Don't Let Me Be Yours - Alec Volturi

4. The Twins

Italy was beautiful; at least, the bits I was able to see between the airport and Volterra. The Tuscan hills rolled gently as we drove past, a sight I'd never seen before. And to think people lived in that environment everyday. But, my family and I couldn't slow down to enjoy the view; the less time we spent in Europe on this occasion, the better. We had to get in, meet the King, and get out, quick and easy.

The Volterra castle didn't look like anyone lived there, much less like a grand event was taking place inside. It wasn't long, though, that I learned that a bulk of the activity took place below ground, far beneath the city. I had to admit, it was a creative solution; on the off chance that a human stumbled upon their home, well...there would be no way for them to make it back out - at least, not alive.

When we - everyone but Edward, Bella, and Renesmee, who stubbornly insisted on not attending - reached the perimeter of the castle walls, we were intercepted by a few Volturi guards, who led us into the castle through a hidden entrance and walked us through the winding corridors to the ballroom where the rest of the guests were already enjoying their evening at such an exclusive event. It was a bit tricky getting through the hidden door in my forest green velvet ball gown, but I managed with the help of one of the guards. I was unsettled by having to touch such a cold-hearted predator, even if they were being polite; I just could shake the thought of how ruthless the Volturi could be. The same hand that help me could just as easily be the one that takes my life if I wasn't careful.

The ballroom was vast and beautiful; it had glossy marble floors and was lined on both sides by large stone columns. Stunning chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire expanse of the room, which was full of party-goers. At the other end of the ballroom was a mezzanine, where I could see the King and Queen sitting upon their thrones, overlooking the party below.

Oddly enough, there was a mixture of human and vampire guests, which was creepy because even if they weren't aware that half of the party goers were vampires, they knew where their lair was, which was enough to seal their fate. It was a sad thought, but there was nothing I could do but hope the last night of their lives was the best they'd even had. Considering the gorgeous environment, the exclusivity of the event, and the amount of alcohol going around, it probably was.

"Well, here we go," I breathed.

"It'll be okay," Carlisle reassured me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"It'll be over before you know it," Esme added gently.

Carlisle and Esme's kind words made me feel marginally better, although gut wrenching anxiety still riddled my body. I reached up and doubled checked that my elegant updo was still solidly in place, which is was thanks to the sheer amount of hair spray Alice doused me with before we left for the event.

My coven dispersed, breaking off into couples, as Carlisle and Esme led me across the ballroom floor toward the mezzanine. It was best to pay our respects to the king immediately; plus, I hoped I'd be able to relax at least a little bit after getting the hardest part of the evening over with.

My feet felt like lead as I walked up the grand staircase that led up the the mezzanine, and my heart pounded in my chest. I was thankful that there were so many other humans in the room at least for that reason, their heartbeats drowned out mine, making my nerves a little less obvious. The stair spiralled upward in a semi-circle, and when we reached the top we entered the mezzanine from the right side, giving us a fair view of King Aro and Queen Sulpicia, his two brothers, Marcus and Caius, who were hanging back with a cluster of members of court, all of which were loitering around and chatting amongst themselves.

"Carlisle!" the King exclaim jovially, rising to his feet as soon as he took notice of our arrival. "I'm so glad you see you've come!"

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world," Carlisle replied with a cordial smile. Both men were acting as if they were pleased to see each other, but the tension in the air was thick.

"It seems that isn't the case for the entirety of your coven," Queen Sulpicia pointed out right away. She, on the other hand, did not get up to greet us. The veil over her distaste for us was poor.

"Edward and Bella felt it was best to keep Renesmee at home, close to the wolf pack," Carlisle explained. "I didn't want to interfere with how they govern their child."

"It's a shame to know they still assume the worst," Aro said with dismay as he stopped his advance several feet away from us. Everyone in the mezzanine had stopped what they were doing and were observing our conversation, openly listening in.

"Renesmee is a delicate component in their lives. I can't blame them for being over cautious," Carlisle volunteered.

"But this one isn't?" Sulpicia asked pointedly, giving me a vacant look. I think I would've preferred if she glared; her expression was haunting.

"Indy is more resilient than most," Esme said. "She doesn't need us, she chose us."

"I see," Aro mused, staring at me. Sulpicia turned away without further comment, her interest waning. "I was surprised to hear you had another member in your coven, Carlisle. You coven grows quickly," Aro said turning his attention back to Carlisle.

"I assure you, we're not seeking people out, Aro," Carlisle assured him. "This is by no means a competition."

"Of course not!" Aro exclaimed with a high pitched giggle. "I wouldn't dream it. It's just...curious. Just an idle thought, my old friend."

"I'm Indy," I said, extending my hand toward Aro. I felt lost in the conversation and figured it was best that I properly introduce myself before I got whisked away. I wanted to cover all of my bases while I had the opportunity. "I asked Carlisle to join his coven. I figured they'd be the one coven that wouldn't try to eat me," I added in a half-hearted attempt at being light-hearted. Thankfully, I got a laugh out of Aro.

"I'm sure the Denali wouldn't bite," Aro chuckled as he shook my hand. "But I cannot blame you for choosing Carlisle; he is a favorite of mine, as well."

"Oh. Cool," I replied. I'd used up all my wit and good humor. I didn't know what else to say.

"How is your sister coven, Carlisle?" Aro asked, relieving me of the burden of having to carry a conversation.

I drifted over to the edge of the mezzanine while the men continued to talk. I was curious to see Aro's children, Prince Alec and Princess Jane; from what I'd heard, the twins were some of the most powerful vampires in the world. I was curious to see the legends for myself. It didn't take much searching. The prince, a tall, dashing brunette, and the princess, a dainty blonde, were standing at the edge of the ballroom floor, surrounded by a gaggle of fans. Both humans and vampires alike mooned over the exquisite pair; they, on the other hand, seemed to absolute adore the attention and clout.

I wasn't one to judge another person's lifestyle, but between the grandeous living situation and the crowd of drooling admirers, I couldn't have been looking at people any less relatable; and, to my embarrassment, even I wasn't immune to their charming presance. Even from above, I found myself growing flustered by the prince, and the longer I stared at him, the worse it got. I'd always thought I wasn't shallow enough to be affected my status and class, but, unforuntaly, it seemed no one was immune to the royal twins.