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Last updated/edited 09/23/2024.
First Person POV: Astrid
I groggily woke to the sound of a heart monitor beeping. I cracked my eyelids open and cringed as my eyes adjusted to the bright light above me. I saw that I was currently inside an unfamiliar medical facility and was now dressed in a hospital gown. The walls and floors were stone, so I figured I was probably still inside the castle.
A man emerged from the office in the corner of the room. He appeared to be in his early twenties with long black hair styled into dreadlocks. I was uncertain how to feel about his beauty, as it was reminiscent of the vampires that I had seen in the throne room. But when he looked up from his papers, I saw his eyes were brown. The man gave me a polite smile.
"Glad to see you're awake. I'm Santiago, I'll be your doctor."
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"About two hours. You were found unconscious in the art gallery." He told me without elaborating.
"I'd like to run through some general health questions with you." he said.
I was uncertain whether it was wise to provide my medical information to this unknown doctor but decided to cooperate for the time being until I had a better idea of the situation.
He took out a sleek titanium laptop and started typing as he asked about my daily medications and existing health issues. Then, we ran through a brief physical examination.
As Santiago probed, I noticed that his hands were very cold. I dismissed it though since having cold hands seemed to be common trait among doctors. I couldn't help but giggle when he touched my stomach, I was cursed with ticklishness. To his credit, he didn't comment and quickly moved to the next test.
"Alright, despite your bloody nose and fainting spell you seem to be in excellent health. Remember to stay hydrated and limit your physical exertion to avoid fainting." He told me politely and shut his laptop after finishing his notes. I gaped at him, clearly he hadn't been correctly informed of the situation because I definitely hadn't fainted from dehydration.
"It appears that you have visitors." he told me and walked back to his office.
Two stunning women approached me, walking so gracefully that it looked like they were gliding. They came to a stop at the end of my hospital bed, and I felt my mood improve marginally.
"Hello dear" the taller of the two women with jet black hair greeted me. Both her and the shorter, blonde woman next to her held friendly smiles.
As I looked at the two women, I realized that they looked awfully familiar. I could have sworn I knew them from somewhere... Then it occurred to me.
"The statue!" I exclaimed recalling the statue from the west wing and they laughed graciously in response.
"Yes dolcezza, that's us." the blonde woman confirmed.
I had thought that statue was ancient, but I guess I was wrong. Apparently they just appreciated ancient Greek style clothing.
"What's your name dear?" the raven-haired woman asked me.
"Astrid, and you both?" I inquired, not having any idea why these gorgeous women had come to speak with me.
"I am Athenadora." The blonde woman piped up.
"And I'm Didyme." The dark-haired woman said.
"Oh, I appreciate you both getting me ready for the doctor." I told them.
"You're very welcome." Athenadora replied sweetly.
"So… do you know what's going to happen to me now?" I asked them.
"Well, now that you've been checked over by a doctor, we're going to bring you to a room for the night. I'm sure you could use some rest after everything that's happened." Athenadora replied. So, they knew about the throne room…
"Do you both live here in the castle?" I asked. As much as I wanted to demand answers, I didn't know wasn't sure how much these women knew.
"Of course, dolcezza, we're both members of the Volturi family and owners of the castle, along with both our husbands and my brother." Didyme told me.
"Right, I'm guessing that you're aware of what happened in the throne room before I passed out then…?" I stated cautiously.
"Yes dear " Athenadora replied sympathetically.
"And you know what the castle residents are?" I continued in disbelief. I couldn't imagine living in this castle knowing that the residents slaughtered humans. But then again, out of sight, out of mind.
"You can say it." She encouraged me.
"They're vampires…" I whispered.
"Yes, everyone in the throne room was a vampire with the exception of your tour group." Didyme told me.
Athenadora elbowed her in the ribs and muttered "Real subtle Didyme."
"Wait, are you both vampires too? Your eyes aren't red…" I said and they both removed their brown contacts.
Seeing their red eyes brought me right back to the throne room and I couldn't stop the tears that started to flow.
"So, what happens to me now? Why bother having me checked over by a doctor if I'm just a glorified snack to you?" I asked them.
"Oh dolcezza, you're not going to be a snack! You may not believe me now, but you're safe here in the castle." Athenadora replied earnestly.
"Yeah? And what about my tour group?" I accused, already knowing the answer; I doubted any of the other humans had made it out of the room alive.
"They're dead. I'm so sorry you had to witness our feeding, but we require blood to sustain ourselves." Didyme explained solemnly.
I tried to calm myself and focused on my breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth. I repeated internally.
This was fine… it was the circle of life, right? I just hadn't realized that the food chain included vampires until now. I tried to blink away the tears that threatened to spill.
"Well, if you're not going to drink my blood then what's going to happen? Can I leave?" I asked.
"Why don't we discuss that tomorrow? You've been through a lot today; you should rest." Athenadora suggested.
"Okay, you're probably right." I mumbled. I wondered what surprises were in store for me tomorrow. On the bright side, I didn't see how things could get any worse…
"A room has already been prepared for you already, why don't you follow us there?" said Athenadora.
I nodded in agreement and slipped off the hospital bed. I blushed as I realized I was only wearing the hospital gown and my underwear.
"I didn't bring any extra clothes with me… I thought this would be a quick trip." I told them shyly.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Aro has arranged for clothing to be delivered to your room already." said Didyme.
"Who's Aro?" I asked.
"Aro was the man on the center throne." Didyme replied.
"The one who was going to eat me?!" I blanched and Didyme sighed sadly.
"Dolcezza, he wasn't going to eat you, he just wanted to remove you from the throne room to keep you safe."
"But why would he want to do that?" I asked, there was no mercy for the rest of my tour group, I didn't understand why it was different for me.
The two women shared a look before turning back to me.
"It's not our place to say, Aro should explain the situation to you. Why don't you ask him when we all meet tomorrow?" said Athenadora. I thought back to how he bewitched me in the throne room. What on earth had come over me?
"I know you didn't have the best first impression of my brother but please try to keep an open mind. We only kill humans for sustenance, none of us take pleasure in it." Didyme assured me.
So, Aro was her brother? When I thought about it, they did look kindred. Both were tall and lean with lustrous raven-hair and sharp features.
I followed the women down a long dimly lit stone hallway further into the castle. This section looked less modern than the areas that I had seen on the tour.
"Your room is in the east wing of the castle on the second floor. Although I'm sure any of our staff and guards would be happy to help you find your room if you get lost, you'll also have guards with you when you leave." said Athenadora.
"Guards?" I asked, furrowing my brow in confusion.
"Well, yes, you are still human. We have to keep you safe." Didyme said.
"Still human? Are you expecting me to become a vampire too then?" I wasn't sure how I felt about that, I had a good life in the US. Would I get to say goodbye to my family? Could I handle the guilt of their diet? And most importantly, did I have a choice, or had my path been predetermined when I joined the tour?
"Tomorrow." Didyme said firmly.
She was right, I tried to switch my brain off. I could get more information tomorrow and then decide how to deal with the situation.
We took the stairs from the basement to the second floor, and I noticed with slight jealousy that neither woman had picked up their breathing after going up the stairs. Must be nice, I suppose I could put that on the list of pros of becoming a vampire.
We reached a set of carved wooden doors towards the end of the next hallway. The women pushed the doors open and I tentatively stepped into the room. My jaw dropped and I slowly spun, taking in the opulence. This wasn't a guest room – this was a suite with as much floor space as an entire level of my parents' house!
I was baffled, were all of their guest quarters this grand? Why would they put me in a room fit for a queen?
"Wow!" I gushed and the women giggled at my awed expression.
"I'm sure Aro will be pleased with your reaction." Didyme told me with a teasing grin.
So, Aro had arranged this room for me? It was oddly thoughtful, but then again, maybe he felt bad for scaring me in the throne room. I really couldn't complain regardless, I planned to soak up the luxury up while I could.
Athenadora and Didyme bid me farewell and left me alone to rest.