My mouth was open.
Aro stood in the setting sun, in the snow, glowing. His skin that was exposed fluttered like a cubic zirconium ring that was caught at different angles.
"This is why we keep hidden. My kind is impervious to sunlight but if we entered the light like this; man would know we were supernatural."
"Why?"
Why was he showing me this? It felt intimate almost. He looked disgusted.
"Imagine such a horrible monster and no-one will appreciate it. When I had a meal....a victim, she called me an angel; another thought I was the fairy godmother from Cinderella. "
I chortled. He too laughed.
"This really isn't a dream." I felt hollow and tired.
"I hate you," I said.
Aro sighed.
"I know."
He was speaking of my fate the more time I spent time here, with him, in the darkness. The more secrets he pumped into me the more high I could get.
"What am I supposed to do?" I said to myself.
Aro walked slowly to me. No crunching sound made. I only knew he was getting closer because of the shoe prints heading closer and his jaw becoming broader and the glow from the sun dimming.
"You are right to feel cheated. I am selfish but I never lied about how I want you. And I would do anything to make you gratified....to make this easier to stomach."
Aro in the sun looked like hope, an angel made to save you from yourself but when he returned from the sun I could see his blackened wings and the death he promised for the perennial riches he offered.
"Why me?"
"You always doubt yourself, because of your skin colour but you are beautiful like any other woman. You also are gifted and that is how destiny guided you to me.
Vampires naturally are attracted to special humans. I know you feared telling Marcus but you always had dreams of things that never happened. Then you powerlessly watched them occur.
But I can help you harness that power. I know you better than yourself.
Once you do harness these supernatural abilities your destiny will align. Just choose me."
"Why would I choose you when there's Marcus?"
"Marcus left you the first chance he could. I offered him freedom for you."
I glared at Aro. He was lying.
"At least he loves me. You literally just told me you only like me because I have visions and I'm pretty."
"You misunderstood me. Those are my reasons as to why a vampire like me could be interested in you.
I also like your devotion to your loved ones; your willingness to see good in evil and your wits.
I believe time is all we need."
"No matter how much time passes I will never, ever be able to sympathise with someone like you.”
Aro surprised me by keeping his composure.
“We shall have to see. Come, the night awaits us, Makayla. ”
We walked down the corridors together and there were always pale, robed figures with curious, sometimes condescending ruby eyes.
“You told me you liked horses and I think you have had little opportunity to ride one.
I thought why not indulge you?
Then I have booked a seafood restaurant for you in the next city.”
I watched Aro. He had his head up and his shoulders were relaxed. My body was not as coiled, as usual. But my eyes flickered back and forth still...
We went to Marcus' room for me to change.
We met the local in the dark streets lit by street lamps. She was tall and skinny. She wore a black helmet and a brown parker.
She rode on a dark brown horse. It was massive. On her left was a polizia badge.
Still wounded from my last harrowing experience with them I immediately mistrusted her. We greeted one another.
She looked young, in her early thirties. Blonde with smart brown eyes.
She smiled and it felt like I was being passed some hot cocoa.
“Hello, I am Valentina. I am a police officer from Volterra department. I will show you around.”
I nodded.
Aro said something I didn't understand. The blonde lady nodded and he smiled at us.
“I will wait for you, right here. Have fun.”
Why wasn't he going? Not that I was complaining; he was clinging to me like bacteria and now he was letting me go somewhere alone?
A man from the police with black hair came out with a horse that looked spotted.
“That looks like a dalmatian.” I said.
The man laughed.
“Evening madam. This is not dalmatian. It's Noriker, very strong horse.”
The Noriker was looking at me.
Yeah, I was not getting on that thing.
I was backing up towards Aro. He laughed and I gave him the eye. The man holding the Noriker by the reins reassured me he was a friendly horse.
“Get on,” he said.
I shook my head. it was so high odd the ground. I was only five ft nine.
Valentina said something to him quickly. He nodded and gave me the reins. He ran off. I watched him run off, feeling mortified.
The horse puffed out air and started nipping at my braids.
Did I look like a carrot?
“No, what are you doing?”
The dark haired policeman returned, at least. He had a small block. He put it near the horse. He coaxed me up with a few gentle words.
Here goes.
I lifted up from the block and put my foot in the stirrup. I turned on it's back and put the other foot in. I had let go of the reins and the thing started walking.
“Aaaah.” I squealed.
The police officer noticed what happened and he stopped the horse and gathered the reins for me. He made me hold them in both hands.
“When you walk and want to go left do so.”
He indicated left with the reins and the big horse wanted to go left.
“Graci, Philippe.” said Valentina.
He waved as our horses began trotting away into the cool, winter evening.
She showed many things I had become familiar with ever since I started dating Marcus. The water fountain in the square, the polive station, the public library, the old theater and the supermarket. We stopped outside the gates.
“My favourite part of these tours are going outside these darned walls. They make me feel small.”
Ok...
The dark,brown horse and the dotted one walked side by side now. And I was bouncing on the saddle as mine walked.
“You know this isn't as fun as I imagined.”
“At first, you get used to it after some time.”
When we were a good ten meters from Volterra's towering brown walls she dropped her smile.
“I was frightened tonight, as to why Mr Volturi called me. Then you appear with him. What relation do you have with him?”
I raised a brow. Why was she so interested.
he likes me but he's just a...”
My kidnapper?
My stalker?
A friend, so not true...
“He's just an acquaintance.”
Her frown deepened until her forehead wrinkled.
“He is a dangerous acquaintance to have. Something is very strange about the way he accrued his wealth; the people he hired are so few too yet he lives in a mansion.
Another strange thing is they hold tours every few weeks on Tuesday and Thursday of their mansion; it is an attraction, but the visitors are never seen again after that.
Except you...”
“How do you know that?”
I thought Aro said that humans weren't allowed to know about them.
“I'm a crime investigator. I was transferred here from Rome ten years ago. I noticed soon enough that the crime rate is low here at less than 10%.
And no mafia is in operation here at all or any gang. Which led me to believe that some other party is doing that and controlling the city.
The only good is there are almost no robberies. There are no reported murders or rape cases. There's not even drug trafficking.
And I've seen a few sex workers but their business is clean, surprisingly.”
“You think Aro is a mafia boss?”
“Of sorts...something else is off putting too about him. He also is in allegiance with the Church; I've seen some of their donations come from his address.
I have tried investigating him but....my superiors have closed every file related to him. The disappearances of people who worked there or visited there...have been dismissed.
And I wonder why...”
Aro had friends in the right places...
“Be careful but if you have any issue. I am here. Here is my card.”
I smiled but a stiff one. There was nothing she could do against vampires if the authorities of the city hid all those mass murders under the rug like that.
So, here I was again...trapped.
Aro booked out an entire restaurant. But we were nested in a little nook, away from prying eyes. After I ordered he placed his chin in his palms.
“So where were we?” he purred.
I wanted to move the chair away.
“I...I have a question about the Volturi.”
He smiled genuinely and not the exaggerated glitter smile he flashed at me normally.
“Really? How exciting; go ahead I am all ears.”
“Why are people hiding your mass killings? Have you threatened to kill them.”
He smirked.
“Oh, that? Money.”
“Money....”
Why would anyone keep monsters safe that could literally slaughter an entire town with no qualms and so easily...was there anyone strong enough to kill them?
He sensed my confusion.
“You humans are so materialistic. I only have to give a few Euros and all our sins, if you will, are absolved.”
“You can't buy your way to heaven.”
“I can't, you human beings used to do so...although I wonder if it did any good. And if I recall it was endorsed by the Catholic church for many, many years.”
“That was a mistake....by corrupt leaders...those days are far behind us.”
“Is it? Many priests' crimes are hidden as well as usually it's sodomisation of young boys.”
He was trying to infuriate me. I felt my blood boil and my hands shake.
I was silent after that. After eating the meal my head throbbed.