SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW ➻ DEMETRI VOLTURI

V E N T I S E I

"Whatever it is to make you sleep better at night," Emmett said. "If that's what you've done."

Scrunching up her nose in disgust, she turned to look at Emmett so fast that the muscles in her neck strained. Just in time to see Rose and Bella smack him across the head. Cecilia only shook her head. "You're a true piece of filth."

Opening the doors to Demetri's chamber, she allowed her family to go first before following quietly after them. She immediately walked to the desk, where she flipped to an empty page of her notebook. "As you can see, I've got a huge bed specially for me, because I actually sleep at night, unlike others here," Cecilia said, putting a lot of emphasis on certain words. While talking, she wrote some words down. She grabbed the notebook, holding it up so that her family could see it, while she continued with her story. "And I have a great view of the gardens when I make my homework. Look Rose, I still have your pen."

When she said the word pen, she tapped on the only name written on the paper. She watched the eyes of her family grow bigger and she closed her notebook shut again, effectively hiding the words THEY HAVE NIKOLAI.

"How did you get that pen?" Edward asked, his eyebrows furrowed in distress.

Cecilia shrugged. "Found it one day while playing hide and seek," she replied.

"You should tell Carlisle all about it when he gets here," Edward said.

Cecilia nodded, the matter disclosed at that point. She knew her family couldn't do anything about, not right away anyway, but she knew she had to tell them without actually telling them and she didn't know when she would have another chance.

"The masters would like to welcome all of you to Volterra once more," the sharp voice of Jane joined them suddenly. The petite vampire was standing in the doorway, looking every bit as threatening as the rumours surrounding her. She was wearing her full uniform, along with some black eyeliner which appeared to make her eyes all the more red.

"Of course, we'll follow you gladly," Edward said diplomatically. He was the one who took after her dad the most, especially with his skill for politeness.

Edward took the lead with Emmett in following Jane, followed by Nessie and Bella and with Rose and Cecilia closing their band. Cecilia couldn't help but be reminded of four weeks ago, when she'd walked in the biting snow, on her way to what she thought was going to be certain death. Now she was walking in a castle, soulmate to one of the Guard and surrounded once more by her family. Life had a funny way of spinning things, she realised.

"Have I told you I missed all of you?" Cecilia said, looking up at Rose. The blonde vampire was almost a head taller than her, and ten times as stunning.

"Only a couple of hundred times," Rose replied, chuckling. "We've missed you too, obviously."

Soon they arrived at the throne room, where only a couple of days earlier Cecilia had been forced to sentence a woman to death. As soon as the memories flooded her mind, she noticed Edward turn his head to look at her with an expression of disgust on her face. She knew it wasn't meant for her, but for the Volturi who'd forced her hand, but she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. It was easy to show to Edward, but she had absolutely no idea how she was supposed to tell the rest of the family, her mom and dad especially. She could already imagine their looks of horror and disgust, filling her with dread.

When the doors of the throne room opened, the first thing she heard was Aro's excited and childish squeal. She couldn't help but wonder if it was all an act to make him appear simple or whether he'd really lost his mind after all this time. It didn't matter, either way was horrible.

"Ah, Bella, immortality still looks good on you," Aro said immediately. Leave it to him to start showering everybody in compliments. "I'm so glad to see you, but it appears I miss a couple of people. Where's Carlisle and sweet Alice?"

Cecilia couldn't help but feel satisfied at the faintly discontent expression on Aro's face. It was barely noticeable, but if you knew where to look, like the way the corners of his mouth dropped ever so slightly, or how the muscles in his face tightened. He hadn't expected it.

"We're sorry that all of us couldn't visit at the same time," Edward said. Once again it was him who took the talking part for himself. Cecilia could only imagine how the conversation would go if it was Emmett who was left to do the chatter. She was sure that they would be at war within minutes. "But Carlisle still had some important surgeries planned in the coming three days, so he decided it would be appropriate to split all of us up. The rest will visit in three days' time."

"Oh well, it's no matter. I'm delighted to receive all of you," Aro said, the earlier discontent completely washed off his now happy face. He smiled brightly, a smile that sent shivers down the back of every Cullen and within a split second he was standing before Edward, holding out his hands impatiently. "May I?"

Cecilia watched Edward place his hand in Aro's and she fiercely prayed that Aro wouldn't come across the thing she'd just shown her family. If he would find out that she had not only been to the dungeons, twice at that, but also helping their prisoner and letting her family know, she knew she might be the one warming the cell next to Nikolai's.

After what seemed like an eternity, Aro finally let go of Edward's hand, not showing any signs of having found something peculiar. Cecilia resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah, the immortal child, you've grown a lot since we last saw you," Aro said, looking at Nessie with fascination. "Please, show me the miracle of your gift again."

Nessie placed her hand on Aro's cheek, something that left Bella with the ugliest frown on the world and Edward with a look of shrewdness. Cecilia couldn't blame them. If someone like Aro had a particular interest in her child, she would have been on edge as well.

"Wonderful," Aro breathed out, before taking a step back. He observed all of them, his smile never faltering. "How rude of me. Here I am, taking up your energy when all of you must be so tired from your journey. Please, allow Margery to show all of you to your rooms."

And so they did.