the side, breaking contact. He made a poor attempt at hiding his reluctance, convincing me that while he had initiated this adventure, it was not something he had willingly agreed to. I didn't force an answer, instead leaning further into the seat.

The evening air made me brave, and I laid my hand on his arm, which had been thrown casually across the back of the seats. "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

And because the stars were admittedly not as intriguing as Alec, no matter how entrancing they were, I remained there.

Until I didn't.

Absentmindedly, my fingers were suddenly slipping through his hair, relishing in the silk touch. The movement held no significance until my fingers naturally twisted in the locks behind his ear. A low grunt sounded from his chest. Nerves rolled through me as his eyes flashed away from the brilliant red he'd ensured.

Stunned by my own boldness, I carefully removed my hand, but he stopped me. The awkward position would have been exactly that if his lips had not formed the loveliest pout, wordlessly begging for the contact we both craved.

Alec turned his head, placing a kiss on my palm. He whispered, "you would tell me if you remembered them, wouldn't you?"

He really did have a lot on his mind tonight. To clarify, "remember what?"

"The dreams."

I tilted my head, puzzled by the zeal in his words. "Why wouldn't I?"

~•~•~•~

A/N: We go sweet so we can inch closer to PG-13, hint hint.

To be clear b/c it's impossible to do so with a flashback or dream without saying so (which is why I abhor them, but I digress), the beginning was a dream but not one that Saffiya is totally aware of/remembers yet. It is purely for you as readers, courtesy of future Saffiya.

I really don't like doing flashbacks or dreams when I write, but they've become sort of necessity for this story. One reason I hate doing them is because it is hard to indicate the transition between story and dream/flashback. So from now on, just keep a look out for ~•~ to indicate a separation of time or such and then just use deductive reasoning. I also feel like the bold/italics give away half the purpose it's being written in for - which is to give you the story in a compelling way but mainly how Saffiya experienced it. So bare with me if you will.

Apologies for the time lapse between chapters. Right as I was posting the last chapters, my life was picking up steam for an insane next few months. I'm going to try and write as much and as often as I can, obviously. But I've got such an insane schedule that I just have to figure out the times of day that I can use to write.

Thank you for reading and reviewing and existing! I'll respond to reviews either later or with the next chapter!

Ro