Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.
"Welcome back, Master Demetri."
"Good evening, Bianca."
Even through her fear, Bella could hear the disdain in his voice.
"And who is this?" There was an edge to Bianca's question.
Bella looked over the olive-skinned woman, noticing quickly that she was human. She was gorgeous, nothing compared to the beauty of vampires of course, but there was a manic gleam in her bright green eyes.
"Now, now Bianca. Don't you worry your pretty little head about her," Demetri cooed. He reached across the reception desk with his free hand; the other was manacled around one of Bella's wrists. He took Bianca's chin in his hand, rubbing his thumb against the small cleft.
"Is Aro available?"
Mesmerized, Bianca's eyes glazed over and she nodded.
"He's in his office."
"Excellent." Demetri pulled his hand away. "Do send word that I'm on my way up."
Without another glance, Demetri turned and began walking toward the elevator doors across the entrance hall. He tugged Bella by her arm and she stumbled after him, her drunkenness only adding to her natural clumsiness.
Maybe chugging that wine was a bad idea, she thought to herself.
They entered the elevator, Demetri never letting go of her wrist. Bella stared at his blinding white hand, gripped tight around her. Living in Florida had done nothing for her complexion, and they almost matched. The alcohol loosened her inhibitions and she rolled her eyes. She knew better than to run.
"She's human," Bella murmured after a moment of silence.
"She is. A human secretary is comforting to the tourists. Poor girl was probably scared that you're here to replace her."
"So… she knows."
Demetri nodded.
"She wants to become like us, and so she shall." He paused. "Or our masters will tire of her atrocious spelling mistakes and she'll be dinner." He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe you will replace her."
Bella shuddered.
"What will happen to the—" she stopped herself. "What will happen to um, whoever told me?" she finished.
"Depends." The elevator halted, the doors parting a moment later. "If the vampire, or vampires have any talent, Aro may find use of them here. If not…"
"And if I refuse to rat them out?" The alcohol made her bold.
Demetri stepped out of the elevator, pulling Bella along with him. He raised an eyebrow at the defiant tone of her voice.
"Aro has his ways. He'll get the information out of you, one way or another." He led her down a long hall, coming at last to a tall, arched doorway. He rapped at the door three times in quick succession, likely only for Bella's benefit. She knew whoever stood behind the door likely heard them from well beyond the elevator.
"Come in, Demetri."
Demetri turned to face Bella.
"The more compliant you are, the easier this will go."
Bella stared at him, silent and unmoving. He raised his eyebrows, clearly waiting for a response. She rolled her eyes once more and nodded her head.
"That sort of sass isn't going to help you in there," Demetri warned. "He is an elder, and demands respect."
"I'm going to die!" she blurted out, the day's events hitting her at once. Suddenly she thought of her mother. Had Renee discovered she was missing yet? And poor Charlie...
"Maybe. Maybe not. Aro can be merciful." The door creaked open and Demetri dragged Bella into the room. She looked around, her mouth falling open.
She'd expected a dark and gloomy dungeon-esque area, but Aro's office was nothing of the sort. She realized they'd taken the elevator to the highest level of the tower. The walls along the outside had windows that spanned from ceiling to floor, flooding the room in the fading afternoon sunlight. The rest of the walls reminded her of a library, the shelves overflowing with books and trinkets. In the center of the room, there were several couches and plush armchairs staged around a wooden coffee table. Several feet away from the sitting area was a large desk that matched the dark wood stain of the table. And seated behind the desk was the vampire she immediately recognized from the painting she'd once seen in a different office. The memory seemed like it was years ago, even though it had only been months.
"Ah yes, Bianca did mention you were bringing a guest," Aro said, standing and dropping the newspaper he'd been reading. His voice was nothing like Bella expected; it was warm and almost put her at ease. Almost.
"Aro, this is Bella." Demetri finally released her wrist. Aro stepped around the desk and moved toward them. Bella tried to step backwards, but Demetri had shifted his hand to the small of her back, forcing her to stay in place.
"Bella! It is nice to meet you. Come, sit with me." Aro took a seat in one of the armchairs and gestured to the other seats. When she didn't move, Demetri took hold of her forearm and dragged her to a couch, pushing her down by her shoulder and sitting beside her.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Demetri reached across the table, holding a hand toward Aro. Bella watched curiously, as it didn't appear Aro was handing him anything. Aro just leaned back in his seat, waving his hand.
"Use your words, Demetri. I find myself losing patience these days, sorting through so much."
"Very well." Demetri brought his hand back. "She knows of our secret." Aro turned his attention to Bella.
"You know what we are?"
She nodded slowly, afraid to speak.
"I see."
"I heard her say our name. Volturi."
"If you know of us, surely you know our most important law? Keeping our kind hidden is of utmost importance."
She nodded again.
"And may I ask how it is that you came to know of our existence?"
A moment passed in silence, and then Bella shook her head 'no.'
"I haven't told anyone," she whispered finally.
"Be that as it may, I must still know who is breaking our laws."
"I don't want anyone to get in trouble."
Aro watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to Demetri.
"She was alone?"
Demetri nodded.
"I couldn't pick up any scents around her."
"Hmm." Aro leaned against the arm of the chair, placing his chin in his hand. The room remained silent for several minutes.
"Will you just get it over with?"
Aro raised his eyebrows, amused.
"Get what over with, exactly?"
"You're going to kill me."
"Perhaps. But not until I discover how you came to know our secret."
"Well, I'm not going to tell you."
Demetri hissed at her defiance. A slow grin spread across Aro's face.
"I think, my dear, that you're going to tell me anything that I want to know." He nodded once at Demetri who immediately grabbed Bella's arm at the elbow. He forced her arm out straight in front of her. Aro leaned across the table and took her hand in his own. She shivered at his cold touch and tried to swallow back her fear.
"Impossible," Aro whispered. His grip tightened around her whole hand, squeezing enough that Bella could feel her bones protesting. She whimpered, crying out at the first cracking sound. Finally, Aro released her.
She pulled her broken hand to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut. Aro stared at the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm terribly sorry," he murmured, the notes of awe in his face making him quiet. "I forget my own strength sometimes." He turned his attention to Demetri.
"You may leave us." Demetri nodded and left the room quickly, his movements a blur through Bella's watery gaze. He stood slowly and moved to take Demetri's seat next to Bella.
"Shhhh," he whispered, pushing her hair away from her face, tucking the strands behind her ear. He took her broken hand in his own once again, this time handling her much more gently. He turned her hand over carefully, looking over the contorted limb. The long sleeve of her loose sweater fell and his eyes narrowed in on the bright scar on her forearm.
"Your history with our kind is deep."
Bella remained silent aside from her sniffling.
"No need to leave another scar, I suppose."
She watched, eyes wide with horror as Aro pulled her arm to his mouth. His lips parted, his razor-sharp teeth pressed to the scar James had left her with. And then — pain.
Almost 1200 miles away, Alice was keeping herself busy and distracted by helping Esme decorate their new home in England. Her eyes glazed over and she dropped the ornate mirror she'd been hanging. The sound of glass shattering brought the rest of the family into the room quickly.
"Alice? Baby what is it?" Jasper asked, his voice tense with worry as he took in his tiny wife's horrified expression. He knew she wasn't in danger, but he shuffled her away from the mess of glass shards carefully anyway.
"It's Bella," she whispered.