Memories from the Past

Chapter Six

They ignored the doors at the end of the hall—doors entirely sheathed in gold—stopping halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the panelling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked. Alec held it open for Jane. Edward and Alice walked through while Demetri gently pushed me towards the door as well, being met by some resistance. Bloody hell. The slaughter bank. How lovely. It was the same ancient stone as the square, the alley, and the sewers. And it was dark and cold again. The stone antechamber was not large. It opened quickly into a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret... which was probably exactly what it was. Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were several massive wooden chairs, like thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls. In the very center of the circle, in a slight depression, was another drain. I wondered if they used it as an exit, like the hole in the street.
The room was not empty. A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversation. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the sienna walls.
"What in the bloody hell?" I mummed under my breath earning me small chuckle from the ladies as well as the company I came with.
The exquisite faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the creatures in the room were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts—things that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets below.
But the man who spoke first wore one of the long robes. It was pitch-black, and brushed against the floor. For a moment, I thought his long, jet-black hair was the hood of his cloak.
"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" he cried in evident delight. His voice was just a soft sighing. He drifted forward, and the movement flowed with such surreal grace that I gawked, my mouth hanging open. I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face. It was not like the unnaturally attractive faces that surrounded him (for he did not approach us alone; the entire group converged around him, some following, and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards). I couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not. I suppose the features were perfect. But he was as different from the others beside him as they were from me. His skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicate—it stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the colour was clouded, milky; I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze.
He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her cheek, and then floated back a step.
"Yes, Master." Jane smiled; the expression made her look like an angelic child. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."
"Ah, Jane." He smiled, too. "You are such a comfort to me." He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightened—became ecstatic. This most defiantly was the cult leader. Couldn't miss.
"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers and sister about our company. And be sure to locate my dear mate as well. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."
"Yes, Master." Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come.
"So this must be her, no?" Aro said as his eyes landed on my small frame. I had wrapped my arms slightly around me.
"We are sure she is, Aro. Alice can prove it to you." Edward said making Aro chuckle.
"Very well. May I see it dear?" he said as he held out his hand to Alice. Alice took her glove off and placed her hand into his waiting one. Aro's eyes seemed to glace over, as if nog longer in the room. A soft laugh escaped his lips and he clapped his hands.
"How remarkable! She seems to be her indeed. But let's wait for my dear brother and sister to confirm this." He said as he took a few steps back, examining me closer for a few more minutes.
Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us. I was the slowest to turn. Felix was back, and behind him floated four more black-robed creatures, two men and two women. All four looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hair—the same shade as his face—that brushed against his shoulders.
The two blonde ones, one male and one female, held hands as if they were lovers. The woman with messy dark hair made her way towards Aro, her red eyes lighting up by the sight of him. She rushed towards him, too fast for my eyes to process and pressed her for head against his. Aro's eyes softened and he held her close, murmuring what seemed to be sweet nothings into her ear. It was so intimate that I seemed very out of place looking at them, so I turned my glance towards the two blonde vampires. The male had taken a seat on the most right throne and the woman had taken a seat on his lap, both looking at me with an intense look of curiosity. Once I met both their eyes their glares seem to melt on the spot. The man was about to stand up but the woman placed a loving hand on his chest, whispering something in his ear. The man almost seemed in pain but complied and sat back down. They were absolutely beautiful and a pull within me wanted me to take a step closer towards them. But why? I had no clue.