In this chapter I managed to introduce characters and situations that will later be important, oh and I love the Elia-Demetri dynamic, I think they're cute. I thought I would finish this story before 2025, but my imagination is in charge and there's still a lot to happen, so I'll plan carefully. We'll probably have a chapter before the new year. Merry Christmas to everyone who follows this fanfic, thank you for your support. I'll be here for reviews and suggestions, and you can also look for me on AO3.

See you next week!

[Twilight characters belongs to Stephenie Meyer]

[English isn't my first language, so please be kind]

23

Jekyll & Hyde

It had been a while since Elia had prepared human food, and she wasn't even sure it was an activity she was good at, but as soon as she got to the kitchen, her hands moved on their own. Gianna's fridge was always stocked, but Elia rarely saw the human cook, so she didn't think she'd consider it too daring to make something warm for her to eat when she got home.

She had already separated the cheese and pepper and placed the paste in a cold frying pan when the cat appeared.

- There you are - Elia said when she saw the furball trotting across the tiles and climbing onto the counter - Gianna must have a stash of cat food too.

She tried not to make any noise so as not to attract Demetri, who was still upstairs. Elia had a feeling he would appear if he heard anything that sounded threatening or dangerous, which she found amusing.

- I hope we didn't scare you - Elia put the cat food in a bowl - I didn't realize how much time passed, you must be hungry.

The cat meowed as Elia spoke, probably because of hunger, but soon tried to eat when it had the chance, distracting Elia with its long whiskers and fluffy paws.

- Why hasn't Gianna come back yet? - Elia said to the cat who, of course, couldn't answer - Did she hear us?

The girl rhythmically tapped her fingers on the counter.

- Either way, she'll like having hot fresh food.

Elia turned her focus back to the paste and began to grate the cheese into fine pieces when Demetri finally appeared in the kitchen. At daylight, when they weren't curled up together, Elia noticed that his clothes were really worn out and had some holes in them. He wouldn't have gotten up from what was left of the wooden bed if Elia hadn't taken the initiative, so he took a shower while his clothes dried in the machine. Even so, he still looked like a dusty traveler.

- What are you doing? - Demetri asked, running to Elia's side when he saw her light the fire, as if she had chosen the stove to burn her to ashes.

- Cooking for Gianna - the girl answered - she said she would be away to visit a sick friend, but it's been two days, so I'm making her something to eat since she'll probably try to go back to the castle despite being tired.

- So you still know how to cook...

- It must be muscle memory - Elia nodded, melting the cheese in the pan - and an apology for destroying her guest room for the second time.

Elia looked away from him after saying those words, she couldn't look at Demetri's bright eyes or the smile on his face. The vampire rested his head on the girl's shoulder and kissed her neck, resting his arms on her waist.

Elia added the pepper and the pasta to the melted cheese. Her cat had already finished eating, but he ran back to the living room when Demetri tried to touch him. She was still wearing the black dress even though her heart no longer felt so heavy, she simply hadn't had time to return to the castle and change her clothes, nor did she want to get more things from Gianna.

- That doesn't mean we're together - Elia took a deep breath as she spoke, she knew the food must be delicious, but she didn't feel like eating at all.

She plated and covered the fresh food for Gianna, feeling proud. She wanted to see the human's reaction when she tasted it.

- I know - Demetri replied, still attached to her waist.

- Us being together means I broke up with Alec, and I haven't done that yet...

- Even if he imprisoned someone you loved?

- Yes, still...

Demetri nodded silently. Elia knew she was hurting him with those words, but she couldn't say it any other way that would make him give up arguing quickly. She turned to face him and Demetri immediately brought his lips to hers as if it wasn't the only thing he had done in the last two days. He simply wasn't tired of it and he knew he never would be tired even if he had to practically lift Elia every time so she could be comfortable due to her height.

The way Elia unbuttoned Demetri's shirt and explored the scars on his chest was almost involuntary, and the tracker had her backed against the wall opposite the counter almost at the same time.

- If we start again, we won't stop...

- That's the idea - a smirk appeared on the corner of Demetri's lips, but when he leaned in to kiss the girl again, she stopped him.

- If I stay here any longer, Jane will come after me.

The mention of the small and dangerous guardian of his beloved made Demetri sigh. Elia raised her hands, and Demetri then released her and quickly buttoned his clothes.

- That was our last kiss - Elia said, pulling down her dress.

- For now - Demetri replied, sitting on the counter with a sullen face - If Jane was taking care of you, why isn't she here?

- She had a mess to clean up - Elia sighed - so she left me to watch over Marcus before I came here.

Demetri rubbed his eyes, the whole situation stressed him more than hunting nomads.

- Master Marcus is a kind man, but don't get too attached to him, please.

- Why not? - Elia turned her attention to the dirty dishes and began cleaning while Demetri watched her - He said I can meet Lady Athenodora, I like to listen to her when she plays, I like to hear the music echoing through the castle halls.

Demetri sighed loudly, despite his worn state, he still looked good in those clothes. He approached Elia with his hands in his pockets.

- Be careful not to absorb too much of his feelings, the sadness, the emptiness... - Demetri didn't want to use such cold words to describe Marcus, but it was inevitable - Because he reminds me of you, of you before... And after what happened I'm afraid that...

The vampire didn't continue, so Elia splashed some water on him. Demetri knew she was just trying to avoid the subject, but he still smiled back at her.

- I was impatient to ask you the question, when you came back, if you knew about him or not, I couldn't control myself, that's all - Elia had almost finished washing the dishes now - I'm not thinking about dying again.

The vampire tried to get closer, but Elia hit him with water again.

- You know, you decided on your own that we should stay apart, but that's impossible, my heart is already yours.

- Then leave it with me and go now - Elia sighed - I didn't know two days could pass so quickly.

Demetri nodded. He was more cautious this time, approaching only to kiss her shoulder. If he wanted to meet the deadline Aro gave him he would have to leave now, as he would have cover in the tunnels of Volterra.

- I'll wait for your decision, but until then I'll only be able to think about the last two nights.

- I can't hear you - Elia joked.

She pretended not to pay any more attention to Demetri so as not to encourage him to stay, and it still took a few minutes before the vampire finally left. Finding herself alone again, Elia went to the living room and picked up the journal that Claudio had left for her, a detail she hadn't told Demetri, and went back to reading.

XXXXX

Alec was bored, as the excitement of the mission had already passed after the enemies were defeated. His gift wasn't very useful with prisoners, Jane would have had more fun with Caius in the fake interrogations, so Alec just watched everything with a bored expression until Caius started burning the bodies.

Even so, Alec preferred boredom to having to stand guard for the illustrious visitor who had arrived.

Minos kept walking around the hideout of the ancient Romanian clan, and he held a cardboard box where he would put everything he found interesting, such as books, notes and scrolls. Unlike the members of the Volturi, who soon filled their pockets with precious stones and bracelets, Minos only seemed to be in search of knowledge.

He hadn't changed at all, he was still the same tall, pale vampire who had scared him and Jane in their early years with the Volturi, but Alec had hoped that he had evolved a little along with the human race. Which seemed not to have happened.

- This is good, very good - Minos would mutter when he found an interesting text, then he would throw the book or journal into the cardboard box and start walking again.

Alec didn't know where Minos was from, what country, what land, only that he was strangely different and seemed to know everything about anything. He was the opposite of Carlisle, a doctor yes, but as curious as Aro, a very dangerous trait for some people. Alec followed him slowly, and even when he lost sight of Minos he soon found him because of his long, sandy hair or his centuries-old clothes with puffed sleeves.

Sometimes, Alec would take advantage of the fact that he was distracted to lose sight of him on purpose, but this time he actually had to look at his phone to text Jane. Alec wanted news of Elia, since it had been a while since they had spoken, and he noticed that even Jane had stopped asking for updates on the mission. It was as if the two had made a pact of silence and Alec was starting to suspect that something had happened.

- You seem worried - he heard Minos say - why?

- Nothing important - Alec answered quickly - just go back to rummaging through the books.

- Aro told me that you chose Stefan's favorite ring to give as a gift to someone - Minos laughed as he quickly turned the pages of a book with his long nails - so you finally got caught, my condolences.

- I am the one who gives you my condolences for still serving Aro even though you have feelings for Sulpicia.

Minos closed the book and gave Alec a condescending smile, who returned the gesture. They had been playing this game for a long time.

- So, your girl, is she the one I should take care of this time?

- She's not like Jane and me, you'll probably just waste your time.

- Oh, so she's not a witch?

Alec rolled his eyes. He had to remind himself every five minutes that he wasn't allowed to kill Minos.

- She doesn't have a gift, yes, she was just transformed after losing her memory.

Minos dropped the box, which made a loud noise when it hit the floor.

- She lost her memory? - the pale vampire looked like he had seen a ghost - Aro didn't tell me that... How long ago? Has she already completed a year as a vampire?

- She's still a newborn - Alec replied, finding Minos' interest strange, although he had already seen him get too excited about mundane matters - what does it matter?

- I have a theory, but I haven't been able to prove it yet, about our poison and our gifts... - Minos' fingers moved like small snakes - A newborn with no memory was exactly what I needed right now.

The older vampire picked up the box he had dropped, but his eyes were still fixed on the stone floor, as if Minos was thinking about several things at once.

- In any case, I forbid you from hurting her or trying anything that would push her to the limit.

- But then how can I do my experiments? - Minos looked outraged.

- You will be gentle and kind with her - Alec gave the command - or I will kill you.

Minos sighed, and for a moment Alec thought he had beaten him.

- Gentle and kind - the pale figure said - like when you locked her boyfriend in a cell? Or when you were plotting to kidnap her and turn her...

- Shut up.

- Or like when you still had time to taste her blood when you found her after the newborn attack?

Alec kicked Minos, who didn't dodge. He heard a small cracking sound coming from the vampire's legs, who fell to his knees still holding the box.

- Sometimes I forget that Aro tells you things, but you better treat Elia well or I won't mind cracking your head open.

The phone was what saved the vampire doctor, as a text from Jane had just arrived, prompting Alec to head to the room furthest away from him.