Yes
I got dressed after my bath and laid in the bed until dinner time, paying attention to every single detail of the room the Vulturi had arranged for me, like if they had foreseen I would come. As weird as it may sound, I somehow began picturing myself living there. Of course that was impossible. The Vulturi had no idea about the favour I wanted to ask them, so maybe they just said no to me.
While I was still fantasizing there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," I said, sitting straight in the bed.
"Miss Swan," Melissa said entering the room, "Aro asked me to tell you that dinner is in thirty minutes."
"Ok, great."
"And," she told me handing me a black box, "he sends you this."
"Oh, thank you. But what is it?" I asked her, but just when I lifted my head from the box to look at her, she was closing the door and leaving me alone.
I sat in the bed again and anxiously opened the box. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw what was inside. Very carefully I lifted the most beautiful dress I had ever seen in my life. It was black, short and tight, but mainly elegant. Definitely nothing that I would wear in my everyday life. But it was not the only thing in the box. There was a pair of black shoes and jewels that matched.
I frowned when I found a note at the bottom of the box and unconsciously, I read it out loud.
"Ciao, Bella.
We are really looking forward for dinner. I personally hope you delight us all with your presence. Please, accept this welcoming gift from us.
Aro"
That gift reminded me how intimidating they all were. We were having dinner together, well, only me actually, and they were politely telling me how to dress.
I tried to convince myself that it was a nice gesture from them and nothing else, but I could not totally disregard the idea of how powerful they were.
When I realized I only had half an hour to get ready I hurried to the bathroom and did my best to apply some makeup. It was quite simple since I never used much of it. Alice would not be proud of me for sure. I let my hair lose as it, surprisingly, looked just well and finally changed into the fancy dress.
I stood in front of a big mirror and stared at my reflection. The black dress highlighted my white skin and the precious jewels I had been given. I timidly smiled to myself since I was satisfied with my look, but there was still something missing. I searched into my bag until I found what I wanted. A dark red lipstick was the final touch I needed.
When it was dinnertime I left my room and began walking through the barely lit corridors until I came across a covered figure.
"Hurry up." She ordered me. "I don't want to wait for you any longer."
"Hi, Jane." I replied coldly.
"Follow me."
We walked silently but I almost had to run behind her since she was almost walking at her natural speed. My high-heeled shoes were not a good ally but at least I managed not to fall down.
She took me to a different part of the old building and my jaw dropped when we entered the new room.
It was tremendously large with marble floor and walls. Right in the middle of it was a long table with many chairs around it.
Marcus, Caius and Aro were seated already, the last one at the head of the table, of course. Everything was fancy, elegant and luxurious but with a gothic touch, just like the rest of the place.
"Bella!" Aro's voice echoed in the vast room as he stood up. "Please, join us." He asked me pointing at a chair next to Caius, who looked at me from head to toes.
"Thank you." I answered with a weak voice. I was feeling intimidated again.
"I hope you're hungry," Marcus told me with a smile.
"Yes. Thank you."
"Please, stop thanking us. We told you we are excellent guests." Aro said sitting down again without taking his eyes off of me.
I quickly sat down but, clumsy as I was, I almost tripped over the table. Out of nowhere, a cold hand took my arm and helped me not to fall down.
"Thanks!" I blushed and looked at Caius, but he was sited still in his chair. I turned my head and saw whose hand was holding me.
"Oh, Bella. I hope you remember Alec." Aro told me.
"Yeah." I gulped in fright. Alec's red eyes were fixed on mine and his hand was still grabbing my arm strongly.
"Let her go, Alec. She's not your food." Marcus joked.
"Yet." A bitter voice said at the other side of the table, right in front of me. Jane, of course.
We all sat down and Melissa came in with a silver tray in her hands. She placed it in front of me and silently left.
"I cannot remember the last time somebody cooked human food in here," Aro said laughing but I remained silent, unsure what to say.
Everybody was staring at me until Marcus spoke in an attempt to make me feel more comfortable.
"So, Bella. I hope you like Italian food," he smiled.
"Love it," I quickly answered as I looked at the plate of lasagne in front of me.
"Please, go ahead." Aro instructed me intertwining his hands over the table.
Being the only one eating would have been super weird and awkward to any normal person. But again, I was not any human. Being friends with the Cullens had got me used to eat surrounded by vampires, so at least that was not new to me.
"It's exquisite," I smiled at all of them but Jane and Caius were the only one who remained expressionless.
"Wine?" Alec offered me and I nodded. I was not a fan of wine but I did not know how to decline his offer.
He snapped his fingers and in a minute Melissa was back in the room with a glass of wine for me. Aro started to talk about the news in Volterra and this time everybody engaged in the conversation. It was like any family dinner, what made me wonder if I would ever find a clan for myself. A new vampire family I belonged to.
When I finished eating, I thanked them for the meal and took a sip of wine to grab some courage. I would need it now.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Bella." Aro told me grinning. "Now we can properly talk."
"I'd love that." I said smiling and sitting straight in my chair.
"I'll begin if you let me." Aro said placing his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. He even looked friendly. "My brothers and I were greatly surprised when we were told you were here in Volterra looking for us."
"I suppose you expected to see me as a vampire." I admitted looking down.
"Certainly."
"And escorted by the Cullens." Caius remarked raising an eyebrow. "Where are they?"
I moved uneasily in my chair and took a deep breath, trying to find the words to explain and, more important, to finally ask the favour.
"I am not longer with Edward. He and I broke up and I just- I just left... everything." I said sharply, wishing they did not ask for the details, but they obviously did.
"Why did you break up?" Marcus asked me pouting his lips.
"Isn't it obvious?" Jane said rolling her eyes at me.
"We just didn't want the same thing for me." I explained.
"Which was?" Aro's voice sounded more intrigued now.
"Eternity." I whispered more to myself that to them. "Becoming a vampire as we agreed on the last time I was here."
There was a long pause before anyone spoke and I immediately knew they would ask me to leave just as I had arrived. Human.
"So, you came here to tell us that Edward broke his word?" Caius smirked, like if he was pleased with the idea of punishing Edward.
"NO!" I yelled and looked straight at Aro. "I want to become a vampire, and neither Edward nor the Cullens were going to help me so-"
"So?" Jane lifted her head and looked at me furiously.
"So I'm here to ask you to turn me into one." I slowly looked in the eye at each of them, leaving Aro at the end, as I knew he would be the one who would answer me. "Will you?" I pleaded.
A smile began forming in his face and his red eyes slowly turned darker and darker as he uttered the word I wanted to hear. "Yes." He had the scariest face I had ever seen. Yet, I was so pleased by his answer.
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Love, Agus