Stay

Oh Now, Tell Me Now, Tell Me Now, Tell Me Now You Know

"Vera?" A knock echoed throughout the silence of my room, a knife slicing the air so suddenly and quickly I nearly jumped off my bed. The door opened without my permission, and Caius stepped through the archway. His face expressed concern, like that of a father's. I guess he knew I've been in here for a few hours without anything happening. Ever since Aro told me what he saw, vaguely, about my gift, I don't know what to think or act like. Should I embrace my gift, or shy away from it when I accidentally utilize it?

Funnily enough, I was kinda sorta maybe expecting Alec to talk to me again. Only Jane and Demetri have made conversation and shown concern for me in the past week or so. I don't know what I've done to make Felix shy away from me, and Alec...well he acts as if I'm invisible. I wish he'd notice me, like how he was so surprised that I said none of his past was his fault.

Honestly, Caius was the last person I thought would ever show any solicitude, sympathy, or concern for me. Actually, the fatherly concern was warm and gently, genuine. It suited him quite well, too. It almost seemed natural, the slight upwards curl of his lips, the concern dancing in his eyes like a waltz, slow by consistent. It made me wonder if Caius had children when he was a mortal. Perhaps he did.

"You've been in here for a long time. Maybe you should come outside and see everyone else," Caius suggests.

"Like they care," I scoff.

"What are you talking about? Everyone here adores you! Jane and Demetri check on you every few minutes and Aro constantly talks about you!" Caius exclaims, his eyes wide and his mouth open, as if he's genuinely shocked that I'd think someone within the Volturi doesn't like me.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but not everyone likes me all that much. Felix hasn't talked to me in a while, Alec's been avoiding me, and Chelsea and Afton and Renata keep talking about how annoying I am and how you guys plan to kill me instead of turning me tomorrow, and..." I ramble, gasping when I realize I told Caius about Chelsea, Renata, and Afton teasing me.

“They said what about you?” Caius narrows his red eyes.

“Oh, um, nothing. See, it’s actually a funny story-” I hesitate. Caius sighs, and immediately I know he’s going to talk to Aro and Marcus about the three.

“Let’s talk about that later. How about I send in Jane and Demetri? You seem like you need to talk to them,” Caius suggests, standing from the bed. I shrug and nod. I know the vampire won’t take no for an answer; he’d send Jane and Demetri in regardless. “I’ll see you later.” Caius leaves with a sad smile on his face and leaves the door slightly ajar.

I sit on my bed, thinking about what to do. I could go to the library and read more books, sleep, go to the kitchen to eat some food, or wander about. I wanted to go to the library, but in order to do so, I’d have to pass the Throne Room, which Aro would want to talk to me about tomorrow. Who’s going to bite me, what’s going to happen, blah blah blah. I just want a book. If I finish talking with Aro, then I could go and get a book. This time though, I’m getting a huge stack so I can read whenever and not have to speak to the Volturi.

Screw it.

I walk out my door and stalk through various corridors and eventually reach the Throne Room doors. Here goes nothing. One of the Volturi guards opens the doors, and I walk in, my head ducked and not looking at them. Maybe if I don’t look at them, they won’t notice me.

As if.

About three steps into the Throne Room, Aro’s voice breaks the silence. “Vera. I’ve been meaning to speak with you.” I cringe, not ready to talk. I just want a book. I turn to him anyway and find Caius not at his throne, while Marcus and Aro sit in theirs. Renata, Jane, Alec, Chelsea, Demetri, and Felix stand around the room.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“Yep. You’re going to be changed tomorrow, and I’d like to talk about it,” Aro starts. “The transformation will take up to three days, but since you’re so short-”

“I’m funsized!” I sass him, and Demetri’s lips stretch into a smile.

“Anyways, since you’re so short, it will be less than that. It’s painful,” Aro states. “However, I’m very intrigued by your gift.” With that, he holds out his porcelain hand, and hesitantly, I give him my hand. Aro stares at me for a good few seconds before releasing my hand.

“Aro, stop it. You know what it is,” Marcus complains. I furrow my eyebrows and look quizzically at the vampire.

“I know, but I’m not sure,” Aro answers his friend. “Jane, come here.”

Jane walks over from the door that leads to the library to the thrones, where Aro is. She stands next to the brunet vampire, while Aro stares at me.

“Inflict pain on Vera,” Marcus commands, and Jane nods. She looks at me with a conflicted face.

“Sorry,” Jane gets her pain-infliction started, but what I didn’t know was that instead of me falling to the ground in pain, Jane did. Apparently she didn’t know either, as she cried out and immediately stopped the pain.

“I told you, Aro,” Marcus comments as Jane shakes on the ground. I look confused, and I feel it too. The pain was meant for me.

“So, that’s your gift! You can manipulate others’ gifts and inflict on themselves. Granted, once you become a vampire it’ll be easier to control and you can probably do more with it,” Aro claps his hands together.

“Okay,” I trail off. Behind Aro, I spot Renata. She looks at me nervously, almost as if she knows that I told Caius about her and Chelsea and Afton’s actions. I didn’t intend to tell anyone, especially someone with power in the Volturi, like Caius.

“You may leave,” Aro instructs, and I nod, speed-walking out of the Throne Room. Once the heavy doors close behind me and I am alone in the hallway, I sprint to the library. I slam the doors shut behind me, and wander around the library.

The library is one of the biggest libraries I’ve ever seen. It’s four floors, one floor is downstairs and two are above me. The first floor has books in Latin and ancient parchments I’m afraid I’ll end up crushing, the second floor has books in English, the third floor has books in English and translations of various languages, and the top floor is history of the vampires and other creatures. I like the third floor, mainly because the couches are really comfortable and I can relax peacefully, as nobody goes on the third or fourth floors other than me. The walls are all the same of the Castle.

I don’t leave the library until nearly midnight that night.