Vices and Venom (Twilight Fan Fiction)

Chapter Nine: Meeting of the Minds

We were in a brightly lit, unremarkable hallway. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling There was more space here, for which I was grateful. This hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers. Edward didn't seem to agree with my assessment. I saw the figure at the end of the hallway, but I didn't make a move toward him. Edward glowered darkly down the long hallway, toward the slight, black shrouded figure at the end, standing by an elevator. He pulled me along, and Alice walked on my other side. The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home.

Jane waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic. Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders. Felix and Demetri were both of a slightly olive complexion. Felix's black hair was cropped short, but Demetri's waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript. I stood tall next to Edward and Alice, waiting for the next step in this process. His hand still rubbed against my arm. He never took his eyes off Jane and I understood why.

The elevator ride was short; we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The flowers' smell reminded me of a funeral home. In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I was surprised to see the human behind the desk. She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She would have been very pretty in any other company—but not here. I saw in her mind that she wanted to be like them. That perhaps if she stayed in their good graces, they would turn her one day. I wanted to tell her that was unlikely, she was common and wouldn't serve them, but to do so would kill her. The woman would either turn into a vampire one day or die here. They wouldn't allow a human to leave knowing about their existence.

"Good afternoon, Jane," she said. There was no surprise on her face as she glanced at Jane's company. Not Edward, his bare chest glinting dimly in the white lights. Jane nodded. "Gianna.

She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed. As Felix passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled. On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception. The pale boy in the pearl gray suit could have been Jane's twin. Alec. His hair was darker, and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely. He came forward to meet us. He smiled, reaching for her. "Jane."

"Alec," she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides. Then he looked at us.

"They send you out for one and you come back with two... and three," he noted, looking at me. He studied my eyes and my complexion for a moment.

"Nice work."

She laughed—the sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing.

"Welcome back, Edward," Alec greeted him.

"You seem in a better mood."

"Marginally," Edward agreed in a flat voice.

I glanced at Edward's hard face and wondered how his mood could have been darker before. Alec chuckled and examined me like a lab rat. "And this is the cause of all the trouble?" he asked, his gaze lingering on my body.