Volterra

Chapter One

I slipped into the network of alleys behind the shops of Main Street. I tugged a newspaper out of the trash and looked at the date. Today was my thirteenth birthday, but no one cared. I closed the flaps of my silk pea coat against the cold air and began to hum a tuneless version of "Happy Birthday." The notes echoed eerily in the narrow pathway.

         "Happy birthday to me." I muttered, finishing the song out loud, and threw the paper over my shoulder. My wealthy parents were out of town and this was the second night in row the cook had beaten me. The cook was a thick man with broad shoulders and a face that belong in the military. He would tie me up and whip me brutally with his leather meat scraper. My perfect teeth ground together at the thought. This was also the second night in a row I had met secretly with Alec Volt. I smiled and my fingers tingled. Alec had many siblings but they were all foster children, taken up by a man named Aro and his brothers, Caius and Marcus - there was Jane, Alec's real sister, twin actually, she had blonde hair and a slightly upturned nose; Felix, a monster of a man, with a look like cook but had a tangle of black hair; Demitri, smaller than Felix but just as frightening with a shock of red hair. Everyone had pale skin and red eyes, and voices so sweet and velvety they could convince Dracula into a vegetarian . . .and they all were breathtakingly beautiful. I didn't know if I should be worried about the eyes but Alec had assured me that it was a kind of disease that was not contagious. Aro, Caius, and Marcus all looked generally the same, long hair, pale papery skin, their eyes were red, but they looked dusty, or glazed over, Aro and Marcus both had black hair and Caius white. I turned a corner and stepped into the street. I heard the honking of a truck and turned to face the left. There was nothing there so I whipped my head around to the other side, straight into the front of a garbage truck. There wasn't even time to blink. I dropped to the ground but the rim still crushed and snapped my ribs. The truck passed over me without stopping; I wish I could've seen the drivers face. My body began to jerk at random and my breath escaped my frozen lips in rapid bursts. I only had so long to live and Alec's face found it's way into my mind. I began to hallucinate. I saw Felix and Demitri appear in the street and turn away from me. Then came Alec and Jane. Alec glanced over his shoulder at me and his perfect red eyes widened. He touched Jane and murmured something I could barely hear. It sounded strangely like "Let's change her, Jane, while she is still within our reach." My confused brain snapped and I screamed in pain. Demitri and Felix whipped around and Alec appeared at my side, his fingers running over my forehead.

         "What is it love?" He cooed. "Felix, come here." His voice turning abruptly businesslike. Felix flew over and picked me up like a doll. I ground my teeth together and tried to keep from screaming again. Alec touched my chest and turned to Jane.

         "Her ribs are snapped and her spine partially crushed, but the venom will fix that. Shall we do it here or take her to Aro first, she might have some talent." Venom?

         "Who are-" My question was interrupted by a convulsion in my throat. A spout of blood bubbled out of my lips and ran down my chin.

         "Felix! No!" Alec snapped and took me himself. I didn't know how he held me, he was a year older than me but he and I were slim and he had no muscle that I could see. I turned painfully to look up at Alec. His eyes were tight as he held me away from Felix and Demitri. He looked at Jane.

         "I couldn't care less what happened to the human." Jane waved a hand dismissively in harmony with her words and the tone of her silky sweet voice. "But I believe we should take her to Aro, what with the present company." She looked meaningly at Felix and Demitri and I followed her gaze. The men were staring hungrily at me and a tremor ran down my mauled spine.         

         "Let us go then." Alec took a step and began to run. At first it was like normal running, then it seemed as if we were flying. I glanced down with some difficulty and saw that Alec was indeed running, but he was running at an impossible pace. My mother's words came rushing back to me, nothing is impossible, and that’s why I had you. I had been born by a separate sperm for an experiment that was said to kill the mother and the sperm. She said she would take the chance because she was unable to have children on her on and said she had nothing left to live for. The experiment was somewhat successful. Only my mother died, and it was two years later that death crept up on the twenty-six year old woman. I had no idea who my father was and it didn't matter. Alec jostled slightly and I groaned in pain.

         "Oh Alec, oh it hurts." My body jerked again as to punctuate my words and Alec stopped. We were in the middle of a plaza, but it was empty. I wondered vaguely what time it was. I looked around with only my eyes and saw the huge clock tower. Deep throngs filled the air, three times; it was three o'clock in the morning. It was then when I realized where we were. My Aunt had told me stories of the magical city, filled with guards and tourists. Volterra.

         "Alec," I managed to choke out, "who are you? What are you?" My throat closed and I could say no more. He smiled down at me, lying limp in his arms.

         "We are, my dear one, vampires." And my world went dark.