Everything You Are

I was about to head back to my room when a voice called out “So you didn’t run away?” I recognized the voice a tingle ran down my spine, I wasn’t sure why his voice had caused that reaction of me, but I didn’t like it. “Did you assume I would try? It would have been easy to figure out where I would have gone and even if I hadn’t gone there Demetri would have tracked me down within a day.” I heard his footsteps sound on the floor as he walked out of a corner and stopped just behind me, we were almost touching. “You realize that hunting animals is only prolonging the inevitable, they’re not your natural food source.” I huffed “It’d like to keep as much of my humanity as I can.” He seemed to not have a come back for that one because he said “You coming here as well, is only prolonging the inevitable. Your family will screw up again eventually and we’ll be there to destroy them. That time, you won’t be there to save them.” I could hear the arrogance in his voice. I smirked “What makes you think we don’t already have a plan and a way to defeat you.” He chuckled; tingles ran down my spine again. He could not be having this effect on me, why only now? “My sister may not see it but I do. Aro would not have gone through all this trouble and plotting to get you into the guard just because of your ability. There’s something else about you, something different,” He bent down slightly so he could whisper in my ear. “-and I intend to find out what it is.”

His breath, which would have been icy cold to a human felt hot to me. I turned slightly, as a reaction, and caught his eyes. His blood red eyes, the images of the people whose lives he had helped take. They didn’t even know what happened, one minute they were alive the next they were dead. I blinked; he was just like his sister, just as much of a killer as she was. I had to give it to him; he was beautiful, stunningly beautiful. He smirked, not just a normal smirk but the ‘I know you want me, but babe you’re going to have to wait in line.’ Smirk, I officially didn’t like Alec “Nice to finally meet you, Stella.” Then he walked down the corridor and out of sight. I was dumbfounded; I opened my mouth and closed it several times unable to speak properly. He got close to me and I completely crumbled! I was pathetic! I vowed to myself that I would not let him get to me again.

I walked swiftly down the halls to my room only to find I had another visitor. This vampire was blonde, and I didn’t recognize him, he must be a newer member. He was leaning against my door, not allowing me to get inside so I stopped in front of him and waited. “Hello Stella, it’s nice to finally meet you in person.” I recognized him as soon as he spoke. He was the voice in my head when I decided to join the Volturi for my family’s sake. “So you’re the telepath.” I stated, he nodded, I knew he was a young vampire so I didn’t hesitate to make eye contact with him, he couldn’t have done that many bad things in such a short time. I was right he was practically a clean slate; I smiled slightly, finally someone who isn’t a cold hearted killer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A month had passed since I joined the Volturi and things were fine now, the young vampire’s name I found to be Alrick, now he was my best friend. He was almost in the same boat as me, we were both the new guys, the under dogs, but people respected him a lot more than me because:

1. He wasn’t a vegetarian.
2. He was younger, he could be easily manipulated and sculpted to do evil (not like I was going to let that happen.).
3. He hadn’t threatened and fought against the Volturi’s control.

Needless to say I was still hated by most; I had made eye contact with all of the guard members and elders so I didn’t have to look at the ground every time I walked somewhere. Things had kind of fallen into a routine, we would get up, get dressed and go to the morning meetings usually just humans coming in and telling Aro how things were going with finances, blood supplies, tourism in the city, trades, etc. Some vampires came in with requests, none came in that were in trouble yet.

I had just finished getting dressed for the day, when there was a knock at my door. I knew it was Alrick; he was the only one that knocked on my door let alone paid me any attention. I quickly threw on my cloak; we had to wear them at meetings as a formality type thing. I swept my hair into a ponytail, nothing important was happening today and I was feeling a bit lazy. Alrick greeted me at the door; he wore his usual choice in clothing a zip up hoodie with a black shirt underneath it, everyone seemed to have a look that they usually stuck with, I was the only one that switched things up a bit every now and then. We said our usual greetings and headed to the throne room. Once there we sat in the four chairs off to the right side of the podium that Aro, Cauis and Marcus sat their thrones one. The seats showed the hierarchy. First and closest to the elders were Jane, then Alec, then Alrick and last me.

Alrick and I chatted waiting for the elders to get here “So, do you think today will be any different?” asked Alrick. I shrugged, “Probably not, it seems that rarely do things happen here that are exciting.” I answered. Alrick shrugged “Could just mean that we’re doing our jobs correctly.” I scoffed silently “Or we could have just killed off all the others by now, excluding my family of course.” He just chuckled and shook his head at my open insults of the Volturi. Then the elders walked in with the two wives and took their seats.

I tuned it all out, it was the usual, a bunch of old men came in and droned on and on about whatever specialty they were looking after. That was until about four ravaging newborns were brought in. They were in chains of course, to control and restrain them. Felix, whom I just now noticed was absent today, dragged them in. I watched them closely, as soon as they saw Aro, Cauis and Marcus they seemed to not be as savage and on a rampage as before. It could have been just the imposing power the Elders could put off sometimes, but I didn’t think that was it this time.

Aro frowned when he saw them, “So these are what have been causing the killing spree in Rome Felix?” He asked, Felix nodded “Seems so, picked them up right as they made a fresh kill. I apprehended them and took the kill for myself of course.” He grinned a bit. Aro shook his head and chuckled “Felix, Felix, Felix, always so greedy. Come. Bring them forward.” He waved his hand. Felix did as he was told. The newborns were forced to kneel at Aro’s feet; he looked at them for a long moment then touched the strongest on his head. Aro then stepped back looking puzzled “One of them is a shield, and can use their power efficiently enough to block all the others minds from me as well…” The newborns shifted in behavior again, they crouched lower in their kneeling positions as if waiting for something. I glanced at Alrick, Alec and Jane who were just now starting to see the strange behavior of the newborns. Then, when I looked back at them I caught the blood red eyes of the strongest and images flashed in my head, not necessarily images but words in red. “When Aro finds out one of you is a shield wait exactly one minute and strike to kill.”

I blinked and tried to remember how long ago he had made the realization. A minute was just about up, I watched the feet of the newborns angle forward the slightest bit, they were really going to attack him, and a minute was almost up. 5….4….3….2….1! I had to act fast, with Aro in such close proximity to the newborns it wouldn’t take long for them to get to him, surround him and he was a goner for sure. The leader moved first tilted forward in a split second, in the time it would take the rest of them to realize what was going on I was already half way there. I thanked the heavens I was just as fast as Edward; if I was any slower I wouldn’t make it in time. The strongest one’s foot had barely left the ground when I caught up to him. I remembered what Jasper taught us when we were preparing to fight Victoria’s newborn army. Don’t let them catch you, corner you or sink their teeth into you.

One correctly placed kick was all it took to send him flying into the stone walls of the throne room. Alrick was there seconds after me getting Aro out of harms way. Jane used her powers to subdue the rest of the newborns in convulsing pain and Alec’s mist quickly cut off all their senses as they lay still on the ground. There was a minute of dead, almost deafening silence in the throne room then all of the Volturi descended on their elder who had just had an attempted assassination pulled on him. I stood off to the side of the huddle around him though. This just didn’t make an sense, I did bring the one that I had kicked back over with the others, dragging him as if I were a five year old dragging her overly sized teddy bear with her, by one arm.

My mind was racing as I tried to figure out what or rather who had made these newborns this way. I only then began to notice the utter silence and the stares that were directed towards me. I questioningly looked at the huddle around Aro to see all of them staring at me. I raise my eyebrows curiously “Can I… help you?” I ask cautiously. This is followed with more silence and then sudden clapping as Aro emerges from the huddle clapping and grinning from ear to ear. “Wonderful, Stella dear one, absolutely wonderful! You finally show us your true strength and power!” he shouted with glee. Jane simply glared at me “Aro, how can you be congratulating her? She was the first to react out of all of us. She has to have been in on this plot to kill you!” She shouted enraged. Aro simply waved her off, “Nonsense, Jane, dear one. Stella was the Cullen’s best strategist and analyst; she is also just as fast if not faster then Edward and packs just a little less punch than Emmett. I didn’t pick her to be in the Volturi solely because of her gift. Now, Stella come here I want to see what you saw of their lives.” I hesitate but approach Aro as he places his hand on my head.

His hand dropped shortly after. “You noticed something was wrong as soon as they walked through the door and they knew me by name as well, what do you make of it dear one?” he asked, grinning still. I thought for a moment, but then spoke thinking aloud, “They knew you by name so there is another vampire pulling the strings in the background. It was only them that I saw so I don’t think there are anymore newborns running around at this moment. It was strange how they never knew who was giving the orders almost as if they were raised to obey this one command or it could have just been that they were hand picked because as humans they didn’t ask questions and did what they were told. The fact that they never saw their leaders face tells me he knew this wasn’t going to work almost as if it were a message to say ‘Look out, we’re gunning for you.’…” I looked back up at Aro questioningly to see if he followed all of that. He nodded “And what actions do you suggest should be taken.” I think for a moment more and then reply “Security obviously needs to be amplified. I suggest having at least one guard close at all times, even inside the castle, and not just you Aro but Cauis, Marcus and the wives as well. It’s horrible but a possibility that they may try to get to you by putting one of them in danger to lure you out. Any deaths or strange occurrences that seem like they might be vampire related should be investigated, close contact should be kept with all those sent out and I suggest some sort of buddy system in case it is indeed something serious.” I ramble off all the things I think should be done, trying to see it from all angles.

Aro nods “This is why the Cullen family has outsmarted us on many occasions. Your suggestions sound like good ideas, Stella dear one and they will be put into action immediately. Now everyone is dismissed, Marcus, Cauis and I will work out this ‘buddy system’ and you will be notified shortly of these new procedures that will be taking place. Oh, and on your way out will someone please dispose of the trash?” With that he waved us off and the newborns were killed.

I was the first to leave the throne room; I had just saved Aro’s life. Just SAVED his life! I also revealed my true strength everything would be out in the open now! I would not be taken lightly anymore, one step out of line and everyone would be itching to have me killed. I rushed to my room, closed the door, locked it and quickly took off my cloak and took off my plaid over shirt. With movement I took my hair down from its ponytail so it fell over my shoulders. I was a bit of a mess right now, my guard was completely down.

Stella’s Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/stella_cullen_meeting_day/set?id=14262381